Post-irony (adj): " . . .a term used to connote a state in which earnest and ironic intents become muddled." (source: Wikipedia)
"You should only believe about 90 percent of what I say. As a matter of fact, don't even believe anything that I'm saying at all. I could be completely f--king with you, and the world, the entire time." - Kanye West, June 2013 (source: The Independent)
Credit: Twitter @kanyewest
Kanye West. You've heard of him, I'm sure. He makes it pretty hard for anyone to not know his name.
In the past two weeks, Kanye has released not one, but two, new albums: "Ye" and "Kids See Ghosts;" the latter being a collaboration with his one-time protege, Kid Cudi. These albums debuted after what felt like months of build-up and controversy surrounding West - whether it be through his single, "Lift Yourself," that was very obviously an attempt at trolling the music industry; in the backlash of his heavily criticized TMZ interview in which he posits that slavery was a choice, or via any one of his cryptic Twitter statements.
Credit: Title, "22 of Kanye West's Wildest, Weirdest, and Most Controversial Tweeets Ever"
I've now listened to both albums, and while this piece is by no means an album review, I might as well give my thoughts on them real quick. While "Ye" does touch on the heavy themes of mental health, as well as Kanye's public perception, the overall album feels mostly superficial (but still enjoyable). There are a few standout songs, though: the soul-inspired track "Ghost Town" and the more neurotic-sounding "Yikes" are my personal favorites. Nonetheless, at only seven songs and a run-time of 23 minutes, "Ye" does seem like a warm-up album.
And now we know what Kanye was warming up for. On the collaborative album "Kids See Ghosts," Kanye and Cudi go all in to bring us an album that's catchy, meaningful, and totally worth my iTunes money. Yes, I still use iTunes. Not Apple Music. Good, old-fashioned, "buck-29-a-song" iTunes.
Credit: Title, "22 of Kanye West's Wildest, Weirdest, and Most Controversial Tweeets Ever"
Phew. Now that I've got that out of the way, let's get to what I really want to talk about: my incredibly conflicting opinions on Kanye West.
Credit: Buzzfeed, " 25 Of Kanye West's Most Thought-Provoking Tweets"
I wouldn't call myself a massive Kanye West fan. As far as his music goes, he has about half a dozen songs that I love to put on at the gym. And his nine-minute magnum opus "Runaway," from the 2010 album "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy," is an absolute masterpiece and one of the best songs ever created. Don't even try to debate me on that.
But to me, the most interesting thing about Kanye is not the music, the impressive use of sampling/collabs, or even the ridiculously overpriced shoes. No, what really fascinates me is how Kanye West markets himself: how he's managed to finely craft the public perception of a man who couldn't care less about his public perception.
Credit: Title, "22 of Kanye West's Wildest, Weirdest, and Most Controversial Tweeets Ever"
The one thing Mr. West is undeniably great at is demanding attention, whatever form that may be. The last decade of his career has been mired in controversy that seems to thrust him back into the spotlight as soon as he's started to fade from public consciousness. The infamous 2008 Taylor Swift VMA's interruption (which partly inspired "Runaway. . .), his 2016 Ellen "interview" that quickly devolved into a nonsensical rant,and his long track record of outlandish and contradictory political statements are all fine examples of the man's ability to stay in conversation. And those are just some examples I pulled from his Wikipedia page.
Credit: Buzzfeed, "25 Of Kanye West's Most Thought-Provoking Tweets"
Kanye West is not a subtle person. But despite his many public gaffes, I do believe that he is incredibly self-aware. He frequently calls himself a genius and a philosopher, and he'll earnestly compare himself with the likes of Steve Jobs, da Vinci, and Jesus Christ himself; however, many of his most memorable lyrics (at least, the ones I'm paying attention to) address the idea that despite the ego and bluster, he knows he's an imperfect person constantly struggling with his life as a public figure. "Runaway" is all about offering up a toast to all the d-bags and a-holes of the world, while at the same time admitting that he is one of these people.
(Sidenote: I know I'm talking a lot about "Runaway," but its lyrics are probably the best idea we can get of how Kanye sees himself, plus it's just an incredible song. I could probably write a whole piece on just this song. And maybe I will someday.)
Credit: Refinery29, "A Guide To Kanye West's Twitter, Which Is Now A Philosophy Blog"
Is Kanye the genius he claims to be? Regardless of what you think of his music, I think it's safe to say that his true genius is in marketing and self-promotion. West has done, and said, things that could easily have ruined him. Careers have been destroyed for far less. But he hangs around, as enigmatic and impossible to analyze as ever.
And still, I can't figure out exactly what I think of the guy.
Credit: Title, "22 of Kanye West's Wildest, Weirdest, and Most Controversial Tweeets Ever"
Do I really think Kanye West is the genius that I'll half-seriously joke with my brother about? Or do I just love joking about the supposed "genius" of this obviously narcissistic egomaniac? Perhaps I don't love Kanye as much as I love his public persona — the way he can inspire so much hatred and backlash, yet captivate the world all the same.
Most of all, I think it's healthy that we have a figure like Kanye in the cultural zeitgeist someone who can't be easily explained; someone to keep us on our toes.
Credit: Twitter @kanyewest
He might be a genius after all.
Or maybe he really is nothing more than an image-obsessed narcissist.
But I'd probably vote for him.
