CLEVELAND - Kanye West amazed and inspired me from the first time I heard his work as a hip-hop artist. Some said he was arrogant, I said he was very self-assured. Some said he was obnoxious, I said he was cultivating his brand. Turns out, everyone was correct.He was and still is all of those things.
Sunday night marked the lowest point of West's "social" career, which is saying an awful lot. In a moment destined to become an infamous event in pop culture lore, West hijacked country singer Taylor Swift's acceptance speech after she won an MTV Video Music Award over, among others, Beyonce Knowles. He took the mic from Swift and proclaimed to the star studded audience that Beyonce had "one of the best videos of all time." In other words, West felt as though Beyonce should have won instead of the 19-year old Swift.
I, along with the rest of America was in utter shock.
Swift, momentarily deflated and stunned, gave an awesome live performance of her song "You Belong With Me" just minutes later, but the West backlash had already begun. He was removed from the building and the mere mention of his name garnered boos from the crowd for the rest of the night. The Internet was abuzz with reaction to the incident, even from celebrities who were in attendance at the VMA's. West later posted an apology on his blog, but it didn't matter.
The following day, the debacle was all over the news and West himself was vilified and castigated for the audacious incident. In an ironic twist, he'd been scheduled for months to perform the hit single, "Run This Town" with Jay-Z and Rihanna on Jay Leno's brand new variety show, which debuted just 24 hours after the infraction. During an impromptu interview with Leno, Kanye appeared shaken, contrite and humble -- emotions that have never described him.
The following day, Swift appeared on The View and recounted her thoughts as the event unfolded. She also mentioned that West hadn't personally contacted her to apologize. However, before she left the building, she received a call from him and according to sources, she accepted his apology.
Here's my take: I am one of the few people that has always understood Kanye's personality. Sure, he seems egotistical and arrogant, but I believe he is just a guy that faced so many challenges and had so many doubters, that now that he's a critically acclaimed music producer and recording artist, he chooses to shout it from the rooftops early and often in an I-told-you-so-fashion. I believe his passion got him there, but that passion often manifests itself in less than stellar ways. He tells the world how great he is, then isn't able to summon humility when he needs to and conversely, we get his petulant outbursts at awards shows.
This was different, though.
For West to insinuate himself into a situation that had absolutely nothing to do with him was above the pale. The nominees were female for one, and for two, they were Swift and Knowles. If he had a problem with Beyonce losing, that's fine, he's entitled to his opinion. But in no way did he have a right to crash Swift's speech and defile her moment to satisfy his own (drunken) agenda. That was beyond rude and arrogant. It was selfish and childish and reeked of a distinct lack of respect, class and poise. For Kanye to be so gifted as an artist and producer, he is very lacking in tact and grace.
After reading a few comments online from several black folks, I am even more enraged. While nearly everyone, even West's peers and friends say that his behavior was deplorable, many of the comments were from people upset with West for "bowing to the white man" and for essentially being an Uncle Tom. They even suggested that Swift deserved what Kanye did to her and even labeled her a "white devil." Most of these people applauded him for his behavior and felt like he "sold out" by apologizing.
Wow.
When ignorance, idiocy and stupidity is present, I just want to leave the room. Nothing was acceptable about his actions, and like it or not, he just furthered the disdain that Whites have for Blacks. Kanye made us all fit into a stereotype that so many racists have put us in with his transgression.
Talent means nothing without class and respect.
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