It was a magnificent, thrilling, uplifting, sensory experience, unlike any other pop concert before it. West has rethought the whole idea of live performance, from the staging to the lighting to the overall message. He took the excited, involved, constantly moving young crowd on an out-of-this-world journey, to Planet Kanye and back.
West was the only inhabitant of this lonely planet, the only person on stage during his 90-minute set. A 10-member group of musicians and singers were in a pit well below him, all of them in black to make them even more obscure.
The huge, very tall set was like the uneven surface of another world. West first appeared lying on an elevated plaform, which eventually became like a spaceship, moving up, down and sideways, with smoke and flashing lights. An enormous video screen created the look and feel of space travel and otherworldly landscapes.
Using raps and songs from his entire career, he tells a story of a quest for love, knowledge and recognition. He returns to Planet Earth with the hard-won wisdom that life is a gift and every day a miracle.
Rihanna, N.E.R.D., and Lupe Fiasco all got kudos for their performance, too. All the raves must be bittersweet for Kanye, since rumor has it he and his beloved Alexis will no longer be appearing in the front rows together at Paris Fashion Week. C'est triste, non?
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Kayne at one point was going to go to art school so that would explain his creativity. He is not the best rapper out there but his videos and style will make most people take a look.
He's one of the handful of today's rappers I can stomach. Yes, he's talented. Yes, he has a big ego. He obviously works incredibly hard for validation and bragging rights. I actually listen to his lyrics. He's definitely one who needs a lot of outside validation which accounts for his tantrums. In his case, the big ego is definitely tied to insecurity. He takes every award lost, every lukewarm review and any criticism so personally. He needs thicker skin and a realization that other people are going to win sometimes and that not everyone is going to appreciate the hard you put into something, whether it's great or not.
Daria, his ego is my biggest problem with him. I still give him major shot out calling Bush out during huricane Katrina. He is not a gangster rapper but he is harder than most. No fake street cred for Kayne.
Love Kayne's art & creativity but yes, huuuuge ego, which undermines his brilliance.
Can I get some tickets?
Chic Noir said:
He is not a gangster rapper but he is harder than most. No fake street cred for Kayne.
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Yup. And I agree with Daria with regards to his ego.
I have tickets in May. I'll let you all know about the show in about 2 weeks. =-)
Damned budget! I would love to see this. What radio station do I need to call?
It was AMAZING! You need to check it out. One of the best performances I've ever seen. Check out my site for a full review, http://mysocialstandards.blogspot.com/