Feature: Kanye West: Dick Or Not?
Without a doubt, one of the biggest names in terms of not only music, but also culture, is that of Kanye West. Across the years, there have been multiple critically acclaimed albums, countless huge singles, ingenious sampling and the birth of a fashion brand - along with an actual birth of a child. His influence on hip-hop is evident, but at times, forgotten.
What’s remembered often, is the weird stories we all hear and see. West’s media portrayal is as tabloid as it gets. From what his daughter and wife are wearing to the shops (admittedly places like Louis Vuitton rather than ASDA), to the fact he has humus on his rider, the media coverage of West’s life resembles that of any gutter celebrity.
There are more sides to West than that of a several Rubik’s cubes - over his career we’ve seen every possible angle - and at times he does come across bipolar. The two Zane Lowe interviews he’s given have showed two very contrasting sides. First was manic, angry, rant-spilling bitterness about not being accepted by fashion brands in particular, as a creative. However, fast-forward 18 months and West was in the same studio with the same interviewer, yet this time he breaks down in tears, cracks jokes and just seems genuinely normal – just with ideas that may be anything but.
Around this time, he’d launched his new fashion ranges and was over here in the UK getting ready for a performance at the Brit Awards. What was seen was arguably the most impactful performance in Brit Awards’ history, as he debuted fiery new single, ‘All Day’. Despite being there to represent British musical culture, there was no chance of grime making it to the Brit Awards organically, which shows the impact of a West co-sign. However, despite doing a seemingly good thing in bringing grime to the attention of Daily Mail readers, people criticised him for just having them there, arguing that there should have been a verse or two from Skepta. Fast forward a couple of days and there’s a surprise Kanye West gig announced in London, involving artists such as Novelist, JME, Meridian Dan, and huge US names like Raekwon, with Skepta also playing a huge part of the night.
His live shows are something ethereal and powerful, with a back catalogue of available material that would make Drake or Eminem weep. His most recent album, Yeezus, is rightly lauded as one of the best sonic developments in hip-hop and his continuing inventive musical creativity is incomparable. West is basically the personification of LG - sharp, innovative, and the first to the concepts, that are then replicated by competitors once the ideas have become accessible for everyone.
There is no denying his arrogance, but there must come a point where you deserve the ability to be so. Using the dick vs entertainer scale – where, for example, we would see Jeremy Clarkson rapidly tipping the dick end of the seesaw down (knocking off Jeremy Kyle and Mel B on the way), West is a seesaw reference point that is without doubt heavier on the entertainer side.
Will Ackrill