I love the sound of my own voice, this is further supported by the fact I went into comedy. I think that sometimes I say things and do things that may piss off someone but in reality it's just me being me. This is how I choose to live my life, and most importantly this is how I will continue* to live my life. Similarly so does Kanye West, apparently.
Lately it seems that anytime Kanye West does anything, everyone feels the need to have an opinion, and 9 times out of 10 it's "he's an idiot"**. Kanye West is outspoken, yes. Kanye West has done, said things that were dumb, again yes. Neither of these two fact have anything to do with his music. This is a fact I struggle with when talking to people about Kanye West. I had an argument with someone who said "How can you like Kanye West's music, did you see what he did to Taylor Swift." This sentence causes me to have a near aneurysm every time.
There needs to be a line drawn between the Artist and the Art. I am not the biggest fan of Coke Heads but Robert Munsch wrote some damn good children Book. I am not a fan of Pedophiles but Roman Polanski's Chinatown is brilliant. I am not a fan of guys hitting on children*** but Alice in Wonderland was a fantastic book.
When Michael Jackson died in June 2009 everyone recalled how great a musician he was. People didn't really comment on the child sex scandals because that no longer mattered, what mattered was that the artist can no longer create art that we loved. Sure there were a lot of fucked up things said about Michael Jackson, and yes some people will still feel the need to bring it up, but when all is said and done, we will never get to see Michael Jackson perform again, and that is the real shame.
Kanye West might piss you off, he might upset you but there is no way in hell you can listen to "The College Dropout" or "Late Registration" and call his music bad, I'm sorry his production work is absolutely phenomenal. To constantly judge someone not by the merits of their work but by their actions and statements is just foolish just like you wouldn't want your job review to be based on 'if you are Team Edward or Jacob****.' I really hope readers of the internet***** that do nothing but trash Kanye on blogs find this one and realize, there always needs to be separation from the artist and the art create. You can hate the artist, but at least be smart enough to appreciate the art, or at least give it a chance.
*(god willing)
**the other person usually makes a "he's a gay fish" which never gets old, much like those Wassssuuuuuuuuuuuuuup commercials, go back to high fiving your buddy while totally playing mad Beer Pong and Listening to "College" by Asher Roth.
*** apparently a lot of good artists like children...hmmm
****Totally Edward.
*****I kid you not I saw a guy post a comment on a Kanye Article saying "I asked my son who this Conway West guy is and he said 'Dad, he's a big zero'." I mean seriously how many things can be wrong in one statement.
3 comments:
Well said Rami!
I disagree. I think the nature of art is unique and personal because it's created by an individual. Thats what makes it valuable and impossible to recreate. You can't seperate the artist from the art because only that artist is able to produce that art. No one else is making Kanye's music because no one else but Kanye can.
We could also get into the question of whether Kanye's music is in fact 'art', but thats a different discussion.
That being said...
I think Kanye West is an asshole, and I love him and his music!
Alyssa your point is a good one, but that is for a completely different argument. I am looking at the fact you can't say his songs suck because you think he is an asshole, the two aren't one and the same.
I completely agree though with your thoughts on how art is created because no one can recreate Kanye but Kanye.
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