The Battle for Kanye West Is Happening in Real Time

West believes slavery was optional. This guy is a waste of time.

I'm still trying to figure out why this idiot has an audience at all. All I can figure is that there are a lot of idiots out there wanting to look at other idiots.

Why does someone as obviously mentally disturbed as Mr West command such a large portion of the media's attention? Best to let his utterances, posings and artistic excretions slide into anonymous ignominy where they belong.

I think you're making excuses for someone who grew up privileged and has chosen ignorance.

-KANYE W, BILL C,(and his wife) AND LETS THROW IN KATHY G. -GREAT ROLE MODELS.

Anyone who cares about the things listed in this headline needs to seriously reevaluate their priorities as far as what's worth fighting for in this world. On a side note, can the Times stop its transition into a millennial blog and resume with serious news? No think-pieces. No more headlines that begin with prepositions. Please.

As with Trump, the real problem is not Kanye, it’s the people who glorify him. Notable among that group is Jon Caramanica himself. This the the “music” reviewer who interviewed West a few year back. In that interview KW called himself a god, and, perhaps even more absurdly, “The greatest musician ever, the Michael Jordan of music.” Or something to that effect. First of all, KW is not even the greatest musician on my block—he’s barely a musician at all. Can he tell me what a Cm7 is? Probably not. But the point is, again, not KW’s delusional super narcissism, but Caramanica’s refusal to even question him when KW made those outlandish claims. Why? Because, in spite of what he says in this article, Caraminica is a true believer; he’s bought into Kanye’s narrative that he’s a one-of-a-kind genius. We’ve now reached the point in this sad demise of the American story where the left (e.g., NY Times and it’s musically illiterate music critiques) creates a positive feedback loop of lies about bad art, while the right creates the same with politics. Kanye and Trump are perfect for each other. Sean Hannity and Jon Caraminica are perfect for each other. Everybody wins (i.e., loses.)

When Kayne praised Candice Owens the same people were outraged and horrified who were fine with him promoting Louis Farrakhan. This is the 3rd article on this Kayne debacle I've read in this paper. This same paper have over 10 articles about the Starbucks incident in Philly. An elected DC official named Trayon White has been involved in a handful of anti-Jewish incidents in the last 2 months and you've not reported it. His predecessor Marion Barry was involved in some horrific anti-Asian rhetoric on his reelection night that you also didn't cover. At the same time you ran over 25 articles condemning Donald Sterling. Kayne is a rapper. If he'd offended any other demographic than his own race this would have been ignored. It's the norm. The constant privileging of black sensitivities before others by such an obvious and enormous disproportion is out of control.

Having read some of Mr West’s statements about slavery — that the slaves enjoyed a comparatively good life because, after all, what was the alternative — all I can say is that’s like saying the Jews of the Holocaust needed some warm buildings because the climate was cold.

Kellyanne Kanye. This person needs some expert mental health care, ASAP. Seriously.

Seriously? "Secure" people don't act like West and Trump. Fatally INSECURE people act like them. Wake up!!!!!!!

Kanye West can't sing, dance, play, act or write. He's capable of sitting in his bedroom and coming up with decent beats. His celebrity appears to be enhanced by being married to a woman who also can't sing, dance, play, act or write, who probably can't come up with decent beats. John Caramanica writes the men's Critical Shopper column for the NYT Styles section. He adores everything Kanye West and Jay Z, refers to them as "musicians" (something they probably don't do themselves when listing professions), and writes that Beyonce is "the most meaningful, radical musician" in America today. I understand it comes down to opinion, but - does anyone else see a problem with the non-stop drone about these people in the NYT? African-American music was at the center of art in American music since Blues; then rap and hip-hop sold its soul (yep, more opinion). And now that great musical legacy is slathered over with relentless nonsense articles about what "Tha God" and his 1% buddies/baddies proclaim. On behalf of at least some of us: please stop.

the haughty , self-righteous outrage from so many supposedly intelligent thinkers, all imbued with the 1960s victim orthodoxy, reminds me of the CatHouse Madam reacting to the talk that she might be running a house of ill-repute.

Mental illness is no joke. So, let's keep the following in mind. Kanye West may have gone through some trauma in 2016 with his wife's robbery in Paris but make no mistake, he's a moron. West is not an 'HSP' (highly sensitive person). He's a narcissistic child. West's 'artistic' nature is not an excuse for his obnoxious and rude behavior towards others. He has been a tantrum thrower his entire career and I can only imagine what a nightmare he must have been as a kid. The Kanye Wests and Donald Trumps of the world are what we get stuck with when parents don't punish their kids. All that said, Kanye West is having a full-blown, public, mental break down and he needs proper treatment. So, let's not pretend that it's some sort of performance art or metaphysical journey into internal discovery.

In addition to these comments this morning he give a new age gloss to what he meant. He asserts, absurdly, that we "create our own reality". If we have cancer it is because we have chosen to have cancer. If 12 million persons died in the Holocaust it is because they chose that reality, as did the hundreds of millions of kidnapped slaves. A motivational speaker I had the misfortune to listen to in the 1980's even claimed that fetus's who were aborted "chose" to be aborted. It seems to me that the one university Kanye didn't drop out from was the University of Kim Kardashian.

Why, oh why does anyone pay attention to this mediocre performer? And why does the media bother?

The real question that needs to be asked is why anyone would pay any attention to someone like West. He's a rapper/hip hop artist, he designs clothes and he's married to a Kardashian. What in that matrix gives him even an ounce of political credibility among those who should know better. You want to know what's wrong with society? Look no further.

Most disturbed celebrities just become Scientologists. Seriously.

Like the jester in King Lear, Kanye is a playful fool who says what the “grown ups” forbid themselves to. Sometimes it’s nonsense and sometimes a deeper truth, that’s the risk that artists love and non-artists fear. It’s revealing that the public looks to artists for leadership but grows angry when provoked to question their dogmas. Life without the Kanyes of the world is what both left and right desire. They have no art to offer and no love of risk or freedom.

Congrats Kanye for getting #brd. GOD bless you and keep the path straight.

Everyone can have an opinion. Facts are, hopefully though not currently, agreed reality. Quoting Tubman incorrectly (or, in fact, not at all as the quote can be found nowhere by a reliable source) indicating slavery was a choice is not only incorrect it is a despicable lie. This is what happens when education is an after thought. Free thinking? More like free basing.

In a normal world, we wouldn't react to the comments of a "mere" celebrity but with a reality television star in the White House, we are forced to do more than take these comments in stride. I wish the nation could ignore Kanye and his vapid wife but it is dangerous to do so. I believe Kanye's knowledge of slavery is limited to the sanitized telling of slavery in American culture and American education (to the extent it is mentioned at all). No one who has taken the time to educate themselves on the true nature of slavery in the US could make such an irresponsible comment. I am not surprised that Kanye believes he has something in common with Trump. He did say if he had voted, it would have been for Trump. Caitlyn Jenner is a Trump supporter and I believe Kim supported/voted for Trump as well despite her claims to have supported Hillary.

The truly shocking thing about Mr. West is that anyone cares about what he says or does.

The reason so much attention is being paid to Kanye's absurd opinions is not that he is famous; it's that people call him a genius. If that assumption were questioned, then no one would care what he thinks about Trump and God, any more than we would care what his wife thinks about Trump and God.

Kanye West is an outspoken and highly erratic celebrity. It is fine to follow his every utterance in media devoted to covering celebrities, but why is the New York Times covering him in such a serious vein? Because he has a huge fan base and is therefore considered newsworthy—as if quantity of followers alone is the only prerequisite for advancing in the public realm? Kanye West has expressed interest in running for POTUS. All major news outlets elevated Donald Trump early on, and before we all knew it his train had left the station. It's terrifying to think the Times would do this again.

I think he relates to Donald because both of them have elephant-sized egos... and too little actual quality. I think it would be a lesson for people if they saw his celebrity die and then took a closer look at his art. I am not impressed. But then I hate rap and grunge fashion. I'm looking forward to the day when we get quality music along with good and meaningful lyrics from the likes of him... that kids can be inspired by and adults can appreciate.

People always get upset when their dogmas are challenged. Conventional Wisdom is...neither conventional....nor wisdom.

It is important for the goals of diversity and equality for an African American of some note to express a non stereotypical thought or belief however inane or foolish. Equality comes when there is no "typical".

I grew up in an evangelical Christian community in TX. I live in NYC. I've wished for a long time to share my love of rap and hip hop with my mom, who I also love very much. She supports Trump. She is experiencing, bc of Fox News' coverage of West, compassion and support for West. Suddenly he is on her radar! Ha! I sent her a link to Ultralight Beam and she loved it. I talked to her about Kendrick Lamar's Pulitzer win. I told her he writes music that is at times, in conversation with the Bible, including FEAR which seems to me to be a Job story. My point is, this is an opportunity to widen his audience to a bunch of white people who would never listen to rap music. White boomers who only remember the race riots in the 90s and blame it all on hip hop. Music could bring us together. If Kanye West wants to kill his own persona, say he loves Trump, let him, it creates a bridge. Also, can't he just say whatever crazy thing he wants to say? He's a great artist. This is his duty. (and frankly, this is why the right, and this centrist, dislikes the left and I imagine why they refuse to listen to the left's sometimes sound reasoning: b/c of this high-minded self-righteousness, i.e., West is allowed to like Trump!

I read the NYTimes to avoid trash celebrity news, so commonly found elsewhere in media. You're elevating the celebrity status of a person who is undeserving and blames African Americans for slavery. Please stick to news that will help me and others to become a more effective and informed citizen, and use the music page to help me to learn about emerging artists, some who might become my latest favorite composer or band.

So he'll literally and figuratively be creating his own Westworld. (Mind blown.)

It's a shame that an important point Kanye seems to have been trying to make was lost when everyone focused on the inappropriate insinuation that slavery was a choice. He was also making a point about how people think that applies to the present and to the future - what happens when people discipline themselves in a Foucauldian sense, internalizing power. As one example, there are studies in management literature about how African Americans don't apply to some types of jobs - limiting themselves because of an unfortunate belief that those jobs are not 'for them,' which is reinforced by society to the detriment of the African American community as well as to society, which benefits from a diverse workforce. Regarding these comments- A true mental health professional would not suggest that someone is ill without a thorough evaluation. Also, illness is not binary and many people experience depression and other mental health issues. Shaming people for them is not productive. It sounds more like Kanye is an emotional human being who has been through a lot. People like to expect that those with power (celebrities, presidents, etc.) will think before speaking, rather than while speaking, though many, especially passionate and creative people, do that all the time. We may simply demand restraint from people with such power, but we should still have the presence of mind to reflect a little on his perspective, too. Otherwise, how can we ever have a more tolerant society?

These days, Kanye has simply acknowledged that he shares many traits with Mr. Trump: a narcissistic disorder, a talentless and never-tiring search for the spotlight, and the pure enjoyment at watching 100,000 journalists who have nothing else to do - follow his every move. Who knows? Maybe he really will run for President and win in a press-aided coup, with a little help from the People Of Estonia, whom, at present, appear to have more intelligence than the blog-reading public of America.

Sorry, why do we care so much about what Kanye West has to say? Didn’t he have a popular rap song in the early 2000s or something? Who cares! No, really. I read these stores and I’m like... Kanye...West... ok. That’s nice. Who cares.

Kanye West grew up in privilege, his mother being a college professor. Like many people of privilege, he can't relate to people of lesser opportunities. He can manipulate the emotions of the economically oppressed peoples, and earn millions from his inflammatory music. But he neither relates to nor cares about the people who financially support his elitist life-style.

I’ve never understood why the opinions of a celebrity are perceived to have more significance than those of anyone else. If there is indeed a battle going on for Kanye West, consider me a conscientious objector.

All these machinations about Kayne West and his Twitter and interview proclaimations. But as a mental health professional, I have to wonder: maybe he's just ill?

Kanye West is a fool but he is certainly entitled to his opinions however misguided. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/03/opinion/the-historian-behind-slavery-... I certainly have never been a fan. Will those who purchase his music and yeezy clothing boycott his brands due to his statements on slavery. I should hope so!

West is a victim of America's habit of equating wealth and/or success with intelligence. He obviously does not bother seeking knowledge which means he assumes he already has it. Stick to music, Mr. West, at least until you bother learning something.

This is what happens when there is a chemical imbalance. I’m not a doctor or psychologist, but Kanye is clearly short-circuiting. It may be from self-medicating or just from loose internal wires, but that is the battle he is facing.