With a music career that dates back well over a decade, Chicago rapper Kanye West has garnered numerous labels since the start of his career. And during a recent interview with San Francisco’s 99.7 NOW, Kanye spoke on being labeled “crazy” and revealed that at times he feels he’s the only one that isn’t crazy.
“My life is philanthropy,” West said. “When I wake up it’s philanthropy. Everything I’m doing is ‘How can I help others?’ So if you think about the things that I’ve got the most backlash for I was actually trying to help others –maybe in the wrong way, maybe in the wrong time — but really trying to fight for…what I thought was the truth. When people say ‘Kanye’s crazy’ sometimes I’m like, ‘I feel like I’m the only one not crazy, I’m the only one not limited, I’m the only one not afraid.’ You get to be afraid a little bit, but bravery is not not having fear, it’s overcoming fear.”
West’s comments on philanthropy come only a matter of months after fellow Watch The Throne collaborator Jay Z spoke on a similar topic during an interview when he stated “my presence is charity.”
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The G.O.O.D. Music emcee further commented on perception during his interview as he compared himself to a video game character whose controller doesn’t have a functioning joystick.
“A lot of times people look at celebrities like a video game character or an avatar,” ‘Ye said. “And I’m gonna tell you what up with me: My joystick is all the way out the plug. You ain’t controlling this avatar in any way. There’s only one person that walks this earth, or one level of greatness that can control me, and that’s God.”
West later commented on fashion and design, a topic he’s discussed greatly in his string of interviews this month. According to the Windy City wordsmith, design has the capability to change the world.
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“What if everybody really came together — I’m talking about the brands and corporations just in America alone, let alone the entire globe — I think the world can be saved through design,” said the rapper. “Because design is about form, function, solution, and problem solving — It’s not about politics. Politics is what slows everything down.”
While on the West Coast for his “Yeezus” tour, which also features Compton rapster Kendrick Lamar, ‘Ye conducted interviews with a number of local radio stations. In one interview in particular, Kanye addressed classism and the separation that tends to occur between classes.
“But really what I didn’t know and I didn’t really understand this term until a couple of years ago, is it wasn’t about race,” West said during an interview with Wild 94.9. “It’s about class. And it was a classist move that even when you get invited to certain dinner parties, or even when you’re in certain magazines, it’s still like a Dinner With Schmucks situation. Are they inviting you to be a part of what you’re doing or are they inviting you to laugh at your teeth?”
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Kanye West’s “Yeezus” tour is scheduled to make stops in Las Vegas and Los Angeles this month.
