BOUND FOR GREATNESS

The man may have a seriously questionable messiah complex, but it’s hard to argue that Kanye West doesn’t deserve his untouchable status.
Yes, yes, I am aware he is a bit of a jackass, but this jackass bares the title of Genius in my book. He has made a living out of stroking his inflated ego, and he isn’t living small. The legacy of Mr. West will forever reserve a trophy spot on the shelf of revered hip-hop revolutionaries like The Fugees and KRS-One.
Recently, West has been in the news for his latest music video “Bound 2.” This song is the last track off West’s most recent album “Yeezus.” The video consists of oversaturated pictures of horses, mountains, motorcycles and Kim Kardashian.
Now, I’ll admit I have not liked any album of West’s since 2008’s “Graduation,g” and Yeezus was no exception until this music video caused me to take a second look.
I’m not talking about taking a second look at Kardashian and West’s strange tantric sex on a motorcycle, rather, the deeper meaning behind his story. Before the eyes begin to roll, look at West’s past. He has never quite grasped the idea of subtlety.
Everyone remember when he stole the microphone from Taylor Swift? Maybe it’s easier to recall West’s call out to the president, accusing George W. Bush of not caring about black people.
This music video was produced to gain attention. If you listen to the lyrics, he talks about the reality of love. It’s not about remembering, “when we first met,” but “admitting is the first step” to a healthy relationship and future. Let go of these ridiculous expectations of love. The video is a parody of the grand illusions society tends to paint of loving, lasting relationships.
There is a method to his madness people. The goal is drama, because drama gets a topic that is typically overlooked, noticed. Why else would he pick a daytime television show like “Ellen” to release his newest video?
When West was asked about his latest criticism, he responded in a straightforward fashion.
“No, I don’t expect people to understand me,” he said. “I think there are people who are wired by their parents to understand what I’m saying and then there are those that are wired by their parents to reject it.”
After taking a second listen to “Yeezus,” I remembered why I fell for Kanye West in the first place. There are underlying statements to each of his songs. If listeners look past his narcissism, it’s easier to appreciate his art again. Not to mention the instrumentals on tracks like “Black Skinhead” are just too good.
I could be thinking much too hard about this, but if I can be honest, I just don’t feel we’re all thinking hard enough. Regardless of your opinion of Kanye West as a person, he’s going to keep succeeding in the only way he knows how: staying true to himself.