Kyler Lunde
Klunde1@uwyo.edu
Love him or hate him, to say that Kanye West is not one of the most powerful artists of the 21st century is simply ignorant.
As a hip-hop artist, songwriter, record producer, fashion designer, entrepreneur and philanthropist, West has singlehandedly manipulated the spheres of music and fashion to mirror his own relentlessly creative mind.
The music that West produces has been dictating the fundamentals of the rap genre since 2004 when he released his first album, “The College Dropout”. Tracks on this album remain staples in iTunes libraries and are still played on radio stations that primarily debut new music.
Whether through unconventionally integrating orchestral arrangements, gospel melodies and his native Chicago house into the hip-hip realm, or through the shortage of gunplay references and drug glorification in his lyrics, just when the rest of the music industry catches up to him, he is already on to his next idea.
West has also taken the fashion industry by storm. Through collaborations with Nike, Louis Vuitton, A.P.C. and Adidas, he has introduced his progressive yet timeless sense of fashion to the world. As is standard with West’s work, some adore the low-key aesthetic of what he designed and some detest it.
He is also well known for his outspoken persona and absence of inhibition in externalizing how he feels. It is within this aspect of his greatness that many tend to lose respect for the work he produces.
West has worked for the platform that he resides upon; he has earned his right to be candid in his opinions. He is passionate about his cultural and political beliefs and has done what it takes in order to gain the capability of making sure his voice is heard—yet another area in which West is wildly successful.
N.W.A. certainly did not establish the domain of “gangsta rap” by being cool, calm, and collected. They, too, were not liberated from criticism and genuine anger, but music would be entirely different without what N.W.A. stood for. The same goes for West; musicians will never reach their full potential by being a conservative presence in such a dynamic industry.
Certainly opposed to the concept of false modesty, West is also criticized for his blatantly narcissistic tendencies. We live in a society that looks down upon people authentically loving themselves because the masses feed off of competition and the delusion that they are better than the person beside them.
West is justified in loving himself, whether his accolades are taken into consideration or not. With that being said, if you won 21 Grammies, are one of the most critically acclaimed artists of the 21st century and one the bestselling musical artists of all time, perhaps you would find yourself rather impressive, too.
Kanye West is hop-hip and has been since he first started rapping. With each breath he breathes he is raising the bar higher for artists of all kinds.
West is eccentric, soulful and raw. He has brilliantly destroyed any cliché that has been constructed in regard to the rap identity. He is unapologetically whoever he feels like being. Who is anyone else to tell him to do otherwise as he consistently gifts the world with such magnificence?
Kanye West is an artist who deserves to be respected because whether he makes you feel hyped, peaceful or pissed off—he makes you feel something, and that is what art is.
