Be Like Mike (Frazier)

On Tuesday, my classmate Michael Frazier gave an excellent presentation on rap music. Even as a fan, I learned a lot of stuff I didn't know about the structure that goes into a rap song. I have run into a lot of people, primarily sheltered white folks, that think that rap isn't music, or that it takes no talent. Michael's presentation dispelled all of that, and I'm glad to see that sort of presentation welcomed in an academic setting. It reminded me of some of the hip-hop artists I love, like Kanye West.

I am nearly obsessed with Kanye West, and rarely meet anybody else that appreciates him. A lot of that probably has to do with how boastful he is, and stunts like interrupting Taylor Swift, but I don't care about all of that. In fact, all of that makes me like him more. Hip-hop is a genre of braggadocio, and on some level I feel that this is a way for black men, who have traditionally been put down in American society, to find some pride and self-esteem. I also feel like Kanye has earned it by being one of the most talented producers and rhymers around. I mean, who else comes up with stuff like, "I'm a fly Malcolm X, buy any jeans necessary" or "You got too many Urkels on your team, that's why your Winslow."? Nobody, except maybe his sensei, Jay-Z.

I also feel that Kanye sees the conflict in his wealth. He's the son of a college professor, his late mother, and feels the pull from his upbringing to be intelligent and thoughtful, while simultaneously feeling the pull from culture to be materialistic and flaunt his wealth. He seems to understand this flawed nature of his when he says, "To whom much is given, much is tested / Get arrested, guess until he gets the message / I feel the pressure, under more scrutiny / and what do I do? Act more stupidly / Bought more jewelry, more Louis V, my momma couldn't get through to me." Kanye West is like a modern day, real-life Jay Gatsby, and screw any pretentious white folks that balk at comparing him to a lofty literary character.