It drove me a little nuts that Virgil Abloh was referred to as Kanye's mentee, considering how ridiculed Kanye's collections were until he started working with Abloh. It's more the other way around Abloh taught Kanye about style and fashion.
6
I enjoyed this piece - reading it slowly to get the cadence and the import. Hats off to Kanye for being transparent, vulnerable and true to himself, growing without trying to control public image or status as the be-all. Subtly conveyed here, too, is the behind the scenes support and connection he has with Kim and his children. Haters will want to view them as nothing but celebrities; evolved souls will see them as real people dealing with inner and outer turmoils we all face.
5
I struggled my way though this piece, thinking that out of the mess something informative, worthy of its placement in the Magazine might emerge. It didn't.
This was a puff piece, mere cheerleading, presenting North's own word salad as if it were some form of wisdom. Instead, it was an unpleasant depiction of a rich person's inability to deal with the world as it is, rather than as he might want it to be.
The Magazine deserves better.
25
"You can fool a fan, but you can't fool a player." Tony Robbins and Kanye West are a perfect pair. Wait, make that, a perfect menage a trois: Tony Robbins, Kanye West and bi-polar disorder. You, the media, need to stop treating the vagaries of a neurologically-flash flooded brain as anything more than that. I'm less, but similarly challenged, so I know whereof I speak.
20
interesting piece. like many people with a diagnosed mental illness, he struggles with it. it helps to explain the dominating part of his persona. a mind composed of inextricably intertwined blessings and curses. mr west does not seem to think that he will benefit from medication, out of fear of harming his career. i don't know if he's right or wrong about that, but, since it's likely that his mental health will continue to deteriorate over time, that choice may end up costing him far more.
7
Thank you Jon Caramanica and NYT for a really nicely written and nicely long piece. Kanye’s music might not do it for me but I do think he has something to say and I feel that’s his gift. I think he inspirational about creativity and how to be creative and how to be honest. And it’s great to see all that here. I’m looking past the ornaments and seeing the tree.
7
For everyone criticizing him over his choice to take his medication once a week: everyone's medication journey is different. It would be clearly concerning if he was overusing his medication, or if he had a kind of schizophrenic disorder. However, it seems in this case he just finds the original given dose to be too high, and for all we know, he may have already discussed this with his own doctor. It is also not clear whether he is referring to pain medication or medications such as lithium. The "once-a-week" line was also mentioned during his TMZ interview.
2
Or he may be just taking it incorrectly because he wants to, as some people do with all kinds of medication.
6
Many people with bi-polar disorder avoid the medication because they love the highs. Who wouldn't?
Interesting you called him "Kanye" all the way through the piece. Normal NYT style would be the more impersonal, less familiar "West," wouldn't it?
5
Normally the NYT style would be "Mr. West."
3
As the sister to a brother who battled bi-polar disorder until his death at age 38, this interview just makes me sad. It's been clear to me as to many of us who recognize the symptoms that Kanye is unwell. Kanye like many people with BPD is incredibly bright and creative. A BPD diagnosis often results in a profound sense of biographical disruption. The person with BPD wonders what 'normal' is and can he live a full, productive, creative life. The answer is yes! I understand the potential fear of medications that might dull that creativity but for his sake and especially his three children, I hope someone in his inner circle will convince him to stay on this meds. As others have noted, BPD isn't the kind of illness where one can cycle on and off drugs. It doesn't work that way and unfortunately, his children will pay the price as his behavior becomes increasingly erratic and disturbing during his manic cycles. I pray for the day that mental illness is treated like any manageable disease.
16
This article was beautifully written. Some parts were redundant, but all in all, it's a solid article. It gives you a good insight as to his thought process (whether you agree with it or not).
6
Let's not take away what matters, the focus of the article SUICIDE. Regardless of his political views, choice of music or how he views himself, he is having the courage to expose his mental illness. He is allowing people into his most private space and he is doing that to hopefully help others.
I am grateful for his courage to share. Depression and anxiety are conditions that affect an immense amount of people. Knowing that there are others with the same condition that can are able to live a happy life, gives people hope. Hope saves lives!
Let's look at the positive for a change.
3
Ye is a genius and as a genius myself, I see where the world misunderstands him. All these thoughts, fabulous thoughts, get mixed up in our minds and when we go to communicate them they get misunderstood. I think he has a good heart and is very open to others opinions and learning about them. He wants us all to coexist in beauty. I'm here for it. He's right, his real fans will never leave. What a great leader we have!
4
"genius" doesn't mean what you think it does.
4
"Genius" is an honorific bestowed by others. Not a pigeon feather that you use to festoon your own maga hat.
17
What could be more preposterous then the frenzied, culturally illiterate cheer-leading for flimsy, consumer created icons.
3
I made it halfway before I couldn't stand the ramblings anymore. Nothing Kanye said is profound, intelligent, or meaningful, despite the "genius" label that he loves to claim. He dances around vastly important topics without ever saying anything that shows he grasps the power of his platform. His ego will forever hinder his ability to do anything meaningful other than make (unfortunately) some great music and overpriced shoes.
50
Kanye said for the record that his genius put him in the same league as Thomas Edison and Henry Ford,
just to name a few historical figures who changed our civilization forever. Incredible!
8
I'd like Kayne much better if he did something really big for others who are much less fortunate than him and his wife. Like how's about a Kanye West Mental Health Center in LA for all the homeless mentally ill? It doesn't seem healthy to play around with medication dosage and some of his conversation sounds a bit manic. If multimillionaire entertainers want us to take them seriously, they should start putting more money where their mouths are to help society as a whole, not just expect us to buy all their products.
27
why is that when a person becomes rich, they HAVE to help others...when we all just trying to make it
2
It's a very simple reason. Because their success is built upon the support of others.
4
To whom much is given, much is required.
1
He needs to visit the National Museum of African American History in Washington D.C. and learn about his heritage. He never would have said those horrible things about his own community if he were educated. Less time on your ego Kanye, you’ll be old soon.
34
Okay, most of you will probably yell at me for posting something so irrelevant to the topic of this article in the comments section, but this is really, REALLY driving me crazy that I can't find the font for the title of the article!!! Does anyone know the font for the title part of the article, the part where it says "Into the Wild With Kanye West"??? Because I've searched EVERYWHERE and it doesn't seem to exist on the Internet :P
If I said I only took one round of antibiotics of what was supposed to be a seven-day course would anyone think that's a good thing? Same goes for mental health medications.
21
Disclaimer: I did not read this article beyond the headlines and the first paragraph.
My only point: Kanye West is dead to me after his assertion that centuries of black slavery in the United States was a CHOICE black folks made.
Anyone or any entity promoting him in any way henceforth only further solidifies that assertion.
28
The world is getting a front row seat in witnessing a human being fighting his way through bipolar so early on in their diagnosis. Everyone is quick to make judgments on him and we don't have to agree with his approach or his politics (I absolutely do not) - but as a fellow bipolar, I have a soft spot for what he is going through and welcome the discussion he, and others, bring to the table. I still live in fear in coming out to friends and colleagues.
And god, I can relate to this human being - as a SoCal white girl millennial. I am fairly new into my diagnosis and LOATHE the meds that doctors so quickly and prematurely prescribe. They thought I had depression so I was prescribed prozac - it took 3 office visits for them to convince me to take it - and it instantly shot me up into a massive hypomanic & disastrous state. And then one has to come to terms with who they are as a person - who is medicated me vs non-medicated me? Where does your personality begin and the lithum end? Oh no this med doesn't seem to be working - what now?? Questioning your own euphoria/happiness ...Oh and then your therapist isn't avail until 3 months down the road. (Yay kaiser?) Sigh.
I know he has the financial means to have all the therapy and treatment he wants in the world, so I hope he takes advantage of that...especially for his kids' sake.
Though I don't know how #Yeezy it is to rap about your daily Inpatient Group Therapy visits and lithium-induced diarrhea.
9
Keep in mind that in this country it is still a privilege to be treated for mental illness. Why should we have more pitty for Kanye West than the crazy homeless guy down the street? Just a thought.
20
As far as Kaiser, do what you need to do to talk to your therapist sooner. Three months is ridiculous. Call member services, they’re there to make it right.
4
“If he’d come into the public eye via technology, not music — if he were white, not black — Kanye might be viewed as a lovable, idiosyncratic futurist, not a perennial agitator.”
Way to be racist, NY Times! Blacks can be technologists.
Technologists are seen as futurists because they invent new technologies that haven’t been seen in the past.
And white technologists who don’t follow the dictates of the Times aren’t portrayed as lovable (e.g., Peter Thiel).
Lovable people don’t interrupt awards presentations (especially when said interruptions might indicate some racism).
Lovable people don’t keep paid fans waiting for hours for concerts.
Lovable people aren’t highly narcissistic.
People see Kanye as a perennial agitator because he is a perennial agitator, not because he’s black, nor because he’s a musician.
13
I don't have to read this article because the sub-heading tells me everything I need to know. Kanye West has absolutely no idea who he is, what he stands for or is committed to in life. Right now, his identity (or ego) is rooted in I am defined by what I have and what I do. Kanye if you want heal yourself, then be of service in communities that could use someone with your talents and resources. Become a mentor. The gifts you have been given by God were not given to you simply for your sole benefit. You're meant to leave the people and this planet changed for the better because you said yes to being here. If Tony didn't tell you that, then I would ask for a refund.
11
Ack! Bipolar is a physiological and chemical imbalance. It can’t be talked away, or wished away, or “warriored” away. Any treatment or point of view that espouses that is just setting up the person for a fall long term. Kanye completely lost me when he said he Proudly said he had not taken meds for 7 days. What kind of message does that send? He was better because of the self work, and the meds. Cutting back on them was a very bad idea. He’s lucky they worked. Others are not so fortunate.
Why do so many treat mental illness and brain chemistry imbalances like weakness or character flaws? They are not. If someone was seriously ill and stopped taking the meds that made them better, we would likely try to intervene. Yet, people get off of brain chemistry meds ASAP, as “part of their recovery,” usually “as soon as they feel better.” Why is such irresponsibility celebrated or given a forum?
Kanye says artists should be irresponsible. I could not disagree more. Since when is creativity a license for cultivating stupidity? The rest of us get no such leeway. If such irresponsibility really is the case, then why are such people celebrated or held up as role models?
I really went into this article wanting to understand and like this guy. All I saw was a slightly different variation of “more of the same...”
16
Brilliant and measured response. Of course, we live in a country where a diagnosable brain-disordered narcissist is running the show, so more and more adoration of the out-of-control is to be expected.
7
Kanye is tedious.
34
So, let me get this straight: the Times prints the incoherent ramblings of a seriously ill person who has great influence and that person also brags about not taking his meds. Anyone who knows anything about bipolar disorder knows that going off meds can be incredibly dangerous. It's not an exaggeration to say that spreading this brag by a very sick man who has a safety net of millions of dollars, celebrity family members, and a security team could lead to people who don't have any of those things losing or ruining their lives because they were inspired by him. Forget the Trump stuff - almost everything else he said made no sense, either. He's ill and off meds and has no idea what he's talking about. It's the bragging about going off meds part that is actually dangerous.
35
The fact that NYT is pandering to this ego makes me rethink my subscription. Other entertainment news fawn on his every move - shocked that NYT joined in.
36
I am not interested in the machinations and publicity driven manipulations of this ego-driven, often talented artist. I can have compassion for his psychological disorders, appreciate his talent, while also recognize that the COST to our country in THIS time . . . is far too great. Not Interested in Fanning this Flame.
15
I don’t think whatever Kanye does will affect America that much. Our present administration is much, much more problematic.
3
I worry for Kim Kardashian West and their children. West's rebuffing of his medication after his diagnosis is irresponsible, and I'm disappointed the Times glossed over this as it attempted to do its journalistic duty and present Kanye outside of the lines he has contributed to drawing himself.
My partner has bipolar disorder; a friend's mother has been living with the diagnosis for 50 years. Both are successful, wonderful people on their own, but also because they are both responsible and recognize the reality of their mental disorder: they take medication dutifully, visit with doctors, and have open, honest communication about their feelings and health.
West cannot do this without being responsible and honest about his disorder, and his family and loved ones will be greatly affected by that.
13
One of the best things about travelling is it gives you time to reflect. You reflect on the person you once were and the life you left behind. Travel is not important if the goal is to self reflect. My hope is that Mr West addresses the trauma(s) in his life which may explain what I perceive as erratic behavior. I hope he explores the ways in which trauma rewires the brain and changes the way people experience the world. Trauma affects the mind and body immensely and prevents those affected from living in the present. So in essence we are and become the stories we tell ourselves. Once the trauma is addressed, the next step is for Kayne not to let his ego continue to be a controlling factor in the way he acts and make decisions. So when thinking about the future, don’t tell yourself a story Kanye. The stories we tell ourselves are just labels that put us at odds not just with reality, but with the real strategy that made us successful in the first place. From that place, we might think that success in the future is just the natural next part of the story—when really it’s rooted in work, creativity, persistence, and luck. Like him or not at some point in his life Kayne West was somebody's baby. Hope you find inner peace my brother!
2
Come on NYT, you just wasted an opportunity to interview someone else that could have really talked about important things to the masses. The media always falls into this trap... embracing the glittery thing simply because it’s glittery.
Find the not so famous people who have real important insights that are going unheard. Here I see the opposite.
Elevate your own narrative. Kanye doesn’t glitter like you think he does.
29
I find this guy as brave as they come, and more interesting than just about anyone else in the hip hop game. He's *truly* an artist, refusing to be co-opted or even timely, in the way that Drake or too many other rappers are. Kanye is operating on so many levels it's dazzling to watch, if painful to experience for him. Public life in 2018 means that the vox populi is extremely brittle about just about anything, making artistic expression very, very difficult if it means cutting through prevailing winds or saying difficult things. I agree with his idea that we need to stop cancelling people. I find that infinitely more dangerous than anything he says in splattered paint style.
6
Kanye's levels are a laughably shallow and often reflect a miserable ignorance and rank servility to lucre.
9
why did I just spend five minutes of my life reading about Kanye West?
18
Someone - preferably his doctor - needs to explain why he needs to take medication for his bi-polar disorder and how it works. He needs to know that not having to take medication is not a show of strength. Bi-polar disorder is not something he can control on his own or that can be "cured." It's shocking that someone with that much money and access to the best medical care would be allowed to remain so ignorant about his own illness. His family should be educated about it as well. Attitudes and ignorance like his perpetuate the stigma of mental illness. Think of the good he could do helping to educate people about mental health by sharing his experience - if he actually understood and accepted it. And while this article wasn't focused on his illness, I still think it's irresponsible of the writer to just quote his ignorant comments without addressing the fact that he clearly doesn't understand his illness or the use of medications to control it.
13
Well written, Jon
1
I am very surprised that the word "narcissism" didn't come up in this article at all. Like Donald Trump, it defines Kanye more than nearly any other word. As someone who respects a lot of the creative aspects of Kanye's career, I still think the man is a media monster. Something terrible happened once he stepped out from behind the studio console and started shining a spotlight in his own face. Unfortunately, what we are looking at now is much more an attempt at creating a cult of personality than anything else. It's what worked for Trump. Less horrifyingly, it seems to be working for Kanye too.
23
Medication is the only path for dealing with bi-polar disorder for EVERYONE who suffers from that illness. It IS the only path. If you don't understand why, google "bi-polar disorder" and educate yourself. This has NOTHING to do with race.
11
Saint Kanye.????
He's brilliant, but one of the most publicly self absorbed characters in pop culture - Trump being the other supreme example in the moment. But Trump lacks any creative force, and is delivering destruction.
West IS a creative force. He IS an artist of tremendous talent, and I hope that he continues to find new avenues of expression for years.
He is also mentally ill - and with a disease where the manic highs are associated with an energy which - in people with talent-may fuel explosively creative times. But it doesn't mean that every utterance is wise. (Or that stopping meds because is conducive to maintaining your daily functioning).
[Tony Robbins? Does this family believe that celebrity and wealth is the solution to everything?]
He is fascinating - tho' I have the feeling that this is a little ghoulish - watching a high wire act without a net across a chasm.
11
Don't romanticize mental disease.....until you have to live w/ a family member/loved one struggling w/ mental disease you really have no idea what it's like. Mental disease does not enhance artistic talent...so forget that myth....any talent the person may have is damaged by the disease.....don't confuse them.....for example Jackson Pollock was not a great artist because of his alcoholism, he was a great talent but his disease destroyed him and his creative talent....compare to Matisse or Picasso who lived long healthy lives and were continually creative until they passed on.
3
I am not a particular fan of Kanye, but he is able to be open and vulnerable in a way that I do not believe Trump can ever be. Also, Kanye might embrace being a three-year-old, but he uses it to make music, not policy. I can respect both those things.
10
I enjoyed this article!
Listen to his old joints he produced for Jay-Z back in the oughts for an indication of his undeniable talent. His knack for picking out and manipulating a sample is uncanny. Seriously, if it was easy everyone would be doing it. Wait -nowadays everyone is doing it and nobody sounds like him.
I caught up with YE and I've never heard anything quite like it. It's very strange. I think he is very strange. He is on the edge looking outward,
The visceral dislike of Kanye espoused here in the comments is surprising to me.
The NERVE of that guy.. being rich and successful and having opinions. It's outrageous. Almost like he's free to think, say and do what he wants.
Personally I take that as a good sign, not a bad one.
13
I really think his choice comment was taken somewhat out of context. Of course no one would ever choose such a thing. Throughout history, people have been under someone else's rule. Revolution eventually happens, when people start to not choose to be enslaved. Maybe if you think about it, Kanye is a revolutionary after all, in the new age of social media.
7
People...focus on the music! THE MUSIC!!! How many artists can you think of who were (at best) narcissistic or (at worst) sociopathic? The art speaks for itself. If you don't understand the language, then struggle with the work until you do. Or give up; everyone has that choice. Engage, or turn away.
I choose to engage with Mr. West's work and find extraordinary depth and humanism, not to mention many instances of musical genius. He's an electronic production whiz, dramatically utilizing a wide palate of vocal textures, sampling techniques, compositional choices, and melody. Thematically, I'm particularly drawn to the depth of West's relationship with his mother (see: "Hey Mama" and "Only One") and his fear of losing his inner child (see: all of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and "Ghost Town").
Personally, I think laying bare his psychological struggles and shining light on the personal traumas of even hyper-confident individuals has made for some of the most "of-the-moment" and exciting releases of the year. His recent 5-album streak is a true feat best enjoyed with a deep knowledge of his catalog and his personal life. Anything deeper than surface level enjoyment can only be achieved through engaging with West's work by trying to understand his experience.
10
So Kanye is like Trump. No matter how disgusting his statements and behavior his music continues to sell, sell, sell. That's just what he wants and all he cares about.There is no conscience at work, it's part of his act, so people will buy, buy, buy his product and think it's something arty.
26
The following would apply to KW:
10. If he were to pat you on the back, you would list it on your resume.
9. He once ran a marathon, because it was on his way.
8. Mosquitos refuse to bite him purely out of respect.
7. If he were to mispronounce your name, you would feel compelled to change it.
6. If opportunity knocks, and he's not home, opportunity waits.
5. His two cents is worth $37 in change.
4. Once, a rattlesnake bit him. After five days of excruciating pain, the snake finally died.
3. When he has a 50/50 shot, the odds are 80/20 in his favor.
2. He has won the lifetime achievement award, twice.
1. His words carry weight that would break a less interesting man's jaw.
Thanks to Dos Eq and “the most interesting man in the world”.
16
Jon, that special access to really important people that you enjoy is a sweet, sweet thing ain't it?
13
Overrated not only because of his self-importance but that somehow, SOMEHOW, gets people to believe that his messages of misogyny and ego make you a talented talent.
His incredibly boorish behavior at awards events should have been enough. But his words both in and out of his songs should nail him as a player caring about nothing except his image and money.
Yet he makes millions!
It’s hysterical and sad at the same time.
17
In the picture at the top of the article, he looks like he's about to cry.
He's listed at 5'8" but if that's true I'm the king of Scotland.
He's got little man syndrome.
7
I never got into or understood the Kanye phenomenon, and this piece didn't help. Don't get it at all. For a big time black artist to support Trump simply doesn't compute on its face. Can't get past it. I wonder if Obama still listens to his music.
8
Kanye’s journey has been tumultuous and his views on politics and history at times controversial. But the music keeps getting better and better. The rawness and beauty of Ye speaks volumes about his process and genius. Thank you for your music Kanye. I love you unconditionally and immensely appreciate your gifts.
7
Back in 2008 we lived in Sewanee, Tatersee, near Manchester, where the annual Bonaroo music festival is held.
That year Mr. West was the headliner on Saturday night.
My daughter, then 18, was very excited about the prospect of seeing Pearl Jam, the band set to perform just before West on Saturday night, but ecstatic at the prospect of seeing “Kanye”.
I had no idea who he was and asked her. She in so many words told me he was the coolest thing since sliced bread.
Pearl Jam went on stage on schedule but performed a 4 hour set instead of 3, where, as my daughter described, Eddie Vetter “sang his heart out.” The set ended at 8:45 and West was the next and last act of the night.
West then proceeded to make the tens of thousands in attendance wait until 4:45 a.m. while sitting in his trailer until coming on, for no other reason than he felt like it. He then performed a half hearted, short and mediocre set according to my daughter and national rock critics like Rolling Stone in attendance.
From that day forward she has had no interest in the self absorbed narcissistic poseur that is West.
In a 100 years no one will remember him or his “music.”
But as for Pearl Jam, just the opposite.
27
While I would be heated if I went through the type of concert experience you describe, but this is by far the most uninformed, rockist perspective I've read. Kanye's views on foregoing research and operating 1000% on feelings are bogus, but not as bogus as suggesting that Pearl Jam will outlast his musical output. And "sliced bread"? Come on, son.
4
[[From that day forward she has had no interest in the self absorbed narcissistic poseur that is West.]]
Whatever she paid for the tickets, she got a great life lesson at a bargain.
3
I read most of it but got bored. Kanye’s opinion and state of mind is about as relevant as Bono’s. Enjoy their music, not their rambling.
14
Bono unlike KW is a humanitarian and puts himself on the line for humanitarian causes.
14
My healing routine doesn't usually include being accompanied by reporters for 3 days, but you do you.
17
Should we cry for this poor, “well-off” man-as-“three-year-old,” who is too concerned about others (oh, please, spare me) to scream in his own house? (God forbid the nanny and the housekeeper might hear him.) Not in a million years. This guy simply doesn’t matter. His runimatioms are no more than a mouse squeak in the Grand Canyon. Don’t encourage him.
44
Why, oh why, must we hear about the troubles of this "troubled" millionaire narcissist? We've already got the ones in the White House to listen to...
43
"but just standing up and saying what you feel, and not even doing a lot of research on it. Having a political opinion that’s overly informed, it’s like knowing how to dress, as opposed to being a child — “I like this.” "
This, the same day Bryan W. Van Norden writes that people are entitled to their opinions, but not our attention. Why is the Times giving this guy any coverage? Sorry, he is not a genius. His "genius" is bipolar mania, and folks have decided to believe the naked emperor is wearing beautiful clothes.
37
My thoughts exactly...oh, the irony.
5
That’s the thing about art, you like it or you don’t. People spend hundreds of millions on a piece of art that looks like something a first grader did.
Bryan W. Van Norden just wrote an opinion piece on this very news site. I think his comments should be applied to Mr. West who seems to have lost his bearings. He should try to find them again, in private before he speaks out again.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/25/opinion/free-speech-just-access.html?...
4
Maybe Kim and Kanye should try depending on the ACA. Maybe the Times should run some stories about those everyday Americans who do. And are scared to death.
14
Or try being one of the Americans whose premiums went up twofold because of the ACA. .
4
Sounds like he could be America's first black Republican president.
I'll vote for him if He keeps this up.
2
Honestly, why? What do you imagine he’d do to make this country better, to make the world better?
15
SAD!
8
He doesn't deserve this recognition. NYT resources are better placed in legitimizing the needs & ideas of the defenseless. If he is marginalized it is because of his lack of accountability. Respect is not due but earned.
29
"Into the Wild with Kanye West"?
Nope. "Yeezus," Gary Busey and Ted Nugent are 3 celebrities to be observed from a distance. In particular, the idea of being with any of them in a remote area or "the wild" would make any reasonable person at least a little nervous for their own sanity if nothing else. Starting to understand one of their minds is like suddenly starting to feel warm in sub-zero temperatures... not a good sign.
22
Haha this made me laugh out loud.. Spot on.
5
This is the best comment ever. I laughed uncontrollably for a good 5 minutes. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
1
"Starting to understand one of their minds is like suddenly starting to feel worm in sub-zero temperatures."
... or like starting to feel comfortable as the frog soup is heating.
3
Multiple journalists have asked Kanye "but what about <insert here: Muslims, blacks, whatever>" only to have him say "I don't agree with everything President Trump says" in one form or another.
The real question is what policy or policies of President Trump does Kanye agree with, not which ones does he disagree with? Any WHY does he agree with that policy - and has he looked at the evidence, pro and con, on that policy? I'd like to hear what Kanye believes, not what he doesn't believe. Where's the substance?
23
Wait, why is that the question?! Why should we care what an artist thinks about specific policies? Art doesn’t have to be (and in most cases, if it’s decent art, shouldn’t be) an explicit endorsement of this or that policy. Art tends to be a bit deeper (or shallower) or more personal (or more abstract) than that.
In my opinion, Kanye has made beautiful, powerful music for many years. I respect him as an artist. But I don’t expect him to have well-developed policy positions. His professed affection for Trump is childish and silly. But I don’t see why that matters. Maybe we shouldn’t be so quick to evaluate each other solely based on policy positions. There’s more to life than this.
4
What Kanye is reluctant to state plainly but what is inferred by his reference to Nat Turner is that it certainly wouldn't be HIS choice to remain one. Invoking the name of the man who came within days of overthrowing/abolishing slavery by killing all white people is not the mindset of a sunken place man. It is because he's comparing himself to such a radical that he's reluctant to go into detail, not because he believes anybody chose to be enslaved.
2
Kanye West probably never heard of Nat Turner until he made that wild, unreasoned statement on why black people were enslaved for 400 years but didn't free themselves; guess some one educated him about
Nat Turner.
Wonder what West would say if he knew some black men were forced to fight for the Confederacy in Virginia, including my great, great grandfather.
Sad.
14
Again, you're completely missing his point. He said"400 years? That sounds like a choice." The implication being it most certainly wouldn't have been his choice. When pressed, he said he would've chosen Nat Turner's route,which, with all due respect, was not to wait a couple of hundred years for the Civil War, but was to determine his own fate at the time of his choosing. These are not the words or thoughts of the unreasoned. He simply didn't say what you think.
1
Those black people who lived their lifetime as enslaved persons didn’t do so because they didn’t make a choice to be free. The people enslaving them weren’t simply waiting to be asked to liberate them. They used brutal methods to enforce slavery. They had help from non slaveowners to enforce the enslavement of blacks. It was not a choice.
I was only able to read about half of this article before I had to stop. I'm sorry, but treating bipolar disorder without a proven medical treatment (vs. Tony Robbins' entreaties) and suggesting that such treatments always inhibits creativity is simply rubbish. Or in the words of Kanye's dragon energy buddy, Donald Trump, it's just "Sad!"
25
Kanye's dialogue sounds very unsettling and of a mind out of balance. I hope Kanye returns to his meds, for his sake and his families. Bipolar disorder is very serious, and one pill a day is not going to help him, he will get worse.
15
Right about everything. His grandiosity is the dead giveaway. The three states of bipolar: hypomania, hypermania and euthymic are managed well when the right chemical balance is achieved. Having family members with the disease, I know the dangers of unmediated mania; he could snap in a minute and become homicidal. It sounds to me as if he hears voices all the time, frankly. He also has no sense of auto-irony or light hearted humor. The intensity and his morbid viewpoints are danger signs as well. But he's Kanye and he's rich and famous, so we just have to pray he doesn't flip out again, for the family's sake. For the record, Le Parisien reported his meltdown as a psychotic, but American papers avoided any reference to the maturecof his behavior.
1
"If he’d come into the public eye via technology, not music — if he were white, not black — Kanye might be viewed as a lovable, idiosyncratic futurist, not a perennial agitator."
Really? He already has a massive cult following, 68 Grammy nominations, and millions of people who listen to his music. I don't know anyone who dislikes Kanye West because he's black. It's because he's entitled ("my life is hard because I can't scream in my living room, lest my nanny and maid hear me" , ignorant (I say what I feel without doing any research") and doesn't think before he speaks.
Compare this to Anne Hathaway, a white woman, who was wildly derided for merely trying too hard.
25
The Times has published at least 20 articles and opinion pieces about Kanye West in the last two months alone. Why? Who’s the audience? Is this how an institution criticized as “too White” balances its coverage? By dedicating limited resources to Trump’s Black Twitter counterpart?
At least take a more skeptical stand. He was praised for speaking truth to power early in his career when he blasted MTV for snubbing Beyoncé in the middle of the VMAs and called out Bush on live TV for his disastrous response to Katrina. Since then, however, he has repeatedly embarrassed himself; turns out his pretensions to genius dwarf a shallow intellect. Yet the media keeps indulging his delusions and his fans stick with him. Why? Why do “woke” fans and cultural critics give Kanye a pass for doing and saying the kinds of things that get college presidents fired and turn other celebrities into pariahs? Where are the protests? The boycotts? Where’s his reckoning?
If the Times must write about him, these are the questions I wish they’d ask.
70
"Do you feel that if black fans abandon you, that’s something that you could come back from? Do you think that is a death blow?" "It’s not going to happen."
Hello! Earth to darlin' Kanye: for some black people like me, abandoning the mess known as Kanye West (bless his heart, though!) happened, like, three releases ago. The slavery remark - which he cannot talk his way out of, despite some in the media trying to allow him to - was just a confirmation for many of "Yeah, made the right choice."
Put it this way: the normally restrained and gracious President Obama has thrown shade on Kanye *twice* in interviews (which is why Kanye is a Trump guy, by the way - it's not about Trump for Kanye; it's about Obama). Have y'all known President Obama to publicly throw shade on people on a regular basis? No? Then what does tell you about Kanye West?
52
I'm very surprised at the preponderance of dismissive comments here that argue that since there are serious problems in the world, a reputable newspaper should not waste time on trivia. If that is true, why is there a sports section in every newspaper?
5
I think it's because some people are interested in sports.
10
Paul— so true!
5
And some people are interested in Kanye West.
2
Bipolar disorder is a serious mental illness. Would a diabetic be encouraged to stop taking medication? What about someone with rheumatoid arthritis? What an idiotic, uneducated choice and an irresponsible statement to make. I pray none of his kids inherit his disease.
19
Isn’t that so characteristic of mental illness in general, that adhering to taking medication appears to often be a problem?
For those of us who have lived in Jackson and the Tetons, it is a special place. Magical? No. Just open to letting those who respect nature and feel small and insignificant to appreciate nature's beauty.
I'm being very sarcastic, but I'm amazed that he didn't go to Sedona where crystals and vortices and vibrations may have realigned him.
The concern is that for some reason kids ran out to have pictures taken and basically worship him. I guess when you are that important, in your own mind, you don't travel incognito, it was really all for show and to bolster his own ego.
7
Appalling. To think multi-millionaires can't get the care and attention they need.
Wait...but...they can. What?
Sad, misunderstood megalomaniac.
28
I read as far as him being so proud that he is no longer taking medication to manage his bipolar disorder. That explains a lot.
27
Such a foolish story - a motivational speaker tells a celebrity a string of cliches and we should be reading about it? There’s an opioid epidemic in this country AND a health care crisis. My neighbor gets his “head straight” by calling in sick and sleeping for 3 days. His life is very, very tough and I’ll bet the retreat center where Kanye is staying would be much more therapeutic and helpful to him. This article reinforces how truly far the class system
in America has widened. My poor neighbor and friend...he really struggles.
55
Dear NYT,
Medicare, Social Security, Medicaid are being cut. The tariffs are making jobs move to Europe. Canada is no longer going to be our country's friend and kids are being stolen and moved to who knows where. Cause they don't know in DC. So I'm sorry about Kanye but he should get medical help for his depression cause I'm sure HE has health insurance and start focusing on the folks that have pre-existing conditions of Americans that don't. Knock off the fluff. Time to get serious.
70
The media in fact, helps create distractions for us from the realities of life.How many days can the public tolerate stories of the separated immigrant families without rising up? How's about a story about Kanye (and Kim), always a great diversion for we weak minded consumers.
1
I find it very interesting how horrible some of these comments are to read.
I rarley read the nyt simply because of mean and vile comments done by sudo-intellects.
Kanye west; thank you for bringing light to rap music and expanding our culture. Do not forget that 99% of the people in these comments would never dare say this to you in person. Kanye is the driving force for just being able to say how you feel and be yourself. People in the comments need kanye more than his fans #listentothekidsbro
10
I hardly think my comment was mean and vile. I questioned why the NYT would even want to spend three days with this fellow. And trust me Andrew, I don't need Kanye - I hope he gets the help he needs but that is about the extent of it.
15
Some of us are annoyed by the attention this guy and his famous-for-being-famous wife get. I quit being interested in Kanye & Family when they started receiving special favors from our right-wing president.
14
“Kanye is the driving force for just being able to say what you feel and be yourself”—
Oh, boy. If that low bar is what passes for a kind of public service, no wonder we’re in such a weird place. But also, do you really think that prior to Kanye, no one was spouting this banal doctrine of “saying what you feel?”
And how in the world did that come to be such a core value for so many people? Is there nothing more nuanced to which we can aspire?
10
I cannot respect Kanye West
His info just isn't the best.
Slavery was a choice?
Trump is one of the boys?
He should keep such thoughts close to his vest.
28
What an outrageously puffed-up legend in his own mind. He thinks being obtuse and uttering half-baked musings translates to some sort of wisdom and edginess, but he's just uneducated and dull. Yawn.
78
Being a woman of a certain age, i am not at all familiar with Kanye West. I have, however, read about his most recent statements about his liking for Trump and Slavery having been a choice. It seems apparent that this man is seriously mentally hill and if he doesn't take his meds, he will spiral way out of control.
I don't really understand the overwrought analyses of celebrities like this, given far greater musicians in this world to cover. If Kanye West, not to mention the Kardashian Reality show, can achieve untold amounts of money and endless coverage, what does that tell us about where this country is going?
39
If, as you say, you're "not at all familiar with Kanye West," then how can you justify your assertion that there are "far greater musicians in this world to cover"? This may seem obvious to you. But why?
I think you're making some assumptions. I encourage you to think through them and maybe question some of them.
14
Writing lyrics does not a musician make. Having the ear and technical expertise to organize the electronics, synthesizers, and regular acoustic instruments makes one a good engineer, not necessarily a musician either; playing instruments and singing well - that's a musician. Is that Kanye? Or did I miss something?
1
Hey CA the arbiter of proper comments.
I have listeeed to his nonsensical album Ye. And I'd go as far as saying I could throw a rock into a crowd and hit a far worthier musician.
I think it's clear to most of us that Kanye belongs on TMZ and the NY Post with his empty headed wife. Or is plastic surgery a sign of intelligence?
I don't understand why Kanye West (or his wife's family) gets so much front page attention. Surely, there are other more-deserving talents out there.
Must "constructed" celebrity be promoted here?
46
And mean while Anita Baker was given a life time award at the BET's last night, and is getting ready to tour for the first time in years. In my mind the greatest singer ever, and not a word from the Times. We get this instead.
98
Thank you for mentioning this - Anita Baker is truly one of the greats.
10
Please do a "Three Days with Eminem" article. I would be curious to see if the applicable comments differ from the comments written here - I believe they would be substantially different but I'd like to see the evidence before reaching a conclusion.
8
I would far prefer three days with Eminem over 3 minutes of Kanye.
But how do you think comments here would be different?
Especially since these are two completely different artists with two completely different personalities, not to mention completely different political commentaries.
Apples and oranges even before you start this comparison.
13
Kanye is a jerk, egomaniac and a narcissist just like Trump! So yeah the comments will be different.
19
I'm certainly glad the Kanye survived the wilds of Jackson Hole. Imagine that, walking two miles? Were there even sidewalks? Or, did he have to walk along the treacherous and uneven shoulders of the roadway? I'm certainly glad his security caravan was close at hand, just in case something happened and he needed to be airlifted back to civilization. #greatexplorer #findinghimselfinnature?
31
Let's take a break from, Kanye, the Kardashian's and Tony Robbins, please. Enough is enough.
26
Uncle Tommy....and sharp as a pickle!
3
A resort in Jackson is not in the "Wild West". It is just another fancy place where the rich and famous can be coddled. Why oh why oh why would someone with a personal chef, who provides nutrition info with meals, then go on short drive and pick up doritos and jerky on the way?
The scenery around Jackson is really great. However, a trip to the Red Desert would do more to clear the mind and soothe the soul.
Try sleeping in a tent and fishing. Try getting away from light pollution and see what the night sky really looks like. Get a little closer to the "Wild West."
21
I've enjoyed Kanye's music for almost 15 years. In that time I've read quite a few sympathetic essays like this. I've also read many comments about those essays. And I've come to realize that some people simply refuse to see hip hop as art. It's a shame.
Maybe it's also a teachable moment. I can't teach those people to appreciate hip hop (though I have tried), but maybe I can teach myself to question my sensibilities as I age. Maybe when I'm sixty I won't, like some of the commenters here, categorically deny the merit of the art forms of younger generations.
At the very least, I hope I won't sound as pompous and smug as most of you do.
13
One can wholeheartedly endorse hip hop as an art form (as I do) and still have no use for Kanye West.
14
Maybe he should tell his wife cornrows did not come from Bo derick...this is the woman he married...the Kardashian’s steal art from African Americans .... profit .....then apologize...wake up..and stop trying to act superior like hip hop is the lol holy grail this is serious
A commodity, packaged, bought and sold. There is underground hip hop, they still do battles out in B'klyn. But they don't get the press or the grab the headlines because corporate entities choose, push and promote what they want.
3
Untreated Mental Illnesses,opioids and denial: as a medical professional I have never seen it work out for the affected individuals in a positive and purposeful way.. but I wish him luck!
16
Now we know Kanye and his wife . Now ...I can’t wait what kind of children come out of the combinations!
1
Since Kanye West is only a name to me maybe it really is pretty irrelevant waht i think.
"To his mind, he was supporting a friend and kindred spirit." if this is true so what. If he is a kindred spirit probably good to take him at his word. If he is a freind I don't think it is great to try and dictate to him how he should be with his friend or try and put a wedge between them. If he actively becomes a mouthpiece for the policies that is another thing.
On Saturday the country will be flooded with people out in the streets to express their pain and solidarity with those who are being brutalized and traumatized by Trump's assault on immigrants. The racist hatred of this administration, its particular cruelty to dark skinned children is driving people into action in ways I have never seen before. If Kanye West wants to join the marchers in the streets or at the borders or at the detentions centers it would be wonderful. One and one makes a million. If not I doubt there is one person who will notice.
6
There is nothing profound in his search or ramblings. The idea that artists be allowed to act like toddlers, or that existence is akin to premium denim, at best, misguided.
I guess to his hypebeast stans this rings profound. But it's just a novelty to the elites he courts so shamelessly.
11
If civilization survives long enough for retrospection of the period of history in which a large segment of society considered violence-glorifying and/or misogynistic, moon-June-spoon rhymes set to beat box rhythms as art, history will not look kindly on journalists and media that took this seriously.
And Kanye West - the man insulted and became furious at a wheelchair-bound man for not standing up at one of his "concerts" for chrissakes...
22
"And though it was almost two miles from the restaurant to the Movieworks Cinema 4, where he wanted to see "Solo: A Star Wars Story," he decided to walk."
WOW!!!
15
It is obvious that Kanye identifies with Donnie because he shares his totally self-absorbed narcissism. Every utterance in this article tightly spirals down into me, myself and I. That this man reflects the zeitgeist is horrifying!
44
I can't help but think that the "Kanye Show" is purely an Emperor's New Clothes - typed thing. That's his connection with Trump. The absurdist, self obsessed, narcissism that attracts the moths but really has no value. Dude is making it up as he goes along and you call him a genius. I call you a sucker. I admit to having listened extensively to his music over the last 5 or 6 years and there is something attractive there. I just keep coming back to the fact that he is a 3 year old and 3 year olds aren't supposed to be taken as seriously as 3 Year Old Kanye is. His gravity is made of dust.
13
Read the whole thing. What a windbag. He is like Trump - I'll give him that. Self-crowned, self-aggrandizing, the One and Only who can save the world like a Super-Hero (More like Super-Zero). If he wasn't so arrogant I'd give his music a chance; now I just turn the station because the pose just seems so fake and in your face ... and so needy.
He turned me off years ago when he clearly started thinking he's Jesus. Jesus was humble. Yeezus? Yeah, right.
Hate to go there but perhaps his PR people came up with the
Manic depressive bit to keep the Kanye show going. I got my own issues, but am not Manic depressive; but wonder about people who do have it and are miserable because of it and then they listen to this charlatan acting like it's a bit of a trippy walk on the wild side and that it's his Super Power.
Sounds like, as usual, the man needs an intervention.
22
"“He could look at me and you know, I don’t know why he mentioned suicide, but he could tell that I was very low,” Kanye recalled in early June over breakfast at the rustic modernist home here that he’s been renting and making music in."
Oh, I dunno. Maybe...just MAYBE, and I might be out on a limb or four...coulda had something to do with certain lyrics in that one "Power" track? (Hint: the official video uses but a snippet of it. Listen elsewhere.)
-----
"“We need to be able to be in situations where you can be irresponsible,” he said. “That’s one of the great privileges of an artist. An artist should be irresponsible in a way — a 3-year-old.”"
Well he's got the ego and attention hunger of an unstraightened 3-year-old, so there's that. Look, I dunno if Kanye's is really manic-depression, or (far more likely) NPD like his new White House occupant friend, and ye gods I really don't care; but either way: Take. Your. Meds.
8
a quote from elsewhere in today's NYT:
"...we are experiencing what [Herbert] Marcuse described as 'the systematic moronization of children and adults alike by publicity and propaganda.'”
this man is a case in point.
15
Flying in hundreds of people via jumbo jet to eat barbecue and dance... Thirteen bags of secondhand clothes...
Hmm, sounds like bipolar disorder out of control!
17
Just dropped in to say: don't care about marketing fluff pinned on a Kanye wildlife rehabilitation.
Get a grip.
6
The challenge is for The New York Times and The New Yorker to explain why middle aged white journalist are so enamored of West. I'd also like to know how they rationalize completely ignoring pretty much all serious American music not to mention the rest of world's music. What is it about material mainly supported by adolescent males that so appeals? Do they think it makes them seem hip?
13
I really do not understand the NYT's obsession with this mentally ill person. You give him more coverage than Bernie Sanders, Angela Merkel, Kamala Harris, Trey Gowdy, Ta-Nehisi Coates and John McCain combined. And your Editorial page complains about the public not paying attention to important matters and not voting.
27
Seriously, what is the point of this? The idea of profiling and giving attention to a celebrity who is by all accounts sick, narcissistic and doing nothing to help this divided nation really says something about the NYT's willingness for clicks. It's this type of unnecessary attn that also got Trump elected.
16
“We need to be able to be in situations where you can be irresponsible. That’s one of the great privileges of an artist. An artist should be irresponsible in a way — a 3-year-old.”
No, WEST, you are not an ARTIST. You are a 3-year old. This is the truth in what you said.
New York Times, why do you ENABLE a 3-year old? I know you have to write about the 3-year old in the WH but you take the paper down completely when you go WILD WEST!
13
This interview is bizarre outrageous, just like this narcissistic, outrageous man. Kayne West is just a stupid person but very, very smart when it comes to self-promotion. A 3yr old says that a celebrity artist has to given an artistic license. And he believes it! Give me a single 3yr. old who can say just a few other words besides Mama and Dada. Now he is simply back-tracking from his obnoxious, unforgivable statements on record with pictures with his buddy Trump, a narcissistic person himself who just wants a Black Prop. And this Prop does'nt even realize that he is just a prop, his celebrity notwithstanding. " Being a slave for 400 years is a choice. " This is beyond an insult for African Americans, himself included. That 400 years ago African Americans were just Africans living their lives happily in Africa shows his absolute ignorance about his ancestry, about his family in America who were in bondage, treated worse than animals. And that is a choice ??!! Minus his celebrity he would be rotting in a jail put there by the likes of Trump. He now says, he is being treated for being bipolar. What a perfect excuse for his depravity! Or it may be because he goes off his meds willy-nilly. That is a sure-fire way for bipolar disease to emerge with a vengeance. No, he is just a liar, a narcissist, a weasel and a sorry excuse of a human being, a total disgrace for African-Americans or rather for all Americans.
9
Why does the Times continue to give valuable media space to this man? In what sphere of our society does he have real and lasting influence so as to merit this kind of coverage? Tweeting garbage and unrelenting narcissism should not be primary reasons for NYT interviews (president potty mouth included).
8
Why is the so-called “paper of record” putting anything Kanye on my front page?
I can barely get any coverage on the repeated and many corruption scandals of my NYC Mayor’s and the NY State’s Governor’s office, but 3 days with an incoherent megalomaniac no one elected is front page news?
Kris Kardashian, the world’s best momager must be howling with laughter at what she has accomplished here.
As they say in the Emerald Isles: sort your -sheet- mate.
13
Who cares! Funny that you should publish this besides a piece that asks who should get an audience.
2
One of the problems with this guy is that he blurs rap with reality and indeed raps when he talks.
He’s really rather a pathetic creature. And the people that listen to him are as gullible as Trump’s core.
8
Kanye is just a typical American idiot with money and the attitude that they are better and know better than everyone else. No mental problems, no childhood issues. Just that, a belief that they are better.
4
The ignoramus who thinks slavery was a "choice" probably thinks lynching was a choice. Why does the media continue to give such prominent air time to the black version of Roseanne Barr?
6
Stop. Please. Just stop. Devoting one more word in this esteemed paper to this buffoon demeans you and your audience - much as the now-irrelevant West has done. If your writers are so obsessed with him and his vile in-laws, send them to the Enquirer whose readers eat this nonsense up.
13
Why? Why is it that the Times continues with its adoring puffery of this blathering, inarticulate, man-child? If West had any reasoned considerate opinion of anything outside of his body of work I might be interested. Instead we get another story of a moody, misunderstood artist retreating from the lime light to lick their self-inflicted wounds. Color me bored.
5
I love Kanye, always have and always will. Like he says in the article, he's a sensitive soul. He's someone with mental illness who will help to destigmatize it without even trying. As much as people want to dismiss him as "irrelevant," he is one of our culture’s greatest influencers of music and fashion. He shapes the way young people and other artists see things. He creates and destroys. He falls; he gets up. He’s human.
14
Kanye, Think about tipping the next time you eat at a restaurant, especially when your meal is comped.
Example: The Sugar Factory you went to last week.
31
Most celebrities are pretty normal, cool people when in your restaurant. But I do remember the one guy (not Kanye) who asked me on the way out "Did my man tip you?" When I replied politely in the negative, he said "Oh....... sorry, man."
Then after a moment where it seemed to register that I was an actual human being, he felt the need to explain.... "Well, I don't do it. I'm cheap."
1
I never thought much of Kanye, but this article makes me think again. Yes, he is privileged, in a bubble, able to pay to deal with whatever craziness...but he is seriously thinking and feeling and exploring what this human life means, or trying to. And you know, more power to him for that.
7
It seems as if we give certain celebrities much liberty compared with the rest of us "mere mortals." I am not a fan of the Kanye and Kim enterprise which reminds me partly of how Beyonce and Jay-Z have created their empire. I am more impressed with the scores of extremely talented musicians that I discover thanks to the NYTimes playlist and other sources here in Canada. Part of me understands the approach of the aforementioned given the racial disparities that continue to exist however what is missing for me is the grace and humility that is part of being wise and truly evolved. Lastly I am very bothered by how Drake is attacked and brought into the media in a negative way. He is I agree the most talented and does not have the huge media craziness that Kanye and Kim deliberately create. And I suspect that they would not really care about these opinions in any way...which is a different attitude that Drake holds. So alas I will never be a Kanye fan but I don't think he cares anyway.
3
You can tell the people who didn't fully read the article or simply skimmed. I thought this article was well-balanced and gave context to Kanye's most recent battles. It really saddens me that so many people are passing judgement like we're not coping with our own issues. We place too many celebrities on a pedestal especially when they make mistakes and aren't forgiven. The things Kanye says and does should not be taken in the literal sense. The things he says really make sense to him, but just isn't great at articulating out loud. Fortunately, people like me get it. I didn't care for Kanye when he came onto the scene, but in the last few years he's grown on me. In interviews prior to the one with Char and Tmz, he shows a very human side and is willing to share his personal issues. This isn't something we see everyday and it's pretty refreshing. It's just unfortunate that the media is using his issues to exploit and make money. I just want to thank Kanye for sharing his personal struggles because we all are struggling, but just afraid to admit it.
11
"We place too many celebrities on a pedestal"
Aren't you doing precisely what you criticize?
"The things Kanye says and does should not be taken in the literal sense."
Why not? Not taking people at their word has obvious consequences, which the whole country is now coming to terms with.
3
I am a fan of Tony Robbins, I read a couple of his books and thought they were very insightful.
However, he clearly is not trained or capable of dealing with a man who is grappling with serious mental illness which seems to be what Kanye is struggling with.
Kanye should be under the care of a mental health professional. The notion that he could be a danger to himself or loved ones is not unrealistic.
26
Great interview, a really enjoyable read!
2
Good to see Kanye reaffirm his preference for Bernie Sanders, while still appreciating Trump's energy. Like most people, he prefers these outsiders to the elite establishment. Most media tries to paint him as a Trump conservative in an attempt to control the outsider energy that culture is moving towards.
7
Funny how Sanders’ 16 years in Washington earn him ‘outsider’ status.
6
28 years, Tess, and still the #1 outsider!
A true "outsider" in this political climate would be seeking to break the power of both establishment parties.
If there is anything I learned in journalism school, it is that what you choose to write about is just as important (if not moreso) than what you write. Choosing to give Kanye (an entitled, out of touch celebrity) MORE of a voice is ethically irresponsible. He himself says he believes in "standing up and saying what you feel, and not even doing a lot of research on it." Kanye is advocating for basing choices on FEELINGS instead of FACTS -- is that really what our country needs MORE of at this dire political moment? LESS critical thinking?
I find this piece irresponsible. I love the NYTimes. I believe in balance. But invest your time in writing stories we need -- that further the conversation over the nihilistic notion that we give up on facts/research/truth.
191
Seconded. Bad look for the times, Jon.
4
Well stated. It’s long past time this nation celebrated Reason and Reality based thinking again!
We’ve had way too many loopy, self absorbed idiots wandering off a cliff screaming, “look at me! I’m important!” The country is currently run by one of them. Such types are doing few of us any favors.
A prayer for modern times: “God save us all from ignorant narcissists!”
So, It seems Kanye went to Wyoming...without actually going to... Wyoming. Tough to be somewhere, and be nowhere.
26
"Having a political opinion thats overly informed, it's like knowing how to dress, as opposed to being a child- I like this".
What the heck does that mean?
You either support Trump's policies or you do not, you can't have it both ways.
If you don't know what his policies are, then you should become "overly informed" and make a decision based on that information.
There's a reason why we don't let children vote.
72
Here’s all you need to know. Kanye West. Jackson Hole. Amangani rented home. Skip all the rest.
16
He still supports trump.....I’m shocked by his support....and saddened..will never support this artist
15
I am not a Kanye fan, but this was an excellent article. The interspersed interview structure was surprising and I appreciate that Caraminica asked tough questions. Kanye's defense of the tmz interview is just sad.
3
Never has so much been written about so little.
227
Yes, what he said.
Expertly said.
Ok as a human being, suffering from emotional problems or mental illness should be a concern of all of us. We should do what we can to help K West.
But as an 'Artist', K West is ridiculous and who can take him or his work seriously. Really, does anyone share his esthetic? Except maybe his entourage of hangers-on, his wife and POTUS Trumpf.
WOW! POTUS likes K West! What a fabulous endorsement!!! YE!!!
26
But Jackson is not real Wyoming. Mr West should try a retreat in Rawlins. Or Wamsutter. Jackson is the biggest pool of egos in the west these days. It's like going to Disneyland and saying you went to LA to talk to the locals.
43
Kanye should be listening to the Times readers who for a change are right on instead of the ultimate quack TonyR. Fear and Loathing. Fear and Loating.
3
Kanye makes amazingly good albums. It could also be argued that he has a supreme talent for experimenting and pushing the boundaries of fame in the social media era. I don't want to dispute his genius or dismiss or diminish him in any way.
What I don't understand is why we set aside the music and start asking him about other things, like politics. Does anyone think Kanye has a genius for understanding politics or government policy or even US history? It is like getting a chance to interview Einstein and spending the hour asking him who will win the superbowl. He's entitled to an opinion, but it's not his strength. Further, why ask him to speak for "black America"? There are a LOT of very smart, very thoughtful, people who can articulate that perspective (or range of perspectives) because that is their strength.
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Kanye West, like Trump, is toxic for our country. The man called slavery a choice and has supported Trump, who’s administration embraces a campaign of violence against people of color every single day.
And the press seem to LOVE Kanye and Trump, specifically because of those “controversies.” I’m so sick of this. I know I’m not the only one. There’s GOT to be a point where editors at national news outlets wake up and say, “ya know what, there’s gotta be more to it than some ignorant celebrity saying something dumb, I’m not publishing this because it’s not a story.” So when is that? How low do we have to go before we finally hit bottom?
Does Trump have to start throwing reporters in prison for not revealing their sources like me mused about before editors start taking this seriously? Giving Kanye West even more undeserved attention because of his recent statements is no different than giving Trump all of that free press time in the run up to 2016. Proof that y’all learned NOTHING from your mistakes.
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pass. the hip hop community is somewhat in agreement, as well.
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Why are we giving so much attention to this person? This is symptomatic of the problem we have as society as a whole in which amount of attention is equated with deserving attention. There are truly great artists out there who get no air time. Then there is this man, a mediocre artist, whose opinions are dissected and debated and given so much weight when they are not worth the attention. Have the Kardashians secretly paid the NYTimes to give them airtime? Or has a the NYTimes run out of worthy people to interview? Why do we need one more interview with this person whose output in the world really doesn't help anyone? Just because someone is good at self-promotion and has the connections to further self-promote does not mean that person stands for anything worthwhile, has above-average talent, or will do anything of value in proportion with the massive resources of money and attention poured into that person as a result of their fame. Think of the ten most talented people you know and imagine giving each of them 1/10 of the resources of this person, or 1/10 of the air time in this article, and think of what they would do with that boost. Likely you'd get far more good put out in the world because they would appreciate what they were given. People of true character are the ones we should give our attention. There are AMAZING artists out there who are functional, balanced people with incredible creativity. Please name a great little-known artist you'd rather have read about.
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"Why do we need one more interview with this person whose output in the world really doesn't help anyone?"
Well, Kanye's art has deeply, personally helped me over the years. And I'm not alone.
I suspect you've never listened to Kanye's music and you don't listen to hip hop in general. I encourage you to open your mind a bit and accept that, even though you may not understand it, there are thousands (probably millions) of people around the world who take Kanye's talent very seriously. To offhandedly assume, as you do, that he's a "mediocre artist" is offensive.
4
Compare Kanye’s ordeal to what immigrants fleeing the violence of South America are going through on our southern border. I don’t want to demean either Tony Robbins or Mr. West, but they could do more for humanity and themselves by forgetting themselves, tossing their fat wallets filled with millions tucked in them away, and then flying in one of their private jets to the border to witness what impoverished suffering is truly like. Robbins could look a Guatemalan in the eyes and ask her how it feels to have her two year old daughter taken away from her. It would be silly, though Robbins might ask her to do it anyway, to walk on hot coals because she and her daughter have been fire-walking all their lives and they don’t need West or Robbins to show them how to do it.
36
Who at the NYT keeps deciding that West is news, and why? Every few weeks the same writers delve deeply into why West’s chicken crossed the road, without any indication of the meaning this person’s words, actions and wardrobe should have for any but the most hardened celebrity fanboys/girls among us. Mystifyingly incessant coverage of an irrelevant figure.
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It is genuinely odd and disappointing.
4
He gets too much attention. He’s not Leonard Cohen.
20
This is into the wild with a man who is struggling with the pressures of an illness in a privileged world that is blind to his symptoms. Kenye needs someone who calls a specialist in bipolar disorder, not a slick media amateur like Tony Robbins for freak’s sake. While he seems like someone trying to do good, he’s handicapped by money and access, both of which echo Trump’s inability to remember being a leader means focusing on a spectrum of people, not just those who cross your gilded path. Having an agenda to be a valuable voice for the best of us means knowing the common ground we all share. My experience with bipolar people who are unmedicated is that they, too, think they are the world, leaving no room for others. I’m glad he’s loved and angry his political platform is so dangerous to the outside world. He’s going to have to live with the consequences of channeling a fascist.
33
Please stop this madness. That is what someone needs to tell this man. No matter what he does or says at the end of the day he is still going to be black. I speak as a black man who is proud to be. And grateful that my family took the time to make sure I would be a successful part of the community. Not by looking out for myself but by helping others.
23
Bipolar is not something that can be "worked on" by going to Wyoming, or talking to Tony Robbins. It has nothing to do with being an "artist." It sounds like Kanye and his family are still in denial about his disease. I hope that eventually they will all come to understand that the disease is bigger than he is, that he cannot fight it off and that only by accepting his illness as part of him will he find any peace. Take your meds, Kayne.
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Yes Kanye! Take those meds, it’s the only path for a black man in America to deal with mental Illness, how about responsible self reflection and intuition? No!
“If he’d come into the public eye via technology, not music — if he were white, not black — Kanye might be viewed as a lovable, idiosyncratic futurist, not a perennial agitator.”
This is America
Smac-- Bipolar is a serious physiological and neurochemical disease that affects the brain. It affects both men and women and exists across different cultures and ethnic groups. It cannot be mitigated by self reflection and intuition. Psychotherapy and medication are the standard treatments, regardless of race. Millions of people suffer with bipolar. Don't try to make an illness into a bigger racial issue. It is what it is--an illness.
1
Kanye and Tony Robbins?? Perfect.
15
Hard to tell if he’s trying to be in the music or the publicity business.
8
I unabashedly have a soft spot for Kanye. Almost more than twelve years ago, I was hugely pregnant with my third child, wondering how in the world was I bringing another child in the world while it seemed to be fundamentally changing. A few years earlier, planes had flown through buildings, intentionally killing and injuring thousands.
But on on this particularly hot summer day, I was watching scenes of mother’s and babies at a superdome that seemed no more than a death trap. Everyone else was lying to us that the US was doing all that it could to support it citizens, but anyone with eyes knew the truth. Kanye spoke the words that my eyes could not negate as a lie, “George Bush doesn’t care about Black people.”
That took a type of bravery that I never seen or experienced by a so called celebrity. He took a risk. He was honest about how he felt-he spoke the words that were swirling around in my body, in front of my eyes and testing my sense of humanity.
I get that Kanye is trying to figure it all out. He does it out loud, bravely, perhaps sometimes foolishly. I Wish more of us would lose our sense of political correctness and speak to exactly what we feel and where we are-might not be popular, but it is refreshingly honest. I don’t expect a human to be tied to his words forever, as we grow gain experience our opinions should change.I appreciate Kanye for letting us in on his journey. It ain’t all rainbows and unicorns, but it is uniquely his, human and honest.
41
I’m not really sure why anyone would care what Kanye West thinks or says about anything, at this point. He is nearly as self-involved as Trump, nearly. You’ve given him the attention he needs to continue to his act.
I get it, a lot of people follow him and his entourage and all that spins out into the public space from his machinations.
But that guy who offers homeless people (or anyone) a free place to take a shower is more vital and a better role model than Kanye West.
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ye sounded like a musical detox for kanye. some stuff of substance, but it felt like a bit of a purge. a cleaning of the slate. looking forward to what comes after.
11
Nicely balanced article. I guess I am supposed to overlook Kanye’s support of Trump because it’s the same quality that makes him a great artist. He runs his business and makes political decisions the same way: without educating himself. Well, art needs to come from somewhere visceral and authentic. Your id drives your brand. Running the country? That’s different. It requires careful study and thoughtful application. Kanye wouldn’t want a surgeon operating on his family without a lot of careful preparation and self-restraint. Running the country is an enormous operation. If you want Trump as a beer buddy, great. Let him quit politics to be your backup singer, I’d be thrilled.
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He needs to take his medication. One pill in seven days is not something to brag about. Medication doesn't work that way. He sounded so pressured in his speech and thought processes. He's bouncing around at a million miles an hour and will crash again. Like many who are bipolar...the highs are so self promoting that they are difficult to let go of due to fear of losing their "artistry". He will crash if he doesn't get control from experts who know what they are doing...that certainly isn't Tony Robbins. This article made me very sad for him.
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Yet another article extolling a rich musician who married a reality star, and buried in it is the reality-TV idea that bipolar disorder can be dealt with by Tony Robbins--by not much more than a pep-talk. How many kids are going to follow the Kanye approach to manic depression? His rants are the material of the up-side of the disorder, so it looks cool and intense and pathbreaking. In reality, it is a symptom of a crippling illness. It is alarming--particularly given the current wave of suicidality--that Kanye would brag about taking only one pill in seven days. Anti-depressants and not like Tylenol for a headache. As someone said below, this is sad -- but not just for Kanye. We have as a society reached a point where the goodies someone produces, the popularity they achieve, overshadows their human frailty. At our peril, I think.
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Spot on, Melanie! Celebrities with their mob-like followings have emerged as parent/teacher/mentor to a whole generation of kids who are guided by tweets and rants instead of wisdom and nurturing. We unleashed this monster over the last two decades, and I fear we've reached a point of no return.
1
Kanye's a very talented musician currently being sabotaged by incompetent treatment of his serious mental illness. As long as his illness is so poorly managed, he'll probably continue to mess up his career and may undermine his own well being and that of his family.
It's a shame there's no one around Kanye with the good sense or expertise to get him the psychiatric care he needs.
As a very wealthy entertainer, he appears to be surrounded by hangers-on willing to exploit him and ignore his well-being for their own end$.
I hope someone who cares for him can intervene & convince him to seek appropriate medical care.
9
This is more journalistic justice than I've seen in a long time. So many people want to put Kanye in a box and put a label on it and be done with it...and yet here's some great journalism that reminds us again that everything is not politics--and that though art is not politics, it can still be mind and soul and heart-opening in a way that politics cannot.
Kanye was subject to a lot of hate, a lot of misunderstanding, a lot of pure attack by a lot of journalists and "thought leaders" of all colors. It was like a war of the entire journalistic system against one man who spoke honestly and had his words boxed up and categorized and publicly denounced by all the Right People within hours. Shame! Shame! Shame! They all cried, to think for yourself, to speak freely, to think not like a tribal member, or strategic political activist, the way you should, but instead as an artist, a reacher for something more, a freedom beyond what is accepted and approved by the Right People.
Many thanks to Jon Caramanica for correcting all the gross cut-and-snip misrepresentations of Kanye's speech and for letting him speak for himself--and to a listening ear that is bent to understand more than to rush to judgment. Many thanks for showing us that journalism can still slow down, put down its weapons, listen and think, and do justice.
42
Kanye said 400 years of slavery "sounds like a choice." I say that statement sounds like ignorance.
17
Very happy to hear positive response to this piece, although I think Kanye West needs medical attention after reading this article.
3
Really? After reading this article and hearing Kanye talk about this, you are still playing gotcha by clipping out four words? Maybe you listened to the interviews and maybe you didn't. I did, especially the TMZ. I typed out the larger passage from these words are taken. I parsed the sentences like poetry. Read charitably, they are saying something important. They are not saying that slavery was a choice--nothing like it. They are saying that, at some point, outside conditions of slavery, a continuing slave mentality becomes something like a choice. That is clear from the context. It's also a tough thing to say. I'm not saying yes or no to that--it's not my place. I am saying that this is what he pretty clearly seems to be saying.
1
I'm sorry to say that this article essentially glorifies the notion that psychiatric medicine, or being "highly medicated," as Kanye calls it, negatively affects a person's creativity. That is simply not true. I have been living with a bipolar diagnosis for the past six years and can assure readers that rejecting medication plays into societal stereotypes about mental illness: that it "isn't a real illness" or that "you can beat it with your character."
I can't find the right words to explain how negatively I feel about this article, but the NYTimes really disappointed me today.
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Bipolar disorder means regular doctor attention and a medical and mental health plan NOT a snake oil salesman (neither Robbins not Trump) and NOT independently rationing meds.
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One of my first neurologists warned me that my kind of epilepsy is commonly misdiagnosed as a mental illness. He warned me to always wear medical alert bracelets and told me stories of patients who had woken up in psyche wards because authorities thought they were crazy. One had been tasered by the police.
My mother had been told all of her life that she was bi-polar and was given ugly meds which just made her crazy. And, just like me, she started blacking out starting at age 50. I just thought she was having "mini-strokes" like we thought grandpa was having. Now, I am convinced that she was epileptic, not bi-polar.
It took me 4 years to convince my primary care physician that something was wrong. He kept telling me to see a shrink. One day, my roommate got video of me having a grand-mal seizure while waiting for the EMT's to come to the house the second time in one day. After that, I was taken seriously and an EEG revealed that I was not crazy, my doctor was just clueless.
5
Tom, sounds like you agree that Mr West needs a real medical plan from specialists, not self-prescribed medications.
It also sounds like your primary care Dr. needs a new field, and your roommate did you a solid. I have heard from a friend with epilepsy that it can change symptoms/severity with age - so hopefully you keep up with your specialist (and have found a better primary care Dr!)
9