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[Saul Goodman]

Under the current climate of BLM activism across the globe it’s certainly odd to refer to Kanye as an idiot. Perhaps people think that’s ok if he’s friendly with a certain President?

Did you actually think that was a gotcha moment?

 

[Edie]

Confidence and determination are what makes people successful, and money, and connections. Intelligence obviously plays a part for some people but I'd say that overall it's way down the list of criteria.

You could well be right, especially in business. I’m not sure about music and the arts, or other fields. But you may be right there too.

 

[ginger_syn]

Under the current climate of BLM activism across the globe it’s certainly odd to refer to Kanye as an idiot. Perhaps people think that’s ok if he’s friendly with a certain President?

You are weird.

 

[AmateurAgitator]

I’m mentally ill. Lots of people are. Using that as a generalised yardstick is probably not a road you should go down, whoever you were talking about.

I suffer from mental health problems myself. My point is that clearly his aren't being properly addressed and are being opportunistically exploited by the yes men around him. Atleast, that's how I see it.

Just calling the guy an arsehole or whatever (as some have been doing on here) just doesn't cut it if you ask me.

 

[two sheds]

What are his lyrics like?

 

[krtek a houby]

and i think the subtext to all those labelling someone stupid based on what? being a rapper? has got to be racism.

It's true that there is a serious amount of bigotry and snobbery when some dismiss rappers. In Kanye's case, I'd reckon it's more to do with the nonsensical stuff he's come out with than racial prejudice.

I'd rather have Chuck D as PotUS, tbh.

 

[danny la rouge]

You could well be right, especially in business. I’m not sure about music and the arts, or other fields. But you may be right there too.

Oh music and the arts more than any. Some of the most talented musicians I know are barely known, while others seem to have been successful on barely more than self belief.

 

[alsoknownas]

Kanye West is a very talented record producer, an ok rapper and an absolute whopper of a human being, just to clear things up.

This is about right. Though I'd elevate his rhyming to the level of 'good' (almost mistyped that as god, which I'm sure Kanye himself would have thought appropriate).

This is a massively idiotic move. Will at the very least chip away at crucial black votes and benefit Trump. Though as we know Kanye has circled and embraced Trump at various times, so...

But Kanye is not an idiot. People who dismiss him as an artist are dead wrong. He's always had something to say.

He's got a really good eye (ear?) for chronicling the emotional landscape of Black American life at the day-to-day level. A thanksgiving with an unspoken absent family member; the way that consumerism acts as an emotional bandage, that "made us love their wealth, and hate ourself"; questioning his own self-adornment with rocks in the face of blood-diamond wars and amputations.

He's right on that nexus of that guilt-ridden, sacred-profane conflict that has fuelled soul music from it's beginning. Tracks like Jesus Walks and No Church In (a while) are exuberant but conflicted (and funny). "I'm not here to argue about his facial features... or turn atheists into believers... I'm just trying to say the way that Kathy need Regis - that's the way I need Jesus!"

He's also the single most soulful producer in hip hop, unashamedly tying the sound back to the squishy, syrupy roots of soul, and giving it a big injection of liveliness just when it needed it.

And, yes, he's an egotist and a massive dickhead some of the time. The Taylor Swift stuff - at first my jaw just dropped at the sheer chutzpah of it all - but in the end it just comes down to ugly bullying, and can't be excused.

Then there's the cosying up to Trump, and the misguided 'slavery was a choice' chat, etc.

Even that contains complexity. I feel like he has always had a vein of struggle born out of wanting to be accepted as a fully-fledged member of society (without the compromising pigeonhole of 'race'). Stuff like how he railed against the college education that seemed to fill him with feelings of rejection, plus his ongoing half-joking flirtations with right-wing musings:

"And I’ll never let my son have an ego,
He’ll be nice to everyone wherever we go,
I mean I might even make him be Republican,
So everybody know he love white people"

 

[Sprocket.]

Oh music and the arts more than any. Some of the most talented musicians I know are barely known, while others seem to have been successful on barely more than self belief.

I agree 100% with this.

 

[ginger_syn]

You could well be right, especially in business. I’m not sure about music and the arts, or other fields. But you may be right there too.

He's spot on with the arts, can't speak for the others.

 

[two sheds]

This is about right. Though I'd elevate his rhyming to the level of 'good' (almost mistyped that as god, which I'm sure Kanye himself would have thought appropriate).

This is a massively idiotic move. Will at the very least chip away at crucial black votes and benefit Trump. Though as we know Kanye has circled and embraced Trump at various times, so...

But Kanye is not an idiot. People who dismiss him as an artist are dead wrong. He's always had something to say.

He's got a really good eye (ear?) for chronicling the emotional landscape of Black American life at the day-to-day level. A thanksgiving with an unspoken absent family member; the way that consumerism acts as an emotional bandage, that "made us love their wealth, and hate ourself"; questioning his own self-adornment with rocks in the face of blood-diamond wars and amputations.

He's right on that nexus of that guilt-ridden, sacred-profane conflict that has fuelled soul music from it's beginning. Tracks like Jesus Walks and No Church In (a while) are exuberant but conflicted (and funny). "I'm not here to argue about his facial features... or turn atheists into believers... I'm just trying to say the way that Kathy need Regis - that's the way I need Jesus!"

He's also the single most soulful producer in hip hop, unashamedly tying the sound back to the squishy, syrupy roots of soul, and giving it a big injection of liveliness just when it needed it.

And, yes, he's an egotist and a massive dickhead some of the time. The Taylor Swift stuff - at first my jaw just dropped at the sheer chutzpah of it all - but in the end it just comes down to ugly bullying, and can't be excused.

Then there's the cosying up to Trump, and the misguided 'slavery was a choice' chat, etc.

Even that contains complexity. I feel like he has always had a vein of struggle born out of wanting to be accepted as a fully-fledged member of society (without the compromising pigeonhole of 'race'). Stuff like how he railed against the college education that seemed to fill him with feelings of rejection, plus his ongoing half-joking flirtations with right-wing musings:

"And I’ll never let my son have an ego,
He’ll be nice to everyone wherever we go,
I mean I might even make him be Republican,
So everybody know he love white people"

Answers my question as to his lyrics, ta.

 

[danny la rouge]

I suffer from mental health problems myself. My point is that clearly his aren't being properly addressed and are being opportunistically exploited by the yes men around him. Atleast, that's how I see it.

Just calling the guy an arsehole or whatever (as some have been doing on here) just doesn't cut it if you ask me.

I think it’s fine to categorise someone a reactionary twat if that’s what they are. No need to bring mental ill health into it. I’m still not sure whether we’re talking about Kanye or Trump, but I don’t know enough about the former to suggest a diagnosis.

 

[alsoknownas]

Answers my question as to his lyrics, ta.

To be fair most rap lyrics don't translate very well to the written page.

I remember writing down a load of Chuck D lyrics years ago and wondering where all the power had gone!
Rap is percussive. It needs to be judged in context.

 

[two sheds]

a field totally beyond my experience

 

[alsoknownas]

I think it’s fine to categorise someone a reactionary twat if that’s what they are. No need to bring mental ill health into it. I’m still not sure whether we’re talking about Kanye or Trump, but I don’t know enough about the former to suggest a diagnosis.

Kanye has been open about mental health struggles in recent years.

 

[Raheem]

To be fair most rap lyrics don't translate very well to the written page.

I remember writing down a load of Chuck D lyrics years ago and wondering where all the power had gone!
Rap is percussive. It needs to be judged in context.

Think the same thing goes for a lot of music. Bob Dylan, frinstance.

 

[SpineyNorman]

It's true that there is a serious amount of bigotry and snobbery when some dismiss rappers. In Kanye's case, I'd reckon it's more to do with the nonsensical stuff he's come out with than racial prejudice.

I'd rather have Chuck D as PotUS, tbh.

Boots Riley would be my favoured rapper president

 

[keybored]

To be fair most rap lyrics don't translate very well to the written page.

They come across best when expressed as bar charts.

 

[SheilaNaGig]

Under the current climate of BLM activism across the globe it’s certainly odd to refer to Kanye as an idiot. Perhaps people think that’s ok if he’s friendly with a certain President?

Is this really what you’ve taken from the BLM movement?

I really hope you’ve got the sense to think this through more carefully.

 

[inva]

Boots Riley would be my favoured rapper president

Syria loon iirc

 

[Aladdin]

The presidency of the US has become a complete joke.
They need to sideline the role as a sort of tourist attraction.

 

[SpineyNorman]

Syria loon iirc

Is he? That's disappointing. Dig It was a proper tune though and I reckon he'd at least be entertaining

 

[JuanTwoThree]

A lot of doubt around as to whether he's done any of the FEC paperwork, or will. At the moment there's a tweet. And a new album coming?

 

[LDC]

Syria loon iirc

Yeah he is a bit unfortunately.

 

[Edie]

Oh music and the arts more than any. Some of the most talented musicians I know are barely known, while others seem to have been successful on barely more than self belief.

Yeah I’m thinking my theory may be bullshit tbh

 

[Aladdin]

I agree people can say idiotic things but I’d also suggest that there is a correlation between high earners and intellect

Unfortunately that's not true. And it's definitely not linear.
There are many highly intelligent people..bordering on genius..who won't earn shitloads of money.
..

 

[two sheds]

At the moment there's a tweet. And a new album coming?

Is "I am running for president of the United States" the name of his new album?

 

[Detroit City]

kanye west? wtf?

 

[two sheds]

Unfortunately that's not true. And it's definitely not linear.
There are many highly intelligent people..bordering on genius..who won't earn shitloads of money.
..

yep almost by definition

 

[Marty1]

Unfortunately that's not true. And it's definitely not linear.
There are many highly intelligent people..bordering on genius..who won't earn shitloads of money.
..

It’s a complex tangent sparked from a linear comment upthread.

I just think in general that financially successful individuals tend not to be idiots tho that does not negate them of saying or doing idiotic things from time to time.