I need to take a little break from our Grammy coverage (which is honestly wrapping up shortly!) because there are about ten-million new Kanye West stories. Too many, really. So, let’s do some highlights.
Is Kanye really in debt for $53 million? Sort of but not really. Kanye has self-financed a lot of his fashion ventures, to mixed results. Basically, the $53 million number he cited is how much of his money he’s put into his own businesses, at least according to TMZ. Kanye still makes significant bank – Forbes says he earned $22 million last year, and $30 million the year before.
Kanye clarified the debt comments. In a series of tweets, Kanye clarified: “I just feel rich people are always too cool to ask for help trying to impress each other at dinner parties… Yes I am personally rich and I can buy furs and houses for my family but I need access to more money in order to bring more beautiful ideas to the world. If I spent my money on my ideas I could not afford to take care of my family. I am in a place that so many artist end up. Also for anyone that has money they know the first rule is to use other people’s money.”
Is Kim Kardashian worried about the money situation? Sources tell People Mag that she’s totally fine with Kanye investing in his own businesses because they keep their finances separate. Kim actually made double of what Kanye made in 2015, and she’s not spending money like a drunken sailor.
Kanye almost walked out in the middle of Saturday Night Live. Page Six has the exclusive story – apparently, Kanye wasn’t happy with his set, so he threw a tantrum and Lorne Michaels and Kim were trying to comfort him and talk him out of walking away. It was described as a “meltdown” and “He freaked out about how the set was arranged. He was saying he’s ‘the greatest artist.’ He’s having regular meltdowns. Everyone’s walking on eggshells around him. He’s under a lot of stress between the new album and the fashion line.”
Kanye threw a hissy fit about racism against his album? Some assorted tweets:
To Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, New York Times, and any other white publication. Please do not comment on black music anymore.
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) February 15, 2016
I love love love white people but you don't understand what it means to be the great grandson of ex slaves and make it this far.
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) February 15, 2016
The system is designed for colored people to fail and one of our only voices is music. One of our only ways out is music.
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) February 15, 2016
Don’t get me wrong, I think there’s systemic racism involved in a lot of different industries and social structures. But I don’t believe the answer is “white people can never review a black artist’s work.” I also don’t think systemic racism will be solved by billionaires pulling their money out of African schools so that they can invest in Kanye’s ideas, you know? Besides, Kanye acts like he’s overcome economic hardship/oppression his whole life – he grew up in an educated, middle-class home in Chicago? His mother was a professor! He went to music school! He’s been making one-percenter money since he was in his early 20s.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet and Getty.
Is he close with his father? Somebody needs to intervene. Like for real, for real.
I can’t believe that his mother was a professor. Really? Can’t believe it. He’s so f*** dumb.
Smart people can have dumb kids just like dumb people can have smart kids.
Donda West was an english professor. You wouldn’t know by the way he talks.
It’s got nothing to do with intelligence and everything to do with him having a tick in his head that he can’t stop.
His personality changed ALOT after she died. Honestly, I think he snapped and never came back from that. Or maybe mom just made sure he was on his meds.
I’m sure he’s intelligent-he’s just pompous and arrogant and self centered and has zero filter. He’s delusional about his own fame and his place in the world.
Sorry but lately I have come to the conclusion that hes not very intelligent. By his Twitter rants we learn that he thinks Africa is a country….
Oh yeah I believe his mother was very influential. It’s unfortunate that she died young because he hasn’t been the same since.
Two points. A) You don’t actually have to be very intelligent to be a professor. At least, you don’t have to have the type of intelligence that most people call common sense or real world knowledge. Acedemia is full of overall fairly stupid people who are simply very gifted in one area. Not saying his mother was one of them, but it isn’t simply a given. B) There is a difference between intelligence and knowledge. You can be smart and ignorant, like calling Africa a country.
I believe that Kanye is extremely intelligent, but also incredibly self involved, unstable, and spoiled. It’s obvious his mother’s presence in his life held him together and now that she’s gone all the cracks are widening at an alarming rate. It’s like he never truly learned self control and how to deal with disappointment, and now as a grown man sees no reason to start.
Wren
I disagree.
A) of course I know there’s a difference between knowledge and intelligence.
I would buy your argument if he was some poor kid who didn’t have access to education. (He also doesn’t know the difference between seamstress and sewer by the way). He went to school, he even started college. So there’s no excuses here.
B) you can be musically gifted but not intelligent. He’s gifted but not intelligent Imao.
C) Listen to his lyrics on the new record then listen to kendricks lyrics. Then tell me who is the intelligent one? Hint: It’s not the middle class guy with the professor mother. It’s the kid from Compton.
Talie has it right. I’ve never bought Kanye’s music or clothing, but have always been amused by him and even his statements of grandiosity. I personally think a little bit of crazy is the different between merely intelligent or talented and “genius” because an artist has to be blind to risk or embarrassment to take it to the next level. That said, all recent signs point to him veering into Spears/Bynes territory. I hope for his sake, that’s not true.
He has no excuses, true, but in my time in acedemia I saw plenty of idiots not only get into college but graduate. Some of them seemingly could barely read or do simple math. And the biggest idiots I ever had to deal with were professors, they were the worst. Espcially the ones who had never been out of acedemia or had to survive in the real world. It’s a weird bubble, it has its own challenges and succeeding there is not a trivial accomplishment, but dealing with some of these people you wonder how they manage to feed themselves or put on pants.
But you’re talking about academically gifted people with no life experience or common sense
If kanye was academically gifted he would have retained basic knowledge like Africa is continent not a country.He’s musically gifted but not intelligent in that way. It’s like Donal trump is talented with business. He’s not able to hold an intelligent conversation etc.
Kanyes comment about Africa reminds me of when bush said Nigeria is the capital of Africa. i found it more ironic though because it came from someone who has portrayed himself in the past as concerned with black issues.
@Wren,
I’m curious to know what “Academia” you had experience with. I spent 9 years in the Academia, and by “Academia” I mean graduate studies, not just a college degree. I wouldn’t call a single professor I had “fairly stupid” or “an idiot”. Now, some of them were nasty, arrogant, condescending, unhelpful, etc., which didn’t make my life easier, but none of them were idiots.
In fact, most of them were very interesting and well-rounded individuals, with curiosity that usually extended well beyond their field, and with a good grasp on basic high-school knowledge, such as geography, literature, basic science, etc.
As a graduate student myself, I was also side-by-side with people who are professors now or will be soon, and without a single exception, they were all very interesting and intelligent people.
@Timbuktu as someone with a PhD I wholeheartedly agree. And I say that also believing that a lot of requirements into college have been watered down in the last decade. But many people like to believe that you can get a PhD simply by being very intelligent in your field. That’s really not the case. I saw many intelligent people drop out and fail spectacularly because they didn’t have the real world skills of time management, self discipline, balancing a budget, etc.
I love this part of the thread and can’t help but put my two cents in….I would pick-up on Wren’s line of thinking, but zero in on ‘the ability to think.’ You can refer to this as critical thinking. Full disclosure. I have a master’s and worked in an academic setting for over ten years. Many folks are able to successfully complete coursework and can regurgitate information, but they do not know how to critically apply it. I worked as a licensed professional for over twenty years and observed this first hand-primarily with medical professionals. I credit my dad for teaching me thinking skills. He was a skilled tradesman and I loved to sit and watch him work. Very often, he would explain to me what the issue was with the work and what the approaches were. I learned inductive and deductive reasoning from him. I also credit the crazy. lapsed Catholic seminarians who taught at my high school for teaching me the fundamentals of logic. In summary, I never assume anything about a person with academic credentials.
Ah yes, the “inhabitants of ivory towered academia are really drooling idiotic twits” tired old trope. I’d love to know where you went to school, because that hasn’t been my experience at undergrad, masters, or doctoral work.
Wren- I’ve know a lot of academics since I have a Ph.D. and taught at a college for a few years. Most of them are intelligent enough, although it does not take super intelligence to get a Ph.D., just persistence. I’ve run into some dumb ones, though. They just aren’t the majority by a long shot. I’ve run into lazy ones also who display little intellectual curiosity and just coast through the classes. Probably this includes some of the people presenting as dumb, since lazy people can seem stupid when they’re just lazy. But again, not the majority unless you’re at a really bottom level school that doesn’t pay enough to attract good people.
Obviously intelligence is expressed in many ways, not just in academic achievements. Intelligence shows no matter what you do for a living, you can tell the difference even in someone just pushing a broom. Many people rely on their lives outside work to let them use their intelligence in other ways, even if their jobs aren’t intellectually challenging. Academics just get a chance to think about complicated things during working hours, unless they’re running on autopilot after they get tenure. That doesn’t make them smarter than their non-academic neighbors, it just is a different kind of job with typically long working hours (when school is in session, a typical college professor puts in a 60-80 hour work week and maybe half that during breaks, my own experience matched that).
He at times stupendously ignorant for a man with such a background. Its certainly made worse by his personal manner. There’s a huge disconnect between his brain and his mouth. Hes either not very bright or just too lazy intellectually to do the work, but his mouth won’t stop.
Not saying all professors are stupid and lack common sense. Far from it. My point was that don’t just assume that because someone has a PhD or is a professor that they are automatically brilliant. I’ve dealt with too many who, outside of their field, or even concerning the practical application of their field, were absolutely not.
There are plenty who are highly intelligent and great well rounded people. I’m not disputing that. My dad was a professor and extremely practical and intelligent man. He taught me a lot about life. But the idiot acemenic cliche exists for a reason, and I worked with many of them. The assumption that people with PhDs are just the smartest ever and so on is incorrect.
I’ve got a PhD and my mother (RIP) who left school at 14 was just as intelligent as I am. It’s all about the opportunities available. Academics do sometimes ( occasionally? ) lack common sense and an appreciation of how the other half lives, but they are not alone in that. I’m not sure what is wrong with Kayne, I’m not really interested enough to follow him that closely, but his ego seems out of control. I note he uses the phrase coloured people, which Cumberbatch got slated for using. And yes, I appreciate that they are of different ethnicities.
Hope I am wrong but are his days with the K klan numbered?
Nope. The more screwed up the partner is, the better the storyline, i.e., Scott and Lamar. However, they have him so high up on a pedestal, you get dizzy looking down. Kim jokingly (or not) saying she’d sell her one remaining egg to Khloe for lots of money bc after all it’s Kanye West’s baby….ick….and Kris saying he is a genius. Reggie was the love of KK’s life, but Kanye is more adoring of her because he loves loves loves white people……his words
To me, the real success was with his mother. For real.
She was a highly educated woman. I imagine she was respected and did things that were impossible to dream of to their slave ancestors.
To me, he is very rich, he has a lot of money, he is creative, but in a way, he is degrading himself by allowing and indulging himself in behaviors that are not fit for a real, whole person, a real man.
He might thing he is reaching the highest point. I don’t think so.
.
but again, he values success in terms of money, as he admires his wife. In this aspect, his mother failed in educating him.
I read somewhere that his father had a colorful life, where could he be now? I don’t think they have a relationship anymore. The guy seemingly adored his mom, but fails to treat women with respect. SMH.
more and more I think he believes in the “virgin or whore” thing.
He is right. Unfortunately how he presents his message is off setting.
I would agree if he was saying that people who aren’t knowledgeable about hip hop shouldn’t review hip hop albums, but he’s not saying that. He’s mad because the album had mixed reviews, it’s just personal. I listened to it and I think it has some brilliant moments but it’s also scattered and not musically cohesive.
@Martine, The reviewers he marks above are good reviews. But they talked about his struggle that is revealed in the album as due to his own psychosis. I think he felt he was revealing the struggle as it applies to all men of color trying to stay in the 1% and as white people they just didn’t understand.
As I said before Kanye’s way of delivering a message is not the best. Also twitter is not good for soliloquy
@Denisemich I’m pretty sure most POC don’t understand the struggle to stay in the 1% either
Ummm, he does realize that he’s married to a white chick . . . right?
He has a forked tongue. His comments feel more offensive to me than Meryl Streep’s “We are All Afrikans.” because he KNOWS better but he’s too damn selfish to care.
I agree with Meryl streep and apparently so does President Clinton. He discussed it in a speech yesterday.
Basically we all originated from Africa. The whole racism thing is really about the color of skin, the texture of hair and the width of nose.
There are no separate races, we are all human and we all came from Africa.
Eternal Side eye: may I just follow you around as your Greek chorus?
@Denisemuch
Following Meryl’s logic we are also all women and all have blue eyes, you know…because in the womb all babies have those traits until they develop further and are born.
Oh wait, that’s not how the world works. Because we’re not all treated equally and it doesn’t matter how things were millenials ago, we are all very much entrenched and controlled by different social and racial classes.
Trying to brush off the reality faced by people who are actually Africans or blacks or Indians to give some Hallmark card catchphrase about the world while also comfortably benefiting from white is beyond cliche at this point.
@LAK
No way, get on this stage with me because I might need to fallback and just be your hype man for a while, lol.
Meryl Streep is not going to fix the issue of equality so it didn’t matter what she said.
Until people of darker skin tone are not automatically associated with poverty, these issues will continue to exist.
@Denisemuch
It does matter, because those who are actually given positions and who are in a role to use their authority for good choose only to cover their own hides and seek their own comfort. Meryl didn’t want to risk not winning her 500th award by daring to speak on the issue.
People such as her don’t choose or acknowledge black people (cause we’re all black deep down) so the status quo remains the same.
Reply to Denisemich:
“Basically we all originated from Africa.”
I don’t know about Meryl & former President Clinton, but I learned in grammar school (ancient history) that civilization began in Mesopotamia which roughly corresponds to modern day Iraq. This is supported by the biblical view of the Garden of Eden for those who subscribe to this.
I would think that if the original race was African,and that if others migrated from there to other places, one would need to see more evidence of a developed civilization (writing etc), including evidence of the ability to build water transport; Africa is primarily surround by ocean, but there are a few places (Red Sea) where a crossing to the middle east would be less hazardous. given some primitive sea vessel.
Amelie, civilisation, whatever that means, may have originated in Mesopotamia, but human beings originated in our current species in East Africa. The migrations of the original human race and the genetic bottlenecks that came from mass extinction events is actually fascinating.
embertine:
If you would like to present the evidence that,” human beings originated in our current species in East Africa,” I would be happy to read it. From what I have read, this is not established fact: there are still lots of theories by different experts. This is the reason that I mentioned the biblical aspect(Adam & Eve)as there are ancients texts to refer to.
I am a paleoanthropologist. Our species originated in Africa. As did many of our related species. However, we cannot use this to ignore the cultural anthropology aspects, ie pretend it wipes out historic and current racism. I’m glad things have changed enough for people to accept we originated in Africa but that doesn’t negate the host of problems we have when it comes to race.
Denisemuch: No one is expecting Meryl to fix equality,BUT in this specific incident, she was asked a specific question about culture and her answer referenced race instead. And in a very problematic way that simply highlighted her ignorance not to mention insulting.
She is in charge of a panel judging films and she can’t answer a question on culture. To be clear, films are unique to their regions. Different regions have developed different styles of constructing and telling their film stories. it’s the reason you can say a film is a french/danish/British/Italian/Bollywood/Chinese/South Korean/Nigerian film to name a few distinct styles and everyone understands what that means outside of language. She was asked if she would be able to identify culturally and she turned it into a racial issue. It’s even more ridiculous considering the character she played was a white settler during colonialism?????!!!!!! According to her, playing a colonialist makes her an expert on Africa and Arabia!!!!!!!! That’s as bad as saying Richard Attenborough directing GANDHI makes him an expert on Indians and their film culture.
paleokifaru:
So, do you dispute that archeologists from Tel Aviv University say eight human-like teeth found in the Qesem cave near Rosh Ha’Ayin – 10 miles from Israel’s international airport – are 400,000 years old, from the Middle Pleistocene Age, making them the earliest remains of homo sapiens yet discovered anywhere in the world?
Other scientists have argued that human beings originated in Africa before moving to other regions 150,000 to 200,000 years ago. Homo sapiens discovered in Middle Awash, Ethiopia, from 160,000 years ago were believed to be the oldest ‘modern’ human beings.
The last I heard, Israel is in the Middle East.
Amelie most scientists question those dates. There are a number of problems with dating methods used in the Middle East and Asia. The stratigraphy is complex and they are often pushing the boundaries of the techniques used. We do however have genetic and fossil evidence to support the Out of Africa hypothesis.
But none of this means I have any personal experience with the racism African Americans have faced. I think those are two separate issues and I don’t think having origins in Africa should be trotted out to excuse racism.
paleokifaru:
OK, so it sounds like there is no definitive answer…I could even believe that human life on earth evolved simultaneously in different places…that’s not what this thread is about.
I agree that the issue of where human life started should not be connected with racism. I also disagree with many of Kanye’s statements. Much progress has been made with regard to color, I think too often, it is a fall back position for POC rather than looking at other factors. Because the arts has always been a place that has pushed boundaries on race etc and where the focus has been more on talent and ability than race, I think statements of this kind from an “artist” make less sense.
@Amelie Why is it so disturbing for you to believe humans came from Africa?
Where we all originated should definitely be part of the conversation on race?
People are talking about inequality that has become global and systematic because of the false construct of Race.
Denisemich:
“Amelie Why is it so disturbing for you to believe humans came from Africa?”
It’s not. I merely responded to an inaccuracy per the information I have.
“Where we all originated should definitely be part of the conversation on race?
People are talking about inequality that has become global and systematic because of the false construct of Race.”
I don’t feel the need to get into a conversation about race…For the record, I believe we were all created in His image and likeness–IMO, we all fail frequently to see the being/soul etc underneath the skin color.
@denisemich I’m not sure our origins should be part of the conversation when it’s trotted out by celebrities to dismiss the issue of racism. Is race a social construct? Yes. But are there biological differences between populations of people as a result of mutations that were beneficial for different environments? Absolutely. And that approximately 200k years of evolution in those populations and misinterpreting those as making us separate species or having a hierarchy of humans is really the issue. I’m tired of people like Meryl, Kanye, etc dismissing or agitating and misusing science.
I don’t know what Meryl Streep said, but all the evidence points to the human species starting in Africa. From there we spread gradually southward into Southern Africa, eastward, westward, and northward. At one time the current continents were connected by a lot of land, so people could simply walk to new places. The differences we see in skin and eye color and other features evolved gradually, some to deal with different climate conditions while others might have just been accidental according to genes carried by the wanderers. In some areas of the world, for instance, darker skin is protective and enough sunlight gets through for vital functions such as vitamin D synthesis. In other areas, dark skin is a liability because there is less intense solar radiation. Go even further north, where ice and snow are frequently present and reflect a lot of sunlight, and darker skin becomes an advantage again. The ability to change skin color depending on exposure to sun is an advantage in areas where exposure varies seasonally. The same pigment is involved (melanin), different people simply have different production rates. The advantages can be expressed in survival rates for those who carry the beneficial trait.
So all of us do have African ancestry, if you could trace our ancestors far enough back. All of our gene pools have a common origin.
@Jwoolman just because we have a common origin does not mean we have a common experience. That’s my issue with how people like Meryl use the “we are all African” comment. It’s a misuse of the science much like social Darwinism was a misuse of natural selection.
Paleokifaru- the reason it’s useful to point out that we are all the same species with a common origin and ancestral gene pool is because the social concept of race did indeed assume we weren’t, that there was a fundamental built-in difference. For the same reason, it’s useful to point out that the fact that some isolated African communities were low-tech has nothing to do with their intelligence and potential for high tech work if the opportunity arises. That is proven daily by African scientists and engineers both in Africa and elsewhere as students, residents, and immigrants in other areas of the world. As a matter of fact, isolated low tech communities typically have extremely complex languages – that seems to be another outlet for human intelligence. People develop technology depending on their needs and resources available, but language is a universal human activity. Languages tend to simplify when there is more contact with other people, to simplify communication.
But the underlying assumptions that allowed for slavery and segregation and continued racism were that Africans were by their very nature childlike and low intelligence. The same was said of women…. A Boston mayor in the 1830s once said that the Irish (my people) would always be intellectually and socially inferior to his people. It’s a familiar story in human history – in order to limit the opportunities of a particular group, they are considered as significantly different and incapable. Even though the theories may have changed, the prejudices remain not very far below the surface and certainly have something to do with the continuing racism in this country that has real consequences for the people affected.
@JWoolman given that my degrees are in anthropology and history I am very aware of all of this background. But when someone says “We are all African” in response to a question about the lack of diversity in the entertainment industry they’re missing the point and frankly end up whitewashing the issue. So the lack of diversity doesn’t matter because everyone nominated is African in origin? That’s a problem for me. In the discussion of how white entertainment is we cannot pretend it’s solved because scientists have determined we are one species and race is a social construct. Knowing those two things does not fix lack of opportunity.
That’s what makes me angry though. He says something very important and true but then negates it with the rest of his statement. And more importantly, his conclusion is bullsh*t. Systemic racism is not going to be eradicated by white critics shutting up about Kanye’s music. And let’s not kid ourselves, he doesn’t mean black music, he means his music. And only if people don’t call him the greatest artist ever. He’s a d*ck. A self-serving egomaniac. By all means, let’s give him more money. Why would African schools need it?
“Systemic racism is not going to be eradicated by white critics shutting up about Kanye’s music. And let’s not kid ourselves, he doesn’t mean black music, he means his music”
Agree he meant his music. But I think it is interesting that those publications do not have minorites reviewing music at all.
I was going to add that the system fails stupid people but apparently the system has made him rich and famous enough that we are reading his ignorant comments.
@Denismarch-Pitchfork doesn’t have minorities reviewing music?
Um yes they absolutely do.
Please. Many of those publications have given stellar reviews to hip-hop music in the past and his Yeezus.
He’s just mad about reviews about his new work not being completely glowing.
He does not even respect his own, by the way he talked about schools in Africa. IMO.
HE needs a reality immersion trip, not just a check.
He is so mentally off right now he is using everything/one except his own actions as an excuse. He should be pushing for criminal justice reform since that really is the main culprit of a racist system. If he cared about the plight of young people getting in trouble early for petty drug / theft charges or unfair pick up / incarceration rates he would be an activist / donor / musical after school rehab programs. I moved from WA to WI which has the highest prosecution / pick up rate in the nation which is AWFUL! One state you could buy weed in a store the other a second offense is a felony! That is an example of how crazy drastic it is here in WI and needs to change because it makes it hard for people to get jobs / education when they have a record! Be an activist Kanye not a bad example of privilege gone wrong!
Sorry but no, not in his field. Those magazines he called out are singing the praises of Kendrick Lamar today, dear lord Elle magazine called his performance the greatest Grammy performance ever. No the only issue here is they aren’t kissing Kayne’s a**.
Is there systematic racism? Of course it is a huge problem, it needs to be acknowledged and addressed but we don’t need to start with our music industry and rolling stone not liking Kayne’s record. We need to address why a higher percentage of drug use is done by white Americans but such a lower conviction rate, we need to address the issues with why there is a spike of LEAD poisioning in children in poor communities because the CDC budget was cut. We need to look at why a black woman is paid significant less then a white woman who is already paid less then a man. We need to look at why we are holding up icons who changed the world who happen to be people of color and teaching their stories in school but regulate it to specific months and even then probably don’t touch it. We need to look at how funding for schools in the inner cities or poor rural communities are under funded and those kids aren’t getting a fair shot!
Sorry but Kayne had a brilliant mother and a middle class life, and while of course he delt with racism he has been part of the 1% since he was in his 20s and has done nothing to try and make the situation better. Dear god he wants to take money from charities to fund his vanity projects!
We have a huge racism problem in this country, with real problems but to say Kayne is a victim of it because people don’t like his music is insulting to the kids who aren’t getting to learn algebra because of funding even though they test into it! It is an affront to the families of Eric Garner and Tamir Rice.
Kayne needs to sit down and shut the hell up. And if he really believes this then use his millions he is bragging about to help and not buy his toddler FUR!!!
Absolutely every single word of what you just said.
Kanye wants to have his cake and eat it too. He wants to be able to enjoy his own personal luxury while also being able to create his useless creative rubbish with no more personal sacrifice.
Sorry Kanye, it’s either the rags or the fur. Pick one.
HE clearly wants both, if you see what his family was wearing. rags and fur. While the models were displaying concentration/refugee camp fashion.
And he is expecting to get rich from it?
His own wife is a fashion disaster since she got with him. His fashion dreams are sh*t.
K-I am in love with your thoughts. Perfection^^^^^^^^^^^^^^.
Ennie: the fur fashions his wife and entire K klan were wearing were all designed by Balmain NOT Kanye. Kim K gave a shout out on twitter confirming that they were dressed by Balmain.
in summary, only the models [the only ones allowed to move around the catwalk] wore Kanye designs. The 1000 extras [standing/sitting still] wore thrift store sourced clothing dyed to match Kanye’s designs, with adidas shoes[ not Kanye shoes] and his in-laws and friends were dressed by Balmain!!!!
@LAK, those tit showing competition designs were custom made collaborations with Kanye.
example, Kourtney:
https://twitter.com/Balmain/status/698220528407080961
check Balmain’s tweets from Feb. 12th.
100% totally agree. I’m playing a teeny tiny violin (or is it a bass?) for poor, downtrodden Kanye.
If black people or any other race, ever want equality they might start by acting equal. If you’re concerned about an inequality well you damn well better be concerned about all races affected by inequality. I find Kanye just another racist. Racist behavior is perpetuated by Kanye and every other person out there who does not consider each other their equal. Stop looking at the color of one another and work together on issues that affect the people of our world.
Yes, Denisemich. He was absolutely right back during Katrina when he said “George Bush doesn’t care about black people.” Still, people were shocked because he said it off-script during a feel-good fundraiser. What he says now is just as true, even if it’s harder for me to acknowledge because I’m more fond of the sources he’s citing. However, he says it in a manner that is too easy for people to refute as the sore-loser delusions of a narcissist.
This man is clearly going through something. I feel like I am watching Charlie Sheen circa 2011. I thought it might have been an act, but when his own people (Rhymefest) are talking about how he needs help, something isn’t right.
I completely agree; he is off the rails. Major delusions of grandeur, he appears to be in a very manic phase. I had a dear friend go through a manic episode (he is bi-polar) and he sounded very similar to Kayne. How is his family not intervening and getting him help?? But I guess we are talking about the Kardashians here — if I had a loved one behaving like this, nothing would stop me from trying to get them help. At least get him off Twitter for God’s sake!!!
I’m just hoping that maybe they are trying to help, but we are just not seeing it from the outside. Since Kanye is an adult with independent wealth and if (and since I’m assuming), he’s done nothing to potentially harm his children, it’s a difficult situation. There is a lot of legal hurdles, and he has the money and power to keep putting up those hurdles.
Speaking as a child of a bipolar father whose been through manic phases and multiple 5150 orders.
ETA: I know that’s asking a lot from the Kardashians, but I’m just hoping they can see past their own noses and get the help that Kanye needs.
Agree 100% that family is often unable to get someone help at this stage. Until/unless he escalates to where he is of imminent danger to himself or others, he has the Constitutionally-protected freedom to be mentally unwell.
Also, it is my repeated experience that a person who is manic/psychotic does not receive advice/guidance well, if at all. Perceptions of persecution combined with grandiose delusions preclude the ability to trust someone else’s judgment, no matter how well “packaged” it is.
In my opinion, this is a tragedy/failure of the intersection between the law and mental health that we will see ever more often going forward.
@ Embree. Agreed. You hit the nail on the head. Family are caught between a rock and a hard place. A person in a manic phase is incapable of recognizing the need for help as well as being unable to trust anyone else’s judgement. The law is certainly not on the side of family seeking to get these individuals help. No one wants behavior to escalate, but it may be the only thing that saves him. Give him enough rope, gather enough evidence … It isn’t pretty or easy; it’s often dangerous, but it’s also the only thing that you can do sometimes. I’ve had to do it myself – wait it out until there is enough evidence to hold him and pray no one gets hurt. Who knows, this might be the Kardashian strategy right now.
It is an absolute travesty of our legal and mental health systems in this country.
It seems like they are enabling him? Every interview with anyone even connected with the family says “Kanye is a genius”. It’s like that movie “The Truman Show” in some weird way. The Kardashians are all about ratings and getting media attention. What better way to keep on top of the media spectacle than to encourage their insane, delusional media cash cow to continue to be delusional?
Lots of people are overcomplicating what’s going on with Kanye. I see no evidence of bipolar disorder or any other DSM problem. He’s having garden variety temper trantrums. He’s a spoiled, defiant brat whose only mental health issue is arrested development. His impulse control is equal to that of a 2 year old. Somebody call Super Nanny!
I truly worry about him and wonder how the kardashians have let this fester for so long. I mean geez, even Kim looks miserable. I think had it not been for her previous 689 marriages, she would be done.
Kim also capitalizes off of his crazy. Every single story about Kanye this week has been accompanied by a story about how “levelheaded” Kim has talked him down or reasoned with him. So WHEN this marriage fails, we have more than enough proof that she did everything she could to keep him grounded and happy.
@iGotNothin, good point and I think that’s probably true. As a side note though, when I read about Kim having to talk Kanye down and console him at SNL, all I could think is that their relationship is garbage because she clearly has to take on the role of being motherly to him because he acts like a god damn child. I mean really? She had to get out of her seat and reason with/talk her husband down so that he wouldn’t storm off because he wasn’t getting his way? YIKES.
I don’t blame them for his illness, but they will capitalize on it for as long as they can before kicking him to the curb, which Kim will absolutely do.
Hopefully if he does go down, it will spell the end of the K clan.
He is capitalizing from them too, seriously, I am not an hip hop fan, but first time I’ve read about him was because of Kim. True story.
Storylines seem to come first. If he can be the troubled one, then they can play concerned family without really doing anything constructive.
Just like they did with Rob. In my opinion, ‘The system that is designed to make black men fail’ would be a nice description of the Kardassian Klan. They are like the Borg, only with plastic asses, and a little less personality and facial movement.
This delusional idiot wasn’t talking a year and change back tjat rascism DISTRACTS (from his nonsense and fussing about his wife’s clothes) but NOW that he id 53 mil in the hole and no one wants tidal or his sad compression hose clothes He wants black people back?? gtfoh dude, go home
And NO No one is obligated to give you play Money, you’re lost in the sauce
And separately, for all that he talks about the system, his products are prohibitively expensive for many of the same people he purports to champion. No, Yeezy, I am not spending $300 on a torn up sweater.
YES!! Preach That!! And honestly irrespective that his point is true we KNOW why you’re even bothering to speak up now, Hush Sir!
@INeedANap, So true!! And he is now continuously saying that he wants to be the creative director of Hermes… because that shows how much he cares about systematic racism and helps him give back? Totally agree with you and @QQ. He only cares when it benefits HIM.
HE would be getting more free bags for Kimmye and family and let’s not forget this little bags of horrors:
HE really saw his new family as they were.
http://www.celebitchy.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/hermes-birkin.jpg
.
http://www.celebitchy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/FFN_Kardashian_West_FF2_FF0_111014_51580977.jpg
He actually told BET he was “proud of the debt” because he’s trying to be a billionaire roller in a millionaire roller game. Ugh.
Agreed. As the great Cookie Lyon said, (‘Ye) “You ain’t about that life.”
” but you don’t understand what it means to be the great grandson of ex slaves and make it this far.”
That is the only part of his rantings that make sense and that I respect. As a white person I can only imagine and sympathize, but never empathize. But, I CAN understand it. But he has his success and is now going about tarnishing it by being irrational and manic. Sad.
I’m sorry, but that statement, coming from him, is BS. He is worried about making it based upon history from the previous century yet has no problem exploiting an African genocide that happened in 1994 for his fashion moment.
OR saying that the continent that was exploited during that century he is blathering on about, that went on to be exploited via colonisation until the 1960s and continues to be exploited even now – all those diamonds, oil and minerals that he enjoys DOESNT NEED ANY HELP because the money should go to him.
Mania or not, BS BS BS
I agree. Kanye is a ranting raving lunatic at this point.
WORD! Last night while watchmaking Kendrick Lamar’s stellar performance I couldn’t help but think of Kanye’s Rwanda refugee inspired fashion how far removed from reality he truly is.
Agreed.
My opinion is: he brags about “racism” only when it is useful for him, in this case: to get attention, in the past when he got awful reviews for his “fashion line” and started talking about racism in fashion industry: “people don’t want me to succeed because I am a black man”.
He grew up as a 1%er and makes shit clothes that actually get a platform. Shut up already. You didn’t get a stellar review. Is it really a white reviewer’s fault?
Thank you LAK. As someone who has witnessed violence, political protest and the aftermath in many East African countries I was absolutely horrified by his “fashion show” theme.
He’s such an hypocrite. Last year he was going around saying that racism is a dated concept and that we shouldn’t concentrate on racism because it distracts us from the bigger issues. He kept saying that classim is the new racism. Bye Kanye, go away with your misogynoir!
Plus just last week he was saying that funding his “beautiful ideas” was more important than building schools in Africa. He has the germ of a point here but he is the last person to be giving out that message.
Kanye is on his way to going postal. His “melt downs” are escalating. This is getting scary.
This!!!!
Certainly, even an upper-middle class black child still has to face down systemic racism that her or his white counterparts do not. And certainly, art from Black people needs to supported, just like education for Black people.
But Kanye is not the right messenger for these truths. He’s too self-obsessed. And dear, your ideas are not beautiful. They are shredded ugly spandex that look good on no one.
Agree! Yes, being in a higher economic position helps. But it’s about SOCIO-economic position overall. You can still be oppressed growing up (ESPECIALLY IN CHICAGO) with a professional parent.
He didn’t grow up on the mean streets of Chicago. His mother was an English professor and they lived in a nice suburb. He has no idea how poor black people live.
@ mare, I was going to say the same thing but I couldn’t remember which south suburb it was and when I looked up on his Wikipedia its been scrubbed and only says “Chicago.” I know his mom taught Chicago State University which is so far south of the city proper that its still 20 minutes from the furthest south stop on the red line (city train) so somewhere near there on the southeast side.
Even if he grew up in a nice neighborhood, that doesn’t mean he has no idea how poor black people live. He has friends and relatives. I doubt his life existed just in the bubble of that nice neighborhood. If you listen to his early music, he definitely describes the struggle of having little money as a young adult trying to pursue music.
Again, its not just about money. It is about socioeconomics. Living in a nice neighborhood and having professional parents doesn’t completely erase that he is a black male. I do not doubt he has experienced discrimination or racism in his lifetime.
Being rich does not exempt Kanye from racial bias. People ascribe negative qualities to him based on his skin color. He undoubtedly has experienced a lifetime of negative implicit bias based on his skin color.
Henry Louis Gates Jr was locked out of his own townhome in an upper class neighborhood. As he was looking around to see if he might have left a window unlocked, a patrol car noticed him and of course assumed he was breaking in. The officer got very aggressive with Gates.
Yes, I’m sure Kanye had actual bad experiences rooted in racism, in addition to the fake ones he cooks up with his wife… Having a professor for a mom and money in your pocket is not going to be that protective in a fundamentally racist country. And he’s a very sensitive person, so I’m sure that makes those experiences sting all the more.
But Kanye also had opportunities that many others lacked. He had access to all the education he wanted, including in the arts. He wasn’t interested in much education, but that was his own choice. He’s been making big money for a long time, which gives him access to other useful things like travel. He even has another home and studio in Paris. I’m not at all surprised that he likes to live there, wish he would raise his kids there (enlisting the help of his own family) to give them a solid education that his wife’s family won’t encourage. Although prejudices about various groups abound in Europe, many black Americans (both visitors and long-time residents) have said they don’t feel so targeted there. The history is different, the attitudes not so depressing and relentlessly negative. That would be good for both the kids and Kanye. Let Kim visit when she wants to shop…
Kim is fine with Kanye investing money in his businesses because they keep their finances separate. What I want to know is how she feels about him spending his way into bankruptcy.?
Sure the finances may be separate but I would concerned if my husband and father of my children was spending money recklessly. Just strange
As long as she’s benefiting from Kanye’s spending (invites to the Met Gala, front row seats at NYFW, and lots and lots of press), she will put up with being Kanye’s personal ego-stroker, tantrum soother, & Amber Rose replacement.
Yep! Key point! As long as it benefits her, she will stand by her man.
Isn’t the reckless spending also a classic sign of bipolar disorder? Many people on here are saying he’s going through a serious manic phase.
Oh I bet Kim doesn’t spend a dime of her own money. She keeps hers nicely tucked away while Kanye funds their lifestyle.
I think she is cool with it as long as her assets are protected. She is still reaping benefits from her marriage, and will stick with him as long as she is still benefiting.
This doesn’t make sense to me…if he was to go bankrupt could they not claim her assets since they are married? I thought once you were married your assets were measured together?
For example, I have a female co-worker who got divorced and had not known how deep her husband was in debt and now she’s stuck with paying half that debt even though she didn’t even know about it and it was all his frivolous purchases. So wouldn’t Kim be stuck with his debt? Her and I aren’t in the US so the system could be totally different.
I need someone more legally inclined to explain this to me.
Yes, my mother got stuck with my father’s debts also. He was always buying big ticket items and then forgetting about them. He was virtually certainly undiagnosed bipolar according to a family member with the disorder.
Your family does not NEED furs or multiple houses, Kanye. Seriously, your two year old daughter is living in California, not the Aleutians, she does not need fur. Spend some of the money you are wasting on fur on your “beautiful ideas.”
Right. If he invests his own millions, he can’t “take care of his family.” And he’s saying that to, and asking for sympathy from a lot of people who actually struggle to provide the necessities of life for their family. He’s sick.
That annoyed me too. Taking care of your family doesn’t mean “affording a staff of servants so my family never has to do anything for themselves, travel frequently and never has to wear clothes that aren’t ridiculously over-the-top expensive”.
He is so unaware of how us peasants live.
yeah, that’s a “sacrifice” he’ll have to make to fund his “art”.
and this?…
“I am in a place that so many artist end up.”
NO, dumbsh*t, you are NOT in that place. so many artists DO wind up broke chasing their dream. BROKE as in sleeping on a friend’s couch and eating Ramen when they can afford it.
but ‘Ye?…THAT AIN’T YOU. Take your “art” (ripped/shredded baby-vomit-colored rags) and go home.
I’ve reached the conclusion that what it boils down to with Kanye is that the media, and the public, find entertainment value in watching a bipolar individual pretending that their craziness is an artform. It seems to me that’s really all this is.
Everyone watched Lindsay spiral and they all took advantage of her. Ditto Charlie Sheen. Now Kanye. Celebrity crazy equals dollars, just ask TMZ.
You know, I thought I read a blind item somewhere (yes, I know, a blind item which means nothing) that their new baby may have been born with some kind of issue – and that they were “fixing” it and that’s why we haven’t seen him yet. Obviously that’s completely vague and likely not true, but if there’s any grain of truth to it, that would explain a lot of stress and unhappiness for both of them.
that blind item appears regularly when celebs withold pics of their newborns. It might have even been used on North too
Yeah…just trying to find a rational reason for his behavior. I’m not sure why I’m even bothering!
Even if that was the situation, it doesn’t give you a free pass in treating others like they’re beneath you. I have a child who is in the spectrum and non verbal and my insurance doesn’t cover his treatments and I don’t go around throwing tantrums and taking out on people.
He’s not special, he’s just a self-absorbed ahole who thinks his ideas should be idolized, Kanye you and your adopted family can fall off the deep end and no one will miss you
This!!
That was the story going around about North also. They are seeing how much interest there is in seeing pictures and how much money they will get for them.
They are absolutely holding out for the best offer to buy the first photo. These things take time to negotiate.
They waited 3 months to show us North…so I”m guessing they will do the same with Saint. Though there seems to be less interest this time around. I do think they are going to premiere a pic of him on their next season of KUWTK. They need the ratings. I also hope they mention Kanye’s meltdowns on their show. They had no issue dragging Lamar and Scott down just for ratings. Let’s see if they do the same with Kanye. Probably not as Kanye is the one that get his ass kissed by them.
He’s exhausting ! Feels like I reading someone with halzeimer disease sp., I’m not to making fun of people who have illness they cannot control. kW can take his meds to regulate his mood swing. He is choosing to be difficult, IMO.
Btw, he has a new set of tweets he did after the Grammy at 3 am. Very sad.
I hate the fact that he is actually making me feel sorry for his wife. He is emotionally draining.
Pretty sure he would also have had a hissyfit if those publications hadn’t reviewed his work.
That’s what I was thinking too. If they did as he wished and didn’t review or comment on him, he’d go even more ballistic.
At this point he’s just spewing words. He either needs help, or just to take a break for a while before he destroys whatever is left of his career.
I haaaaaaaaate to admit this but I’ve actually dragged up a scooch of respect for Kim. She’s being supportive but also independent by insisting on keeping her money separate. She also does seem to genuinely want to be a stable presence in her kids’ lives…she’s probably putting up with Kayne’s messes at least partially for their sake.
I said this yesterday. It seems like she’s been putting out a LOT of Kanye fires as of late and trying to ‘talk him down’ from completely losing his s**t. It’s the plan of survival. Kanye might take a ride into Crazy Town, but Kim will NOT let her brand take a backseat in his ride. I think there’s going to be a big crash and burn and Kim is playing up the victim role, scripted by PMK. Because I mean, really, how many times have you genuinely felt sympathy for Kim? I have NEVER felt sympathy for her…until last week. And I haaaaaaate to admit that.. but Kanye is not OK. Someone needs to baker act him.
He was saying in his latest tweets, early this morning, that people knew that he was in $53m debt and has been using it against him for three years. I’m thinking they had a big blow out wedding that cost millions of dollars two years ago knowing he was in debt for $35m. They are a bunch of delusional people living way above their means. Now he want others to bail him out. Who in their right mind would give these people any of their hard earned money.
You are far more generous than I am. Kim has proved over and over again that she would rather have bad publicity than no publicity. In any case, the media is thrusting her in a “loving wife” role, which is quite a change from her last marriage. This is perfect Kardashian territory. Shes got a new storyline, she is getting free coverage and she is not being depicted as a villain. Now if she stages an interverntion to get that man to a doctor or a rehab (whichever is applicable) then we can talk.
Thank you!!!!!! This^^^^
Yet is any of this truly new behavior? The mad spending sprees, jet set lifestyle and clueless rants have happened before. They knew what they were getting when the big wedding extravaganza happened.
So to recap:
White people PLEASE HELP ME I’m a genius and investing your money in me is better than wasting it in Africa!
vs
White people DO NOT review my or other black people’s work if you cannot praise it.
GIVE ME MONEY, I am in debt to finance my dreams!
vs
I have money, but I gotta spend that money on my fam. But my music and art that no one needs to live or has asked for is something I need other people to pay for.
So you know what? As a black woman I’m going to take it upon myself to tell Kanye to shut the fuck up. That nothing disgusts me more than the black person who turns his back on his people when things are good. Who climbs to the top and pulls up the ladder. All that talk about slaves and the system is the codeword bullshit he needs to try and excuse his actions and comments.
YOU still are a slave Kanye. You have a slave mentality trying to appease and fight for white saviors to rescue you now when there were dozens of black businessmen that reached out their hands to help you before you ever launched this moronic clothing line but you turned them down.
That last paragraph of yours is really revealing in regards to the slave mentality. It’s sad how the great-grandson of former slaves believes that WHITE is still better than BLACK.
I feel sorry for people like him.
yeah, interesting that he’s not asking JayZ, his supposed BFF, for money. wonder why that is?
(because Jay would tell him to go take a flying F?)
He already owes Jay Z money from the last time that he bailed him out from his failed fashion venture a few years ago. So yeah Jay Z ain’t giving him nothing till he pays up. I think the “friendship” was affected because of that plus add Kanye’s crazy rants & the Kardashian klan to the mix.
Yeah, they probably went to support him more as business partners, to create hype for the line than just as friends.
Business friends are just not that tight, seeming as they preferred to stay in the Hamptons that go to their circus wedding in Italy.
Even his successful friends (err… equals??) cannot take him seriously anymore.
I imagine that the debt to Jay is a big reason why Kanye’s new album is “Tidal-Only”
Preach!
So much this! He’s all about the white approval usually.
white trophy wife that he hardly spends any time with that feels more like a status symbol, his white fashion friends and desperation for white co operative America to rate him. If white people at the top of the table let him sit with them he wouldnt care about the rest of poc.
Good points ESE. You always have some of the best analysis of different situations.
+1, comments are always on point!
You analyzed his comments perfectly, Eternal. This is exactly what he’s saying.
*standing ovation*, that’s all I can contribute and that’s all the needs to be contributed. Spot on, Side Eye.
I know we shouldn’t diagnose, but he seems so manic to me, the cause of which could be either a drug or the manic phase of bipolar. He goes on and on with insane tweets, really terrible things, no filter at all. He is damaging himself very badly, even with his fans, it seems. Can someone not intervene here? I think he needs 28 days away from his cell phone and also needs some good medication..
There’s so much going on with him that it would take awhile to pin down any specific diagnosis, if any. He’s just all over the place.
Systemic racism can be more pernicious even than face-to-face racism. I can agree with him there.
But, but, but…
“Also for anyone that has money they know the first rule is to use other people’s money.”
… is the most 1% thing I have ever heard. Classism exists too, you know Kanye, and its structures are just as pernicious at keeping people down. And that goes double if you are of colour. And treble if you are a woman of colour. Read Crenshaw, you idiot.
I’ve decided. He’s either the most awful man in creation. In which case I shall ignore him in the hopes he will go away. Or he is ill. In which case I shall ignore him and hope someone loves him enough to stage an intervention. Either way, I don’t think I’ll be commenting again!
Yes, I’m starting to feel like a creep for watching this unfold. It’s either too personal and painful, if he is truly unraveling or he is too lost and pathetic to make fun of.
There’s so much delusion here, idk what’s going on. Yeah sure he always had crazy rants & what not but all of these is way different & out of control. Sure let’s not diagnose the guy because he is either just plain delusional or actually has a mental illness either way someone close to him (not the Kardashians) need to step in & help. I just feel he has no one else since his mom passed away, he truly was affected by that. I’m sure this is not going to end up well & 100% will be a Kardashian storyline just like what happened to Lamar, Kris Humphries, Scott, etc.
Maybe if everyone ignores his rants and don’t report on them he’ll stop. I think in a way he keeps going because it is getting him attention. And I for one moment don’t believe Kim is totally being a supportive wife.
Not to defend Kim, but I’m not sure what I would do in her shoes. (Her tacky, nine-inch heeled, too small, vulgar, obscenely expensive shoes.)
@GNAT – I married a narcissist (not as bad as Kanye) and after a while it gets tiresome. When we finally divorced I had had enough. It was not hard for me to end my marriage. I say this because she wouldn’t even let Kris H move his things into her home after they were married. She has little tolerance for most things and if the stories that they barely live with each other are true, that allows her to tolerate his antics more.
They do seem to have a bizarre relationship. You’re probably right.
His ridiculous tantrums and continual spewing of “I’m the greatest artist” speak volumes about his mental state. I don’t understand why people “walk on eggshells” around him instead of shutting this petulant child down. He will only continue to self destruct as everyone caters to him.
I think he’s been in something of a spiral since his mother died. And getting married/having a kid was a reprieve, but he piled too much on his plate and he’s back to spiraling.
So basically…he should be going away again soon.
This fool. Again. OK Kayne, “white” publications won’t review it…in fact to be safe, no white people should buy your album either! That works right? I mean, that’s only logical right? I’m sure you’ll still be buying furs and houses when your audience is 100s of millions of people smaller.
That’s the trick with art I’m afraid. Everyone gets an opinion, right or wrong.
Why is he calling out Pitchfork, RS an NYT? They all rated Pablo positively. I hope Kanye’s series of meltdowns is just one big performance art. I’d be worried about his mental health if it wasn’t.
Nothing he says these days makes sense. I can just imagine the panic and rage at camp Kanye if ‘white publications’ were to stop mentioning him. His mind is his enemy.
Father was a Black Panther. Mother was also involved in civil rights. He has shown intellegence in the past. All the ingredients are there, what the hell Ye.
Sometimes you can have all the right ingredients but the gumbo still goes bad.
I got to say Side eye, that is a great analogy.
Why thank you! Yeah I think in Kanye’s case it fits too well, smh.
I’ve been wondering if his father has any influence on him now– he was also an accomplished photojournalist and according to wiki a Christian counselor? Damn, sir, come and counsel your son!!
Of course there’s institutional racism but SMH at this hypocrite
Last year he said racism was an outdated concept. We should focus on bigger issues. Which is it?
The guy gets mad at his reviews then uses the race card again.
Kamye is not for black peoole Kanye is for Kanye and his art.
Kendrick is for the people. #kingkendrick
Kanye is a classist, delusional asshole. He had a privileged childhood and mother who told him everything he did was brilliant. Certainly it’s possible for someone with the opportunities he’s had to speak out against injustice, but he’s using the very real issue of institutionalized racism to further his own agenda.
“The system is designed for colored people to fail ”
Colored people or people of color? Cumberbatch had to apologize very profusely last year for saying “colored people”.
He (and Cumberbatch) are too ignorant to realise that coloured people are only found in SA.
Before anyone jumps in…….historically black people were called coloured, but we don call them that anymore, BUT in SA, ‘coloured’ is the right classification for mixed race people who have evolved into a separate tribe. It’s an official descriptor without derogatory connotation.
Namibia also.
But you expect uneducated Kanye to know this? The dude thinks Africa is a country.
He needs help, somehow or some way.
Kanye isn’t lying. The system is rigged against people of color. HOWEVER! This is such a self-serving comment – he isn’t making some Beyonce or Kendrick Lamar-type political statement with his art. The only person of color he seems to care about is his damn self. It was just last year or the year before when Kanye was saying that “race isn’t a thing anymore” and “the real issue is class.” I thought he was part of that “New Black” crowd these days anyway. Smh.
Oh, please! More programs have been created to offer more access to “colored” people than there have been for any other race. Scholarship funds, affirmative action, public and private education programs, etc.. If you don’t buckle down and study and do well in school so you can get to those programs, you’ll do well. If you choose to screw off instead of being a good student, you won’t go many places unless you find some kind of trade to help you onto a good career path, and I’m not saying anything any different than what Morgan Freeman and Samuel L. Jackson have been saying for years.
You sound pretty angry about these programs that have been created to offers more access 🤔
Wow, he inspires me. I’m going to donate $50 million to help this inspiring man bring his visions to life. The world will not the same without his visions. Off to gofundme to start raising money for this genius. Not! What an idiot! Does he really think we are stupid enough to use our money to fund your special snowflake projects? Has this guy ever been told no in his life? Kim is in over her head with this one. Shes really gonna regret this marriage! Funny how he reàssures us he has money, he just wants us to spend our $$$ so he doesn’t have to spend his. Get $$$ from your rich wife sweetie. Poor kim, she thought she set herself up for life, she’s screwed herself for life, lol.can you imagine her trying to get out of this marriage, hahaha!
Btw, for those of you who think he is mentally ill: its almost impossible to force someone to get help involuntarily unless they are considered a harm to themselves or others. If that applies, they can be admitted for observation under the baker act.
Whatever else about him, about all this he is absolutely right.
Kanye has is and will always be about Kanye, his concerns for racism are only as they affect HIM nothing else
There are some brothas militancy about civil rights that is about making changes to a fundamentally broken system.whilst some brothas militancy about civil rights is about their own selfish desire to gain ACESS to said fundamentally broken system.
Kanye falls squarely in the latter group
He never had me fooled came out the gate like Malcolm X but all the while he was Elridge Cleaver
Seriously. What has he ever done for black people or any people for that matter?
This is why I feel like it’s impossible to make excuses for him at this point. Obviously I can’t speak on behalf of his stans because I only know a few, but the ones I do know and from what I’ve seen on Twitter, even they are beginning to call this a mental breakdown/spiral/questioning WTF is wrong with him.
As everyone else has already said, a year ago he was calling racism dated. Now he’s claiming this is an issue because he’s displeased with the way his “Artistry” is being reviewed. Like everyone else here has said, if the reviews were endless praise he wouldn’t even be saying anything. And he needs to stop talking about slavery as if he cares about his people when a few days ago he was trying to make a case for his artistic endeavors being more worthy of charitable donations than setting up schools in Africa. He doesn’t give a fuck about anyone but himself. He tried to make African genocide a fashionable statement. He needs to stop.
I’ve said this in other comments–I’m not going to pretend I’m capable of diagnosing him but facts are facts and mentally well people do not behave this way. He is almost 40 years old for god’s sake. His behavior is RIDICULOUS. Between the rants, the wrath that anyone who doesn’t blow smoke gets, his inability to accept ANY criticism, his unwillingness to accept that not everything he does is earth-shattering… the list goes on. Mentally well people do not behave this way. It’s not just an overinflated ego or immaturity.
Ridiculous people are not necessarily mentaly ill.
To me, he seems to be a nearly 40 year old overaged toddler, spoiled, never learned or taught to accept the word NO and zero self reflection.
Yes this is my opinion too. Unless there is the conclusive evidence he is sick, on drugs, or ill we should accept he is THAT stupid, that ridicoulous.
“Ridiculous people are not necessarily mentally ill.”
THIS. Especially when they’re wealthy people surrounded entirely by yes-men. That situation seems to make absolutely anyone in it ridiculous.
Also, even if he is mentally ill, that is not an excuse. Being mentally ill doesn’t make someone a self-absorbed misogynistic a-hole who uses genocide as inspiration for a horrible fashion show. It’s pretty darn offensive to mentally ill people to blame this kind of stuff on mental illness.
Frankly, I think Kanye’s a narcissistic troll. He likes the limelight, however he can get it. Going on offensive twitter rants is a lot easier than making art.
He’s never had a problem being on Rolling Stone before. Maybe because they are kissing his ass this time its suddenly “racism”.
I forgot to add this to my other comment:
Wait for the next rant where he bashes his fan base because almost no one is downloading Tidal! TONS of people are now openly admitting to pirating his album so I’m sure there will be a rant over that. He’s crying about not having money and wanting someone else to give him some, yet he refuses to release his album for sale now.
Someone mentioned this up thread, but he probably can’t. If he truly owes Jay Z money, as some have implied, he may be under Jay Z’s thumb to pay him back by keeping this exclusively on Tidal.
hence his desperation to get even T. Swift to tweet his song. HE got what he wanted, anyway, publicity.
I might be wrong, but I hope this music is pirated.
We who represent the ‘colored’ hereby kick Kanye West from the organization due to excessive cray cray. Please refrain from speaking on the behalf of sane people on any matter. Thank you.
You are seeing the down side of social media today. Handlers can no longer hide the craziness with twitter access by all. This guy wants attention but it’s the wrong kind. He’s hurting album sales not helping. Kim married him for status, which I’m sure she is shaking in her boots about now. All shes wondering is when can I pull the plug and end this marriage.
I wonder how many great artists, geniuses, died in poverty.
Now, if he wants financials to continue his sh*t show, go to a bank. Get on Shark Tank, plug his line there.
He has shown that he cannot budget.
His ideas are needing a complete overhaul because they are not working.
And why would anyone just hand over a few million on an idea that goes nowhere.
Its not about race. Its about idiotcy.
And for him blapping out that hes from a line of slaves, does not make me have the feels for him.
Hes got money. Fame. People of color are living in dismal circumstances, and there are quite a few that are exceptional, gifted, full of ideas and dreams. Why doesnt he help them instead of himself. They are stymied by circumstances, and just hoping to keep the lights on. A hand up? Yes? He just expects when he throws his temper tantrum, he gets what he wants. And how embarrassing he asks in a public forum, give me your money cause if you dont, you are keeping me, the black man ,down. Eff that guy.
For me, it’s like Tom Cruise in his couch jumping days. He’s becoming known more for his antics than his artistry.
For anyone wondering how seriously the K-Klan take Kanye it looks like Kylie agreed to the deal with Puma after all for the ‘measly’ sum of one million, not a penny more.
Looks like Kanye’s decree didn’t hold up to water once money was at risk of being lost. Watch for another tantrum.
I knew it ! No way a Kardashian/Jenner is going to say no to money. Nope. So what is Kylie’s punishment for “going against the family” LOL.
Lol, that’s what I found funny. Kanye, like always, made such a big deal about how Kylie was being insulted by only being offered a million and how she was TEAM YEEZY that now it just shows how disjointed their family really is.
An offer to her is an offer to HER, If Kris and Caitlin were worth a bag of beans I’d say as parents they have the right to refuse but we all know they’re worthless. So it’s up to her.
Where Kanye got the idea he could turn down her offer and insult the company (how dare Puma not offer the teenage reality star more than a million) is a joke but the line is clearly drawn in the stone. He can waste all of HIS money but he better not mess with their’s.
Kanye, none of what you’re spouting rings with the tiniest bit of truth. From your easy upbringing to your association with arguably the trashiest family on the planet, to your self-pitying and misogynistic rants, to your faux fashion designing, to your silly posturing and bloviating, it’s time to sit down and shut up. Go quiet for a while, the world has become tired of your constant haranguing. Sequester yourself away and study artists like Kendrick Lamar who is getting the message across loud and clear, and not by silly chest-thumping, childish tantrums and twitter wars.
Sigh. Well, Kim-beware of what you wish for, right?! She was so anxious to get with someone who could push her and that family into the upper stratosphere of fame. Now, here she is-probably still hormonal, with a newborn and a toddler, having to parade around in the most ridiculous of outfits that you know HE has chosen. Having to placate him, talk him down so he can appear on SNL, god only knows what she has to listen to 24/7 if he’s tweeting at 3am. Was it worth it??
They don’t spend 24/7 together so I guess that’s not a problem for her. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if they only spend 2 days a week together. I bet Humphries is smiling right now. She divorced him to marry a lunatic. But I guess to Kim it was all worth it. Plus, God knows what Kim is really like behind closed doors. I bet she’s not a delight to be around either.
Oh believe me-I am not feeling sorry for her. She is an adult and absolutely made her bed.
Kylie signed a deal with puma, despite Kanye saying she wouldn’t…. I gues that’s going to be his next Twitter rant….
Kanye will back peddle and be like “yeah Kylie get that monayyyy !”.
An ass is an ass.
Geez, Hello, Pot!! I absolutely abhor his hypocrisy. He is such a racist!! A blatant, foolish, jerk-ass racist! The system was designed for colored people to fail? Really? Then why are there so many black artists and athletes and scientists and doctors and teachers and so forth? Last time I looked, Asians, Mexicans, Russians, East Indians and Africans pretty much have the same access to everything that every other American has access to; education, affirmative action, etc.. and are getting some pretty high powered, high paying jobs. I know in my area, lots of Indians take up most of the population and do very well for themselves. Probably because they don’t sit around and bitch and moan about not “gettin’ theirs”. There’s a huge difference in those that want a better life and those that expect it to be given to them. Since Kanye can’t manage his own money and got himself – HIMSELF – in debt to the tune of $53 Million, he has no one to blame but himself. What an entitled little POS! I can’t stand this little twit!
They have the access, sadly, many times the culture they come from stops some of them.
I am Latin american and live in Latinamerica. I work with poor teens. You can see how in many families the culture is to not to want to stand out, not to finish school, not to have aspirations. Many of them do have high hopes, but in some you see that if they finish middle school, that is enough for them, they stop studyding and some start working, out of necessity, or because the families do not encourage them.
Not all families are like that, thankfully.
I visited the USA about 13 years ago, and talked to a high school teacher who told me how worrying were the dropping out rates for Mexican descent kids in her town. I told her we had the same problem. Many people stop studying after middle and high school=low level of payment, preparation, etc.
The government gives them opportunities, not as many or high quality as in the USA, but many just do not want to try.
My nieces and nephews have benefited from scholarships in the USA, and now most of them have graduate studies. The family culture, the expectations of your family is key.
Sadly, Kanye married into a family where the only expectancy is to make money, the culture level or empathy towards others means squat.
I don’t know if he does philanthropy, but he should honor his mother by helping out black kids who want to study. Does anyone knows if he already does something like this?
My mother was ready to move mountains to get her kids through college. She wasn’t able to go to college because she had to get a paying job. She actually managed to put her younger sister through nursing school, which gave my aunt a way to make good money for decades (and she was able to help my mom later on as a result).
Anyway – the expectations and encouragement of family can be crucial. Kanye’s mother undoubtedly knew the value of education, although her son took another path and still did well. But I don’t think Kanye shares that view. The doors that remain shut without education for people not lucky enough to fill the few spots available in the entertainment business were simply of no interest to him. He made it anyway and probably thinks everybody has the same opportunity. He married an undereducated woman from a family that didn’t even encourage a good high school education. Nori and Saint are unlikely to get good educations unless wiser people in Kanye’s family intervene.
I read this today – pure gold:
“Surely it would be better for humanity as a whole for Mark Zuckerberg to invest $1bn in West Kenya rather than Kanye West?”
See here’s the thing, even if Kanye has a valid point to make, he’s pissed so many people off with his vitriol that it doesn’t matter.
He’s unhinged and his camp needs to get him under control before he destroys any influence he has.
I seriously think he may be Bi-Polar? If that were my husband/significant other I would be so embarrassed. I honestly wonder if he really thinks he is the greatest of all time, or if that is just a publicity gimmick. Imagine being married to someone who really thought they were the most amazing person in the entire universe..lol…BTW, who likes this guy and thinks he is sane? for real, that’s a real question..
If these latest shenanigans are real–not part of an act–I am legitimately worried that he is abusing Kim. Although, if you think about it, he’s always treated her in ways that unsettled me. Anyone remember that episode of KUWTK when he when went through her closet and made her throw everything he didn’t like away? It’s all been downhill for her style-wise since then.
I also feel like when a lot of the people on blogs say that without her, she would have been finished after the divorce debacle, I can totally see Kanye saying something similar: that she’d be nothing without him.
I actually like Kim. And I’m worried for her.
Worried for her? She spends all her time with her mom. She’s rarely ever with Kanye. I don’t think Kim would put up with any type of abuse. Secondly, did you not see the episode where Kim went into Khloe’s closet and threw out all her clothes and shoes and said Khloe had no style? Kim is no better than Kanye. They are two peas in a pod.
Kim has been abused before if you do some digging into her first marriage to Damon Thomas. Women who have been in abusive relationships before are more likely to be re-victimized. I also take offense to the idea of someone “putting up” with abuse. That’s not how it works; you’re implying that only weak or tolerant people wind up abused, and that’s not accurate.
And yes, if he’s really having a mental break or acting abusively, I would be worried. She’s the mother to two young children, including a new born. Also, neither of us can comment with any degree of certainty about how often she is with Kanye, since I’m assuming you don’t know her personally.
I am well aware of her first marriage. Damon Thomas denied all allegations of abuse and stated Kim lied about abuse as a way to get money out of him during the divorce. Who is telling the truth? Who knows.
I didn’t say anyone should put up with abuse. I never implied that only weak or tolerant people wind up abused. I was simply stating that Kim has many resources and close family. If there was anything going on, her family would quickly intervene. She still lives with her mom and spends almost all day every day with her. The majority of women who get abused are alienated from their family, friends, and not financially independent. Kanye is gone most of the time. That has been well documented and even her mother has admitted so. You shouldn’t assume Kanye abuses Kim just based on the public persona he puts out there of himself. None of us know the truth, so what YOU and I both are saying is just speculative.
I do not have much sympathy for KK since they are creating storylines and trying to gain sympathy for themselves and their show.
They will probably take that angle when they decide to dump Kanye. Look at the Lamar Odom debacle. One never knows what is the reality with them anymore.
If you read my original comment again, you’ll see that I said if his behavior is “not part of an act,” then I’d be worried. Obviously, I don’t know what’s real and what’s not because he is not my husband and I don’t know the man. Any further speculation was clearly framed by that. I want to reiterate that I have no idea what’s going on in their home, but the more Kanye rants, the less convinced I am that he is well.
You did say that Kim wouldn’t be one to “put up with abuse,” which bothered me for the reasons I mentioned above. I agree that Kim has access to resources that many abused women do not have–like money and a close family. That doesn’t mean she couldn’t also be abused *if* that’s what is even happening. I think we all learned from the Rihanna situation that celebrities are vulnerable too.
You have to remember that Kim is a pathological liar. Even her family has complained about it. She lies about big things, medium things, and little things to smooth her way, get out of doing things when something more interesting comes up, promote a certain image, drum up ratings for her shows, or distract from inconvenient revelations in the media. She doesn’t even bother to be consistent in her stories.
So I would take her claims about her first husband’s abuse with a huge bucket of salt. The only sure thing we know is that he was financing her new plastic surgery hobby. She came up with the abuse claims at a suspiciously convenient time, as I recall. It could very well just be one of her many lies. I would not trust anything she says without serious corroboration by a much more trustworthy source. Most women wouldn’t lie about abuse, but Kim definitely would.
He tweeted again just recently. This time talking about the price of books. He said he has a friend that only makes $370 a day and can’t afford to pay for her son’s college books. What Kanye is forgetting is that $370 a day, times by 5 days a week, times by 52 weeks a year is a salary over $90 000. For some of us that is a GOOD ass job that pays well. He is so out of touch. Anyways, he’s saying when he’s president in 2020 he’s going to pay teachers more and lower the cost of books. He needs to go read a few books first though.
Yeah, sounds like that friend of his is doing alright.
He’s saying the kid’s books are $400 each. If this kid’s mom is such a good friend, maybe he should buy his 2 year old one less fur coat and buy a couple of books for this young man. THAT would be doing something to help people.
Man, he’s shilling hard for Tidal too.
Lower the cost of books. Okay, so who’s going to take that hit? It’s already incredibly difficult to make a living wage as an author, and the people who actually write the books that are read in college normally make enough money from them for a nice dinner or two out. Want the publisher to take the hit? Watch them leave in droves — and in any case, most of these are published by college presses, which are already working on a shoestring. It’s not like there’s a big demand for individual books used in academia, and the work that goes into them has to be paid for somehow.
I know, being an historian, anthropologist, chemist, brain surgeon, or rocket scientist is nowhere near as difficult as being a rap star married to a rich woman who’s famous for being famous, but he should be generous to his lessers who only care about things like ending AIDS in Africa, studying the history of slavery worldwide, and going into space. We can’t all write lyrics dissing Taylor Swift; throw the less important people a bone, Kanye.
If you make $90,000 a year, you can afford your kid’s textbooks. This reminds me of the rich jerk in college who told my friend and I, both there only thanks to scholarships and financial aid, that he should get financial aid too. Because since his parents were sending him to an expensive private school and his brother to medical school at the same time, they could not afford to buy themselves a new SUV this year as had been their habit. Yes. I weep for the plight of the rich.
As one of the less important people, I thank you for your eloquent rant. Amazing!
I put myself thru Bachelor’s and Master’s programs, sometimes working three jobs at a time to pay for tuition, books.It got very tough at times; I recall eating popcorn for three days because I had no food and no money to buy any*. For whatever reason, I am not bitter about how I struggled. And, I don’t resent anyone who had scholarships-including minorities- or those whose parents had the means to pay for their tuition. We are given circumstances and either rise to them or complain. The fact is-adversity is an opportunity to grow and no one owes us anything-including the government. Regardless of the public education one is offered, one can always do much on one’s own (read, use the public library etc)to plug any holes in one’s education. I have observed differences (frequently) in how poor immigrants use whatever resources are available to them (even subpar schools) versus U.S. minority groups who complain about continued constraints that prevent them getting an education, good job etc…Excuses, excuses. Even Michelle Obama said something recently about how young people in this country should look at how the opportunity for education is utilized in other countries…I can guess that there are children packed in huts with 50 other kids, sharing books who are eager to learn and not complaining about “resources.” I’m tired of hearing about it.
*the grandparents were all farmers in the old country so maybe I was raised with the viewpoint that unforeseen circumstances & hardship is part of life.
Aw he still thinks he’s gonna be President.
That’s adorable.
He can’t even get people to buy his clothes or album (do one more post about Tidal Kanye, go ahead, half the people who bought the album off Tidal can’t play it) but he really thinks a country that partially reviled Obama is going to vote for him.
As a white immigrant I can’t truly relate to what he is talking about here and curious – what does he mean when he says “the system is designed to fail”? Any tangible examples? It seems like if anywhere, the show business would be pretty much all about how well you can sell your art. If you can bring the big bucks – and Kanye obviously can,- then why would anyone try to halter that?
By system, he means social institutions like schools and our criminal justice system. Kids of color who live in poor neighborhoods – the schools are horrible – not enough teachers, few if any computers for the kids to use, etc.
To add onto that even in my own state we have a governer who is putting money into county schools (typically white, upper middle class) and cutting money for city schools (typically minority and middle class to lower). In Chicago inner city children actually have mushrooms growing from the water damage in their poor schools.
It’s a disgusting habit that has been happening since the time of segregation where students in white schools got the best of government supplies and environment while black students were given textbooks out of date and schools crumbling around them. It is a genuine problem.
That being said, this is from the same man who begged white investors to stop donating to schools in Africa. Hence why everyone’s insulting him.
@MinnFinn
“the schools are horrible – not enough teachers, few if any computers for the kids to use, etc.” – but what does it have to do with show business and selling one’s art? Plenty of white actors/musicians haven’t finished High School but became insanely successful and rich because they are talented artists.
If you write music or sing and you are that good – people will invest in you instead of put you down. It’s all about making money not taking a stand in show business.
Yeah, the same governor who wanted to balance the state budget by cutting daycare subsidies to working parents. Let’s say that one again: working parents. That’s what is meant by the system working against minorities. If you want to substitute economically disadvantaged, go ahead. The track record for the lottery in Illinois was a joke. They sold it by saying they were going to put the money into the school budgets. They did. Then they sidelined equivalent money out of the school budget and into other programs. How can you have something that pays out as much as the Lotto and not be able to balance the damn state budget or run decent schools? That’s a system that fails people.
Kanye…oh you little man. Stop pulling the race card. Let’s just get to the real problem here. You are irrelevant to the greater good.
The idea that economic success is what’s radical is what black music has become about. Beyonce is doing it, calling herself the black bill gates. Kanye is simultaneously indulging in it by proudly borrowing 53mil as he attempts to make a political statements that is self serving and are barely thought out.
Interesting point. We’d know we reached a place of more equal standing if people could just recognize that Donald Trump is an idiot of equal standing to Kanye.
Americans are obsessed with billionaires and that explains Trump’s status. Hasn’t Kanye says that he wants to be the first black trillionaire?
His entitlement and cluelessness make me physically ill. Yeah, if he spent his own money on his ideas, he couldn’t provide [FURS] for his family. So give your money to him instead of building schools in Africa. F()€|< you, Kanye. Your music is sh!t, and so are you.
Listen to a Real Artist
Kendrick To Pimp a Butterfly
Now thats an artist…Ok
100%!
Has Riccardo broken up with him or something?