This is not an album review, nor is it a compliment to a musical revolutionary generation. It is an astonishment written in the mind of the paradox of living, eating and breathing. Mr. West is the epitome of the phrase, “someone you love to hate.” Why? Why do we love this man and hate him? It is an aberrant and compulsive desire to see him on Tivo crushing a girl’s moment in his life, to regard a former American leader as a ‘racist’ and to enrage the sweetest of daytime television news anchors. It’s praise and idolatry of his ‘dark and twisted fantasy’ musical prowess, his artistic genius on a late-night comedy show, and his avant-garde style that shapes a generation.
As annoying and redundant as it may be to discuss the incident seen around the world with Taylor Swift, it’s really impossible not to. In Mr. West’s latest spiel of truly epic proportions, he says, “If I weren’t drunk I would have been on stage longer.” However, in an apparently sincere apology via Twitter, she tries to repent of her actions by saying:
“I’m ready to get out of my own way. The ego is over the top. I take responsibility for my actions. Yes, I was that guy. A thirty-two-year-old boy. With a newfound humility … who am I? Running on stage? I would never, ever do that again in a million years. Sorry to disappoint you. ”
So you question his actions of running on stage, but put the drunkenness aside, he would have been spouting all kinds of crazy things for longer? There is a time and place for constructive criticism, my friend. Perhaps stating your preference for Beyonce could have been done somewhere other than the MTV awards. Perhaps apologizing to Ms. Swift could have been done elsewhere than in a very public medium like Twitter.
In the devastating shadows of Hurricane Katrina, Kanye took it upon himself to seemingly “say what everyone was thinking.” The expression on Mike Myers’ face was representative of all members of the audience when Kanye made the infamous statement: “George Bush hates blacks.” Hating a certain racial demographic of people would consider one a “racist”, as Kanye has regarded former President George W. Bush as a racist. In his most recent spiel he sympathizes with Bush and how he has been a victim and is saddened by every trial and tribulation he has gone through, but also asks, “Was I a racist for speaking a blatant truth?” He preaches the redemption of man, but does not retract his verdict that he is a racist. How can one be so endowed with words and yet choose his words so recklessly in the public eye?
Enough of all this redundant talk about Taylor and Bush; we, as a nation, have heard enough to take sides. Matt Lauer was the latest viewer to be caught up in Kanye’s debauchery. In an attempt to expose the world to the musical revolutionary’s volatile behavior and make things clear about what actually happened, Lauer insisted that the raw footage be shown in response to West’s claims that it was edited to make him look like a villain. . In this case there is no point and counterpoint to write. The video speaks for itself, and for good reason. You must have said something truly grotesque to pinch a nerve with Matty Lauer, Kanye.
Kanye’s criticisms of the media as a whole and how they misinterpret those in the public eye for attention are absolutely valid. However, his condemnation is not. As unfortunate as it may be, gross exaggerations and prejudices are prevalent in the media, but this is no different since the beginning of time. A ‘headline’ is meant to grab the attention and attract the reader by any means possible without falsification, of course. It is comparable to the saying, “I told the truth, but not the whole truth.” Sorry, Mr. West, but this is the society we live in. It is journalism at its finest. With the controversial cover of My Dark Twisted Fantasy, along with its various magnified setbacks, it seems like Kanye should be the first to understand the controversy in exchange for attention.
This is not a party for the celebrity that is Kanye West. It is evident that he is an outstanding and truly revolutionary. He has sold millions of albums, influenced the style of a generation, and became a verb (‘pull a Kanye’). His moment with Taylor has over 22 million views, his epic performance on SNL was the first of its kind on the show, and his latest album masterpiece has garnered praise across the board. Kanye is a staple in American society. He has publicly attacked various media outlets, yet they desperately seek his approval. We thrive in every move you make, whether we idolize or demonize. Kanye West is a paradox. A paradox that leaves us yearning for more but hating the bitter aftertaste.
Sources:
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1647228/20100904/west_kanye.jhtml
http://www.thefatbrat.com