Every now and then, when we possess something for a while, it loses meaning. We see it every day in the same corner and after awhile, it does not have the same effect on us as it once did. So when we truly begin to take things for granted, we should take a step back and try to acquire the magical feeling it once had on us. Therefore, it is with great joy and pride that I remind you of the genius of Kanye West.
Kanye West has been at the forefront of many ideas, including poking holes in your shirt and calling it fashion, naming your children after directions on a compass and last, but definitely not least, abstaining from having sex with models with bleached ….uhh… you know.
Still, I believe Kanye deserves credit for many other ideas that he may have not said directly but that can definitely be found throughout his music and life. One main concept that is definitely prevalent in his work is being able to accept yourself. An example of this is his College Dropout album, where he details many aspects of his life and others he knows on the reality of college and life after college. He accomplishes this by focusing on the psyche of college students as well as out of classroom activites.
It is a known fact that Kanye dropped out of college, but he was still able to experience this tremendous amount of success. This action greatly displeased his mother, she later commented, “It was drummed into my head that college is the ticket to a good life… but some career goals don’t require college. For Kanye to make an album called College Dropout it was more about having the guts to embrace who you are, rather than following the path society has carved out for you.”
By saying whatever comes to his mind, recording lyrics that are often controversial and commenting on situations he absolutely has no idea about, Kanye shows us that it is ok to be unique and different. I also have to give credit to Kanye, because, in reality, I believe he has helped a lot of people realize something, and he has helped many people believe that it is possible to be smart and still cool at the same time.
No matter what you may think of Kanye, it is hard to say that he is not smart, especially considering the consistent amount of success he has experienced over the years. Considering that Kanye has built a musical empire with millions of loyal fans around the world, I do not think he is leaving the public eye any =time soon. I believe that we should take the opportunity and try to add a little bit of Kanye to each of our lives. Only a little bit, more like a teaspoon than a tablespoon. We can all use a little more courage not to be afraid of showing our true selves to the world.