We Need Better from you Kanye
September 15th, 2009 | Published in Uncategorized | 12 Comments
It started when I begin to see my friends tweet and facebook about Kanye West latest antics. Before I even saw the actual act I was drawn in by various post that read things like “ Kanye…..Come on Man that’s not cool”, “OMG Kanye West is a A$$Hole” , “Man Kanye is nuttier then squirrel s%it”. A call to a friend on the east coast who was watching the VMA’s live confirmed what I had read.
Yes Kanye West a 32 year old grown black man went on stage during 19 year old lilly white Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech for best female video, in which she beat out Beyonce’s single “Single Ladies”. Only two sentences into her speech West took to the stage uninvited took the microphone from Swifts hands and said “Taylor, I’m really happy for you, I’ll let you finish, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time! One of the best videos of all time!”
What the MTV camera did show was a shocked and visibly shaken Taylor Swift, then the crowd’s reaction of loudly booing Kanye West off the stage. What the camera didn’t show was before taking a seat Kanye gave the middle finger to the audience. The MTV producers were livid with West and demanded an apology; he refused and left the show.
When watching this I sit on my couch in shook and embarrassed, as a black man and as a fan. As he yell into the Mic “One of the best videos of all time” for the second time I didn’t know if I was watching a toddler pout or a Grammy award winning artist. Somewhere in the dark, someone of another race repeated the infamous Rick James quote from the Dave Chappelle show “They should have never gave you nigga’s money”!!!! While Kanye in his twisted little mind was sticking up for Beyonce in what some might consider an award snub. The rest of the world saw an adult black superstar acting up, and another example of even with wealth and stardom some black folks still cannot handle themselves with class.
The reason why I am so upset is because Kanye West is a musical genius, this is not a Soulja Boy or Piles we are talking about here. Kanye West music has put him in a place within pop culture that transcends race, gender, and most importantly rap music. Kanye West was one of the first clean cut rapper to don Polo shirts and Kakis instead of Baggy jeans and oversize, overprice chains. Kanye West was one of the few rappers to become mainstream with fun songs about working out, gold digging women and Jesus Christ walking beside him. Kanye West was the first rapper that I saw on TV that looked like my fraternity brothers and I. He was one of the first to talk about the things we spoke about. The same way Allen Iverson made it ok for professional athletes to wear braids , Kanye made it ok for square college kids to feel it was ok to rap. And that’s why this hurt. That’s why I am so embarrassed.
Last night Kanye went from being in some circles an idolized and praised figure to just another ignorant nigga with no home training, and no respect for other’s property.
Granted West has a history of wayward behavior in the past, but now he is fighting battle’s that are not even his, and making a mockery of not only himself but all of those involved. Beyonce ended the night winning video of the year along with three other awards. She also called Swift up to the stage to finish her speech and won over the hearts again of many folks disturbed by West’s antics earlier. Kanye won nothing. Kanye lost fans. Kanye lost the respect of many and clearly he has also lost his mind.
While the rest of the world will move on when the latest “It story” hits the web and the tweets and Google trends about the Kanye lesson. I just want Mr. West to think about more then only himself and his self proclaim big ego the next time he wants to make a point. Think about the next Lupe Fiasco’s of the world, brilliant and talented MC’s who got no shine before you because they weren’t talking about guns, violence and drug sales. Think about the way families everywhere felt when they heard your single “Roses” that spoke on a family pulling together for a sick love one. Think about how proud the people of New Orleans were of you when you called out the then president on nationwide TV, saying “George Bush doesn’t care about black people”. Think about how you made it ok for young black man to be emotional when you released the hit single “Heartless” and the Mixtape favorite “Improvise”.
Before you Kanye the only emotions channeled through rap music was “F that B”, “I be pimpin these hoes” and “I’ll kill for my money”. So my message to you Kanye West is you have done some remarkable things with your music, but don’t make this type of behavior your legacy. They are very few who remember any of the records OJ Simpson broke during his playing days but everyone knows his name now. No not as one of the finest running backs to ever grace the gridiron but as a murderer and criminal. In the words of Outkast- “Marinate on that for second”.
September 15th, 2009at 8:48 am(#)
I do agree with you Albert, that it was mad tacky behavior on Kanye’s part….but I was having this discussion with one of my mom’s friend last night and I she said that she was proud that ‘Ye had the ability to speak truth to power. Now I’m not saying that Taylor Swift shouldn’t of won the award. I haven’t seen her video and I’m not familiar with her music. However how many times have we seen clearly better music get shafted for um “other reasons” we shall say. It was totally not cool to grab the mic from the 19 year old during her little happy moment, especially since it seems she could handle what to do after, but I give props to Kanye for not keeping to societies beat and saying that he felt about B’ being cheated ( which by the way is not the best video in the world at all..West had better videos himself).
September 15th, 2009at 10:23 am(#)
I totally understand your prospective, however, I’m not mad at him. I get mad when I’m walking in my neighborhood and see two young black men fighting as white people walk by. I get mad when I’m on the bus and a conversation between two black folk is way louder and filled with n*ggas than it needs to be. While Kanye made yet another decision to taint his career, it boils down to one thing and one thing only, for black celebrities and us mere peasants alike: EVERY ignorant thing we do is a reflection of the greater black population. Non-black folk tend to associate every negative experience involving a black person with every other black person, and it’s totally unfair to those of us who just want to live our damn lives as intelligent, composed black people. So let’s not give strife to Kanye for grabbin’ the mic from a “lily white” girl, but hold ALL these famous and non-famous mofo’s accountable because their ignorant actions allow anti-black folk to enjoy their moment of self-fulfilling prophecy.
September 15th, 2009at 2:20 pm(#)
Nana I understand exactly where your coming from. I was never arguing the fact of whose video was better. I know nothing at all about Taylor Swifts music. And I understand that he felt Beyonce got snub but like my parents taught me when I was about 6 years old. There is a time and place for everything and that wasn’t definitely not the time nor the place. If he felt so strong about it do what the rest of the world does when they want to bit%h and moan…..TWEET!!! He could have pull his phone out and said whatever he wanted for the world to see. It was bad taste and classless and we can give him a pass on this one.
September 15th, 2009at 6:45 pm(#)
I agree with you. Kanye should have held his tongue, but, I also agree with him. Beyonce may very well have gotten snubbed; I certaintly didn’t think Swift’s song about teen-angst was anything to get excited about, let alone award. While it was in bad taste, he doesn’t have to apologise for excorsising his 1st ammendment rights. He just did it in a really dickish way.
September 16th, 2009at 1:34 am(#)
I can’t wait for folks to realize that since Obama has entered office everything Blacks do is going to be analyzed and scrutinized to pieces, like we aren’t humans, like we don’t get upset. Wake the hell up! We have a war that is spreading us thin financially, We have a healthcare system that is crumbling, we have a big gap between those with and those without and media just focus on this. Wait a minute did a congressman call Obama the President a liar? Were there parents that pulled their kids out of school just so they wouldn’t hear the evil words of the effin President? Tired…….
September 16th, 2009at 1:23 pm(#)
I agree Albert. There is a certain decorum and ethics that we must carry, not just as people of color but as human beings entirely. When we start getting messy, no matter how justifiable our actions may be, no one wins. In fact, you loose. You loose the respect of others and especially those you were trying to convince in the first place. Keep it civil, keep it human, keep it right.
September 20th, 2009at 8:26 am(#)
Hey Al i totally agree with you. Its a shame Kanye did not THINK before he acted up.
September 22nd, 2009at 5:04 pm(#)
Kanye was did too much but was telin the truth. Beyonce came out as the victor and Jay Leno is asshole for bringing up kanye’s mother in his interview with Kanye. Oh and Kanye’s shit still and will more than likely always slap.
September 29th, 2009at 8:45 am(#)
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