Monday, September 14, 2009

The King's Law on Kanye West

Okay.... so I haven't written about anything in a while... but what better way to break the writer's block than to discuss something that's just in my head right now. So ride on this roller coaster of thought with me, I might just make a point or two.












WT-Fuck is up with this nigga Kanye?

Let's talk about the positive shit first, so we can discount any counter-thoughts or accusations of "haterdome". Kanye is what many regard as a "musical genius" (which is debatable). Dude really does have a way for finding the right sound for a beat. He innovates the recreation of sounds through sampling and he usually pairs it with the artist very well... even when he is that artist... especially when he is that artist... his beats are tight.

Many regard his lyrical approach to be outstanding as well. While I don't agree with this statement, I can see why people would say it. I feel him sometimes, but he's usually so bent on feeling himself that I can't get into it (thus is the same for most other rappers... bravado is respected, but not when it's not clever). AT ANY RATE... he knows how to reach people... how to get their attention and how to keep it. He usually doesn't fail to meet his audiences expectations... I have been a fan of his for a minute. I stopped right before 808s and Heartbreak just cuz I've been on a pseudo-boycott of autotone for a minute... T-Pain was an exception, I just dont like everybody else using it.... that's why it got played out. Kanye was contributing to that, I thought him to be more creative than needing to follow the fad... EVEN IF HE DOES IT WELL AT TIMES... there was now nothing that really differentiated him from other artists at this point.

But this rant isn't about the plight of a "shining star" or an artist who lost his creativity and became a trend-dick-rider over time.... it's about a dumbass who apparently didn't understand the concept of Gladiator when he saw the movie.

Maximus had to learn that it wasn't because of his success and his unquestionable ability that he ended up being a champion... it was because the people loved him for it. Kanye... you are losing the love dude. You are seriously showing yourself to be the kind of person that I don't want to defend... or support... because of my CD buy money contributes to the attitudes you have towards people in general and somehow justify your dumbass choices... I want no part in it.

Now what am I saying? Am I saying that it's wrong to like his music... no, I love his music at times.... But this is getting old. We were on his side back during Katrina when he ousted baby Bush for his lack of concern for the historically and then-currently disenfranchised and oppressed ethnicity of the land. It made sense... it was a message... it didn't place him on the platform, rather it utilized the platform to send a message and get people moving. It was actually quite strong a statement... it motivated students across the nation to raise money for the Katrina Relief effort and donate to third-party assistance because the Red Cross didn't give a fuck either. Kanye actually motivated some good... I respected that. It actually helped that it was a racialized incident because it fueled political movement.

Then 2 years ago, when he was actually at a peak in his musical career... both in sales (cuz he beat out Fiddy on a bet that hes not gonna honor) and in creativity (cuz... hey... Graduation was the shit... and so was the Glow in the Dark Tour Concert). His fans had his back... even when he went to the VMAs and had an on-camera bitch fit for the world to see... crying about not getting a VMA, as if it is the pinnacle of public recognition. Even if he THINKS he puts his heart and soul into his videos and he THINKS they are so great, the VMA people don't. Get over it dude, you and your career will live without them. If you are as cocky/confident as you say you are in your music, you'll build a bridge and get over this shit... but no... you cry and bitch on camera and draw your fans in to have your back: "Kanye does deserve an award" "He's the voice of the new generation" "[insert verbal Kanye fellatio here]" "He didn't win because he's Black..." Okay... hold the press... this became racialized too, and while some rolled with the punches, I didn't think it was... I just thought it was because they don't like him. Kanye acts like a DIVA (and yes I'm going there in this blog) all the time... people like him are hell for stage managers to deal with because he thinks he knows the best way to do everything, and can do it all himself... invariably, he probably has fucked up something in the past or pissed somebody off because of it. It is quite possible for him to make great music and simultaneously be disliked by people who know him.

The truth was, he lost me there... if his goal is a VMA, not a Grammy... not maybe even starting a separate standard for what is considered awardable... but a VMA? GTFOH ... it's MTV!!! Do they even show music videos anymore? Why does their credibility matter? Wait.... they have credibility?

Impeccably, this is also when he decided to start going autotune... going more commercial to fit in the new industry standard of "successful hip-hop"... not by doing something on the next level from Graduation... but to fit in with T-Pain, Wayne, Yung Berg, and everybody else who has failed to meet the standards of anything made by the late great Roger Troutman of Zapp.

Either way... 2 years later, on 9/13/09... this muthafucka forgets how to hold his Hennessy and basically ruins a moment for one of America's top selling pop artists. He decided to show his undying fan hood for Beyonce on stage with an improvised exhibition of ratchetness...

THE KING'S LAW ON BEYONCE LOVE: If you are a heterosexual male it is decent to be a Beyonce fan. However, if it isn't limited to her phyiscal appearance, her singing ability, or her sex appeal, you are probably not heterosexual. In no way amd I condemning you for it, but just understand that it is no longer a secret to the rest of the world that you are in fact gay.

Some argue that his intent was 'sound' because Beyonce's Video was better than Taylor Swift's... I can't argue that, I actually don't watch television... and if you know me, I'm just not gonna argue in Bey's favor in most cases. But after making an ass of himself, he was swiftly escorted out of the VMAs... he apparently when home and drunk-blogged an explanation, further inducing the night of Kanye-infected Sambocity. And my prediction... once the white people start making this a racial thing by calling him out of his name, the Black people will run to the defense again.

Well... not me... regardless of some of the Bullshit comments I'm reading on twitter where folks are using "nigger" very freely... regardless of how much I hate that, and would usually fight against it.... I will not support this nigga no more neither.

I hated it on campus when shit would happen, and we (black students) would always feel or be charged to react and comment and defend. It was the motivation for many unfruitful advocacies... having to argue against YCT Affirmative Action Bake Sales, or ethnic-costume themed parties, or insensitive comments that offend multitudes... it was never fun, and we never ended in a better place at the end of the day. But we did it because we had to, because we were defending the right to be ourselves, and to own and respect our cultures.

Well if Kanye keeps putting me in these situations as a black man... maybe he needs to end his career. Maybe the limelight is too much for him and he can't take it. Maybe he just needs the attention because all of the people who were willing to deal with him are gone or they have died (RIP to his mother). Maybe he is suppressing his homosexuality to a point that he has to draw attention to himself just to prove to himself he's not gay... that's why he wants to be seen on camera with a woman for the first time in his career, but oops... she's bisexual which means at times, she actually prefers a woman over you. Suspect.... i think so.

At the end of the day, I don't care what his motivations for gaining attention are, i just think he doesn't deserve it. So I actually hope not to comment much on dude after this rant. Just wanted to explain to myself in writing (just in case I forget ... i can come back and read it), why it is I don't like Kanye's bitch ass, and why i think his career needs to end.

Hater? no... I'm just really annoyed... you cant observe popular culture without dealing with shit like this so it shouldn't be new... but if I don't pay attention to Perez Hilton, Britney Spears, or anybody else who finds their name on Mediatakeout.com way too often... why would I continue to entertain this fuck boy Kanye...

I can't... I wont.... if you do. That's fine. Just don't be disillusioned by his success... accept that he's actually a lame at heart; he's just a dumbass that makes good music... don't lie to yourself or the world... it's not what Michael Jackson would have wanted.