Another golden Kanye West quote in the news today

[DanielsonTHAGOAT]

He also said he is the smartest man in the world or something like that, he's a grade a cunt

Grade A cunt but he has created jobs and careers for producers, rappers, etc. Constantly speaks out on racism in music and awakes the World to issues in Africa or third world countries with songs like Diamonds From Sierra Leone.

But we're agreed on the Grade A cunt part, yeah?

Nah, not really. He actually is a nice guy. Everyone he has worked with in the fashion and music industry say good things about him.

People like Alejandro Jodorowsky (a critically acclaimed filmmaker who is from a different spectrum in the world) praise Kanye for being a good soul.

He does spazz out on paparazzi and media outlets that bash him but so do most other celebrities and they don't really get crucified it like Kanye does.

[Ali]

I want to analyze Kanye West's brain functions, because I think he might be a legitimate mad genius. I think he's actually insane. Now, I like Kanye's music a lot. I do honestly think he's one of the most gifted and creative people the music industry has seen in a long time. But again, I think that it has something to do with his brain functioning being off in some way. His brain doesn't work in a "normal" way, he has no filter, he's got this massive ego that makes people hate him, but I find him to be utterly fascinating.

I think fame has completely destroyed his brain, because he has no one to reign him in. I think the only person capable of containing the force that is Kanye West is Jay-Z. When he dies, we will find out that Kanye had some sort of chemical imbalance in his brain, or some form of mental disorder.

[UTK]

I was indifferent toward Kanye West. Then one day I was shown an interview, and I decided he's an idiot. I don't remember the name of the video, but he speaks a language I cannot understand and repeatedly compares the music industry to the cotton industry and slavery. Seemed a little far-fetched.

[DanielsonTHAGOAT]

I was indifferent toward Kanye West. Then one day I was shown an interview, and I decided he's an idiot. I don't remember the name of the video, but he speaks a language I cannot understand and repeatedly compares the music industry to the cotton industry and slavery. Seemed a little far-fetched.

The music industry is comparable to slavery. Artist literally get pennies and dimes from CD sales. Some don't have any artistic freedom, they're forced to put on an image that'll appeal to a mainstream audience, and they really don't make that much money.

That's why guys like Kanye are so respected in the music industry because of his artistic freedom and speaking out on those issues.

[DanielsonTHAGOAT]

I want to analyze Kanye West's brain functions, because I think he might be a legitimate mad genius. I think he's actually insane. Now, I like Kanye's music a lot. I do honestly think he's one of the most gifted and creative people the music industry has seen in a long time. But again, I think that it has something to do with his brain functioning being off in some way. His brain doesn't work in a "normal" way, he has no filter, he's got this massive ego that makes people hate him, but I find him to be utterly fascinating.

I think fame has completely destroyed his brain, because he has no one to reign him in. I think the only person capable of containing the force that is Kanye West is Jay-Z. When he dies, we will find out that Kanye had some sort of chemical imbalance in his brain, or some form of mental disorder.

Kanye's the exact same as Jay-Z and Eminem. It's just called being passionate.

[Hanley!]

I was indifferent toward Kanye West. Then one day I was shown an interview, and I decided he's an idiot. I don't remember the name of the video, but he speaks a language I cannot understand and repeatedly compares the music industry to the cotton industry and slavery. Seemed a little far-fetched.

The music industry is comparable to slavery. Artist literally get pennies and dimes from CD sales. Some don't have any artistic freedom, they're forced to put on an image that'll appeal to a mainstream audience, and they really don't make that much money.

So your idea of slavery is that you might not make as much money as you think you deserve, and you might have to do some things you don't really want to do? That's not slavery. That's employment.

Equating those kinds of minor problems - that everybody in the world has to deal with at some point or another - to slavery is ridiculous. It's the very definition of the kind of self-centered entitlement that you could expect from an ego-maniacal douchehammer like Kanye West.

Slaves were owned. They were people's property with no rights of their own. Trying to equate them to some of the most privileged people on the planet, just because some rich asshole wants to have his cake and eat it too, is really, really insulting.

[DanielsonTHAGOAT]

So your idea of slavery is that you might not make as much money as you think you deserve, and you might have to do some things you don't really want to do? That's not slavery. That's employment.

So forcing an image of yourself, like a modern day Minstrel Show, in front of millions of people that degrade your race is just employment? The fact that the "gangster" image was being appropriated by music labels in hip hop culture was not racism at all? The music industry was turning hip hop music into a modern day Minstrel Show. Hundreds of artist have spoken out on this, not just Kanye West. Kanye was the first rapper to change that image and refused to pose in front of rims, guns, etc because that's not who he was. He made it acceptable to just be a kid from College who raps about how he didn't like working a job, his mother, loving a girl, etc instead of dumbing down his music just to push the agenda the music industry was forcing to consumers.

Equating those kinds of minor problems - that everybody in the world has to deal with at some point or another - to slavery is ridiculous. It's the very definition of the kind of self-centered entitlement that you could expect from an ego-maniacal douchehammer like Kanye West.

But it's not minor. Music has a huge influence on people. Even today, an artist like Iggy Azela is trying to appropriate white culture into Hip Hop music. She's from Australia and yet her rapping voice is mimicking a southern rapper. Her voice is equivalent to black face. It's not fair that way more talented artist aren't being pushed by their label simply because of their skin color and looks. Now, with the success of Iggy and Macklemore, labels are trying to push white artist over black artist because they feel like they're marketable. That's a huge problem in Hip Hop.

Slaves were owned. They were people's property with no rights of their own.

Music artist are owned as well. If they break their contracts or don't do as they please, they end up going in debt. The money that's offered to an artist when they first sign a contract to a label is basically a loan. For example; if an artist signs to a label with a 3 million deal, the label is giving them that money to promote their album, produce it, etc. If the label doesn't earn back their 3 million, the artist essentially goes into debt. That money that the label gives out is not for personal use (which is a misconception).

Trying to equate them to some of the most privileged people on the planet, just because some rich asshole wants to have his cake and eat it too, is really, really insulting.

But Kanye doesn't even care about money. He has always preferred his art over money. I mean he shot a video that cost 1 million dollars to produce(which was all the money he had in his bank account), Kanye's speaking out on the same stuff I just pointed out. This image that labels are forcing down consumers, being forced to dumb down their music, not making any money (most of the time), appropriating the culture, etc.

There's been stories where label executives told rappers to continue to promote violence so that it influences younger males to commit crimes and so that they can be locked up by private owned prisons.

This is a huge issue that needs to be addressed (which actually Kanye has) but consumers of music need to see what's going on behind all those closed doors.

[Kirbi]

@DanielsonTHAGOAT

Racism may be, and have been, one of the causes of slavery - but racism and slavery are nowhere near the same thing.

There are many people actually suffering through slavery in the world right now. West's comparison lacked any empathy for those people, was poorly expressed as an intended comparison, and will garner column-inches of opinion on him rather than the supposed 'fight for justice' you're describing here.

If he intended to get people to really look at this problem, he did a poor job. And just because someone is talented, doesn't mean they can do no wrong. Your defense of the way he expressed himself here is kind of absurd.

[DanielsonTHAGOAT]

@DanielsonTHAGOAT

Racism may be, and have been, one of the causes of slavery - but racism and slavery are nowhere near the same thing.

Okay… what's your point? Both those practices are still present in the music industry. Being the face to bainwashing a whole race of people is disgusting.

There are many people actually suffering through slavery in the world right now. West's comparison lacked any empathy for those people, was poorly expressed as an intended comparison, and will garner column-inches of opinion on him rather than the supposed 'fight for justice' you're describing here.

Kanye West is a black male, whose parents were Black Panthers that actually participated in the sit ins in the 1960s. How does he lack empathy with his own people? LMAO, he is actually one of the only artist to use his platform to address this issue. His music is driven a lot about black empowerment.

If he intended to get people to really look at this problem, he did a poor job. And just because someone is talented, doesn't mean they can do no wrong. Your defense of the way he expressed himself here is kind of absurd.

He did a poor job? Yet, his latest album was critically acclaimed and has sparked conversations in universities and blogs about mental slavery and people are criticizing how the music industry is really being ran.

https://www.aclu.org/blog/prisoners-rig ... ple-profit

http://www.metacritic.com/music/yeezus/kanye-west

I like how you didn't respond to any of the points I made and just randomly said thins that weren't relevant to the conversation.

[Messiah]

17:20.

"IT AIN'T RALPH THO!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

[DanielsonTHAGOAT]

Keep down voting, because you can't provide a thoughtful discussion I'm providing evidence that supports and echoes what I'm saying and you can't construct a response that proves my arguments wrong.

http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish ... 0633.shtml

[DanielsonTHAGOAT]

Kanye talks about how the incarceration of black males today are essentially comparable to slavery. Look at this.

"Today, there are more African-American adults under correctional control than were enslaved in 1850, before the Civil War.

The explosion in the size of our prison population over the last 40 years rakes in billions of dollars a year for CCA and other for-profit prison companies. The United States has built up the highest incarceration rate of any country in the world, with over 2.3 million men and women living behind bars. This is a historical anomaly; despite relatively stable incarceration rates earlier in the twentieth century, our prison population grew by 700% between 1970 and 2005, far outpacing both crime and general population growth.

And this overincarceration epidemic has a massive and disproportionate impact on people of color. If current trends continue, 1 in 3 Black men born today can expect to serve time behind bars."

"Opening a prison seems like a pretty lucrative investment. There is an entire prison-industrial complex which reaps untold riches from jailing minorities and using them for free labor. Not to mention the surveillance and security contracts."



http://www.publiceye.org/defendingjusti ... g_pic.html

This isn't a form of slavery? @Ace @Kirbi

[Hanley!]

Kanye talks about how the incarceration of black males today are essentially comparable to slavery. Look at this.

How exactly does this relate to the music industry being comparable to slavery? I have no problem agreeing that there's something fundamentally wrong with America's prison system. But that was never the argument here.

If your point is that Kanye has spoken out about genuine issues in the past to try to do some good in the world, then I'm glad that he chose to do that. But he should stick to those issues.

[DanielsonTHAGOAT]

Kanye talks about how the incarceration of black males today are essentially comparable to slavery. Look at this.

How exactly does this relate to the music industry being comparable to slavery? I have no problem agreeing that there's something fundamentally wrong with America's prison system. But that was never the argument here.

If your point is that Kanye has spoken out about genuine issues in the past to try to do some good in the world, then I'm glad that he chose to do that. But he should stick to those issues.

Well, the music industry, specifically hip hop was promoting violence and encouraging it. Young black males obviously are consumers to Hip hop right? So when musicians are told to promote violence, murder, drugs, etc wouldn't it reflect with the youth? Especially when they're younger.

The way artists are enslaved is mentally and financially. The people that really suffer are the youth and minorities in America because they're encouraged by these artists.

Now I know you must ask yourself, so why would they even sign these contracts in the first place? Well, most of them are unaware of how the music business operates. Now, in 2014, thanks to technology and the internet, most musicians aren't signing to major labels because of how the major labels operate.

A lot of musicians are going down the independent route. Eventually, independent record labels will be able to have the same distribution and pressing channels as the major label industry which will ultimately defeat major labels.

[DanielsonTHAGOAT]

@Hanley!

Of course, it's actually even more ridiculous than this report makes it out to be. Going back ten years ago, Courtney Love famously laid out the details of recording economics, where the label can make $11 million... and the actual artists make absolutely nothing. It starts off with a band getting a massive $1 million advance, and then you follow the money:
What happens to that million dollars?

They spend half a million to record their album. That leaves the band with $500,000. They pay $100,000 to their manager for 20 percent commission. They pay $25,000 each to their lawyer and business manager.

That leaves $350,000 for the four band members to split. After $170,000 in taxes, there's $180,000 left. That comes out to $45,000 per person.

That's $45,000 to live on for a year until the record gets released.

The record is a big hit and sells a million copies. (How a bidding-war band sells a million copies of its debut record is another rant entirely, but it's based on any basic civics-class knowledge that any of us have about cartels. Put simply, the antitrust laws in this country are basically a joke, protecting us just enough to not have to re-name our park service the Phillip Morris National Park Service.)

So, this band releases two singles and makes two videos. The two videos cost a million dollars to make and 50 percent of the video production costs are recouped out of the band's royalties.

The band gets $200,000 in tour support, which is 100 percent recoupable.

The record company spends $300,000 on independent radio promotion. You have to pay independent promotion to get your song on the radio; independent promotion is a system where the record companies use middlemen so they can pretend not to know that radio stations -- the unified broadcast system -- are getting paid to play their records.

All of those independent promotion costs are charged to the band.

Since the original million-dollar advance is also recoupable, the band owes $2 million to the record company.

If all of the million records are sold at full price with no discounts or record clubs, the band earns $2 million in royalties, since their 20 percent royalty works out to $2 a record.

Two million dollars in royalties minus $2 million in recoupable expenses equals ... zero!

How much does the record company make?

They grossed $11 million.

It costs $500,000 to manufacture the CDs and they advanced the band $1 million. Plus there were $1 million in video costs, $300,000 in radio promotion and $200,000 in tour support.

The company also paid $750,000 in music publishing royalties.

They spent $2.2 million on marketing. That's mostly retail advertising, but marketing also pays for those huge posters of Marilyn Manson in Times Square and the street scouts who drive around in vans handing out black Korn T-shirts and backwards baseball caps. Not to mention trips to Scores and cash for tips for all and sundry.

Add it up and the record company has spent about $4.4 million.

So their profit is $6.6 million; the band may as well be working at a 7-Eleven.

source: https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100 ... 0186.shtml

[Viazon]

People being treated as property and having no rights, being forced to do manual labour and repeatedly beaten and whipped vs. maybe having to sell a little bit of your soul to make some money in the music industry.

Yeah. I don't see the comparison.

I am thankful there are people like Hanley on this site who can say to stuff I'm thinking. A lot of the time I agree with his views but I'm just not smart or articulate enough to put them into my own words.

DanielsonThaGOAT, you are deluded. It frightens me that you agree with Kanye on this matter.

[DanielsonTHAGOAT]

DanielsonThaGOAT, you are deluded. It frightens me that you agree with Kanye on this matter.

How so? I just explained how artist are mentally enslaved and sign contracts that put them in debt and ruin their lives. Also how these music industries cooperate with private owned prisons to push a certain agenda which leads to the incarceration of young males who basically operate like slaves. Free labor, incarcerated for an excessive amount of time (no way should having a gram of weed earn you a couple years sentence into jail), and being influenced by music.

I've provided details on how the contract for a music artist works and the stats of the prisons in America. Please show me what statistic is incorrect because there's thousands of other people who stand by Kanye West's message on "New Slaves"

[Ace]

@DanielsonTHAGOAT

Um, let's try the fact that slaves are beaten & whipped into doing another man's work. Slaves were shipped from other countries to be sold & traded. They were separated from their families. They were killed. Had poor conditions. Starved. They weren't treated like humans. They would've rather died then be in their positions picking cotton.

I can appreciate that young rappers aren't happy with their roles that they are pushed into showing to the world. But where are the whips? Where are they being sold & treated like pets rather than equals? Last time I checked dudes like Birdman, Lil Wayne, Gucci Mane, Wiz Khalifa & J. Cole didn't live in huts & drive broken down shit cars. They might not always get the better end of a business deal but they have bigger houses than I do. They drive better cars & own better cars that I may ever drive.

A slave would NEVER get that chance. They get to be noticed world wide & have a huge array of fans. No one liked slaves except other slaves. Slavery is NOTHING like the music industry. Don't even tell me that.

Answer me this @DanielsonTHAGOAT. If I had asked you if you believe that slavery could even possibly be equated to music years before you'd even heard of Kanye, what would be your answer. Actually let me answer that for you. I know you'd look at me sideways & say the same things we're all saying on this thread. THE MUSIC INDUSTRY IS NOT EVEN IN THE SAME LEAGUE AS THE INHUMANITY THAT EXISTED/EXISTS IN SLAVERY.

Kanye is an idiotic douche-dick for comparing the 2 & you for some reason have been brainwashed into thinking that the 2 are even remotely interlinked. I'm not even sure why this is even a dispute.

[PorkChop]

Danielson, I get that you're a fan of Kanye and his music but you're really struggling trying to hold his back in this thread.

Slaves were raped, beaten, and denied the most basic of human rights. Instead of providing irrelevant statistics such as the number of black males in American prisons and twisting that to fit your argument, please show me evidence that Kanye's music label beat, rape and torture him. Then you might be on to something.

Unfortunately, you won't find such evidence. Kanye has access to clean water, healthcare, he works in sanitary conditions and doesn't live in fear of being beaten, raped or murdered every day. On top of that, Kanye West lives a more hedonistic and luxurious lifestyle than most people on the planet. Kanye probably hires people to do things for him too, such as cleaners and personal shoppers. Isn't that ironic.

The impression I've got from this thread is that you don't actually understand what slavery is.

[Viazon]

DanielsonThaGOAT, you are deluded. It frightens me that you agree with Kanye on this matter.

How so? I just explained how artist are mentally enslaved and sign contracts that put them in debt and ruin their lives. Also how these music industries cooperate with private owned prisons to push a certain agenda which leads to the incarceration of young males who basically operate like slaves. Free labor, incarcerated for an excessive amount of time (no way should having a gram of weed earn you a couple years sentence into jail), and being influenced by music.

I've provided details on how the contract for a music artist works and the stats of the prisons in America. Please show me what statistic is incorrect because there's thousands of other people who stand by Kanye West's message on "New Slaves"

You are no better than these crazy Justin Beiber fans who still stick up to him and defend him, even though he spits of his fans, shows up late for concerts, gets a DUI and generally just acts like a class A douche.

So, you have shown proof that how music contracts work and how artists get used by their record companies to make money while getting very little for themselves. Great. Good for you. Doesn't mean anything. Whatever ever happens in the music industry is still nothing like what slavery was like.