Kanye West appears to be in a venting phase, whether for therapeutic purposes or not, and the public eagerly consumes it. If Kanye is to be crowned the king of anything, it’s creating sensational headlines. This time, West is making news for admitting to borrowing from Drake this time.
West Outs Himself
West’s recent music release, “Cousins,” left the world in shock. It’s fair to say that everyone paused to comprehend why West chose to air all his matters so publicly. The debate over whether he should have kept it private continues to be a hot topic in social circles. Shortly after, he was back in the headlines, explaining his need to secure his children. And in the iconic words of DJ Khaled, now, “another one.” This time, Ye made headlines for supposedly confessing to borrowing material from Drake, “Drizzy,” “Say what?”
And Another One
A source notes that West, on a recent live stream, stated,
“I’ll have copied a Drake flow a lot of times. I got shit that once Drake took over, the algorithm was copies of Drake.”
It’s unclear if this was meant as a boast. It doesn’t come off as anything to boast about, especially given his long-term reputation as a “genius.” Within the community, there has been a great debate about what level of genius defines Kanye and the value of his contributions to the culture. Not everyone agrees, especially after endless headlines covering the artist’s erratic behaviors.
This raises a thought-provoking question. Why is he hailed as a genius in the first place? According to Far Out Magazine,
“He may have had the most significant influence on music in the 21st Century. His prowess as a producer, his powerful raps, and his unique, experimental style have made him a household name.”
If one is to take a look at the alleged confession, one must ask, does this put a dent in the idea that he represents true genius? Does acknowledging that he’s copied another artist challenge the notion of his genius? For many, it does.
More on Genius
Music is an art form. It requires considerable talent to be able to effectively create something that inspires and impacts others. There are levels to this. Music is multifaceted in that it is not only a creative art, but it is also a performance art and both don’t always coalesce. This is where the great debate comes in. Is it the creator of the content or the performer whose delivery and stage presence are unparalleled that determines genius in music? What if there are no clearly defined parameters of what a genius is? Perhaps genius is such a broad concept that it’s truly subjective.
West Talks About How He Really Feels
West’s confession is poised to alter the way some perceive his artistry. That is less troubling; what is troubling is the way that Ye uses his influence. West’s untempered expressionism often has a negative impact. It does not call attention to the culture and why it exists; it pulls all of the attention to him in a self-aggrandizing manner.
Ye’s more recent train of confessions has been troubling. One thing that can be garnered from his most recent interview is that his disdain for his contemporaries is real. He has been known to have beef with Drake and has been more than vocal about his disdain for J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar. In the interview, Ye noted that he felt as if J. Cole and Kendrick didn’t have “the sauce.” He went on to exclaim that supporters of these artists don’t know rap. And in the next breath, the artist admits to still asking both to collaborate on the Donda project. One can derive several conclusions from this. The most important takeaway is the erraticism.
To be clear, Long Live Hip Hop
West may have more to say, and the press will likely be there to cover it. Is anyone surprised at this point? During the video he displayed his Nazi chain, a controversial element in and of itself. Yet some will align and decry his genius at being different. Is it being different or just using whatever is at his disposal to create a spectacle? At this point, it may be time to stop giving West a platform. True hip hop is about the culture and what each artist contributes to that and that is worth all the attention. Long live hip-hop
Written By
Renae Richardson
