Armed with a Make America Great Again hat and his own celebrity presence, the controversies of rap artist Kanye West has fans and critics alike scratching their heads, asking, “What’s up with Kanye?”
The recent political outbursts from musical artist Kanye West—or the self-proclaimed “Ye”—have led his fans to ask the question: What happened to the old Kanye? Throughout his career, West has had a controversial persona, one that is portrayed clearly in events like his notorious outburst at the 2009 MTV music awards. But while it isn’t uncommon to see stars get political, the extreme shift in the nature of his recent political actions has left audiences thoroughly astonished and confused.
It all started a few months ago when West re-entered the social media scene with a tweet expressing his ardent support of President Trump. West’s recent tweets have seemed to spiral into thoughtlessly incendiary remarks, one of which was a vague comment about how the Thirteenth Amendment should be overturned. His statement has sparked an enormous amount of backlash from people wondering why in the world he wants to revoke the abolishment of slavery.
In early October, the musician made an appearance on the sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live to promote his recently released track “I Love It.” However, it seems as though the performance wasn’t the only thing he came for, as right when the show began to conclude, West initiated his own impromptu political rant. Donned with his Make America Great Again cap—one frequently seen in his wardrobe—West left the audience as well as cast members dumbfounded after delivering his speech defending President Trump and claiming that the Democratic party separated black families with welfare.
Yet despite all of the controversy surrounding him, West continues to thrive in the entertainment industry. Due to the inflammatory nature of his political statements, it’s hard to tell if West is actually authentic, or if it’s all just one big publicity stunt. Looking back on his history of outbursts, it’s not surprising that they seem to coincide with his album releases. Even now, West’s questionable support of Trump is only building up more and more hype around the drop of his upcoming album “Yandhi” (Nov. 23). While they might not appreciate all of his political remarks, it’s obvious West’s devoted fan base still acknowledges him as a talented musician.
Throughout his entire relationship with President Trump, West has defended his rights to independent thought, and he has pushed people to redefine social norms. His views do hold validity to a certain point—it’s his denial of history and method of execution, however, that may prompt people’s reaction of disdain.
West is a perfect example of how people in our current society tend to dissociate the “art” from the “artist.” In the digital age, today’s stars are constantly placed in the limelight for controversial things they do. Taylor Swift, for example, is diametrically opposed to the politics of West, and her recent expression of her political views on social media has caught the attention of liberals and conservatives alike. Like all people, Swift has the right to express her political beliefs, but whether she is right or left leaning isn’t the determining factor on whether audiences will like her music or not.
Fans will still listen to renowned artists like West and Swift because they enjoy the artist’s craft, even though they may hold opposing ideas. A piece of art, whether that be an album or movie, is meant to be judged solely by the experience it brings, not by the flaws surrounding its creator. That being said, artists can usually withstand the backlash they receive for their controversial beliefs. As for West, his radical behavior can be expected to return back to relative normality after his album drops. From Kanye’s perspective, it seems as though the sweet taste of popularity makes all of the controversy seem worth it.