I suppose it was naïve of me to think that Kanye West would return a little wiser after being Swift-boated. We’re talking about a man who probably considers his shoe collection an artistic statement on par with the works of Dostoyevsky. Clearly, he employs a guy in G&B shades and hip-huggers who walks around with an dictionary in case he ever needs to remember the meaning of the word “humble.” We’re almost a decade past his awkward but endearing Benz-n-backpack days, and West now only seems likeable when you compare him to M.I.A and frankly, Rand Paul seems like a decent guy compared to M.I.A. Hell, Kim Jong Ill seems OK compared to M.I.A. Even the British Petroleum guy seems…Sorry. I really regret endorsing that M.I.A album earlier this year.
As for endorsing Kanye, the jury’s still out but things aren’t looking good. West’s return with “Power” is as sad as it is predictable; another bombastic effort to bury everything that once made rap interesting under a stadium’s worth of bullshit. It’s anthemic, defiant and ultimately a step backwards: combining the whininess of “Can’t tell me nothing”, the ego-tripping of “Stronger” and a beat that’s half-way between “Jesus Walks” and “The Takeover.” To Kanye’s credit, he’s rapping and rapping as well as he ever has in his career. Fans of Wayne, Drake and other millennial rappers whose talents lie in their ability to say emotional platitudes in tricky ways will be pleased. Unfortunately, West is still the abusive drunk guy at the end of the party yelling his merits and insulting everyone who doesn’t acknowledge how great he is. We get it Kanye: you’re so fuckin talented. Now shut the fuck up asshole, and learn how to take a joke without writing a shitty single about it. Oh, and while you’re at it? Lose the pompous, prog-rock synthesizer bridge too: apparently that sample ain’t the only thing you jacked from King Crimson.
Download:
MP3: Kanye West – “Power”
14 comments
djax says:
June 2, 2010 at 6:58 am (UTC -7)
SMH @ your Rand Paul ref. I don’t think you get his point.
hl says:
June 2, 2010 at 8:28 am (UTC -7)
Was this picture photoshopped? This can’t be real.
Beef says:
June 2, 2010 at 8:53 am (UTC -7)
Well said man, I agree with ya on this one. The rapping is okay, but the idea behind the beat is so stale. It doesn’t feel like he’s learned much from his downfall, and the concept of jacking an indie tune is really tired. I’d like to give him the benefit of the doubt and a chance to redeem himself, but the pompousness is a big turnoff.
a says:
June 2, 2010 at 9:43 am (UTC -7)
it is perhaps the most ridiculous photograph in pictorial history.
Abe Beame says:
June 2, 2010 at 11:52 am (UTC -7)
“It’s anthemic, defiant and ultimately a step backwards:combining the whininess of “Can’t tell me nothing”, the ego-tripping of “Stronger” and a beat that’s half-way between “Jesus Walks” and “The Takeover.”
Wow. Failure. I could actually feel brain cells dieing as I read that sentence. This not only sounds like none of those songs but like no other rap song I’ve ever heard. You sound like you had no idea how to degrade it and reached for something with a stomp (Oh shit! It marches a little, I could probably link Jesus Walks and Takeover!)
I love how critics are going on about this Taylor Swift shit like dude caught the monster. This man lost a fiance and his fucking Mom.
Do you really want Kanye to come back spitting battle rhymes over boom bap? That’s never been him and will never be him, you’d be even more vehemently deriding him for attempting that. He would fail at that miserably and is too smart not to know that. He’s not going to totally abandon his sound and there’s good reason for that.
He has always been his favorite subject and always will be, and I along with all his other fans who understand what he’s trying to do are thankful for that. This is getting universal praise and I’m surprised Jeff let you run with such a stupid, half boiled opinion. This site awarded the “unlikable” Kanye’s most ego-centric gamble Album of the Year honors in 08.
There has to be a Mos Def dubstep remix album floating around your time would be better spent pontificating about.
Sach says:
June 2, 2010 at 12:33 pm (UTC -7)
Somebody call the waaaaambulance, Abe Beam’s nuts got caught in the zipper of his skinnys.
Seriously though, take a deeeeeeeep breath and relax. The fact that one critic dislikes a pop-rap song that’s getting a heap of praise shouldn’t be a threat to your world view. It’s ok, you can still enjoy it. If my opinion means so much to you, I give you express written permission to continue listening to it on repeat 24/7 while lovingly staring at your Yeezy poster. But chill with the histrionics, you’re entering “LEAVE BRITNEY ALONE” territory here and coming off like a 12 year old girl upon her first realisation that some people don’t care for Twilight, in fact, they think it “sucks”. Not a good look.
Abe Beame says:
June 2, 2010 at 1:41 pm (UTC -7)
I like how there’s no actual defense of the opinion. It’s just wrong and obnoxious, sloppy critique. That Waaambulance is the sound of da police.
Sach says:
June 2, 2010 at 2:22 pm (UTC -7)
Why should I defend my opinion? I’ve said my piece about the song and I stand by it: I think it’s derivative work by an artist who’s forgotten much of what made him interesting in the first place. The end. Hopefully the rest of his album is better. If not? Cool beans, I’ll listen to a Mos Def remix or something. Beyond that, what anybody else thinks of the song isn’t of any real concern to me one way or another.
Which is a fancy way of saying: I don’t really give a shit that you think Power is an awesome song and that Kanye is an awesome guy and that I’m an asshole for not thinking so. I mostly replied to your comment because it was funny.
Alex Ludovico says:
June 2, 2010 at 2:42 pm (UTC -7)
OH DAMN! POTW BEEF! SHOTS FIRED!
Seriously, I thought the song was pretty fantastic. Although, his rapping didn’t impress me.
Particularly, the “Obama-nation” part which was delivered so awkwardly I cringed a bit.
People should just realize opinions are opinions.
No reason to hate a man just because I think he’s wrong. Heh.
Abe Beame says:
June 2, 2010 at 3:29 pm (UTC -7)
If I don’t like it I don’t like it that don’t mean……….. Nah, Sach knows occasionally his distinct blend of authoritative bombast gets under my skin. A tossed off critique on a guy whose catalog I just spent a month studying is a fine way to accomplish that. That being said, SHOTS FIRED SON!!!!
JPop says:
June 3, 2010 at 12:28 pm (UTC -7)
I recognize the talent but I’m resigned to the fact that I will never like Ye as much as everyone else. And when I want some real shit, I pop that Pill in.
D. $cience says:
June 4, 2010 at 1:31 pm (UTC -7)
LOL @ b****in’ over what a critic says. Man, this review of “Power” was hilarious and I think the description of it sounding like previous Kanye tracks mashed in one was quite accurate…well, at least to me.
“Power” sounds like a post-Graduation cutting-room-floor track. I don’t like this song at all, but it works for the current trend of stadium-pop rap a la “Forever” released today. I really was waiting to see if Kanye would really pull off a boom bap record, but after hearing this, I think “Good A$$ Job” will sound like Graduation pt. 2…which really isn’t bad, but eh, we’ll see. Maybe Kanye should release a pop-rap album called Graduation Party. =)
Jan says:
June 5, 2010 at 7:40 am (UTC -7)
hey you know what passionweiss?
go and fuck yourself
i really liked this crazy but diffrent website til now
with this article you really showed me that youre not better then other people who blame kanye that primitive and ridicolous way
show him a little bit more repect after what he did to hip hop
and i think (and many hiphop fans think that) hes back with this “power” song to his roots, couldve been better, but hes comin back
and since when it is forbidden to use(or like you say “jacked) samples even from “King Crimson”
stop trippin fools
Victor says:
June 5, 2010 at 8:36 am (UTC -7)
Yeah i agree with D Science pretty much. I thought it was a solid comeback. It wasn’t the boom bappery i was hoping for but it was ite.