Kanye West, by definition, embodies the word freedom. Don’t believe me? Merriam-Webster defines Freedom as: the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. Kanye is the paradigm of freedom artistically, culturally and socially.
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Kanye’s courtship of total freedom began in 2005 when he released the song “Jesus Walks” to radio. “Jesus Walks” was controversial and unprecedented in hip-hop music and secular radio alike. The song discussed issues that human beings are facing currently across the globe. Religious leaders protested; radio tried with no avail. Kanye proved that people wanted more than just diamonds and gold and bitches on the radio. He proved that people crave the truth. From that moment on, Kanye created a new lane for himself and many others and placed himself atop a soapbox to begin speaking as the cultural and generational attaché of millions.
After Hurricane Katrina, Kanye participated in a celebrity telethon during which he stated, “George Bush does care about black people,” a sentiment that many African-Americans agreed with. On a separate occasion, Kanye stole a moment from Taylor Swift, which has been forever immortalized by the phrase “Kanye Shrug.” While Taylor was accepting an award at the MTV VMAs, Kanye interrupted her and stated that Beyoncé deserved the award. No matter how valid the point, Kanye, intoxicated with Hennessey, made an err in judgment.
Kanye West would later apologize, but his disregard for the politically correct emboldened his legacy and further endeared him in the hearts of millions without the voice or courage to do so. From the time we learn to comprehend speech, we are taught to obey. Yet we are simultaneously and contradictorily taught to think freely and fight for our beliefs. Kanye represents blacks, as well as dreamers that believe through hard work and dedication you can have anything you desire.
West is doing what every human living should: creating the world they wish to live in. He founded a company last year, Donda, named after his late mother, Donda West. The company is dedicated to making all things in life better. It tackles education, fashion, film, art, music and more, seeking to greatly improve it all in order to make this world a better because of it. Whether it will be a success has yet to be determined, but the man who continues to move his feet fairs better in a storm than the man who waits for it to pass.
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When you’ve achieved this level of success, any step could be a false move. Carefully crafting your image is of the utmost importance. Kanye has won the battle of right and wrong and pushed through to happiness. In doing so he has become one of the few true artists whose credence is enacted every day of their lives. By bringing the world to him and placing an alternative to the gangster in hip-hop music, he has changed and influenced millions.
-John Conyers
