Kanye West Shifts Focus From Fame And Awards To Honoring His Mother, Obama And Fans

J-Banks · 11-10-2008, 02:11 PM

Kanye West Shifts Focus From Fame And Awards To Honoring His Mother, Obama And Fans
Fresh off his first EMA win, rapper says he'd rather 'penetrate culture' than receive kudos.

By Shaheem Reid, with reporting by Jasmine Dotiwala

Kanye West has changed his priorities over the past year. While in Liverpool, England, for the 2008 MTV Europe Music Awards last week, the rapper told MTV Base that his main career objective is just to be groundbreaking with his product, not to be the most recognizable face on the planet.

"I used to want to be the biggest star in the world; now I don't know if that's my goal anymore," West said. "I just want to make really good music. I wouldn't do anything just to become anymore famous. If anything, I want to be less famous. So as I make my music, I'm putting it out for me!"

Although Kanye finally managed to win an EMA last week, that wasn't his main objective in being there. He said he just wanted to hit the stage. That's a stark contrast from his appearance at the show two years ago, when he jumped onstage to rant about his lack of awards.

"Man, I don't care about awards at all — awards are completely fixed," he said. "I just came to perform my song. ... It's just an opportunity to get up there and say 'thank you' to the fans, 'thank you' to my mother for supporting me all my life.

"The award is when you go to a club and people really play your song, and I haven't paid or asked to play it," Kanye continued. "The award is when real people sing your record and it's now penetrated culture! I don't know what awards Jimi Hendrix won, but I know that he penetrated culture. The award is the opportunity to perform. I would have preferred that I didn't get nominated for anything. I was like, 'Don't nominate me for anything else.' I used to practice my speeches. I don't practice speeches or anything anymore. It's about making some real f---ing music!"

At last week's awards show, Kanye could be seen pulling some of his fellow nominees and performers — such as Beyoncé and Solange Knowles, and the The Killers' Brandon Flowers — backstage to hear his new album, 808s &Heartbreak. The record's release date has just been moved up one day to November 24.

Last week, an animated video for the new single "Heartless" was released, and on Monday (November 10), a remix of "Love Lockdown" with R. Kelly hit the Net. No word yet on whether the pairing of the two Chicago superstars was official. Meanwhile, Kanye says he's going back in the studio with Jay-Z for Blueprint 3, and the recordings they have come up with thus far are "phenomenal."

"Emotion" is how he summed up what he wants to convey on 808s & Heartbreak. "I have suffered a lot of hardships with trying to settle into being a celebrity," West admitted. "It is quite unsettling, and sometimes I'm onstage and I think I will never be normal again. I will never be able to just walk around normal again. I will never be able to just go to the grocery store again.

"[When I released the] 'Flashing Lights' video, there were people who didn't like the fact that it only had three cuts in it," he said. "And I was like, 'F--- you, it's for me.' So everything I do at this point is for me. That's the only thing I can do to try and stay sane. ... You have got to realize I have sacrificed my life, my anonymity to be a celebrity and to give a lot of myself. People are so f---ing cruel!

"Think about how much Michael Jackson has done for us, and every time you bring up Michael Jackson, usually people are joking about him," he continued. "I'm one step away from that kid that just won a couple of awards, and a step away from Michael Jackson. 'Oh, he's so arrogant, he's so this, he's so that!' People don't even f---ing know me and have so much to say. Paparazzi, anybody who comes close enough to me, if I ask you not to take a picture of me, don't ask me something; just realize I am a real person. I am not a celebrity, I'm just famous and stuff, and I make good music. It's just a hard situation for me. I lost my mom, I lost my relationship, my hopes of some type of normality, hopes of a family, just so I could be on the stage."

Kanye ended his EMA performance by bringing out Estelle for "American Boy." Then an image of President-elect Barack Obama appeared in the background. "He's the number one American Boy," the Louis Vuitton Don said of his tribute to the next president.

"It was amazing," West added of the win by his hometown's senator. "I mean, just to be in America when I heard it was just unbelievable. It was the most unbelievable thing I ever heard. It's funny, I was on a plane, and when I landed I found out my mother had passed, and it was unbelievable and devastating, in a bad way. This year, I was on a plane and I found out that Obama had won, and it was equally as unbelievable, but in an amazing way."

source-mtv

Gunit546 · 11-10-2008, 04:01 PM

As long as he stops making music. This is not becuz im a g-unit fan, cuz g-unit aint that good lately (except for the mixtapes). But I think its just garbage. We must get that gangsta shit back, cuz thats what im missing these days. So im back listening to pac and nwa.

CitY oF DrEaMs · 11-10-2008, 04:47 PM

kanye is still dropping some good ass tracks, im really liking what hes putting out right now

Wesey · 11-10-2008, 05:22 PM

im going to see him 2moro ya dig, gonna be sick show.

TII tactics IIT · 11-10-2008, 05:43 PM

Going to see him on Thurs... apparently wayne and T.I. might be special guests.... But I like his music... I think this is kinda niche though this 808's and heartbreak, and I can understand why some won't like it. Personally I like it all the same, it's unique. But for all of you who liked old Kanye more he has said that this was something he had to get off of his chest and that he has a new album coming out next summer. So that album might be good for you'se where as 808's might not be.

11-10-2008, 02:11 PM	#1
J-Banks Super Moderator Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Providence, RI Posts: 21,015 Repped: 5,294 Repped 53,425 Times in 7,839 Posts Blog Entries: 1 Neg Reps: 53 Neg Repped at 93 Times in 86 Posts	Kanye West Shifts Focus From Fame And Awards To Honoring His Mother, Obama And Fans Kanye West Shifts Focus From Fame And Awards To Honoring His Mother, Obama And Fans Kanye West Shifts Focus From Fame And Awards To Honoring His Mother, Obama And Fans Fresh off his first EMA win, rapper says he'd rather 'penetrate culture' than receive kudos. By Shaheem Reid, with reporting by Jasmine Dotiwala Kanye West has changed his priorities over the past year. While in Liverpool, England, for the 2008 MTV Europe Music Awards last week, the rapper told MTV Base that his main career objective is just to be groundbreaking with his product, not to be the most recognizable face on the planet. "I used to want to be the biggest star in the world; now I don't know if that's my goal anymore," West said. "I just want to make really good music. I wouldn't do anything just to become anymore famous. If anything, I want to be less famous. So as I make my music, I'm putting it out for me!" Although Kanye finally managed to win an EMA last week, that wasn't his main objective in being there. He said he just wanted to hit the stage. That's a stark contrast from his appearance at the show two years ago, when he jumped onstage to rant about his lack of awards. "Man, I don't care about awards at all — awards are completely fixed," he said. "I just came to perform my song. ... It's just an opportunity to get up there and say 'thank you' to the fans, 'thank you' to my mother for supporting me all my life. "The award is when you go to a club and people really play your song, and I haven't paid or asked to play it," Kanye continued. "The award is when real people sing your record and it's now penetrated culture! I don't know what awards Jimi Hendrix won, but I know that he penetrated culture. The award is the opportunity to perform. I would have preferred that I didn't get nominated for anything. I was like, 'Don't nominate me for anything else.' I used to practice my speeches. I don't practice speeches or anything anymore. It's about making some real f---ing music!" At last week's awards show, Kanye could be seen pulling some of his fellow nominees and performers — such as Beyoncé and Solange Knowles, and the The Killers' Brandon Flowers — backstage to hear his new album, 808s &Heartbreak. The record's release date has just been moved up one day to November 24. Last week, an animated video for the new single "Heartless" was released, and on Monday (November 10), a remix of "Love Lockdown" with R. Kelly hit the Net. No word yet on whether the pairing of the two Chicago superstars was official. Meanwhile, Kanye says he's going back in the studio with Jay-Z for Blueprint 3, and the recordings they have come up with thus far are "phenomenal." "Emotion" is how he summed up what he wants to convey on 808s & Heartbreak. "I have suffered a lot of hardships with trying to settle into being a celebrity," West admitted. "It is quite unsettling, and sometimes I'm onstage and I think I will never be normal again. I will never be able to just walk around normal again. I will never be able to just go to the grocery store again. "[When I released the] 'Flashing Lights' video, there were people who didn't like the fact that it only had three cuts in it," he said. "And I was like, 'F--- you, it's for me.' So everything I do at this point is for me. That's the only thing I can do to try and stay sane. ... You have got to realize I have sacrificed my life, my anonymity to be a celebrity and to give a lot of myself. People are so f---ing cruel! "Think about how much Michael Jackson has done for us, and every time you bring up Michael Jackson, usually people are joking about him," he continued. "I'm one step away from that kid that just won a couple of awards, and a step away from Michael Jackson. 'Oh, he's so arrogant, he's so this, he's so that!' People don't even f---ing know me and have so much to say. Paparazzi, anybody who comes close enough to me, if I ask you not to take a picture of me, don't ask me something; just realize I am a real person. I am not a celebrity, I'm just famous and stuff, and I make good music. It's just a hard situation for me. I lost my mom, I lost my relationship, my hopes of some type of normality, hopes of a family, just so I could be on the stage." Kanye ended his EMA performance by bringing out Estelle for "American Boy." Then an image of President-elect Barack Obama appeared in the background. "He's the number one American Boy," the Louis Vuitton Don said of his tribute to the next president. "It was amazing," West added of the win by his hometown's senator. "I mean, just to be in America when I heard it was just unbelievable. It was the most unbelievable thing I ever heard. It's funny, I was on a plane, and when I landed I found out my mother had passed, and it was unbelievable and devastating, in a bad way. This year, I was on a plane and I found out that Obama had won, and it was equally as unbelievable, but in an amazing way." source-mtv __________________ JBanksblog.com - check it out __________________

11-10-2008, 04:01 PM	#2
Gunit546 The Boss Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Holland Posts: 422 Repped: 2 Repped 6 Times in 4 Posts Neg Reps: 0 Neg Repped at 2 Times in 2 Posts	As long as he stops making music. This is not becuz im a g-unit fan, cuz g-unit aint that good lately (except for the mixtapes). But I think its just garbage. We must get that gangsta shit back, cuz thats what im missing these days. So im back listening to pac and nwa. __________________ Death row was the time for hiphop. Nowadays its only g-unit.

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11-10-2008, 04:47 PM	#3
CitY oF DrEaMs I go HARDD no homo Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Wherever the music is Posts: 65 Repped: 0 Repped 32 Times in 4 Posts Neg Reps: 0 Neg Repped at 0 Times in 0 Posts	kanye is still dropping some good ass tracks, im really liking what hes putting out right now

11-10-2008, 05:22 PM	#4
Wesey Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 357 Repped: 12 Repped 57 Times in 28 Posts Neg Reps: 2 Neg Repped at 10 Times in 8 Posts	im going to see him 2moro ya dig, gonna be sick show.

11-10-2008, 05:43 PM	#5
TII tactics IIT Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 292 Repped: 106 Repped 102 Times in 38 Posts Neg Reps: 15 Neg Repped at 23 Times in 16 Posts	Going to see him on Thurs... apparently wayne and T.I. might be special guests.... But I like his music... I think this is kinda niche though this 808's and heartbreak, and I can understand why some won't like it. Personally I like it all the same, it's unique. But for all of you who liked old Kanye more he has said that this was something he had to get off of his chest and that he has a new album coming out next summer. So that album might be good for you'se where as 808's might not be.