Kanye West goes 80s Industrial

Discussion
23

You know, I’m sitting here, reading the merciless slagging Kanye West is getting from you guys, and I, a longtime lurker (I don’t post unless I have something significant to say; go figure), feel compelled to rush to his defense.

First of all, you have to separate the musician from the man, because the man is a trainwreck of a person. Interrupts awards speeches? Check. Makes an ass of himself in public? Check. Wants us to straight-facedly believe he wants to be the father of that vapid empty-headed cunt Kim Kardashian’s baby? Check. Yeah, the guy’s an asshole.

In this century, he’s worked with some of the brightest names in hip-hop. I’ll try to pick the creme de la creme for you here, but names include: Jay-Z, Dead Prez, Goodie Mob, Nas, Scarface, Talib Kweli, Freeway, Janet Jackson, Mos Def… the list goes on and on. Why do all of these people seek out Kanye? Because he’s an amazing musician.

Kanye is, to my mind, the David Bowie of hip-hop. Not only is he a chameleon, he’s an innovator. He’s got a huge knowledge of music, and the willingness to bring in some weird shit when he wants the sound that he wants. Witness: Does anyone else sample King fucking Crimson for a Top 40 hit? Does anyone else center their album with 4 minutes of cold wave, followed by 3 minutes of breathing through a vocoder? These are not commercial decisions, but Kanye bravely favors the outrageous route every time, and it’s paid off for him in spades. And almost none of it is inaccessible. “Monster” may damn well be the best rap song of the 21st century. (Yeah, I know, it features Nicki Minaj. Me and a friend heard her turn on “Monster” and foolishly thought she’d be the next AMAZING THING. Her solo album was TERRIBLE. Oh well.)

So, finally, am I excited for YEEZUS? Fuck yes, more so than I’ve been for an album this year. Do I like that he’s adopting sounds from 80’s and 90’s industrial to his music? I’m comfortable with it - everything the man touches (musically) turns to gold. My only disappointment is that his public behavior - which led to his branding as an “ass” by our President - may prevent some people from ever hearing how good he truly is.

24

“i’m a voice of a generation, i’m a motherfuckin’ lyrical wordsmith motherfuckin’ genius!”

http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/224094/breaded-and-genius

25

I can honestly say I’ve never heard ANYTHING by Kanye West.

26

I can honestly say I’ve never heard ANYTHING by Kanye West.

Lucky you…

27

You know, I’m sitting here, reading the merciless slagging Kanye West is getting from you guys, and I, a longtime lurker (I don’t post unless I have something significant to say; go figure), feel compelled to rush to his defense.

First of all, you have to separate the musician from the man, because the man is a trainwreck of a person. Interrupts awards speeches? Check. Makes an ass of himself in public? Check. Wants us to straight-facedly believe he wants to be the father of that vapid empty-headed cunt Kim Kardashian’s baby? Check. Yeah, the guy’s an asshole.

In this century, he’s worked with some of the brightest names in hip-hop. I’ll try to pick the creme de la creme for you here, but names include: Jay-Z, Dead Prez, Goodie Mob, Nas, Scarface, Talib Kweli, Freeway, Janet Jackson, Mos Def… the list goes on and on. Why do all of these people seek out Kanye? Because he’s an amazing musician.

Kanye is, to my mind, the David Bowie of hip-hop. Not only is he a chameleon, he’s an innovator. He’s got a huge knowledge of music, and the willingness to bring in some weird shit when he wants the sound that he wants. Witness: Does anyone else sample King fucking Crimson for a Top 40 hit? Does anyone else center their album with 4 minutes of cold wave, followed by 3 minutes of breathing through a vocoder? These are not commercial decisions, but Kanye bravely favors the outrageous route every time, and it’s paid off for him in spades. And almost none of it is inaccessible. “Monster” may damn well be the best rap song of the 21st century. (Yeah, I know, it features Nicki Minaj. Me and a friend heard her turn on “Monster” and foolishly thought she’d be the next AMAZING THING. Her solo album was TERRIBLE. Oh well.)

So, finally, am I excited for YEEZUS? Fuck yes, more so than I’ve been for an album this year. Do I like that he’s adopting sounds from 80’s and 90’s industrial to his music? I’m comfortable with it - everything the man touches (musically) turns to gold. My only disappointment is that his public behavior - which led to his branding as an “ass” by our President - may prevent some people from ever hearing how good he truly is.

Agreed 100% it’s a shame people can’t seem to separate the two. Many worthwhile artists have done an asinine thing (or 20…)

Funny enough it was the dickish persona that finally prompted me to give him a chance and I was pleasantly surprised, as I think many on here would be if they did the same.

28

I can honestly say I’ve never heard ANYTHING by Kanye West.

This comment is typical Peligo. Also it’s really not possible.

29

I can easily seperate an artist’s personality from the music and I still find Kanye’s music to be crap…I’ve been listening to every type of music from all over the world since I popped out of the womb…I find nothing he does to be innovative or exciting in any way…and his vocals are fucking annoying to me…I heard stuff in underground hip-hop circles that was done 20 years ago that I find way more innovative and experimental…all subjective at the end of the day…

30

Hopefully Kanye becomes the next singer of Stone Temple Pilots because I’ve been searching for a way to give less of a crap about both of them and this would actually help me kill two birds with one stone.

31

A douche for a douche for a douche…

DOUCHE TRIFECTA!!!

32

I can easily seperate an artist’s personality from the music and I still…

Thanks.
I don’t know why it’s so hard for many people to do this and I also don’t know why others have a hard time accepting that there are just as many of us that can.

I love Misfits/Danzig/Samhain, but will be the first to admit that Glenn is a total buttplug. I think Yngwie is amazing and probably one of the biggest pricks in the world. I’ll never understand people that burn Cat Stevens records (unless they never liked him to begin with) because he became Yusuf Islam or disown the Dixie Chicks because they dissed George Bush. Other people get their panties in a bunch because Dave Mustaine thought Rick Santorum should be president or because he thought the Colorado massacre was part of some government conspiracy to take our guns away.

In fact, I kind of assume that most rockstars are raging a-holes and kind of like that about them. It’s refreshing sometimes to find out that they are “down to earth” and cool to their fans and whatnot, but it certainly doesn’t keep me up at night to find out otherwise and it also doesn’t make for very interesting discussion on the internet.

To me Kanye’s jackassery is the ONLY part about him I kind of like and find interesting. He shouted out on live news during the Katrina disaster that “George Bush don’t care about black people!” That rules! He also bumrushed the stage at the MTV Awards (or was it the Grammys, I really don’t know) during a presentation to TAYLOR FRIGGIN’ SWIFT!!! If you don’t think that’s awesome, you’re gay.

33

[reply]I can easily seperate an artist’s personality from the music and I still…

Thanks.
I don’t know why it’s so hard for many people to do this and I also don’t know why others have a hard time accepting that there are just as many of us that can.

I love Misfits/Danzig/Samhain, but will be the first to admit that Glenn is a total buttplug. I think Yngwie is amazing and probably one of the biggest pricks in the world. I’ll never understand people that burn Cat Stevens records (unless they never liked him to begin with) because he became Yusuf Islam or disown the Dixie Chicks because they dissed George Bush. Other people get their panties in a bunch because Dave Mustaine thought Rick Santorum should be president or because he thought the Colorado massacre was part of some government conspiracy to take our guns away.

In fact, I kind of assume that most rockstars are raging a-holes and kind of like that about them. It’s refreshing sometimes to find out that they are “down to earth” and cool to their fans and whatnot, but it certainly doesn’t keep me up at night to find out otherwise and it also doesn’t make for very interesting discussion on the internet.

To me Kanye’s jackassery is the ONLY part about him I kind of like and find interesting. He shouted out on live news during the Katrina disaster that “George Bush don’t care about black people!” That rules! He also bumrushed the stage at the MTV Awards (or was it the Grammys, I really don’t know) during a presentation to TAYLOR FRIGGIN’ SWIFT!!! If you don’t think that’s awesome, you’re gay.[/reply]

Exactly,man…exactly…

I’ve enjoyed music from everyone from Charles Manson to GG Allin to Yngwie to Glenn to Cat Stevens to Whitehouse to The Mentors to Erasure to Schooly D and NWA and back again…would I want to hang out with any of them…probably not,but that isn’t the point…

(of course,as I have posted here before,I did work with Yngwie once and it lived up to be everything I hoped it could be…he was even more of an arrogant,self-absorbed grandiose prick of epic proportions than I could have ever dreamed of…and he was glorious…)

34

and yeah a great point about Kanye rushing the stage for the Taylor Swift thingy…who in their right mind would want to sit through an acceptance speech by that insufferable bore?? I love moments like that…he did everyone a favor…then again,I love public train wrecks…I love seeing someone do something inappropriate in a public forum…like taking a piss in a mall or something…or going on a drunken rant at the podium of a black tie affair or whatever the case may be…while most of the population is busy ostracizing that person I’m usually sitting there saying “finally,something funny/entertaining happened…” YES!!!

35

[reply]I can honestly say I’ve never heard ANYTHING by Kanye West.

This comment is typical Peligo. Also it’s really not possible.[/reply]
Totally possible. To date the only kanye song I’ve heard was the Police rip off “I’ll be missing you.” I’ve heard it one time and if I hadn’t made an effort to listen to black skin head it would still would be one song one time.
Late,
grmpysmrf

36

^
That’s actually Puff Daddy (or P. Diddy or Diddy or whatever the heck his name is today).

Also, things that are huge in one country aren’t always so big in another.

37

^
That’s actually Puff Daddy (or P. Diddy or Diddy or whatever the heck his name is today).

Also, things that are huge in one country aren’t always so big in another.

oh yeah? Then shit, the only song I’ve heard is black skinhead and that’s cause someone posted a link here, other than that I’ve never heard a Kanye song.
Late,
grmpysmrf

38

other than that I’ve never heard a Kanye song.
Late,
grmpysmrf

You’ve probably heard “Gold Digger” which is the only song of his that I can name and that I actually know is Kanye when I hear it.

There’s a lot of pop/r&b/rap/top40 stuff out there that I recognize but never know who it is. I hear all these names of big chart toppers like Flo-Rida and 'Lil Wayne or whatever. I have no idea who they are, typically, but if someone plays their big hit song I’ll sometimes recognize it.

But I guess I got a bit of an edge over some of y’all on the pop music scene since my wife prefers to listen to Top 40 radio instead of Motorhead and Iron Maiden (her loss).

39

Ahahahahaha, mistaking an old ass Puff Daddy song for Kanye. Classic.

40

[reply]other than that I’ve never heard a Kanye song.
Late,
grmpysmrf

You’ve probably heard “Gold Digger” which is the only song of his that I can name and that I actually know is Kanye when I hear it.

There’s a lot of pop/r&b/rap/top40 stuff out there that I recognize but never know who it is. I hear all these names of big chart toppers like Flo-Rida and 'Lil Wayne or whatever. I have no idea who they are, typically, but if someone plays their big hit song I’ll sometimes recognize it.

But I guess I got a bit of an edge over some of y’all on the pop music scene since my wife prefers to listen to Top 40 radio instead of Motorhead and Iron Maiden (her loss).[/reply]
Never heard gold digger, didn’t know it was him. I’ve only heard students singing the chorus.
Late,
grmpysmrf

41

It’s the one that’s got Jamie Fox being all pretentious and milking off of his Ray Charles impersonation.

42

Ahahahahaha, mistaking an old ass Puff Daddy song for Kanye. Classic.

thats exactly what cartman did as well, when he saw kanye he said “oh shit its puff daddy”