And you thought England’s poshest university couldn’t be hip …
Oxford Union Society, a debating club in one of the world’s most prestigious universities, uploaded a YouTube video of their full May 4 debate — “This House Believes That Kanye Is More Relevant than William Shakespeare.”
Before drawing the conclusion that this debate is no more than a bunch of boys with perfectly coiffed hair sipping tea and chuckling about rap music to themselves from their ivory tower, it’s worth noting that the guest speakers included spoken word poet Anthony Anaxagorou, British grime MC Big Narstie and HipHopDX’s own former Editor-in-Chief Justin Hunte.
Hunte was arguing in opposition, that West is not more relevant than Shakespeare. He put together his opening argument cleverly, saying “All kinds of words have been dedicated to say all kinds of things about Mr. Kanye West. I just used 37 different words and phrases created by William Shakespeare in my opening segment here, and as the good gentleman Big Narstie here might say… ‘Most people, they don’t know.'”
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“Ever since he teamed up with Jay Z and told us to ‘Watch The Throne’ while millions of people lost their homes, he’s been out of touch himself.” Justin concluded by saying Kanye is as relevant as the internet, hugely important, but holding the Bard in even higher esteem, calling him as relevant as oxygen.
Big Narstie, arguing for Kanye’s primacy, also paid tribute to Shakespeare comparing the Capulets and Montagues of Romeo and Juliet to the Bloods and Crips of today. Narstie argued that Kanye West is more relevant simply by being around today, though acknowledged that West couldn’t tell his stories were it not for Shakespeare.
And as for the answer to the question? After 273 votes, it was determined that Kanye West is not more relevant than Shakespeare, which will hopefully inspire Yeezy to put out his next album even sooner.
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Below is the playlist featuring all eight debaters in order.
