Paul McCartney describes Kanye West as a crazy, eccentric monster

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Paul McCartney & Kanye West collaborated on a few songs several years back. I didn’t think much of any of the songs, but it was interesting to see a truly legendary musician (Paul) work with someone who is mostly a legend in his own mind (Kanye). Well, Paul gave a new interview to the BBC this week and he was asked about his work with Kanye. Paul makes it sound like their collaborations really didn’t take that much time, so they don’t really know each other that well. But still, Paul describes Kanye as “eccentric” and “a monster.” Sounds about right.

Paul McCartney and Kanye West aren’t the likeliest of musical collaborators, but the pair have developed an affinity for one another.

“I love Kanye,” the former Beatle told John Wilson during BBC Radio 4’s Mastertapes series. “People say he’s eccentric, which you’d have to agree with. He’s a monster. He’s a crazy guy that comes up with great stuff. He inspires me.”

While they were collaborating. McCartney fiddled with chord progressions, which West’s team recorded on an iPhone. McCartney never heard back from West and was surprised to hear Rihanna appear on the final version of ”FourFiveSeconds,” as well as his own voice sped up.

“That’s the thing: You just work with him, you leave it for a while, let it marinate, and just hope he gets back to you,” he said.

[From EW]

I think Paul probably has it right – Kanye is eccentric, he’s crazy, he’s a monster and he comes up with some great stuff. It’s funny, I think, Paul’s use of the word “eccentric” for Kanye. I’ve never thought of Kanye in those terms before, but it’s true. It seems like we (as a society) are more likely to call someone “eccentric” when they’re older and white, and someone young and black would just be dismissed as “crazy.”

Paul also told the BBC about the making of “All Day,” another collaboration with Kanye. Kanye sent Paul the finished track and Paul says: “He’s taken my melody and he’s made it seriously urban, which is funny because the lyrics use the N-word — a lot! ‘How long have you been at the mall? All day, N-word.” And once the song came out, Oprah told Paul that he shouldn’t have participated because of Kanye’s use of the n-word: “People like Oprah, who are a little conservative about that stuff, she says, ‘You shouldn’t do it, even black people shouldn’t use that word.’ I said, ‘Yeah, but it’s Kanye! And he’s talking about an urban generation that uses that word in a completely different way. It’s the context. So I was actually pleased with it.’” Basically, Paul thinks Kanye can do what he wants.

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Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet.

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21 Responses to “Paul McCartney describes Kanye West as a crazy, eccentric monster”

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  1. Rhiley says:

    Sir Paul, dontcha know, don’t F with O.

  2. Colette says:

    Kanye is erratic and in other breaking news…
    Water is wet

  3. smee says:

    Google “Ninja Die Antwoord Kanye West” for a really crazy story about KW. He freaked out Ninja, which would take alot, I would imagine :0

    • LAK says:

      CB covered that story several threads ago. I think there is eccentric and inappropriate, and i think KW falls in the inappropriate slot most of the time.

      • Cran says:

        Eccentric is a word I associate with someone I find odd but generally redeemable. Those are not character traits I associate with Kanye West as he presents himself.

  4. Saks says:

    I’ll never agree with the use of the n-word by anyone. Yes, I get they are trying to appropriate the term in order to take the disgusting connotation away. But the thing is, the word was created as a way to diminish their humanity, and for the racist people (which thanks to this election I realize they are way more than I ever thought) it will always carry the original sentiment.

  5. HH says:

    I like the way Paul comes at it here. Just a “he is who he is approach.” He’s probably seen so much stuff in the music industry that Kanye really isn’t that bad. Also, it’s just a weird time in the world of celebrity for me. Like, Kanye is off the wall, but he’s not Cosby. He’s not Woody Allen. He’s not 50 cent making fun of random people. Kanye can be exhausting, but I never find myself fully frustrated with him.

    ETA: Clearly, there’s an array of good celebrities that exists between Kanye and the others mentioned. But, I feel like there’s this need to make Kanye a “bad person” and I just don’t get that from him. I get confused, I get out-of-touch, I get eccentric. But I don’t get the “bad person” vibe/narrative.

    • Dee Kay says:

      I agree with this. McCartney has worked with many, many personalities in the music industry — geniuses and superstars — and I’m sure that Kanye’s “eccentricity” does not shock him. John Lennon was not the most stable person in history, for example. McCartney wrote several major hits with Michael Jackson. He hung out quite a bit with Brian Wilson at one of Wilson’s depressive nadirs (but creative peaks). At this point in his life and career, there’s no way that Kanye West is the weirdest or strangest songwriter/performer/producer he’s ever seen and worked with.

  6. Mia V. says:

    This sweatshirt is burning my eyes.

  7. boredblond says:

    ‘I love him..he’s crazy..monster’ Sounds like trumpesque double speak. Paul’s trying so hard to stay relevant /hip..kinda sad..

  8. paolanqar says:

    I think Kanye changes attitude accordingly with what kind of person he has to deal with. or what they represent. He probably respects Paul and he wouldn’t treat him with the same condescend he would use with people he considers beneath him. So of course Paul has only nice things to say. Or at least Paul phrases it to make it sound like a compliment.

    • Shaunna says:

      You are absolutely correct. The way Kanye acts around Paul McCartney is by far better than how he would treat the rest of the world. I believe the bodyguard who said Kanye was the most condescending person he ever met.

  9. Mia4s says:

    Breaking news: Paul McCartney is accurate and really quite clever.

    While I have concerns about West’s mental health I also appreciate the use of the word “eccentric”. You’re quite right that is the word that would be used if West was 60 and white. Good on McCartney.

  10. Lbliss says:

    You in danger, Sir Paul!

  11. saras says:

    Paul made understatement of the year…

  12. Ladykatan says:

    The use of the word “eccentric” doesn’t denote age or racial profile.. It’s all about wealth. Only rich people can be eccentric! If you’re poor, you’re nuts!

  13. Josh therogood says:

    That no talented puece of garbage could only dream of what paul or any member of this band did!!! He will not b remembered by any musicians ever…….. But the beatles will still be remembered for years to come because unlike todays music they were true artists…. A term that should not even be used anymore…..

    • Zulu Princess says:

      KW is a lot of things but saying he’s talentless is ridiculous… And why is he a piece of “garbage?” like someone said up thread, he’s no Woody Allen or a Bill Cosby… I’m curious as to why you’d call him such…