Randomly perusing Facebook while eating lunch yesterday, my eye caught a status update by a…well, not exactly a friend, more of a friend of a friend. Either way, it sort of threw me for a loop. It said:
“Whoever started the RIP Kanye West hoax, thanks a lot for getting my hopes up. Jerk.”
Um…seriously?
Look, I can TOTALLY understand why people don’t like Kanye West as a personality. He’s arrogant, emotional and blustery (traits that would be nowhere as big a deal if he were an athlete, don’t you think?). He has ultimate confidence in himself and his art. He thinks he’s the best, and wants to be recognized as such. Those are actually some of the reasons I LIKE the man. Just like me to be contrary. I can also understand if you’re not a fan of his music. Hip-hop isn’t for everyone, and the person in question is an open disliker of hip-hop (except for, he says, The Beastie Boys…something that makes me wonder if he really hates hip-hop, or if he hates what he perceives as hip-hop culture. It also sounds…wait for it…racist to my ears. But that’s another story).
The point I’m trying to make is that it’s all good. No one has to like every genre of music or every artist. I don’t like The Black Eyed Peas. Only makes me wish that not as many people bought their records. I’m not anticipating the day will.i.am gets run over by a pickup truck, you know what I’m saying?
Those of you who read this blog regularly are well aware that I am a Kanye West fan. I don’t condone everything the guy does, and I actually think some of his extra-curricular activities are annoying and they detract from the genius. The Taylor Swift thing? I mean, it was obviously bad manners, although I don’t know how self-aggrandizing it was-after all, he wasn’t complaining that HIS video should have won the Best Female Video award. On top of all that, as I’ve mentioned before, I think it’s fairly obvious that the event was at least partially staged. But the reaction, both in the media and on the internet, has been astounding. Did anyone make this much of a ruckus when ODB stormed the stage when Shawn Colvin won at the Grammy Awards? What about when 50 Cent stormed the stage after Evanescence won Best New Artist at the Grammys a couple years later? (Damn, is it only rappers who do this shit?) If I remember correctly, most people kinda laughed it off and went about their business. As they should’ve done with this incident. It’s a MUSIC AWARDS SHOW, for crying out loud. When I initially made my comment about the whole mess on Twitter, some idiot actually de-friended me on both Twitter AND Facebook for suggesting that it was a hoax! Um, I think some of us might be taking things a little TOO seriously.
(and would the reaction have been the same if Taylor Swift had been a black artist? Or another rapper? Or a guy (or a band)?…Just saying).
Ultimately, I’m of the school that all publicity is good publicity, and Kanye’s not going to experience any long-term ill effects from MTV’s his stunt. His fans really aren’t the type of people who care about Taylor Swift OR the MTV Awards, and I would imagine that most, like me, are used to Kanye’s actions by now.
However, wishing someone dead? Someone who’s not a murderer or a terrorist or a rapist? Whose only “crime” is making music you don’t like and being somewhat obnoxious? Don’t you think that’s taking things a little too far?