Subscribe
The Daily Grind Video
CLOSE

Kanye West is full of inspiration and knowledge. 

Nothing highlights Kanye’s knowledge and quest for the truth more than his recent candid interview with the New York Times. From explaining the concept behind his forthcoming album, Yeezus, to explaining how he deals with celebrity, for the first time in a long time, Kanye didn’t hold much back. 

We’ve picked up a few great tidbits from Yeezy’s interview with the New York Times.

Basically, we learned five things, three of which have been floating around the internet:

1. Believe in yourself like Kanye believes in himself. 

2. Love yourself like Kanye loves himself. 

3. Whatever you do in life, you should exude the same passion and vigor than Kanye exudes.

4. Fight for the truth like Kanye fights for the truth. 

5. Lastly, know you’re the sh*t like Kanye knows he’s the sh*t.  

So here it goes, pull out your pen and pad and start taking notes on how to become more self-aware and ambitious like Kanye.

1. “I think you got to make your case. Seventh grade, I wanted to be on the basketball team. I didn’t get on the team, so that summer I practiced. I was on the summer league. My team won the championship; I was the point guard. And then when I went for eighth grade, I practiced and I hit every free throw, every layup, and the next day I looked on this chart, and my name wasn’t on it. I asked the coach what’s up, and they were like, “You’re just not on it.” But I wasn’t on my eighth-grade team, because some coach — some Grammy, some reviewer, some fashion person, some blah blah blah — they’re all the same as that coach.” 

Translation: Practice makes perfect, and get your credit when credit is deserved and due. 

2.Anytime I’ve had a big thing that’s ever pierced and cut across the Internet, it was a fight for justice. Justice. And when you say justice, it doesn’t have to be war. Justice could just be clearing a path for people to dream properly.”

Translation: Justice comes in many forms, and you should fight for those forms of justice. 

3.It’s only led me to complete awesomeness at all times. It’s only led me to awesome truth and awesomeness. Beauty, truth, awesomeness. That’s all it is.”

Translation: One can always find peace and light in the depths of darkness. 

4.I don’t have one regret.”

Translation: Live with no regrets. 

5.Yeah, I think that I have like, faltered, you know, as a human. My message isn’t perfectly defined. I have, as a human being, fallen to peer pressure.” 

Translation: Never apologize for something you’re not genuinely sorry for, despite pressures from society. 

6. “I would hear stories about Steve Jobs and feel like he was at 100 percent exactly what he wanted to do, but I’m sure even a Steve Jobs has compromised. Even a Rick Owens has compromised. You know, even a Kanye West has compromised. Sometimes you don’t even know when you’re being compromised till after the fact, and that’s what you regret.”

Translation: Compromise is a necessary evil. 

7.I love the fact that I’m bad at things, you know what I’m saying?”

Translation: Love your weaknesses, flaws and all. 

8.  I’m forever the 5-year-old of something.

Translation: Always connect with your inner child and embrace it. 

9.I knew I was going to make it this far; I knew that this was going to happen.”

Translation: Believe in yourself at all costs. Speak positive things into the universe and they will happen, with hard work and determination of course. 

10. “I’m the type of soul that likes to be in love and likes to be able to focus. And that inspires me.”

Translation: Juggling relationships and a career is hard, but turn those hardships into inspiration. 

11. “Yeah, kill self. That’s all I have to say. Kill self.”

Translation: Everyone wants to kill themselves for the things they used to wear. 

12. “I will be the leader of a company that ends up being worth billions of dollars, because I got the answers. I understand culture. I am the nucleus.”

Translation: If people have the questions, you should try to have the answers – all the answers. Go out of your way to familiarize yourself with different cultures. Understand them, appreciate them, honor them.