I realize that this post is beyond a few days late considering this news came out last week and is already so last year. However, I wanted to use the weekend to listen to
Yeezus to make a fair and balanced assessment, Fox news style.
Although I am strongly suspicious that the act of listening to
Yeezus on repeat is what caused my car to stop working, I loved it. First things first — this is not radio friendly music. At all. It is rough and dirty and sometimes a little harsh on the ears but in a strangely melodic way. Like a Bjork kind of way. What a comparison. But you probably aren't going to find yourself gleefully rapping along a la Two Chainz. Unless you've mastered the growl. Because there is growling. I love it. I also love the angelic voice of Justin Vernon (of Bon Iver) getting nastified. I have NO idea what his lyrics are, I just know they are not friendly. That unlikely pair? They make magic.
Kanye's last album,
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, is what completely changed my mind about him as an artist. I listened to his previous tracks on the radio but purchased this entire album because I was obsessed with "Monster." This album blew my mind and I listened to it on repeat for months on months. AND and it featured my hipster angel, Justin Vernon. And many other collaborations including the rap verse on "Monster" that in my mind put Nicki Minaj on the map and was probably her best work ever (FUN FACT! If you get me really drunk I can rap that for you).
I know that I am never ever going to convince you to like Kanye West. Ever. He is the man that everyone hates. Well, everyone except me. I find him extremely talented and intelligent, all while maintaining the knowledge that he is in fact probably a little bit crazy. Artists have never been known as the sanest people on our planet. One even cut his ear off. Some sleep in art museums for art. Others make music and live an incredibly outlandish and avant-garde lifestyle that we cannot relate to and don't understand how to begin to.
 |
| This. Was. Brilliant. |
That is Kanye. Yes he picked on America's goddamned sweetheart and most of America will NEVER get over that (although it was incredibly well deserved and I loved every second of it and also it was the MTV awards so those don't really count). But at the end of the day, he is an artist so the crazy is
okay. He pushes the boundaries and tries new things and GASP dares to be different.
Most importantly, the baby name? We make it our business although it is none of ours. And really, it wasn't the worst they could do. Can we give them some credit for at least spelling it right? Yes, this little girl will be brought up in the spotlight living the most lavish lifestyle imaginable. Did we think that Marie would suffice for a child as such? Maybe Kathleen? Come on people. They are celebrities, and we asked for it.
In conclusion, you may not like the man. You may not like his baby-momma (I certainly do not). But give the guy a fucking break okay? Until you come out with your groundbreaking rap album. Then you can speak.
