Ye: Shall Know Him by His Fruits

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I've written a version of this before. I never published it because I've always had hope that Ye will be the hero I think he can be: the artist who unites the people for the betterment of the nation and world. But over the years, he has become more of a provocateur than anything else.

I've always appreciated him sharing his opinion out loud, both the good and the cringe. I understand him as a man who does what he wants. I also later understood that he is in a lifetime contract with EMI that basically prevents him from retiring (see here). Both of those things work together. I'm not sure of the latest developments in this contract, but to me, it makes sense that he does all of these provocative things: either to get out of the contract due to a poor image or to continue to generate attention to himself that would aid him in selling music. He gives the illusion that he does what he wants, but he is actually acting in the interest of his money and legacy.

A long time ago, I learned that an individual experience comes down to perspective. My perspective towards him definitely changed when I gave a collective look at his output and public actions from beginning to end. I have known for a long time that he has wanted to be the number one guy on the planet. The best ever. A genius. But I’m starting to see him mainly as a human being with a gift for being provocative. And it does what it’s supposed to do: get people talking, get people divided.

Once I began to really study the results of his work, it became so painfully obvious that Ye is concerned about himself, his family, and the people that support him. He doesn’t love his enemies. He doesn’t do good to those who spitefully use him, and many of us don’t. Though he has the platform to show that kind of love to the world. Instead, he promotes highly explicit content, with the exception of the season where he presented himself as a public Christian artist; and everything (at least in word and according to public media) was about God and Jesus. But I thought about it: he’s always drawn inspiration from the Bible and Jesus.

So what is my encouragement to young people and adults when it comes to this particular artist? I encourage you to not fall into his web of confusion. This is the same guy who often creates the problem, and then says it's a problem that is affecting him in a not good way. An example of this was his recent stint at Adidas. Now of course, Adidas likely isn't innocent in this situation with Ye, but there is footage of him showing explicit material in meetings with Adidas staff, and not to mention his anti-Semitic statements that he swore Adidas wouldn't drop him for, and...they did, but then Ye turns around and blames Jewish people. The man knows how to spin a story and spark controversy for sure and always has. That is why I encourage you to not view anything he's doing as new. If you pay attention to the arc of his career so far, he has always courted controversy by swimming against the current, so to speak. That was one of the reasons he was so inspiring to me. And then I thought about it: why is that attractive to me?

This idea of not being free plays into me seeing Ye as a guy fighting for freedom, but that context is false. Black people are not in physical slavery in the current day, and being in a contract is not the same as being enslaved. Ye is free as an American. He may be trapped by his own web, but not because someone is forcing him to be in a situation or a position that he himself didn't choose to be in. That is why it is hard for me to sympathize with him. I see a man who makes choices and then the results are either favorable or not.

Now, to be fair, I am not an insider. I do not know what is actually happening, but it appears to me to all be a part of his beautiful dark twisted fantasy: where Ye is the center of the universe and history. And that spot, I believe, is only reserved for Jesus.

And no, I haven't heard his latest project, and don't intend to hear it, which is strange for me as someone who has followed Ye since he dropped College Dropout. I literally google him almost every day. But for my own mental well-being, I cannot continue to expose myself to his musical or verbal content in such a way where I am lost in his web. I am not following Ye. I am not in this intriguing cult he is building. But I will always appreciate his inspiring traits and daring attitude, just will not be someone who will defend him at any cost. He is not my savior. He is not the most talented artist in America or the world, but I treated him as such for so long.

Ye, if you ever read this, I appreciate you and hope that one day you can leave all the pain behind and truly heal and be happier. I wish no ill upon you. I am simply stating my opinion, something you are all too familiar with. Thank you for being you. But I must disengage from thinking of you as someone you're not and someone you never claimed to be.