2016 was a hell of a year for Kanye West. It seems that no matter what he says or does, he can’t stay out of the limelight. He has been put under a microscope that everyone is looking through in a way that few people ever are, and it has clearly taken its toll on him. Yet at the beginning of the year, it looked like things could finally be turning around for him. The Life of Pablo (formerly WAVES) finally came out and it seemed like he had overcome the writer’s block that he had been struggling with for years. His collaborations were hot, and his work with Chance the Rapper helped make some of the best songs of the year.

But then reality hit him, and after a poorly received tour left him in the hospital for overwork, Kanye found himself in the midst of controversy for his apparent endorsement of Donald Trump. His statements about the man go at odds with his “George Bush doest care about black people” outburst that he has carried through his music for many years. He has found himself at the center of a media maelstrom that he can’t escape from. And I feel bad for him.

He seems like a normal guy that can’t escape the limelight, and that is a situation that I’m glad that I don’t have to be in. I don’t know how I would act if I was in his position, but it wouldn’t be great. He’s loud, impulsive, and prone to idiotic outburst, but the only difference between he and I, or anyone else (besides that massive amount of musical talent) is he has millions of people staring at him, waiting for him to fuck up. People actively want him to fail and while there might be a contingent of dedicated fans cheering him on, there is an even more vocal group that would love nothing more than to see him crash and burn.

You can see it is starting to affect him. He is under an enormous amount of pressure to perform, and his shell is starting to crack. He is stretching himself too thin, and it is taking it’s toll. His tour was a disaster, The Life of Pablo was one of his most poorly received albums in years, and he put himself in the hospital because he couldn’t bring himself to stop working. He has turned against his fans to try to please the people who hate him, and no one is happy.

I miss the old Kanye. The confident, devil may care artist that made the music he wanted to, not the music that he thinks people want to hear. I miss the Kanye that made Yeezus, the Kanye that made some of the greatest albums of the last decade. He’s always been vocal with his opinions, but they used to feel genuine, honest no matter what we would think.
I hope he comes back soon.
_____________________________________________

You Might Also Like:

Tags: Kanye West, Opinion