I’ve tried to avoid posting every single damn interview Kanye West has done as of late, partially because I didn’t want to have repeat posts. Also, I realize that pretty much all the music sites out there report on these, so what’s the point right? Well, I got to watching his interview on The Breakfast Club this morning and after Yeezy and Charlamagne began going head to head, I knew I needed to share it.
For one, Charlamagne calls Yeezus wack right to West’s face, who smiles and says “That’s great, that’s great” and moves the conversation ahead. Then, the radio personality calls out the Chicago native for always wanting to have a corporation behind him while also shouting “f_ck corporations!” As you can probably tell, it gets pretty damn entertaining and informative, too, because this grilling of Kanye brings out more of his personality than, say, something like this.
You can watch the interview below.
Where do I start? Disclaimer first: I’m not a Kanye fan. After watching this interview, I became, well not converted, but rather intrigued. That is what good interviews do. They let you see a piece, sometimes just a sliver, of the real person that otherwise gets shaded by media glitz and personal buffoonery. First thought, am I really going to listen to this man talk with gold teeth in his mouth for 45 minutes. Ok, wait…give it a chance. Maybe Kanye is more than just a loud, pompous rockstar. He is willingly, intentionally sacrificing his art for a bigger purpose. Why? He accepts (and deflects) Charlamagne’s criticism of Yeezus so he can get to the question he really wants to answer. Why is he so frustrated? I wasn’t expecting this. Out of this man’s gold-teethed mouth comes an important, prolific statement that both justifies his motives and yet gets missed for the rest of the interview. “In order to really impact and be in a position of power at this point, you got to be a billionaire.” And from this point forward, I’m locked into the interview. Wait a minute…cause maybe he gets it. There is more to this for him that just putting out good music. He wants to shake things up so that people will listen. So what people thought his last album was wack. Was it a conversation starter? Did it talk about something more than asses clappin, jewelry poppin and who is sexing who now? Nothing matters more than the people and the way he can affect them. These are the words from his mouth. He wants to create more cohesion and opportunity, than dissension and backbiting, among people of all colors. Then he goes at them. Them being those that make the decisions that impact our lives and keep us shackled to the brands and products. Ok, so where he doesn’t go is flat out saying that in a consumer society our dollar is our vote. We keep putting money in the pockets of people that make decisions that negatively affect us, take away our freedoms (literally) and keep us enslaved to the perceptions of who and what we are supposed to be. Next, he hits on the industry infrastucture and explains why he goes after the deals with Nike and Adidas. When you are trying to affect something big, say perhaps as big as “culture in a higher way” that allows people to think, live and be free, you need to tap into those established industry connections, that business infrastructure that already exists. He goes after the age old truism that those who create don’t make the money. It’s those that invest that do. And he wants to turn that on its head. Yes, he is in a fight with the corporations. And yes, it may seem contradictory for him to talk about brands enslaving us and then he climbs into bed with the slavemaster. Yes, he wants that money for the design and the royalties. But, why? Then he loses me a bit, because it becomes a selfish argument, and i’m left wondering. Is that all? Fast forward to the conversation about Dame and J. I loved that part. The difference between making noise while speaking the truth versus being heard. He flips it again and speaks the truth about living a purpose-filled life. If he had given everything that was expected to be given by him to this world, then God would have killed him in that accident. I hit the pause button. Wow, ok. Pressed play, and he quickly dabbles into the establishment of wealth and the legacy of family. Did he really just go there? Tying generational wealth to the ability to effect change and generational opportunity. Did that opportunity just quietly get up out the chair and walk out the studio? Because the interviewers sure missed it. The opportunity to really dig deep on Kanye and unearth, in plain speak, his true motives. Charlamagne comes back at it a few moments later, but its from a 1960’s freedom fighter mentality, either not accepting or not understanding the hypothesis that Kanye opened with. He continues to think its about the revolution in the music. But the music was an instrument. It provided the voice. The voice can become irrelevant the moment album sales stop or employers end contracts. Yes, Kanye goes there. He talks about the establishment of wealth in industries and gets frustrated because Charlamagne wants to know why he keeps equating freedom to money. At this point I want to step in, give Kanye some words, and lend him my voice. Money turns into wealth and wealth provides the resources to effect real, global change. He begins to show his genius when he discusses how the most talented creators are taken by the industry owners/dominators and put into the luxury box. Then we as people, consumers, become enslaved to the desire for these expensive, luxurious things. We grind, fight, scrap, sell drugs, commit crimes to get the money to afford these luxury items. Then those same crimes are afforded more incarceration time and we are imprisoned again. He makes the link between songs, music industry, gun companies and privately owned prisons. Damn, did he really just go there? I got frustrated for Kanye. Yes, I said it. I got frustrated FOR him. Even during the interview Charlamagne tries to box him in. Tell him all he has to offer is good music to help people get through their day. And that’s when Kanye loses it. He is turnt up at this point and the ranting starts. People can’t hear the truth when it is clouded by the delivery. He speaks on marginlization and even goes as far as to discuss this topic in light of our beloved President. Food for thought. He goes on to discuss iconography as a way to control mindset. Ok, so by the end of this interview I am left wanting. I go back to his opening statement about social impact and wealth. Why didn’t he reconnect the dots? Did he just get revved up, following the rabbit holes? Is it that Kanye is just a really loud, pompous rockstar that is all about himself? Or, is it because, as a marketing genius, active controversy sells and keeps you relevant, not revolutionary ideas?
i hate both of these guys. both talk out of their ass holes. just so happens one of them manages to make good music by rapping out of his.
C tha God is wack in this interview. For once.. ‘Ye talking sense.
https://twitter.com/TheRealRiddler
saul williams was talking about “new slaves”
Precursor: i dislike kanye very much; “i want you to tell me everything im doing wrong in front of everybody so i can improve that” i dig that. glimmer of honest humble genius in the heat of all the scrutiny and chaos.
Yeah. THIS is why i LOVE YE!!! I love his honesty, his willing to be called dumb, and own his mistakes. THis was GREAT
This interview was great.
Gotta say I’m with the god, I am still confused. He made a good point and Kanye made a contradiction, he doesn’t need to go to these corporations, he made good money at his own pop up shop. But I was nodding along about the fact people do dig up old interviews and enjoy what he said 10 years ago, and time will tell if he is off his rocker today, or if he is just way ahead of his time.
yeah but here you are posting and there he is living.
angela yee would buff that knob if given the chance.
I don’t know he’s either really slightly insane or really passionate about his future endeavors
the idea that Kanye might go over someone’s head is offensive to those of us with IQs above 100
i don’t know whether Kanye is going over my head or he is just making no sense at all