The I Hate Or Like Kanye West Thread

[Fieva]

Yeah im not really a fan of the "Cher" style vocals all the way through the song, but that song is kinda catchy. The only part of the song that i absolutely cant stand is the one where he ISNT using the autotune! The beat is tight though, them 808s aint no joke. Thats getting back to what i was saying earlier, its all about what girls can jook to. This entire business is about women. They are the ones dancing and the ones buying the cds. Think about it.

I agree with this. If a girl will shake her ass to it or vibe with it`, she'll probably buy that shit too. But keep in mind there's different types of songs for different types of chicks.

You got the gangsta bitch who likes to hear about gangsta ass shit.

Then you got the hoodrat who likes hearing about sex. This makes me think of Chris Rock...I wanna say it's off Never Scared where he talks about loving rap but hating to defend it..."put a dick in her ear..."

Then you got some chicks who'll listen to anything if the artist looks good and make their decision off that.

But most of them want dancy type shit because if they're dancin' in the clubs, they're probably either with their homegirls or wanting to be with some dick later that night....or both.

 

[jonfd]

kanye = pos

kanye in his bullshit that he put together on the red cross was the most stupid thing i ever seen he could not even put a speech together and i didnt give a sh#t what he said about bush. that didnt have anything to do with his rascit black ass for one when your steeling vcrs and plasma tvs your looting you dumb donkey piece of sh#t he had no expl, of why marines were told to go there and its because he didnt want to say his people were robbing and beating on the doctors who were sent to help so i think he owes america an apology and explanation

 

[jibran]

your steeling vcrs and plasma tvs your looting

By you're, are you referring to black folks?

I believe so.

And you have the nerve to call Kanye a racist-nevermind, you called him a 'rascit'.

Oh, and I'm sorry about saying that you were talking bad about black folk, you said your; wait, then that would mean that Kanye is stealing vcrs & televisions.

Please speak clearly, Uncle Cracker.

 

[bknot1]

1st off learn your fact before you speak about what the folks in N.O. were doing..

you are listening to what the media is tellin you..when the should the black lootin is was well after all the water and food that waas eatable was all gone..2nd the medis portrayed a white family looting for food and called it they providing for their family..what the media dont tell you is that the ones that were takin food and water were takin it back to the superdome for others to eat and for fresh cloths to wear...then and then after that did all the other sh!t start happending..get your facts right before you speak on it..

 

[jibran]

Actually, I take that back as well; Kanye was 'steeling'. Does this mean that he's a football fan?

 

[ethos]

I'll tell you how Kanye is saving hip-hop... Its mainly through his production. His style of beatmaking is whats hot right now. That being said, if he puts a credible hip hop artist over one of his beats (e.g. common, nas, etc.) its gonna get the response and the notice it wouldnt get otherwise. thats why common is finally starting to blow up like he should after all these years. And dont even get me started on Twista... he owes a lot of his fame to kanye too. And Mr Ethos, to be technical, what do you really know about hip hop? You watch MTV! Thats the most commercial station on tv. and btw, I understood the diamonds song to be about rocafella. He did the video that way to raise awareness to the issues in sierra leone, not because he was devoting the whole song to it. And it was a hot song.

wow, way to not undertand what i said and come off as a prick.

how can one save hip-hop?
if Kanyes beats are the only way to get people to listen to good hip-hop, then that only means the generally public is at fault.
hip-hop is not an organism. its a form of art. you dont need MTV and platinum records for hip-hop to exist. it started with non off that.
if everybody who watches MTV stopped, and suddenly didnt like rap anymore,
there would still be people like you, me, and everyone els in this forum to make it along with the already established inderground heads. therfore it wouldnt die, i cant die, its not alive.
no, i dont watch MTV, i dont listen to mainstream hip-hop.
i listen to underground. the people who are just making good music, not good money.

"And Mr Ethos, to be technical, what do you really know about hip hop?"

^lmao, i love when dummies like you say this shit. i cant even reply to that.
too fucking stupid.

i could tell by listening to the song its not about diamonds from sierra leon.
but thats my point, why make a song with that title, and not talk about it?
you say to raise awarness, i say bullshit.
He was wearing diamonds from DeBeers when he introduced the video.
thats like raising awarness about animal rights while eating a bacon cheesburger.

 

[pcp]

1st off learn your fact before you speak about what the folks in N.O. were doing..

you are listening to what the media is tellin you..when the should the black lootin is was well after all the water and food that waas eatable was all gone..2nd the medis portrayed a white family looting for food and called it they providing for their family..what the media dont tell you is that the ones that were takin food and water were takin it back to the superdome for others to eat and for fresh cloths to wear...then and then after that did all the other sh!t start happending..get your facts right before you speak on it..

yea not to mention getting the shit kicked out of them by 4 fucking cops that shit was pathetic i hope those pieces of shit drown.

 

[bigwillz24]

but thats my point, why make a song with that title, and not talk about it?
you say to raise awarness, i say bullshit.
He was wearing diamonds from DeBeers when he introduced the video.
thats like raising awarness about animal rights while eating a bacon cheesburger.

+44 ethos I couldn't agree more....

 

[crunkthanamug]

wow, way to not undertand what i said and come off as a prick.

how can one save hip-hop?
if Kanyes beats are the only way to get people to listen to good hip-hop, then that only means the generally public is at fault.
hip-hop is not an organism. its a form of art. you dont need MTV and platinum records for hip-hop to exist. it started with non off that.
if everybody who watches MTV stopped, and suddenly didnt like rap anymore,
there would still be people like you, me, and everyone els in this forum to make it along with the already established inderground heads. therfore it wouldnt die, i cant die, its not alive.
no, i dont watch MTV, i dont listen to mainstream hip-hop.
i listen to underground. the people who are just making good music, not good money.

"And Mr Ethos, to be technical, what do you really know about hip hop?"

^lmao, i love when dummies like you say this shit. i cant even reply to that.
too fucking stupid.

i could tell by listening to the song its not about diamonds from sierra leon.
but thats my point, why make a song with that title, and not talk about it?
you say to raise awarness, i say bullshit.
He was wearing diamonds from DeBeers when he introduced the video.
thats like raising awarness about animal rights while eating a bacon cheesburger.

First of all, i only took a second look at this thread bcuz someone brought it back to the first page (This is my first time seeing your response)
I agree that the general public is at fault for not recognizing good hiphop, most listeners are SHALLOW -- they just run with "whats hot." And you say if there was no platinum hip hop artists or if it didnt have as large of a mainstream presence (ie music television), that hip hop would still be viable??? Yeah, if you mean in someones basement. The big boys of the industry would leave it alone. Hip Hop is a MOVEMENT. If it dont sell, its dead. If the masses aint feelin something, it goes away. Underground is MOSTLY (not completely) just people who havent gone mainstream YET! If there was no more mainstream, why would there be an underground??? That makes ZERO sense! Look what happened to disco in the 70s! And that shit was hot too. Hip Hop aint exempt from this -- what you think it just HAS to be cuz YOU like it??? Every so often in a genre, there comes a point where most of music is starting to sound the same (sorta like whats happening now). If that goes on for too long, people start to get tired and interest (sales) fades. It takes someone like Kanye to give it a "shot in the arm." Just something new -- Im not saying he's the best rapper out right now, but he's something the game has been missing. (something different... something refreshing actually) ...Now I really didnt mean to insult you in my earlier post, but YOU mentioned MTV. Thats where you find the cheesiest of the cheesy sounding records! I was just goin off what you said...
But BTW, whos place is it to tell a multi-platinum rapper what he should write about???....it just sounds like youre nitt-picking. I mean he can rap about whatever he wants, but when he CHOOSES to speak on something of importance you criticize him for not saying enough??? If you think more needs to be said on that subject, then YOU make a song about it and send us a link -- otherwise get over it! You took a positive gesture and bred something totally negative out of it...sorta like a HATER

 

[Trumpspade]

and btw, I understood the diamonds song to be about rocafella. He did the video that way to raise awareness to the issues in sierra leone, not because he was devoting the whole song to it. And it was a hot song.

i could tell by listening to the song its not about diamonds from sierra leon.
but thats my point, why make a song with that title, and not talk about it?
you say to raise awarness, i say bullshit.
He was wearing diamonds from DeBeers when he introduced the video.
thats like raising awarness about animal rights while eating a bacon cheesburger.

I AGREE WITH ETHOS ON THAT ONE~

But I do see what you're saying too crunk! Every couple of years, hiphop will embrace a different style into the game. That is what keeps it interesting....Kanye has fell into that season and it is his time to shine. (Enjoy it while you can!!!) The same goes for 50 cents!!! EMINEM had his season. He might can still rhyme, but he'll never be as hot as he was when he first came out. Then you have people like Das Efx who was hot 'cause they brought a brand new underground style mainstream, but mainstream wasn't ready for it yet. I feel I can speak on it, because like many others on this board, I'm a '80 kid. I remember the evolution of HIPHOP. And as much of the music we hear today is good, it's RAP and not HIPHOP. Kanye has another syle of RAP, Twista too! But all I can say is enjoy the ride while you can, it's your season. But HIPHOP is what will survive even without MTV or even BET for that matter. That is something that is embedded in us and is the source of direction for many people. That's like saying Gospel music will go to the wayside if it wasn't for BET Gospel.....Nah, it's too late. We found a music that allows us to express ourselves and we're addicted. I won't hate on Kanye, but I am not a fan. (Too much sampling is making me itch...) <--LOL But I support ANYBODY doing ANYTHING because too many people are doing NOTHING................."Just Tawking"

"Thanks for coming out everybody have a good night.....Boston I Love You!!!"

 

[ethos]

First of all, i only took a second look at this thread bcuz someone brought it back to the first page (This is my first time seeing your response)
I agree that the general public is at fault for not recognizing good hiphop, most listeners are SHALLOW -- they just run with "whats hot." And you say if there was no platinum hip hop artists or if it didnt have as large of a mainstream presence (ie music television), that hip hop would still be viable??? Yeah, if you mean in someones basement. The big boys of the industry would leave it alone. Hip Hop is a MOVEMENT. If it dont sell, its dead. If the masses aint feelin something, it goes away. Underground is MOSTLY (not completely) just people who havent gone mainstream YET! If there was no more mainstream, why would there be an underground??? That makes ZERO sense! Look what happened to disco in the 70s! And that shit was hot too. Hip Hop aint exempt from this -- what you think it just HAS to be cuz YOU like it??? Every so often in a genre, there comes a point where most of music is starting to sound the same (sorta like whats happening now). If that goes on for too long, people start to get tired and interest (sales) fades. It takes someone like Kanye to give it a "shot in the arm." Just something new -- Im not saying he's the best rapper out right now, but he's something the game has been missing. (something different... something refreshing actually) ...Now I really didnt mean to insult you in my earlier post, but YOU mentioned MTV. Thats where you find the cheesiest of the cheesy sounding records! I was just goin off what you said...
But BTW, whos place is it to tell a multi-platinum rapper what he should write about???....it just sounds like youre nitt-picking. I mean he can rap about whatever he wants, but when he CHOOSES to speak on something of importance you criticize him for not saying enough??? If you think more needs to be said on that subject, then YOU make a song about it and send us a link -- otherwise get over it! You took a positive gesture and bred something totally negative out of it...sorta like a HATER

your off the mark here...

Hip-hop started without the help of MTV, how can its fate rest in MTV's hands?
i think we have different deffinitions of underground hip-hop.
Underground hip-hop isnt MTV style of music that just hasnt been on MTV yet. its the opposite. It's made by people who dont care about being on MTV. (no i can not speak for them, just making a point).
The underground artists im speaking of, sell hundreds of thousands of records all without MTV. they have been rapping as long if not longer than most MTV artists.
They, are why hip-hop isnt going to die.
They make and sell a whole lot of records without the help of MTV and it's fans. They will still be making hip-hop when MTV is a corpse.

This is why it amazes me when people say Kanye West is changing hip-hop.
because they arnt aware hip-hop exists off MTV.

"But BTW, whos place is it to tell a multi-platinum rapper what he should write about???....it just sounds like youre nitt-picking. I mean he can rap about whatever he wants, but when he CHOOSES to speak on something of importance you criticize him for not saying enough???"

a multi-platinum artist isnt a God.
his opinion isnt more important than yours or mine.
People dont have any place telling an ARTIST what to write about.
multi-platinum has nothing to do with it.
I didnt tell him what to write about.
I asked "why make a song about a huge and important topic, and not talk about it?". it makes no sense, and honestly, disrespectful.
but i dont believe in censorship. i respect his write to say whatever he wants. dosnt mean i have to agree with.

Imagine someone made a song called "Jews in the Houlacost".
and only talked about themselves and how cool they are.
that wouldnt seem disrespectful to people who died and survived the haulacost?

bottom line...
Hip-hop isnt some guy on life-support, and the publics interest is the only thing that will kp him alive.
its an artform. theyre will always be people making hip-hop.
it just wont be on MTV.
but it dosnt need MTV, the music I, and Millions of other people listen to, isnt on MTV right now.

 

[crunkthanamug]

your off the mark here...

Hip-hop started without the help of MTV, how can its fate rest in MTV's hands?
i think we have different deffinitions of underground hip-hop.
Underground hip-hop isnt MTV style of music that just hasnt been on MTV yet. its the opposite. It's made by people who dont care about being on MTV. (no i can not speak for them, just making a point).
The underground artists im speaking of, sell hundreds of thousands of records all without MTV. they have been rapping as long if not longer than most MTV artists.
They, are why hip-hop isnt going to die.
They make and sell a whole lot of records without the help of MTV and it's fans. They will still be making hip-hop when MTV is a corpse.

This is why it amazes me when people say Kanye West is changing hip-hop.
because they arnt aware hip-hop exists off MTV.

"But BTW, whos place is it to tell a multi-platinum rapper what he should write about???....it just sounds like youre nitt-picking. I mean he can rap about whatever he wants, but when he CHOOSES to speak on something of importance you criticize him for not saying enough???"

a multi-platinum artist isnt a God.
his opinion isnt more important than yours or mine.
People dont have any place telling an ARTIST what to write about.
multi-platinum has nothing to do with it.
I didnt tell him what to write about.
I asked "why make a song about a huge and important topic, and not talk about it?". it makes no sense, and honestly, disrespectful.
but i dont believe in censorship. i respect his write to say whatever he wants. dosnt mean i have to agree with.

Imagine someone made a song called "Jews in the Houlacost".
and only talked about themselves and how cool they are.
that wouldnt seem disrespectful to people who died and survived the haulacost?

bottom line...
Hip-hop isnt some guy on life-support, and the publics interest is the only thing that will kp him alive.
its an artform. theyre will always be people making hip-hop.
it just wont be on MTV.
but it dosnt need MTV, the music I, and Millions of other people listen to, isnt on MTV right now.

WHO has sold hundreds of thousands of records without MTV???????? Enlighten me...
Im just saying Kanye is changing "mainstream" hip hop -- the genre (I think) he belongs to. Im always referring to the mainstream because thats whats selling records (making REAL money) and getting heard WORLDWIDE. These underground rappers youre talking about ARE good, but they just dont have a strong enough presence to make more than a local impact. Yeah you can listen to them on websites and mixtapes, but thats not enough promotion. They depend on the mainstream for growth. Who are these artists that DONT want to have a video on TV??? ...thats just not smart. Do you really think Nas (a bonafide hiphop artist) would make the same numbers outside of NY without BET??? Sure, a good artist can make decent sales in HIS area, but you need more than just your "set" behind you to make real money. Thus, the NEED for the mainstream reveals itself -- nationwide EXPOSURE. If it ceased to exist, sure people would still make hiphop...and be on the corner with a boombox rhyming, etc -- but the money they could generate would be limited. If you take the dollars out the movement its just not the same. Most people need to hear SOMETHING off a cd before they run out and buy it. HOW can you do that on a large scale with no video??? or RADIO (doesnt that fall into the same category as MTV following your logic???) I must also clarify, im not talking about hiphop dying as an artform (for expression - which is how it began!), Im talking about hiphop as a lucrative business! Would you be as happy if youre music got heard but you didnt get a dime?

And you asked "why make a song about a huge and important topic, and not talk about it?. it makes no sense, and honestly, disrespectful."

the song was about rocafella...NOT explicitly about sierra leone -- Would you still be trippin if you had only HEARD the song on the radio??? I think not.
And the whole Holocaust reference is a stretch... (1) the Holocaust is over and people are STILL dying over diamonds, and (2) the use of "diamonds" was CLEARLY a play on words, nothing more than that...in the context of the song. If youre gonna be mad at anyone it should be Hype Williams (the director)

 

[ethos]

...But it was called "diamonds from sierra leon".

im not sure if they sell hundreds of thousands on their own.
but the underground label Definitive Jux, does sell hundreds of thousands.
I really wouldnt be suprised if underground artists sold that many of only their cds.
ill look it up and post the findings.

what do you mean they cant make an impact outside of their neighborhood?
Non of the people im talking about live in Madison WI, and ive been listening to them for years.
They Tour Europe.
If thats not making an impact outside of their own city, i dont know what is.
You can buy albums by Def Jux artisits at BestBuy and Borders bookstore.

I said they dont make music to get on MTV.
If that was the case, they would have stopped making music a long time ago.

you obviously dont know as much about undetground hip-hop as you claim.

 

[crunkthanamug]

We arent talking about the same thing...I was making the point that compared to the big boys, underground artists dont sell -- because they lack adequate promotion. Youre talking about a LABEL that sells hundreds of thousands, Im talking about ARTISTS that sell MILLIONS. IMO, any song that enough people like can make it on music television. Shit anyone with a video can get it on BET Uncut! MTV is not an end in itself, but a means to an end. Thats all Im saying. And I NEVER claimed to be some underground hiphop buff...Im just stating the not so OBVIOUS.

P.S. about Kanye...lets just agree to DISAGREE

 

[The Engineer]

As a rapper he's ok, if you compare him to the other so-called talent in rap these days. He's a great producer, none the less. It is true about soundclick producer's putting out some dope sampled beats. (Kingsmen, Inkredible, Hi-Fly, Kane, etc) He's just the first one to get big with making sampled beats, well actually was it Heat Makerz that started doing that shit first? Hell if I know, but Heat Makerz are niice too.

 

[mr. produca]

everybody feel a different way

"everybody feel a different way about 'Ya' but at least yall feel something"
that sums it up right there.who is doin it better?he raps and produces and sells records(in large amounts i might add)he can be foolish at times (we all have been there ) but come on fellas he's not that bad lyrically.Late registration is a very good album IMO.and what is hiphop anyway,its an artform.
if i paint a picture,some people might not like it,does that disqualify it from being art?
i dont think so.what he does is an artform like it or not. its not bad just different.and that isnt going to stop me from listening his albums.
my 2 cents

 

[ethos]

any song that enough people like can make it on music television.

clear channel can stop it from hitting the radio.
eitherway, i think agreeing to disagree is the best course of action.
dont take anything i said personal, i dig a good argument.

 

[crunkthanamug]

dont take anything i said personal, i dig a good argument.

Me too!

 

[Preci$e]

For those of us who don't have any connection with the slightly bizarre 'street' rep scene - where anyone who knows more than four swear-words can call themselves an emcee - Kanye West is the only thing worth giving a damn about in hip-hop at the moment. Yeah, the Beasties went old-school and got some good politics in it, but other than that the mainstream scene is just the intensely tedious rumblings of violence, racism, depreved sexual acts and materialism glorified by morons like Fiddy, Jah, Snoop and so on. Not to mention the increasingly dull Pharrell, who becomes less engaging the more omnipresent he becomes.

So whilst some of you fans of the scene might turn your nose up at Kanye, in the same way I might look down at McFly, Nickelback or Oasis, I would point out that there's only one person who's doing anything vaguely innovative in commercial rap at the moment ... and for the first time in years it isn't Eminem.

Now go ahead and flame me!!!

Nik

very insightful post!!!!

first off I hate his arrogance with a passion. But he has excelled where others have failed and he knows exactly what his role is... In one flow he described himself as the Gap. i can't remember the line but he is not a 100% conscious rapper nor a backpacker or a blinger or a gangster but he is the gap between the best parts of each style.

he knows that if sierra leon is all about the cause it won't sell as many units or have as good a crack at radio. so he spinkles his message and keeps enough cars clothes guns in to keep the ignant crowd happy. He can then, which he has .... john legend ... common bring those more specialized acts into the mainstream and introduce them to white america because he has established his credibility and we all know his skills as a producer.

In this sense he is saving Hip Hop by beating a path ,although a thin one, into mainstream music for people who have something to say. while still keeping it banging.

as far as the posts about he can't spit... i sincerely disagree. he may not be the greatest (see twalib... or common.. or that beast Jada kiss IMHO of course)but the kat is nice man.

and so personally I can't stand him... but as an artist i have to respect his skill with both the pen and the beat machine. and as a fan of hip hop I have to show love for the man that I believe will open the door for more different kinds of hip hop flavor to make it mainstream.

 

[corban]

...

Precisely how I feel.