Kanye West is one of the more acclaimed and polarizing artists of our generation. His story from passionate producer to worldwide superstar is well-known and the hungry artist from the Chi now lives life as a tabloid’s dream celebrity. The multitude of controversial incidents that have occurred during the course of Kanye’s illustrious career are well-documented, and the 2015 VMA Awards proved to be another eventful experience which has garnered attention from all spectrums of media outlets. Six years after he famously interrupted Taylor Swift’s VMA speech, Kanye was presented with the Michael Jackson Vanguard Award by none other than the 1989 luminary herself. In typical Ye fashion, he delivered a spirited speech that transcended music and focused on the truths of artistry, all while stunning the world by announcing his bid for presidency in 2020. But despite the focus that will continue to be zoomed in on the closing of Kanye’s speech, the true significance of his heartfelt words are based within the core of the message which struck a chord with each and every VMA viewer.
Mr. West has never been one to be eloquent with his public deliverance. Egotistical, eccentric, and outlandish behaviors are all classifications that have been used to describe Kanye’s character and there are multiple instances which have made him deserving of these labels. However, Kanye is a musician who has been unwavering in his passion for the art form, from crafting memorable songs to newly created clothing designs. And the unabashed recklessness of Yeezy has been put into perspective since he started a family with Kim Kardashian, a relationship that is a continual justification for Kanye haters. During Kanye’s speech, not only did he look back in regret of his actions during his drunken VMA moment of six years ago, but he also shined a light on his mission of showing artists that it’s ok to have a voice which extends beyond vocals recorded at a studio.
Kanye’s struggle to phrase his thoughts in the right way, but when he says that he ‘feels like he died for an artist’s opinion, for an to be able to have an opinion after they were successful’, that is a viewpoint deserving of praise. The masses may have scoffed at his ‘listen to the kids bro’ transitions, but Kanye’s points about topics such as the hypocrisy of award shows and corporate plotted MTV ratings ploys are worthy of attention. Taking advice from a rapper who smoked weed before announcing presidential candidacy may seem ill-advised, but the overarching message of Kanye’s mentality is something we can only learn from. Distinguishing between Ye’s cockiness and confidence is subjective choice, but the pure inspiration that allows Kanye to influence the creatives of future generations has an undeniable potency. From his ‘you’re not a rapper, you’re a producer’ days to his more recent struggles of becoming a staple in the fashion world, Kanye has been told what he can and what he can’t do all this life. So as an audience, it is only right that we bear with his unorthodox approach, and applaud when he tells kids to believe and stand up for themselves.
Nevertheless, the unfortunate truth of Kanye’s 2015 experience remains: people can’t stop talking about him running for president five years from now. But whether West is serious about his political aspirations or if he simply took advantage of the platform to cause a marketing goldmine stir, the #KanyeForPresident hashtag should not be the focal point of conversation. In an ideal world, the masses would be discussing the concepts of uncompromised art and not being afraid to speak on what you truly believe in. So as self-centered and contradicting as Kanye may sound, the crux of his perspective continues to be steadfast and loyal to the freedom of expression.
At the end of the day, the conversation worth having is not a discussion of Kanye’s presidential legitimacy, but rather his surefire conviction as an artist, a quality that we can all learn from as we strive to be the best we can for ourselves and for future leaders. You don’t have to believe in Kanye’s ideas or Kanye’s truths, but you should have faith in your own ability to change the world…that’s something worth voting on.
His full speech:
Does he have your vote America? @kanyewest accepts the Video Vanguard award http://t.co/pyg3SBh8gq
— MTV (@MTV) August 31, 2015
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