Dear Kanye,
Marcus here. I hope all is well with you and yours.
Judging from what I鈥檝e heard recently, things aren鈥檛 going so good.
I mean, that鈥檚 cool, we all go through occasional hardships, but your issues seem totally self-inflicted. And instead of taking responsibility and adjusting your behavior, you lash out publicly and blame everyone else for your recent shortcomings.
In years past, that pain would鈥檝e shone through in the music. In your own way. Remember the early 2000s? We knew those beats before we knew your name. The snap of those drums, the samples you chose. It was equal parts soul and hip-hop. You weren鈥檛 really doing anything new, still you expanded upon the Wu-Tang Clan’s aesthetic and made it something fresh and cool.
Jay Z . Roots bandleader Questlove . We embraced you as the scrappy upstart, the guy with the pink Polo shirt and Louis Vuitton backpack, armed with unwavering bravado. I could relate to that dude; we鈥檝e all felt slighted and underappreciated. You turned an unconventional track like 鈥�鈥� into a huge radio hit. And for singer Alicia Keys?! Man, I still play that.
My number one enemy has been my ego鈥� there is only one throne and that鈥檚 God’s 鈥�
鈥� KANYE WEST (@kanyewest)
Look, I understand, I鈥檓 creative as well. People like us need to evolve almost daily. We can鈥檛 stand to be stagnant as we push for the next wave, the next chance to be legendary. Each song and story has to be perfect and true. You had this way of making your imperfections shine, even if was technically precise.
I鈥檝e always admired the ambition, the fact that you won by simply being yourself. In a world of superficial pop jams, there was a realness to your art that worked in all circles — from the corner store in Philly, to the streets of your native Chicago. You had this way of making people believe.
. Your new music sounds lost, unfocused and unfinished. The Life of Pablo feels like the ramblings of a man not fully committed to music or life, and your online antics make it tough to stay in your corner. Maybe Twitter just isn鈥檛 your thing. There鈥檚 nothing wrong with that.
This was made with love. Only God can judge me. So I only expect love back!!! 鈥� KANYE WEST (@kanyewest)
Wait, don鈥檛 yell.
There鈥檚 actually a good album in there somewhere, but it鈥檚 so bogged down with lackluster production and cringe-worthy lyrics that your message gets lost. Like that line about Taylor Swift on 鈥淔amous,鈥� for instance: 鈥淚 feel like me and Taylor might still have sex 鈥� I made that b**** famous.鈥� I mean, c鈥檓on dude, you thought that was gonna fly? You鈥檙e married with two kids, but you鈥檙e reopening old wounds. .
Then there鈥檚 the album鈥檚 roll-out. You dubbed it the greatest album ever. Then, naw, it鈥檚 just one of the greatest ever. Call it Swish. Eh, call it Waves. Better yet, call it TLOP. There was confusion over the release date, where to find it, what to make of it. You鈥檙e reportedly $53 million in debt and prior to your 鈥淪NL鈥� performance.
That鈥檚 not entirely your fault, but you gotta understand what you鈥檙e up against. The media wants clicks, fam. Your name generates page views, and you鈥檙e giving credence to the same pubs you claim to despise. Your words hold weight: 鈥�鈥� spoke to the heart of a community crushed under the weight of systemic oppression. 鈥淩eal Friends,鈥� a highlight on the new album, feels earnest.
I鈥檓 not saying go back to the old Kanye, but you need to reconnect with what made you whole. Take advice from folks who actually know what constitutes good music. Push your art forward and stop trying to emulate what everyone else is doing. That鈥檚 not you. Such moves make you look out of touch and behind the curve. You鈥檝e always lived beyond that. You鈥檝e always established the next wave.
The Life of Pablo is misguided and far too petulant. Your tantrums have gotten old. You need to grow up and chill out.
Even Jesus rested on the seventh day.聽
Sincerely,
Marcus
PS: I made of your best B-side tracks. Maybe you should check it out? Alright peace.
