A lot of you dislike Kanye West’s braggadocio and his tendency to give himself all the credit for everything, all the time. But what Kanye’s critics seem to miss is that Kanye leaves self-doubt for his lyrics. It’s the truth. Kanye is at his most introspective and fragile when he’s writing. But when he’s talking to journalists? It’s all “Imma let you finish but I’m YEEZUS.” So it is with Kanye’s new epic BBC interview. Apparently, he went on and on for a full hour because of course he did. He dropped gems like, “If you’re a Kanye fan, you’re not a fan of me, you’re a fan of yourself. I’m just the espresso. I’m just the shot in the morning.” Bless the Yeezus. More gems:
Kanye West is a lot of things, but insecure is not one of them. Sitting down with BBC Radio 1 personality Zane Lowe for an hourlong interview airing Monday, Sept. 23, the rapper, 36, called himself “the No. 1 rock star on the planet” and said he’s here push the boundaries of everything we think we know about art, music, fashion, and culture. In fact, the hip hop star and new dad (to daughter North, 3 months, with Kim Kardashian) considers himself to be something of a revolutionary. Though he conceded that “there would be no Kanye West if it wasn’t for Michael Jackson,” he also said he’d reached a point that even the King of Pop hadn’t seen in his lifetime.
“I’ve got to a point that Michael Jackson did not break down. I have reached the glass ceiling, as a creative person, as a celebrity…and I’ve been at it for 10 years,” he told Lowe. “I look around and I say, ‘Wait a minute. There’s no one around here in that looks like me. And if they are, they’re quiet as f–k.’ So that means, wait a second — now we’re seriously like, in a civil rights movement.”
West went on to say that he’s had a hard time getting people to see his potential. “I shouldn’t be limited to only one place of creativity,” he lamented. “You guys don’t understand — I did the Air Yeezys and they eBay’d for $90,000…but I didn’t get a call from Nike the next day.”
In that way, he envies the empire his pal Jay Z has built. “Jay Z is more realized than me. More of his dreams and aspirations have come true,” West said. “You don’t realize — I am so frustrated. Like, I’ve got so much I want to give…And I’ve got a million people telling me why I can’t do it.”
The aspiring fashion designer thinks he can do it — and he’s determined to prove it. “I’m not trying to regurgitate myself,” he said. “I showed people that I understand how to make perfect. You know, [My Twisted] Dark Fantasy could be considered to be perfect. I know how to make perfect, but that’s not what I’m here to do. I’m here to crack the pavement and make new grounds sonically…and culturally.”
He added: “We culture. Rap is the new rock ‘n’ roll. We the rock stars…We the new rock stars and I’m the biggest of all of them. I’m the No. 1 rock star on the planet.”
The “Black Skinhead” rapper also talked a little about Kardashian and their daughter. Asked whether he gets any time for himself, West said, “Yeah, it’s like family time. That’s what Kim gave me. She gave me everything, she gave me family, she gave me a support system. She was in a powerful enough situation where she could love me without asking me for money, which is really hard for me to find.”
I actually think the quote about Kim is my favorite: “She was in a powerful enough situation where she could love me without asking me for money, which is really hard for me to find.” So, basically, Kanye chose Kim as his baby-mama because he knew she could support the baby financially without making it into a “Golddigger” type of situation? As for “I’m the No. 1 rock star on the planet”… sure. Okay. Prove it.
As for Kanye’s recent criminal charge of battery – he was charged weeks after assaulting a paparazzo at LAX – Kanye’s lawyer claims in new legal filings that Kanye was only acting in self-defense. Kanye apparently felt that “his safety was in immediate danger” and he only fought with the pap because it was “necessary for his self-defense and safety and was justified in doing those acts.” Dude… just pay the guy. That’s all he wants.
Also – Radar has a story about Kim Kardashian and how bored she is with Kanye’s new no-famewhoring mandate. Kim is apparently itching to call the paps and arrange some photo-ops and go to some clubs. We’ll see, Kim.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
*face-palm* really wish he would stop giving interviews at this point, he IS talented but his ego makes it so hard to properly appreciate that.
exactly. He equating himself with Jesus is just BEYOND. If he were smarter, he’d know about mystique and that the way to truly achieve superstardom is to stop talking about it all the time – you are asking to be humbled, and he will be. And when he is, it’s going to be excruciatingly painful for him…doubt he’ll be able to handle it. It’s a shame, because he does have talent, but he’s also very well produced (where his real talents lay). There are extraordinarily talented people everywhere, just not all of them have had the fortune of being discover. Look at Jennifer Hudson! Had she not been on tv show, would she ever had the shot/exposure to have achieved the career she’s had?? Nope. But Kanye is ‘special’, right? Meh… whatever.
If that’s the case then why are all of his songs autotuned to hell and back? Why does he have his songs turned up so loud live that you can barely hear him screaming over his vocals? He’s a pompous ass with an over inflated sense of self worth. If he had so much talent and was number one he’d drop the autotune and actually perform live. But he won’t.
And if he felt so threatened by the pap then why was his focus not on his ‘attacker’? All the photos show that he was looking at the rest of the paparazzi while he had the other guy in a headlock. I’m starting to think him and Miley need to get together- Stunt Queens unite!
lol
I am not into rap and hip hop stuff, so I can’t judge his “art”; the only thing that makes him remotely likable to me is that he ‘s put Kim K. under famewhorelock.
Yeezus took the wheel and ran into a ditch.
+1
Brin, you make me laugh
Funny stuff!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Unfortunately Chris Brown already claimed to be the no.1 star on the planet.
Actually if you REALLY think about it his “talent” is deprived from other artist’s hit songs. As far as beats goes he has some talent. But as a rapper well he’s terrible. He’s not a poet, his lyrics don’t move you. Not like say… Tupac. (Dear Mama, Life goes On, Keep Ya Head Up)
I’m not a huge rap fan, but Brenda’s Got A Bay is one of my favourite songs. Kanye is nowhere near that.
I agree. Kanye is not a brilliant rapper lyricswise for the most part. He’s always been more basic compared to others, but still, he has a vision and really puts out some great hip-hop albums. Yeezus had his laziest lyrics yet for the most part except a couple of songs, as basic as they come and he should be embarrased by it. I was shocked he wasn’t called out on it in reviews except by a few. It was the samples he used and the venturing into punk rock/EDM/elecronica in a very minimalist but jarring soundscape that I found fascinating as a lover of that genre and fusing it with rap. I applaud him for doing something really out of the box. He isn’t in the ranks of great rap lyricists, though.
Not a fan at all, but I thought I would give his new album a listen to see what he was about. Made it thru 8 minutes before realizing that it sucked. You are not a rock star dude
Sure you are dear, you’re a legend in your own mind! LMAO!
Dude’s talented but the ego….seesh!
I used to like Kanye when he first came on the scene. Now, he has become a major d**chebag. He is just so full of himself. Someone needs to knock him down a few pegs.
What a small little world Kanye lives in.
Very well put!
No, honey, your ego is not the new rock n roll. Why do people feel the need to proclaim themselves a rock star when they have no connection to rock and roll? It shouldn’t be a euphemism. Rock and roll takes a lot of work and is not to be sullied by the likes of this diptrap.
I think I’m in love, so true
him and Gwyneth Paltrow should have a child together
agreed. narcissists r us.
Kanye speaks his own truth, and particularly, about the different and varied success that Jay-Z has had and why it eludes him. Great interview and yes, Dark Twisted is perfect. Still listening to it.
Hola Kanye
hahaha..right? I wouldn’t want to be Kanye but I would love to have that kinda cash flow. Whew.
Music critics picked Dark Twisted as the best album of the year for a reason. Here’s the rare 5 star review from Rolling Stone:
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/my-beautiful-dark-twisted-fantasy-20101109
It’s really that good.
He is that good, Dreamy K.
What? That’s all I have to say.
What?!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoWEESRrNK8 – Lil’ Jon talking to Lil’ Jon skit on the Dave Chapelle Show
I miss Dave Chappelle every single day.
So happy to hear fatherhood hasn’t changed him or given him a new perspective or anything. Carry on, nothing new here.
I bet he’s reading all these messages and laughing his pretty little head off!!! LOL
Dream on – Frownye doesn’t stretch himself so far to see what the rest of the world is thinking, and he’s too cool to laugh. He’d be frowning his frowny little mind off.
All righty, then, Kanye. Last I heard, rockers didn’t lip-synch or use auto-tune or rap and use samples by others for the singing part. You’re brilliant in your genre, for sure, but you’re no biggest rockstar on the planet. What is wrong with saying you’re the biggest rapper/hip-hop artist on the planet, which isn’t necessarily true except artistically, but at least it’s closer to the truth. Rock is rock and you’re not rock. Rap is not the new rock n’ roll. I’m sick of rock n’ roll being undermined these days. Rap isn’t the new rock. Gaga’s pop isn’t the new rock, even though she would like it to seem that way. If anything, he’s going into the EDM/electronica genre fusing with his hip-hop.
I agree, Dark and Twisted is all kinds of amazing, and I think Yeezus’ jarring electronica soundscape is all kinds of brilliance, but it still doesn’t make you the greatest rockstar on the planet. Cringeworthy remarks like Gaga makes aren’t becoming.
Thank you – I totally agree with your first paragraph; demur on the second though.
except I do agree on gaga as well.
Rock is dead. Welcome to the 21st Century.
Rock is far from dead.
Sorry but shes right. Rock is as dead as a door nail. Or will be when Elton and Rolling Stones bite it.
Classic rock is practically dead, but rock is far from dead. Foo Fighters, Muse, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Arcade Fire, The Killers, Three Days Grace, The Strokes, Kings of Leon, ColdPlay (before they went too pop), U2, on and on. And I guess Springsteen is classic rock and he keeps making new albums and tours in stadiums.
And if he wants to call himself the biggest rockstar. Linkin Park is a true rock band that combines rock with hip-hop, so he loses. LOL
Ya’ll must be kids to say a thing like that – rock is dead. LMAO, as if. It’s alive and thriving. Even rappers are incorporating more rock guitar sounds. Open your ears and listen.
Rock n’ Roll will never die, kids will always rediscover the music of the past and musicians will always build on what has gone before.
What a delusional dude? I’m so happy he’s such a legend in his own mind! I’m wondering how much more Kim will put up with? Can’t she form an opinion or life of her own… I needed a laugh to start my day! Lol!
“I look around and I say, ‘Wait a minute. There’s no one around here in that looks like me. And if they are, they’re quiet as f–k.’ So that means, wait a second — now we’re seriously like, in a civil rights movement.”
That’s because people like MLK didn’t (and still wouldn’t) aspire to hang out with Kardashians.
He is talented, even though I don’t like all of his stuff. But his choices can be questioned, no doubt.
Can’t stand wealthy self-proclaimed stars who have “resting bitchy face”–always looking angry, bored or above it all. Vicky Beckham. Rooney Mara.
I always thought he looked like his breath stinks…that explained away the constant mean mug…chronic halitosis.
You might have something there – frowny stress causes stomach distress, stomach distress often causes bad breath.
If anything, I will applaud him for making KK stop being a disgusting famewhore. Although I’m surprised he is calling the shots. I know I make my own decisions, but then again, my baby daddy isn’t “The No. 1 Rock Star on the Planet.” She’s always seemed insecure though. Why else would she keep messing with her face and body?
I thought you guys were gonna do a post on the party that Jimmy Iovine had for his girlfried Liberty Ross( of mini cooper fame). Kim posted a photo of herself, Yeezus, Diddy and Oprah sitting on a couch together, enjoying the party. People are surprise that kimmy get to hang out in such high places, well duh, she’s kanye baby mama, her profile has been raised. Mick jagger was also there, so yeah.
I thought they broke up?
i was laughing through this whole interview.
“i can make perfect, but that
s not what i’m here for”
i can’t even get mad at him this is just too funny
I laughed at this and shook my head. I kind of want to give him a pat and a biscuit. I am starting to get the feeling that, though he was a Mama’s Boy, Donda may have been a pretty critical lady. Perhaps that’s why he announced reading was unnecessary after she’d passed.
He need to shut the **** up.
Start by getting a personality that isn’t completely repulsive to almost everybody on the planet, Kanye? Learn the art of modesty (if even possible), of kindness, of humility, of compassion.
Why is Kim not completely utterly mortified and embarrassed by Kanye and his behavior? Surely love cannot be THAT blind? What does she privately think/tell him? Does she ever think to pull him up and try to encourage him to reign in any of his arrogant douchebagginess ?
Because Kim is an expert on appropriate behavior, really?
(going)Bald Yeezus.
I cant take my eyes off his jacked up hairline in the second pic. Maybe he can borrow some of Kims knuckle hair.
Reading bout him or her makes my IQ hurt like hell!
he’s always entertaining to read, but I end up having to read the interview twice, before I fully get what he’s saying and even then it’s sketchy at best.
it’s like listening to the world’s most spoiled toddler give interviews
Pity the fool. When the money runs out and he no longer has sycophants swarming around him, feeding his ego with things he wants to hear, he is going to have a seriously rude awakening.
LOL, this is so Nietzschean. “I am destiny! I am Dynamite! I break the history of the world in two!” seriously, Kanye is a nihilist. I kinda hate him for the swagger (“it’s a civil rights movement”? WTF?)but seriously, if you view him as a nihilist, it’s kind of tolerable.
Okay I finally stopped laughing enough to type what a total grade A delusional jerk the guy is. He wouldn’t know rock and roll if it kicked his little man’s ass. What delusional lie will come out of his little man’s mouth next, he wrote Thunder Road? Dude knows his star is waning and will do and say anything to try and stay relevant. No one wants your stuff Kanye because it’s krap. And as far as Kimmode being strong enough on her own not to be a gold digger, we shall see in a few years what you have to say about that. Kanye without auto tune sounds like a cat with his tail in the door and writes like a 9th grader. Yes right this guy is just AWESOME not but God he is funny!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!***catches breath****HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA………..oh – nevermind!! Wiping away tears, going back to work.
Why are people like this elevated to such high levels in our culture. Things have been turned around backwards.
What happened??
I know! WTF? His little toe doesn’t have an ounce of Rock. He’s so full of shit, I’m a rock person and him saying stuff is an insult to the industry.
And why all of a sudden everyone is worried about what KK thinks of him? Who cares? She is just an idiot who made millions by being peed on and now people are worried?
Boo Hoo Kim. Grow some balls and tell that boyfriend(?) of yours that he does not control you. Kanye, if you want people to take you seriously, stop ranting about anything and everything and try to sound intelligent. He added: “We culture. Rap is the new rock ‘n’ roll. We the rock stars…We the new rock stars . . .” This does not make you sound intelligent at all!
Ummm, #1 rock star on the planet. Sorry no you are not, never will be. What you are is Kris Kardashian’s b**ch.
Enjoy!
So is that where we are at with our celebrity worship? Just let em think they are better than us peasants..keep buying their records, watching their videos and support that notion?
Oh but he’s so great at screaming grade-school lyrics – please lets waste money on him so he can buy $1,000 trainers and trip over the untied laces.
Oh Yee, thanks for the kindergarten pontificating. Now go poke a hole in your balloon head and let some air out, you’re not all that and a bag of chips.
Shut up, Beavis… I mean, Yeezus
I actually like his new album, but….um, no. Rap is not rock, and he is not a rock star. Let alone the #1 rock star.
I am obsessed with, “Yeezus”, it isn’t “rock”, by any means, but yes, I agree with you, it is a good album, the production done on it is incredible. (especially “New Slaves”! Man, I listened to that song and “Black Skinhead” on my cousin’s saucy speakers and SH*T. It was tighter than the spandex Jane Fonda would wear on her aerobics videos)
I try and picture what conversations he and Kim ever have …
I picture it being mostly static with the occasional unintelligible word thrown in.
Kanye is the biggest rock star on Planet Kanye where Kim is the best looking rock star girlfriend on the planet, and their love is the greatest rock star love ever!
Rap is rap, rap is not never has been and never will be rock. Delusional Dumb-ass.
Jeez Ye, just leave MJ out of your ego-boosting rants. Magic cannot be forced upon to people. If you are driven, focused and talented as a performer/artist, magic will happen and it will flow from the artist to his audience. MJ was a true artist and spent his time focusing on his artform, not yapping about it/himself.
It’s totally a thing now for hip hop to throw a random MJ reference in there. Yeezy, Jigga, J.Cole and who know’s who else.
Kanye compares himself to MJ but I don’t see that. Two different genres all together. MJ probably really was the King of Pop.
Wait, is he talking about Michael Jackson or Magic Johnson?
But then it doesn’t really matter anyway does it.
oh god. Kanye man just stop already!
Kanye West is corrupted by money to the point that he believes that money is the measure to everything in this world.
……I did the Air Yeezys and they eBay’d for $90,000…but I didn’t get a call from Nike the next day.” …..
Air Yeezys and Nike didn´t call, OMG.
Mother f**king gay fish! 😉
Lol! Love it, it never gets old!
South Park has moments of brilliance, and I think that episode was one of them. It really summed him up perfectly.
Haha, yeah it does! Reading this craziness its all that ran through my mind, especially the part in the episode when he’s talking to those reporters…
Hahahahahahahahahaha! Yeah, right. Rap will NEVER be rock n roll, and this atrocious sounding jerk will never be a rock star.
Bitch please! More like no 1 douchebag on the planet.
Kanye get over yourself already please.
kanye you have and will never achieve the level of stardom MJ did.even Jay z and beyonce combined haven’t.Michael is the biggest celebrity their is to this date.MJ is the biggest of thw big and best of the best(except Elvis Presley of course).the rate at which you brag,you will fall very hard and very soon.it will be epic.R A P isn’t music,its trash.just a bunch of mindless people making noise.
After reading his interview I’m convinced, he’s right with the family he needs to be with. Karma’s gonna be a tough one when it comes around. The Kardashian’s eat up every man that comes within their circle.
I’m sure he truly believes that!!
… what an ass …
Guess I’m the only one, but I LOVE kanye’s interviews. I look forward to them. They are crazy, madcap, nonsensical, pure sheer brilliant mind-bending awesomeness and most of all, funny. Masterfully entertaining and make every other celeb interview look boring and manufactured. Ye says what James Franco merely thinks.
Best giggle of the day.
I can barely interpret what he is saying. It’s nonsense.
In.sig.nif.i.cant.
I wonder if this moron got past the 3rd grade with his grammatical skills.
We the rock stars? Um..I think not. Rap will NEVER be rock n roll.
And you, Sir, are just a grade-A DBAG!
He is more delusional than leanne rimes!
Word salad.
Kanye West reminds me a lot of Muhammad Ali, as both are arrogant and charismatic, and both generated a wide range of emotions from those who loved them and hated them.
The self-proclaimed “Greatest of All Time,” and Yeezus talk a good game while being wildly talented. ‘Ye your public awaits another ‘Dark Twisted Fantasy’, and until you deliver you’ll be just another Justin Timberlake musician-slash-fill in the blank wannabe.
His greatest regret is one of my greatest accomplishments …that neither one of us will see him perform live.
there’s still classic rock acts left Paul McCartney & Neil Young among them. KANYE will never be in their class Neil was even nominated for an academy award for the song Philadelphia the closing song of the film of the same name though Bruce Springsteen’s opening Streets Of Philadelphia won
Classic Rock is classic rock. There is plenty of wonderful new rock to gorge ourselves on. Go listen to the Wildhearts and Eureka Machines and tell me rock is dead. If you haven’t heard them then you need to. Too many people listen to the pap-filled radio still.
What a fu$king dumb ass. Does this guy ever listen to himself…of course he does, constantly….this lends credence to the fact he is most certainly dillusional. Think about it, he doesn’t speak english that well, his head is odd shaped, his Gf is a sow/famewhore/talentLESS…yet he thinks he’s “the biggest rockstar on the planet.” Oh yeah, he’s OK? LoL