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Kanyean Philosophy – It’s A Thing

Kanyean Philosophy – It’s A Thing

"It's not where you take things from. It's where you take them to."
                                                                                  Kanye West

Kanye West definitely has a way with words. But instead of rapping them as lyrics to a song, he now puts his thoughts down as inspirational quotes on his channel on Twitter. A series of clever remarks and truisms that is an expression of how he feels also noting that this is his book he is writing in real-time…

“Oh, by the way, this is my book I’m writing in real-time. No publisher is going to tell me what to put where or how many pages to write. This is not a financial opportunity, this is an innate need to be expressive.”  

West's lyrical proclamations have included such gems as "reach for the stars, so if you fall you land on a cloud" and "hurry up with my damn croissants!".

But how does he shape up as a philosopher? Can he legitimately be ranked alongside Nietzsche, Descartes, and Kant?

BBC Music reporter Mark Savage wanted an expert to scrutinize the star's tweets.
While one replied that they "wouldn't know how to assess them taken as philosophy", Dr. Lauren Ware, a lecturer at the University of Kent, who specializes in the philosophy of emotion was up for the challenge.

 

Here's what Dr. Ware made of the Kanyean school of philosophy.

 

Kanye says: 

"Truth is my goal. Controversy is my gym. I'll do a hundred reps of controversy for a 6 pack of truth."

Kanye identifies here his philosophical methodology: the arrival at truth through controversy.
Philosophy as the pursuit of truth, the love of wisdom, is well-known, but Kanye's embrace of controversy marks him out as genuinely engaging in philosophical practice.

Dr. Ware teaches a module at Kent called "Philosophical Reading and Writing", and when students struggle to come up with material for their essays, she tells them to find the controversy, find a problem, turn that into a question, and then your answer to that question is your thesis statement.

Philosophy starts with controversy, training, and exercise in identifying and dealing with it charitably is a great way to flex your philosophical muscles.

Kanye says: 

"Cars have four wheels. Hoodies have hoods. It's amusing to me when someone says this is an original hoodie. Bro… it's a hoodie."

Here we get into the solid metaphysical commitments of Kanyean philosophy. Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that asks questions about reality and existence: What does it mean to be real? Do dreams exist? What makes a hoodie a hoodie and not a car?

What Kanye is doing here is laying down what is called in philosophy the "necessary and sufficient conditions" for being a hoodie. You can't be a hoodie without a hood, so hoods are necessary for hoodie-hood. But it remains to be seen in his theory whether hoods are sufficient for hoodie-hood.

Do hoods alone a hoodie make?

Another interesting element is this notion of originality: Would the very concept of the hoodie – hoodiness incarnate – be itself the one, true, original hoodie? Does this concept of the hoodie exist? Can I buy it?

Kanye says: 

"I don't believe in the concept of an enemy. We have been conditioned to always be in competition. Stop looking for something to beat and just be. You don't have to do all the work. Once you start moving in love the universe will assist you."

Here's a concept that definitely does not exist in the Yeezian universe: the enemy.
What does it mean for a concept to cease to exist? If everyone followed Kanye and stopped believing in enemies, do they disappear?

We're getting to the heart of Kanye's metaphysics here, and it bears an astonishing connection to that of the ancient Greek philosopher, Plato.

Responding to Kanye, Plato would say concepts aren't dependent on anyone believing in them to exist. But he did say in his dialogue, The Symposium, that it's through love that we come to understand concepts. Part of what it is to love something is to be curious about it, to want to understand it.

Perhaps it is through the love of our enemies that the universe will assist us in understanding what they truly are?

 

Kanye says: 

"Stop playing chess with life. Make decisions based on love, not fear."

One of the prominent themes running through the early aphorisms of Kanye's book is a tension between fear and love.

The philosophy of emotions is a vibrant sub-branch of philosophy, aiming to articulate the nature and value of emotions: what are emotions? What can they do? When can they help or hinder us? Emotions are a hot topic, and Kanye is bang on trend philosophically here.

Now, there exists a persistent cultural script that reason and emotion are at odds with each other – that emotions are fundamentally irrational or counter to reason. We can see this reflected in some of Kanye's work, for example…

"Don't follow crowds. Follow the innate feelings inside of you. Do what you feel not what you think. Thoughts have been placed in our heads to make everyone assimilate. Follow what you feel."

However, the emotion vs. reason script is by now pretty much established as a false dichotomy in philosophy. Why? Because there's a difference between something being a-rational and it being irrational.

My fear can certainly be irrational: for example, when I'm afraid for no good reason, or more afraid of an object than it is worth. But that's not because fear is an emotion. Rather, it's because, as R.A. Duff argues, "our rational grasp of the world is so often… fallible; after all, our beliefs can also be irrational, when they are not properly grounded in or proportional to the relevant evidence".

We can, therefore, understand emotions to be perfectly rational when they are appropriately grounded in reality: when the beliefs that form part of the emotion are true.

Kanye says: 

"Everything means nothing until you make it something. You are your validator."

No other tweet aphorism better demonstrates the existentialism at the core of Kanye's book. Existentialist philosophers like Simone de Beauvoir championed the view that we ourselves give meaning and purpose to our life in the very act of living it. We craft our own existence, by living authentically.

We can identify Kanye's existentialism reflected in his theme of authenticity. Our purpose – or validation, as Kanye calls it – comes only from this self-creative act of making ourselves through our lives and projects.

 

 

Much overlooked in the early reception of Kanye's philosophical debut was what appeared on the surface to be a rather blunt announcement that these tweets are, in fact, his anticipated book.

"Oh, by the way, this is my book that I'm writing in real-time."

An existentialist interpretation reveals this as a call to authenticity. Perhaps Kanye's message to his followers is that this is how we should all be living, with the Kanyean existentialist motto: Oh, by the way, this is my life that I'm writing in real-time.

The rapper reminds creatives not to trade their "authenticity for approval" as he publishes his book straight to social media.

 

West Ranch, Cody Wyoming

 

West At Home In The West

West has found solace in his home in Wyoming allowing his creativity and truisms to flourish. What better way to get in touch with oneself than to be surrounded by nature at its best all in the name of Jesus with the aim to reach as many people as possible. 

Reportedly,  the community of Cody, Wyoming, for the most part, has accepted the new Kanye West not just for his celebrity status and the economic and tourism growth he can bring but as a wholesome citizen and neighbor. 

 Kanye’s team was spotted cleaning up roadside trash, a win in any community. “We notice those little things,” said Tina Hoebelheinrich, the executive director of the Cody Chamber of Commerce. She said that actions like these mattered far more to the town than Kanye’s celebrity. 

 

 

West still continues to win Cody over when he rented the auditorium of Cody High School to rehearse his debut opera, “Nebuchadnezzar”. Kanye was very willing to let the high school students watch the rehearsal. One young student was invited to play in the orchestra when it was realized an extra saxophonist was needed. She told Cowboy State Daily News that the experience was life-changing. “They just really just like opened my eyes to want I want to do” 

 

Nebuchadnezzar, King Of Babylon – Prophecy Of Kanye

West’s opera, “Nebuchadnezzar,” was performed Nov. 24, 2019, at the Hollywood Bowl after rehearsals by dancers and musicians at Cody High School on Nov. 21.

The opera tells the story of an ancient Babylonian king and his transition from wicked, imperious, self-declared ruler to a true believer who finds salvation in his faith. Kanye West likens himself to the King of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar who worshipped earthly gods at one point in his life, documented in the Book Of Daniel. He was absolved of his sins and given eternal life once he realized the power of the one and only true GOD. 

It would seem this opera is his way of spreading the message, of letting people know you can falter, you can fall over, and it’s okay to get back up and continue moving forward. That you can have the audacity to recover.

 

Adapted from the original article https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-43836275

 

 

ecosystem for entrepreneurs

 

 

Deb Williams
A Crypto/Blockchain enthusiast and a strong advocate for technology, progress, and freedom of speech. I embrace "change" with a passion and my purpose in life is to help people understand, accept and move forward with enthusiasm to achieve their goals. 

 

 

 

 

KANYE WEST – From ProducerRapper To Christian InnovatorEntrepreneur

KANYE WEST – From Producer/Rapper To Christian Innovator/Entrepreneur

Kanye West is full of contradictions.  He’s arrogant but self-deprecating. Remarkably rude but also sensitive. His style of hip hop and messages in his music along with his unique persona have made him the most important rap star of the 2000s who had a way to bring mainstream to him rather the other way round. 

The celebrity muso and entrepreneur had a huge impact in early September 2019, when he purchased a 3,200-acre property which is part of Monster Lake Ranch in Cody, Wyoming, now known as West Ranch. He also purchased numerous commercial properties on Cody’s Big Horn Avenue, and a second ranch in the Big Horn Mountains just outside of Shell. 

 

Working Only For God

In an in-depth interview, at his home in Cody, Wyoming West spoke of his enlightenment and says his addiction to alcohol made him do some crazy things. Now plagued with the stigma of being crazy by some, he himself admits he is cocky and confident that comes across as arrogance, and now says he will only use these traits working for God. All his trials and tribulations have set him on his more committed path to follow Jesus and give service to God. 

Along with his wholehearted commitment to God, West released his first Gospel Album “Jesus Is King”, it was a logical extension to embracing his Christian faith and his new mission. He is also passionate about his Sunday Service, attending every single one accompanied by The Samples, the choir who brings heavenly harmonies with celestial and united praise. 


An estimated 3,800 people attended Kanye West's "Sunday Service" on the grounds of the Buffalo Bill Center of the West on Sunday, Nov. 22. 
Courtesy Levi Meyer, Buffalo Bill Center of the West

 

Although Kanye never shied away from bringing religious topics into his art, Sunday Service is a new emergence. Bringing together his love of music, fashion, and Jesus Christ, Sunday Service is hand-crafted for the social media age and comes to define this new era of Kanye West attracting crowds of new followers embracing the faith along with other celebrities taking part in the worship.  

Apart from the Gospel albums of original music, recently released, Kanye and the Choir cover contemporary hits from artists, rewriting some of the lyrics accordingly praising God and received heartfelt acclaim from the artists themselves. The video below showcases just some of those songs. 

The Best Samples From Kanye West's 'Sunday Service' | Genius News

 

Everything Kanye West does now is in service to God. As West explains, he goes to bed each night clearing his head and wakes up in the morning an empty vessel and lets God do the driving. He says it’s now his job to spread the word about Christ. 

“I told you all about what fashion did for me, I told you what Hennessey had done for me, now I’m telling you all about what Jesus has done for me.” 

Kanye knows he is not a religious leader or theologian, he admits he has a lot to learn. He is self-aware and knows he will experience spiritual warfare, however as Kanye stipulates he is about lighting up the world. He is about being a beacon and have others experience joy and imagination. It’s not about entertainment, it’s more about imagination. 

“Witness the imagination and feel good. Know that things are possible. That’s my job and that’s what I am on this earth to do. I ain’t trying to say the right answer, I’m just doing what I feel… trying is failing. There’s no ifs, woulds, coulds or shoulds. It just is and we just are.”

West goes on to say when he talks it’s like a dog whistle. The people that need to hear it, hear it. The people that don’t hear it are afraid to hear it or they don’t believe anything can happen. Many who have not experienced a church like gathering or aware of the gospel are enjoying the realness and relaxed atmosphere West has orchestrated with Sunday Service. Kanye believes this is great for Christian creativity and now that he’s on his new path, this will start a revolution in the creative world of the young people of this generation and the next. West says,

“Christian creativity has been so bland for so long. This will be a cultural wrecking ball. The church is too traditional. God doesn’t just exist in the four walls of a church. God is in everything and is everywhere. ”

 


Kanye West participating in worship at Sunday Service in Cody, Wyoming. Courtesy, Braeden Roesler

 

New home For Yeezy Apparel Manufacturing

The influence of rapper/Christian innovator Kanye West continues to grow. Since purchasing the properties in Wyoming, the Christian Innovator has taken steps to build a large meditation center in Cody, however, the permitting process was stopped and is under review by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to determine whether the meditation center would disturb the sage grouse habitat and mule deer migration corridors. 

West also announced that he was moving the headquarters of Adidas Yeezy, his multibillion-dollar shoe and apparel business to Cody. He and partners began preparations for a manufacturing facility, a “sample/prototype lab”, at the former Cody Laboratories warehouse. Meanwhile, Adidas started advertising for jobs based in Cody. 

James Klessens, The CEO for Forward Cody speaks favorably in anticipation of West’s upcoming plans for Cody and the future of Yeezy Manufacturing and interest in sustainable housing and building practices which is another feather in West’s cap as he pursues the idea of eco-friendly Domes, dubbed Star Wars-inspired housing.

He said he plans to move the industry forward on sustainability, starting with hydroponic, cotton, wheat and hemp farming in Cody, along with searching for ways to make the dyeing process less harmful to the environment. The climate and soil are good for hydroponics, along with developing their own fabric from seed to sew, farm to table which offers full sustainability and be able to see the whole process.  

“Our color is a big signature of the brand, but also dyeing is one of the main things that’s impacting the planet and the fashion industry, so just being responsible from A to Z,” West said.

 

“We Don’t Hope, We Just Do” 

At a seminar held in November of 2019 at the annual Fast Company Innovation Festival in NYC, West revealed that Yeezy plans to create factories in which he wants to hire “second-chance people” who’ve gone through the prison system. He plans to make his manufacturing entirely eco-friendly, moving it all to South and North America in the next two years, including at his 4,000-acre ranch in Cody. So essentially moving manufacturing from overseas to America in order to create jobs. 

Steven Smith, the lead designer of West’s shoe brand Yeezy, said West is not “blowing smoke” about making shoes from beginning to end in the United States. Smith displayed a prototype made in Atlanta the day before the seminar, using in part, algae harvested from ponds. Read more about the eco-friendly process here 

“We’re going to bring jobs back here. We’re going to make Yeezys in America. This is a revolution,” Smith said. “Eco-concerns are intersecting with what we do. This is just the beginning of the future that Kanye envisioned for us to start working on.”

West added: “We took the word ‘try’ out of it and we just ‘do,’ like Yoda says.” 

 

President Kanye? 

He went on to say, in spite of the chuckles from the audience, 

“When I run for president in 2024, we would have created so many jobs that I’m not going to run, I’m going to walk.”

West first made headlines about running for President in 2015 when he made a cryptic announcement during the MTV VMAs.During an awards acceptance speech, West said, 

"As of this moment, I have decided that I will be running for president in 2020. … We're going to teach our kids to believe in themselves. I don't know what I'm going to lose after this. It don't matter, though. It ain't about me. It's about ideas. People with ideas. People who believe in truth."

Being an avid supporter of Donald Trump, West decided to step back when Trump took office in 2016. Kanye West has come along way since then and still holds dear to his same plans in 2024. 

Kanye West’s vision is to work only for God and the good it can bring humanity. He says we need humility in humanity and everything he does and continues to do will be for his spiritual church. As his brand is an expression of how he feels even the design of his shoes will be aligned with names of verses from the Bible. 

 

Sunday Service Is Proof That The Lord Works In Mysterious Ways

The Sunday Services have been held in many locations across the U.S. Although these are a full-blown Kanye West production you can find him not in the spotlight but in amongst the people and choir, singing and giving praise. These people are all here to give praise and sing their hearts out, using all of their talents. This is a very different atmosphere to a traditional church gathering. 

The look, the sound, the tone was undeniably Kanye West’s vision and creation, and yet for most of the performance, he was as much as an observer as the audience was, only singing or rapping for a small percentage of the service. 

The Lord works in mysterious ways and the Kanye West Sunday Services had many worshippers thinking, why do we feel so good? Is that the spirit? Is this holy? Of course, it is. 

West brought his gospel choir and band to the masses in South L.A. and delivered an unforgettable performance that deserves an Amen. In the video below, listen to the amazing introduction of the service as choir director, Jason White raised his hands and the choir sang loudly and fervently to the tune of Carl Orff’s “O Fortuna”, the very powerful choral piece from Carmina Burana. West had rewritten the 85-year-old classic so instead of the singers belting out the original lyrics which are…

O Fortuna
velut luna
statu variabilis

they sang…

“Jesus is King!
The King of Kings!
Our God, give praise forever!”

Later in this service, Kenny G appeared along with rap artist, Clipse, performing the song “Use This Gospel”  surprising and delighting the already overwhelmed crowd. 

The music, vocals, and choreography were positively inspirational and are destined to spread the word. The performance, lighting, sound, and spirit makes his newer material, “Jesus Is King” album a very powerful and unique live experience. These Sunday Services are perfect for relaying the Gospel and humanitarian truths in an unorthodox setting, as more newfound followers gather in united praise bringing peace, joy and spiritual enlightenment to the masses. 

Jesus is King. Kanye is just his "hype man".

Previous Article: https://markethive.com/group/marketingdept/blog/kanyewesttheroadtorenewal

 

 

ecosystem for entrepreneurs

 

 

Deb Williams
A Crypto/Blockchain enthusiast and a strong advocate for technology, progress, and freedom of speech. I embrace "change" with a passion and my purpose in life is to help people understand, accept and move forward with enthusiasm to achieve their goals. 

 

KANYE WEST – The Road To Renewal

KANYE WEST – The Road To Renewal

Continuing on from Part 1 of Kanye West’s Journey, for over a decade long, the artistic genius went on to successfully create hit albums of a variety of music genres that were critically acclaimed, polarizing, influential and captivating, earning him the reputation of “America’s favorite bad boy”.

West toured with U2 in 2005 – 06 which inspired him to make hip hop more atmospheric and empowering to be performed in stadiums and arenas. He started to draw influence from both rock & roll music like The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, and The Killers, plus house music which originated in Chicago, where he grew up.  

Kanye puts himself in places where a vain or trendy person wouldn't dare try, like wearing pink polos, kilts and, skinny jeans. He made a career of consistently and willingly making himself the underdog by going against the grain for the sake of not just being able to say he did it first but to also avoid being boxed in or marginalized. 

His dedicated passion to reinvent the wheel along with his intense and dynamic creativity amassed him international acclaim and godly recognition. On West’s sixth album “Yeezus”, his song “I Am A God” was a powerhouse and punchy approach that has come to define the genius of Kanye West. “Yeezus” remains the only album to have sold fewer than 1 million copies in the US. Yet it was critically well-received, not least by the rock legend Lou Reed, who told Rolling Stone that “Each track is like making a movie… The guy really, really, really is talented.”

 

In an interview with Zane Lowe, Kanye explains his meaning behind his song “I Am A God”

Kanye West always sees an opportunity in just about everything and when the music industry began to worry about the effect the internet was having on its profit margins, West just embraced the change with a video for his single “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” and he hired the comedian/actor Zach Galifianakis to lip-sync the lyrics on an alternate version which created a viral sensation. 

 

Tragedy Strikes

Kanye was on top of the world, hailed as the artist who killed gangster rap. But in November 2007, tragedy struck. His beloved mother, Donda, died from a heart attack following cosmetic surgery. Kanye West dedicated a performance of “Hey Mama” to her at the first concert he did following the funeral. Given the bond Kanye and his mother had this put him in a very dark place. Months later, he separated from his then-fiancee Alexis Phifer and his next album, 808s & Heartbreak that he released 12 months later was laden with grief, pain, and alienation. 

Kanye with his mother Donda West

At that point West abandoned rapping completely, preferring to sing through an Auto-Tune vocal processor. This technique (ubiquitous in hip hop today) turned his voice into a robotic tone and he classified the new album and sound as “Pop Art”. 

It’s not to be confused with the visual art movement, but interestingly, when you consider West has Synesthesia, which is the condition where one sense, like hearing, is simultaneously perceived as if by one or more additional senses, such as sight, so everything that Kanye sonically creates is a painting in his creative mind.

West then announced, “Hip hop is over for me”. However, it wasn’t. He won two Grammys for guest raps he made that year, on Estelles’ “American Boy” and TI’s “Swagger Like Us”. 

 

Oops! A Faux-Pas Or…

Notorious for his controversial statements, (of which there were many)  and after the passing of his mother, West’s state of mind was fragile and coupled with a bottle of Hennessy, he invaded the stage during Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech for Best Female Vocal award at the MTV Video Music Awards the following year. He took the microphone from her and said although he was happy for Swift, Beyonce did a fantastic video clip, inferring Beyonce should have won the award instead. 

“Yo, Taylor, I’m really happy for you, I’mma let you finish, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time!”

The reverberations from that moment are still being felt, however, West did apologize publically, then retracted his apology in a 2013 interview with the New York Times. However, by 2015, they became friends. It’s evident that some on social media are still riled by the act, but time and circumstance have a way of healing and leading to self-development as Swift recounts in her biopic, “Miss Americana”. 

In her story, she makes it clear how much these incidents wounded her, and how a young woman desperate to be liked could be deeply hurt when she finds out it’s impossible to be everyone’s favorite. It made her stronger, more independent and the woman she is today. It could be said that one person’s faux-pas is another person’s gateway to a life lesson learned and growth. 

 


2009 VMA Awards Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech interrupted by Kanye West

Kanye West Focus On Fashion

Following the Swift fiasco, West took a break from music and relocated to Rome stopping off at Japan along the way for a time. His focus was on fashion at that point. He had already been collaborating with labels including A Bathing Ape and Nike on limited-edition sneakers since 2006. He gained more experience as an intern for other labels, reportedly for Gap and Fendi. In 2009, West partners with Nike for his own shoe, the Air Yeezys. 

West launched his first collection in Paris in 2011 which was very much criticized. Feeling wounded, West gave a speech at the show’s after-party, pleading “Please be easy. Please give me a chance to grow.”  His second collection a year later only received lukewarm acceptance, subsequently West announced he would no longer be showing in Paris.  

In 2013 he collaborated with the French label APC on his capsule collection. In an interview with W Magazine, he explained,

“I tried to come out of the gate going crazy. And it didn’t work. So now I have to somehow put out something that says, ‘I look sensible!’?”

Contrary to his personality, the collection consisted of understated tees, hoodies, and jeans. 

 


Kanye West’s Capsule Collection: Adidas “Yeezy” sneakers and Jewelry collection 

 

He then signed a $10 million deal with Adidas and launched his first apparel collection of Yeezy Season 1 in 2015. This collection had a mixed reception but his Season 5 collection in 2017 won praise and notably, Yeezy is the No 1 searched brand on the internet. 

He had a passion for fashion, showcasing his own style of apparel and the collection of Yeezy sneakers with Adidas Boost technology. West maintains that his brand expresses how he feels, not to keep up with trends or societal culture. Prior to that, he donned other high-end designer labels because he could and it made him feel good – It helped to feed his ego. He is still perceived today as the Louis Vuitton Don.

Now on a new quest, keeping his ego in check and getting back to grassroots, it’s all about bringing manufacturing back to America, from seed to sew, along with job opportunities for people in prison reform or second chance people. More about that later.
   
As a musician, what makes Kanye West one of the greats is his ability to innovate – to push the sonic boundaries of hip-hop. As a Fashionista, he has become a force in fashion with the desire to create designer fashion affordable to the people en-masse. 

 

Kanye West and Kim Kardashian – Equally Yolked

Kanye West and reality TV star, Kim Kardashian began their relationship in April of 2013, engaged in October, then married in May 2014. Happily married for nearly 6 years with 4 children. Their first daughter North (born June 15, 2013) son Saint (born December 5, 2015) and another daughter (born via surrogate January 15, 2018). Then came their fourth child, son Psalm, via surrogate in May 2019. 

Married life and fatherhood have helped West grow and realize what is important in life. In a recent interview, he described his relationship with Kim as equally yoked. They both have a spiritual connection to God. West considers his union with Kim a life-long commitment 

“It’s a God bond,” he says, Someone to call on, or call out. Someone that can call on you or call you out – Equally yoked. Someone to complain to and someone to grow with… as we grow and raise our children” 

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are one of the strongest couples in Hollywood and beyond after almost 6 years together.  

 


The West Family at Christmas 2019

The Turning Point

West went on to make his 7th album in 2016, “The Life Of Pablo”, tweaking his songs and resending them to streaming services, describing the album as a “living, breathing, changing creative expression”. That same year he started his Saint Pablo Tour, where he performs on a stage suspended in mid-air. However, with still 21 shows on the agenda the tour was canceled. 

In his last performance, West delivered a 15-minute rant, speaking his mind on personal gripes, naming names, business issues, revealing he was $53 million in debt and political stance, hailing Trump for President, before storming off the stage saying the show’s over. 

Subsequently, Kanye West was admitted into UCLA Medical Center, initially for exhaustion, only then to go through psychiatric tests and ultimately diagnosed with mental health issues. More succinctly, Bi-Polar Disorder. Reportedly, West never got over his mother’s untimely death. He has been put in the category of an HSP – Highly Sensitive People, but he has been called “crazy” by many. 

 

 

According to West, this was a crucial wake-up call that would change his life. His time in the hospital gave him space and the time he needed to not only get back on track but to re-evaluate his life and purpose. He had visions and divine messages to help him in his time of renewal. People call it a break-down, Kanye likes to call it a “break-through.”

The next 2 years West closeted himself, holed-up in the studio creating his 8th album “Ye” which has been a nickname of his and touched on issues ranging from sexual assault topics to West’s own controversial comments about slavery and being bipolar. In an interview following the album’s release, he expanded on the bipolar topic saying it is his “superpower”. He asserted that the condition fueled his creativity, but he also admitted that it led to unfortunate consequences.  

West deactivated his Twitter and Instagram accounts during that time due to the backlash he was receiving from many of his controversial comments, beliefs, and support for President Trump. Like him or not, he believes he has the right to express his own opinions and not be controlled by the system or manipulated into being something that he’s not. 

In 2018, Kanye dusts off the cobwebs and returns to the public eye, reactivating his Twitter account and music output with “Ye Vs.The People”. As the title insinuates, he needed to express his thoughts and feelings after becoming a recluse resulting from his experiences. It may even be seen as cathartic to some degree. Incidentally, the track was not included on the album. 

The Renewal

By this time West had relocated to Wyoming with his family, which is his “happy place”, a place away from “it all”  Although West was working on a new album titled Yandhi with a planned release date of September 29, 2018, it was delayed indefinitely. In April of 2019, Kanye West “woke up” and completely changed his direction spiritually, emotionally and physically.  In August of 2019, it was announced that he was working on another project which would display Kanye and his career in a whole new light that continues to gain momentum. 

Next, we’ll focus on Kanye’s life after renewal to the present day along with what has been deemed as Kanyean Philosophy. 

 

Previous article https://markethive.com/group/marketingdept/blog/kanyewesthisjourneyauthenticityvscontroversy

 

ecosystem for entrepreneurs

 

 

Deb Williams
A Crypto/Blockchain enthusiast and a strong advocate for technology, progress, and freedom of speech. I embrace "change" with a passion and my purpose in life is to help people understand, accept and move forward with enthusiasm to achieve their goals. 

 

 

Kanye West His Journey Authenticity vs Controversy

Kanye West His Journey 
Authenticity vs Controversy 

Who Is Kanye West?

Kanye West is a Grammy Award-winning Rapper, Songwriter, Record Producer, and Entrepreneur. With a keen interest in designing and fashion, he also released his fashion label “Yeezy”, clothing and footwear apparel. His music has jumped from being a sensation to very much in demand in the rap industry, while his personality, his philosophies, and his willingness to speak out for what he believes in consistently land him at the center of controversy. 

Because West is renowned for being outspoken on his views about life, culture, religion, and politics, these controversial topics attract widespread media attention. He is a huge cultural figure who encourages people to think freely and be their own person and is often demonized by society and media channels.

Known for his arrogance Kanye West will be the first one to tell you he is a 21st-century phenomenon. A producer turned rap superstar who has reinvented hip hop many times over in the course of his outstanding career. The creative genius that he is, is somewhat overshadowed by his ability to put his entire foot in his mouth. He says he’s only human and often retracts any emotionally-based derogatory opinions and statements he blurts out publically. 

His name, his style, and the way he conducts his business are unique. His thoughtful reflections in interviews reveal a complex man that few have taken the time to understand. This and subsequent articles look at that multifaceted star, exploring his career as singer and producer, but also looking at the forces that prepared him to be the man he is today, relaying his mission and his message to anyone who will listen.

 


Kanye West rapping in NYC at 19 Years

 

The Genesis Of Kanye West

Kanye Omari West was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1977 and grew up in Chicago from the age of three after his parents, Ray West and Donda Williams divorced amicably. He was raised in South Shore, Chicago, a middle-class neighborhood, by his mother and spent the summers with his father. 

Ray West (Father) was a photojournalist for the Atlanta Journal newspaper and a political activist in the Black Panthers. He later became a Christian counselor. Kanye’s mother, Donda West, was a teacher who became a professor of English at Chicago State University. West admits he came from “the wrong side of the mall” rather than the wrong side of the tracks. At the age of 10, Kanye and his mother moved to China for a year where she taught as part of a university exchange program. He had a somewhat religious upbringing which reflects in his music but somewhere along the way he admits he got lost. 

 

Talented and Determined 

After the China experience and returning to Chicago, Donda, West’s mother, helped a then 13-year-old Kanye and paid $25 to cut his first record in a basement studio. In 2004, Donda recalled in an interview with Red Eye, Chicago Tribune, 

“The microphone was hanging from the ceiling with a wire coat hanger. But he was so excited, I couldn’t say no.” 

Donda West told the Tribune his talent was evident even as a small boy at the age of 5, composing poems from gazing at the flora and his surroundings creatively visualizing it through the eyes of an artist and then transcribe it the way a poet would. She went on to say, 

 “People say Kanye and humility don’t belong in the same sentence, but he had that determination since he was 3. We need more people who aren't afraid to speak their minds,
I have always encouraged him to think and to speak the truth as he sees it."

 Kanye West and his mother had a very close bond, “My mother was my everything” he told TV News in 2005. Donda became his manager playing a significant part in his music career before she died from heart disease in 2007 at the age of 58. Her death profoundly impacted West musically and personally.

 

“Drop-Out” On The Road To Fame

West got caught up in the South Side hip-hop scene where he met his mentor DJ and producer No I.D. West graduated from Polaris High School and received a scholarship to study at Chicago’s American Academy Of Art. He has a love for the visual arts but dropped out of college to pursue music where he channeled that love for the arts into his music. 

He spent time working with local artists in Chicago where he realized his talent for producing and developed his own signature style dubbed “Chipmonk Soul”. He got his big break when he relocated to New York in 2001, handling the production for Jay-Z’s songs, a well-known New York Rapper. He then went on to produce for other major talents, including rappers, Mos Def, Talib Kweli and Ludacris, also singers Alicia Keys and Beyonce. 

 

Music Producer Not Enough For Kanye

Although Kanye West was cementing his reputation as a brilliant producer, he was not content with that. He wanted to be upfront as a rapper, however, he was not taken seriously as a rap artist. According to Jay-Z, the co-founder of Roc-A-Fella Records, 

"We all grew up street guys who had to do whatever we had to do to get by. Then there's Kanye, who to my knowledge has never hustled a day in his life. I didn't see how it could work."

West lacked the “Gangsta” credentials that were a prerequisite at that time. He was an arty middle-class kid who wore pink polo shirts and Gucci loafers. He got similar negative responses from other labels and recalled how he’d leave meetings disappointed and crying every time. West pleaded with Roc-A-Fella Records and finally in 2002, Damon Dash reluctantly signed him to record his music, but did so mainly to retain him as a producer. 

Not long after in October 2002, West was involved in a head-on car collision while driving home from a recording session in California, which left him with a shattered jaw. He wrote and recorded a song about that experience “Through The Wire” while his jaw was wired shut as a result of reconstructive surgery. Nothing was going to stop him and after writing the rest of his debut album while convalescing in L.A. he revised, rewrote and refined the production adding gospel choirs and strings that he paid for out of his own pocket. 

 

"Through The Wire" Video Clip

 

The album named “The College Dropout” was finally released in 2004 and made Kanye West a star. It sold 2.6 million copies and broke the mold of Gangsta Rap with themes that included consumerism, racism, higher education, and his religious beliefs. On the single of that album, "Jesus Walks" he rapped: 

"They say you can rap about anything except for Jesus. That means guns, sex, lies, videotapes, but if I talk about God, my record won't get played."

 

A Young Kanye West Makes His Mark

"Jesus Walks" – The original version.

The album peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 200 chart and West received 10 Grammy nominations and winning 3 awards for the best rap song, “Jesus Walks” and best rap album. West went on to create his own record label, GOOD Music, (an acronym for Getting Out Our Dreams) in collaboration with Sony BMG.  

Kanye West, being the restless bourgeoisie, brimming with creativity, wanted to see how far he could expand the hip hop genre of music and hired an orchestra. He spent $2 million and a year working with the composer John Brion, who had never worked with a rapper before. The results were prodigious, and he won another three Grammy awards. Best Rap Album again, “Late Registration” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 200. Plus Best Rap Song for "Diamonds from Sierra Leone," and Best Rap Solo Performance for "Gold Digger." This is an achievement West would repeat with every subsequent solo album release.

Gold Digger is one of my fav songs from his newly branded genre of hip hop, which incidentally West asked Jamie Foxx (Comedian/Actor) to accompany him on this song. As Foxx relates in this interview, this took place at a party Foxx was hosting for a number of hip hop artists where he met Kanye West for the first time. Foxx had always had a hankering to get into the music business and just happened to have a music studio at his house. He agreed to do it but didn’t think it would be a success. The rest is history. 

 

Kanye West performing Gold Digger, with Jamie Foxx.

Success Story From The Suburbs

Kanye West became known as the success story from the suburbs – a hip hop artist without street cred. Kanye remains popular because he is regarded as truly one of the best rappers of all time. He has made headlines for his bizarre tweets and his grand pronouncements, his award-show stage invasions, his extravagant fashion sense and his marriage to reality TV star, Kim Kardashian. 

 


Image Courtesy of Wealthy Gorilla

 

But when West channels his impulsive and brash swagger into his music, the results have been stellar. Consequently, he has eight solo albums debuting at No. 1 and 21 Grammy awards. (no rapper has won more). He has been included twice in Time magazine's 100 most influential people list, also praise from Lou Reed, Prince, Elon Musk and of course from Kanye West himself. His music resonates and regardless of his antics or personal life, he remains relevant to many from all walks of life. 

Next, we will look at how West is now following a different path and what led him to his life change. He along with his family have moved to Wyoming where he has taken time to reflect and move forward. So Markethive and Kanye West are practically neighbors! In a recent interview at his home in Wyoming, West passionately declared… 

“Things are changing and God has the last laugh"


 

 

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Deb Williams
A Crypto/Blockchain enthusiast and a strong advocate for technology, progress, and freedom of speech. I embrace "change" with a passion and my purpose in life is to help people understand, accept and move forward with enthusiasm to achieve their goals.