Since my last post in 2012, a lot has happened. The Misfits teased us with reuniting for a full-on tour, Lady Gaga became much less interesting, Marilyn Manson got punched in the face at a Denny’s, and Taylor Swift . . . is still around. It is rough out there in the music industry. With society constantly on to the next tweet, photo, post, artist, singer; it is important for someone to having staying power than anything else. Keep us coming back for more. Music is much like a relationship in that way. A musician needs to “keep it hot” for us listeners and consumers of all things music.
And also like a relationship, music can make us happy, it can make us cry, it can turn us on. Love is blind—you cannot help who your heart falls for. Same with music—you can’t help what music you respond to in an emotional way. Lord knows I wanted to hate Ariana Grande’s “Side to Side” but damn it, that shit is CATCHY! Unfortunately and fortunately, there are artists, albums, singles, that i want to turn my back on but I just can’t do it. Kanye West’s latest album, The Life of Pablo is one of these tales . . .
There once was a young woman who lived in Brooklyn. This young girl hated Kanye West. She found him arrogant, pompous, and a down right douche bag who had bad taste in women and mooched off of Metallica’s logo for his own selfish brand. This woman avoided Kanye’s new album at all costs. One evening, while at her firend’s equally cramped Brooklyn apartment, she heard music that made her ask, “What is this?” Her friend replied, “This is Kanye’s album.” The young woman rolled her eyes and tried to ignore how her heart jumped at the sound of Yeezy crooning from the tiny speakers.
As the night progressed, she tried to dislike song after song but she just couldn't.
Months later, the young Brooklynite gave in and listened to the whole damn album.
And you know what? That young woman is me. And what’s more? The heart wants what the heart wants, and this heart wants Kanye.
Don’t get me wrong, I still strongly dislike Kanye, but his music is something I have to keep separate form the individual that creates it. What I like in Kanye West’s music is that his overall sound is much harder than others. I don’t want to listen to any rap or hip hop that doesn’t grab aggressively at me. Otherwise, it just fades into the background. Kanye’s music has always had a little edge. From “Black Skinhead” to “See You In My Nightmare” to “Facts,” there is some louder, harder, angrier beats than a lot of others in his wheelhouse. For someone who likes to listen to Powerman 5000 and Combichrist with her morning coffee, that is appealing.
The intensity of Kanye West’s music is what sets him apart, in my opinion. Though Drake’s “One Dance” may have been catchy, it didn't make me feel strongly about anything at all (other than maybe skipping ahead on the Pandora station). Whether it is the intensity in emotion (“Welcome to Heartbreak” and “FML”) or intensity in sound and beat (“Cold.1” and “Blood on the Leaves”), there is something in his music that gets my heart pounding.
Here is my ranking of the Top 10 Kanye West’s songs:
10. “POWER”
09. “NI**AS IN PARS”
08. “FACTS (CHARLIE HEAT VERSION)”
07. “SEE YOU IN MY NIGHTMARE”
06. “FML”
05. “FAMOUS”
04. “BLACK SKINHEAD”
03. “U MAD” (a song by Vic Mensa but featuring Kanye)
02. “H.A.M”
01. “Runaway”
Why is “Runaway” number one you ask? Here are the five reasons (in no particular order):
01. repetitive piano key opening
02. “Let’s have a toast for the douche bags” AMEN!
03. Pusha T
04. “Runaway as fast as you can”
05. 5:46 until 9:08—epic!
In conclusion, I may despise how Kanye West chooses to live his life, the types of clothes he wears, his parenting skills and how he treats people, but if I have headphones on, there is a fairly good chance I am listening to some Kanye because “I guess every super hero need his [or her] theme music.”
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