Kanye & Takashi Murakami Cover Art

New York magazine in a recent issue critqued the Takashi Murakami cover art for Kanye's soon-to-be released CD. The writer viewed the art as "confused and busy," and attributed its theme to nothing more or less than "West's recent stylistic infatuation with contemporary Japanese art and anime."

I'm not positive, but I don't think Kanye's love of Murakami is all that recent. Kanye's always been pretty up on the whole streetwear scene and Murakami as well as other Japanese artists have always been a big part of that trend.

For me, the cover art reflect his dichotomous personality as it relates to hiphop. While on the one hand, he's the ultimate insider from a hit-making pespective, he frequently takes an other-orbit, outsider position when it comes to his owns views on rap, as well how he chooses to present himself. Kanye is of the hood, which as the art illustrates, is in and of itself on another planet from mainstream America, but still in another orbit.

And perhaps I'm taking this analysis a step to far, but while the bear's body language is open and hopeful, his expression is blank if not a bit sad. In other words, while being a man without a country brings its own joys, as Kermit knows all too well, it aint always easy being green. New York magazine complains that the cover art would have been much better suited for his very first CD, but no, Kanye then was still very much feet on the Earth, focused on grinding out his hustle.

This worldview is perfectly illustrated in a recent issue of Complex magazine, in which Kanye rates the outfits of four celebrities based on how each of four cultural groups--"Devil Wears Prada, Hipster, Hood, & Middle America" would respond to it. In this particular issue, rather than breaking down the outfits of other celebs as he usuall does, he critiques four of his own outfits. (In some future issue, he needs to do a critique of four women.)


^^Click to enlarge

There are plenty of hilarious comments, like the one he makes on the Hood rating for his 2006 Grammy outfit that he sums up with a phone message he received after the event: "Damn, 'Ye, you let the city down." In the Hipster view on 2007 Hot 97 Summer Jam outfit, he says, "The matchiness is made up for by the ridiculous amount of jewelry and those glasses. Hipsters like it when black people wear a lot of jewelry." Funny yeah (and a little painful cuz I think that view on gold sums me up a little too well!), but the bigger theme is Kanye's Mac-truck-wide perspective combined with a fearlessness when it comes to acknowleding and even laughing at the multiple personalities all outsiders have to create to survive.

In rapping about "the gift and the curse" Jay-Z alludes to the alienation that results from being a black man born with an overload of talent and ambition, but Kanye puts the issue on blast and then even pokes fun at it. As a Scorpio rising with a deep appreciation for the deeply twisted I wouldn't want everyone to be like Kanye, but damn he is a refreshing change of pace.

And on that note, here are some gratuitous shots of Kanye at some recent event. Ya gotta love the kicks.

Kelis in Concert Somewhere

My buddy Dee sent me these images of Kelis, which were taken at a recent concert by a friend of his. And yes, as Dee pointed out in the comment of my last Kelis post, I think the world of Mrs. Jones. But let me be clear, it's not so much that she's some great beauty, but that she's one of the few celebs out there who understands street style and dresses not so much to impress as to provoke and entertain herself and whomever happens to be watching. I feel the same way about Kanye. Put the two together and you have the fashion prom king and queen of TrendyNation.



Girl works HARD for the money!

Kanye & His Momma

Kanye's been out and about helping his Ma promote her new book, "Raising Kanye." Here's some images of him and her from a New York book signing:


^^This one's cute 'cause you kinda get to see his softer side, but more importantly, check out how his Jordans. I'm hearing from retailers and just observing with my own two eyes that the kids don't seem to be as into the Jumpman this summer as they were last year. Lots of Nike yes, but not so much Jordan so it's interesting to me that Mr. West is putting them on.

^^Nice jacket, kid!

^^The book itself. I heard Donda interviewed on Wendy Williams today and it came out that they both used the same cowriter, Karen Hunter.

And here's a video of Kanye and his Mom making an appearance on the Ellen show. It's kind of a weird interview 'cause at first Kanye is just sitting there meekly as Ellen goes on and on about how talented and smart he is, then he starts talking all kind of smack, which is of course entertaining, but by the time the video ends, Ms. West has barely gotten in two words edgewise!

Complex Magazine: Kanye Returns

And thank god for that. I'm not sure why stop contributing to Complex, but I definitely noticed he was gone. He returns to the May issue in a four page spread that's part fashion commentary and fashion shoot, plus his Beatdown column, in which he rates celebrity outfits. This issue features Lil' Wayne, Jude Law, Vince Vaugh & Owen Wilson and Nas.


^^Kanye is ably photographed here by Robert Maxwell (click to enlarge)

In the article, Kanye explains that he, like everybody else, is sick of all-over print hoodies. Nothing new there, but then he goes on to say that these days he's givin' hugs to Supreme, Stussy and Bape. Not sure what the Bape thing is all about--whether it's genuine or a deal, but it's interesting.

He also declares the "grown and sexy" look dead. Here's the key quote: "Enough already with the fuckin' three-piece suit. Ok, fam, we realize that you went up to the 5th floor at Barneys instead of shopping at the 4th (NOTE: Ha! How lost is that Barney's reference on not-even-close-to-havin'-that-kinda-money me??). Cool No more open bow ties stuck perfectly to your shirt with the vest! The grown and sexy movement is over with, rest in peace. I don't even know when't the last time I wore some hard bottoms. At what point did we become the bougie muthafuckas at the black-tie affair? How far dressed up are we gonna go?"

Such a bright kid he is and always entertaining.

I love Kanye

I love his smarts, his spirit, his big mouth, his pompous ways and I flat out ADORE him for having the balls to call out Bush on his shit where Katrina was concerned, but is there any one out there who can look at these images of him at the recent Stella McCartney fashion show and not think...


^^that when it comes to him as boyfriend material...

\
^^...you'd better be real comfortable...


^^...with the relationship being ALL about Kanye at ALL TIMES.