By: Amanda Anderson-Niles
Kanye West has everyone talking about his new and very controversial album “Yeezus,” and although the album seems to be getting mostly positive reviews from music critics, consumers themselves have taken to Twitter in droves and claim the album is trash. The reoccurring theme of the new album is Kanye’s despise for the paparazzi, being famous, being commercial and bowing down to corporations. However, lots of people feel the rapper is being a bit hypocritical, especially since he’s dating paparazzi queen Kim Kardashian and he has several endorsements with major companies. One of those people who shares that sentiment is The Breakfast Club host Charlamagne tha God, and he actually had a very interesting point of view on what he says is the “New Kanye.” In his interview with VLAD TV, Charlamagne calls Kanye out on his ties with big corporations and what he claims is him being a fake revolutionary:
“I mean he’s a Gemini, so he’s two-sided. I guess it’s like two different personalities or whatever is behind that astrological sign. I just think it’s bullsh*t when you get on Saturday Night Live and you have a sign behind you that says ‘Not For Sale,’ meanwhile Kris Jenner is tweeting out, ‘Oh I can’t wait til you guys see the debut of the new Yeezy colorways! The new colorways of the Yeezys tonight! ‘And then you got your girl Kim tweeting out, ‘Kanye’s album in stores June 18th!’ You can’t denounce corporations when you’re in business with corporations. You’re in business with Nike and you’re helping them sell sneakers. You’re in business with Def Jam and you’re helping them sell records. Universal, you’re helping them sell records. So what exactly isn’t for sale Kanye? I don’t get, I’m confused. Don’t be a fake revolutionary for profit. Leave the real revolutionary music to artists like Dead Prez.
“Because Kanye to me is just being a walking contradiction right now. And we’re all walking contradictions, but damn don’t be so blatant with it.
“He’s just sending a lot of mixed messages right now and I just think it’s bullsh*t.”
Charlamagne also explained that he feels Kanye’s song “New Slaves” is ridiculous because he’s not technically a slave considering he chose to become famous:
“I listened to some of the new lyrics to “New Slaves,” and I understand what he’s saying but I think the term slave is too harsh. The reason I think the term slave is too harsh is because back in the day when you had actual slaves, slaves didn’t have a choice if they wanted to be free or not. They were brought here from Africa and forced to work in those fields, forced to work in that house. They didn’t have a choice. If they did choose to want their freedom, they had to fight for it and kill for it and die for it. To say you’re a new slave because you decided to be a rapper, you decided you wanted to go out there and get a record deal and get signed to a record label…you decided to go in business with Nike…you decided to get the deal with Pepsi…you decided that. So how are you a slave? We got free will, freedom of choice. So you’re telling me you chose to be a slave?
“If you really want to go that route, do what Prince did. Prince changed his name to a symbol. He said, ‘I’m not giving y’all music no more.’ If you really feel some way ‘Ye, go that route. Don’t act like you’re doing some guerrilla marketing campaign where you put your face on all of these buildings throughout all these different countries and act like you’re doing something rebellious. No my brother, that’s a Def Jam marketing campaign.”
Charlamagne then goes on to say that real Kanye fans shouldn’t buy his new album because it will only support the one thing he hates…being famous.
He also mentioned that he feels Kanye has become just another Kardashian and says it’s absurd for him to say he hates fame and then he dates/impregnated the one person who is obsessed with it:
“I like Kanye West, but I’m not a fan of Kanye Kardashian. Because I’m not going to buy an album and listen to you rant and rave and have a temper tantrum about you’re too famous and being too famous isn’t fun, you’re tired of being a slave even though you make all these millions of dollars…now you’re tired of being a slave. I don’t want to hear that sh*. I’d rather listen to these young dudes who are telling these new stories.
“You’re having a baby with the biggest fame whore we’ve seen in the whole industry. And I’m not calling his girl a whore because that’s not my place to say…that’s his woman, that’s the mother of his child. And I respect that but she is a fame whore. You think Kanye when you’re going to restaurants and those paparazzi pop up they just show up by themselves? No. They call the paparazzi and say, ‘We’re going to be at these places.'”
Charlamage makes some very interesting points. In fact, we’ve heard numerous people express the same sentiments. But do you agree or do you think his points are invalid?
When I tell y’all I LOVE CHARLAMAGNE!!!! I always try to catch the breakfast club because of him. I completely agree w/ everything he says he is 100% correct on Kanye. He is a complete hypocrite. Kanye just said his baby isn’t America’s baby tuh! Those Kardashians beg to differ because I just read the cameras were rolling in the delivery room.
I don’t doubt the cameras were in there. Kim will never change.
Are yall serious? Cameras? LOL, this bish is so predictable!
Discussion? We haven’t had one of these in a long time. Back on topic…I totally agree with Charlamagne and Lord knows I can’t stand him most of the time. But it’s hard to take Kanye’s new message of rebellion/revolution/anti-celeb seriosuly when he’s with Kim. It’s like one big joke. And this new music is terrible. I see most people can see right through him.
Charlamagne is on point. I heard the album and I couldn’t help but laugh. Don’t say you’re anti paps, anti celebs, anti Hollywood, but you have Kim on your arm. And on top of that, it’s just like Kanye doesn’t really know who he wants to be anymore. One minute he wants to be Jay, the next he wants to be Tupac, and then the very next he wants to be some sort of diva. It’s turned me off to his music.
I see no lies!!! Kanye Kardashian, I love it! LOL!
I’ve honestly just given up on Kanye. Today I went on iTunes and bought J. Cole’s new album instead. And I LOVE it! Kanye can date whoever he wants but when you cheat me out of good music, I can’t support you anymore.
I’ve been hearing all day it’s good. Guess I’ll check out this new J.Cole cd. (heading over to iTunes)
Yes!!!! I love how real he was here. The whole new slaves thing made me mad too. Kanye chose this life. And he would go insane if people stopped caring about him. I honestly think he’s just as much of an attention whore as Kim is.
I can’t do anything but cosign everything he said. Well they say he will sell about 500K, I’m just trying to find out who is going to buy it. Everyone I know said they weren’t. Maybe the white suburban kids are copping it.
The album sucks. #ThatIsAll
I’m just ready for Kanye to marry Kim and hopefully both of them can raise their kids and disappear from relevance. I’m tired of them. They are annoying, attention whores, and Kanye’s music has been terrible for the last few albums. He got all this buzz for this terrible album. Smh.
#DEAD at Kanye Kardashian. Damn if that isn’t true!
I think Charlamagne said everything that needed to be said. Kanye has really lost himself musically, and it seems like he’s just getting worse with each album. It’s bigger than Kim. It’s like he’s trying to find himself or something. Something is really off and his music suffers for it.
*standing ovation* Charlamagne told the damn truth! Kanye doesn’t know who he wants to be and it shows.
I agree with everything he said about Kanye.
What more can I say? He said it all and then some! Co-sign!!
No shade and I mean this with all sincerity: I think Kanye needs medication. And a lot of prayer.