What you saw in that interview with Matt Lauer and all the recent antics is an artistic genius who is in pain. Right now he needs our support, not derision.
Show Some Compassion for Kanye
by Bassey Ikpi
I've joked that Kanye was hugged too much as a child. It was a tongue-in-cheek observation, given how the same mind that gave us the 30-minute, visually and metaphorically stunning Runaway movie is prone to hissy fits and meltdowns when he doesn't get his way or award.
There were hints of this from the moment "Jesus Walks" exploded into our musical psyches, but after the death of his mother, Donda, it seemed as if Kanye became even more impulsive -- all act now, think later. Open book -- no filter. Queue up his infamous and inappropriately timed statement "George Bush doesn't care about black people." This is a man who doesn't mince words or hold back his emotions.
In a recent video making the rounds, Kanye discusses his last year and the penalties of being outspoken in a business that is all PR and photo ops: "If you say anything, you lose everything." Honestly? It's a refreshing approach in a society that seems to value politically mute buttons for celebrities. And refreshing, especially, for young black men who would rather stuff the pain until it eats them from the inside than let anyone see even a crumble of emotional dust.
It took me a while to admit to being a Kanye West fan. I loved his music and definitely saw hints of genius in his earlier productions both for other artists and for himself. But I found his arrogance off-putting. I appreciated his talent, but from the second I heard of this "Kanye West, son of college professors, raised to be intellectual and artistic," I expected more from him. At the very least, humility. Where I simply ignored the Soulja Boys and Ying Yang Twins of the world, I was disappointed in Kanye -- his swan dive into the hip-hop pitfalls of materialism and braggadocio bored me. I just expected more than the "Louis Vuitton Don" image and ridiculously ostentatious displays of wealth.
Still, as time moved on, so did my opinion of Kanye. I began to admire his ability to own himself, to express his unabashed love of fashion even while demanding that his fans think bigger, smarter. Different. Like when he openly challenged homophobia within the unabashedly homophobic rap community (we'll forgive him for not yet speaking openly about misogyny -- baby steps). Or his refusal to advance the gun talk. He's the anti-thug antidote -- the representation for the other side of the game.
Show Some Compassion for Kanye
by Bassey Ikpi
I've joked that Kanye was hugged too much as a child. It was a tongue-in-cheek observation, given how the same mind that gave us the 30-minute, visually and metaphorically stunning Runaway movie is prone to hissy fits and meltdowns when he doesn't get his way or award.
There were hints of this from the moment "Jesus Walks" exploded into our musical psyches, but after the death of his mother, Donda, it seemed as if Kanye became even more impulsive -- all act now, think later. Open book -- no filter. Queue up his infamous and inappropriately timed statement "George Bush doesn't care about black people." This is a man who doesn't mince words or hold back his emotions.
In a recent video making the rounds, Kanye discusses his last year and the penalties of being outspoken in a business that is all PR and photo ops: "If you say anything, you lose everything." Honestly? It's a refreshing approach in a society that seems to value politically mute buttons for celebrities. And refreshing, especially, for young black men who would rather stuff the pain until it eats them from the inside than let anyone see even a crumble of emotional dust.
It took me a while to admit to being a Kanye West fan. I loved his music and definitely saw hints of genius in his earlier productions both for other artists and for himself. But I found his arrogance off-putting. I appreciated his talent, but from the second I heard of this "Kanye West, son of college professors, raised to be intellectual and artistic," I expected more from him. At the very least, humility. Where I simply ignored the Soulja Boys and Ying Yang Twins of the world, I was disappointed in Kanye -- his swan dive into the hip-hop pitfalls of materialism and braggadocio bored me. I just expected more than the "Louis Vuitton Don" image and ridiculously ostentatious displays of wealth.
Still, as time moved on, so did my opinion of Kanye. I began to admire his ability to own himself, to express his unabashed love of fashion even while demanding that his fans think bigger, smarter. Different. Like when he openly challenged homophobia within the unabashedly homophobic rap community (we'll forgive him for not yet speaking openly about misogyny -- baby steps). Or his refusal to advance the gun talk. He's the anti-thug antidote -- the representation for the other side of the game.
Read the Full Essay @ The Loop
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Bassey Ikpi is a Nigerian born poet-writer and mental health advocate. She is currently working on a memoir documenting her life living with bipolar II disorder. Follow her on Twitter.
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