Maybe you missed this because you’re sick of the onslaught of all things Kanye. Or maybe you’ve already watched this a half-dozen times. There seems to be little middle ground on the man who brought you the Little Lord Fauntleroy voice on the Kris Jenner show and then can smash paparazzis and primal scream in the next breath. To quote the great Boosie Boo: Kanye is going through some thangs.
But when he brings back the old ‘Ye and pairs him with Uncle Charlie Wilson and The Roots, the results are better than a Martin marathon. Major bonus points for the slick diss to “Brandy’s sister.” Ray J’s been acting like an embarrassment to Carson, the fine city that brought you Rass Kass, Nobody, and Ab-Soul.
When Kanye isn’t trying to scare America, he plays to his strong suit, which is usually not made of leather. He was always effective because he was funny and sensitive and absurdly narcissistic but not so much that he didn’t have a hint of self-awareness. “Bound 2” is the best song on Yeezus (or maybe “Blood on the Leaves”) because it captured the duality. Fucking her on the sink, but getting her a glass of water after. Even Jeromey Romey Rome or Trindad James would approve. We also learned that you still can’t say “spunk on a mink” on national television.
