Did not know him before, listening to some of the stuff on Youtube.... it's nice So, Kanye's not a genius, I think I can concede that... but his first 3 album were still really good, and for some people, can make them feel a connection most music can't. I still maintain, he was a heck of an artist and fairly influential. 808 and Dark fantasy were two albums I didn't like initially but really grew on me. Yeezus... sigh WTF. My favorite song with Kanye in it was actually off of an mixed tape he did. His verses are in the middle, which explained about Kanye to me. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xz8FXgLpI4
And an underrated guitarist... Not among the best, certainly not in technique... but his emotive and musical application of feedback, I believe, was right up there with Jimi Hendrix... Two that seemed to see it's affecting musical worth, beyond that of a mere sound loop of a fading note or a brief eruptive thrill... Now, that's artistic..
I don't see why that's not up for debate. Unless we are boxing the very open definition of 'genius' to be something more specific.
Yeah, probably the single-most influential person to Kanye's music (which he has stated). Their production styles/techniques are often compared.
If you were a little more informed, you'd realize he isn't nearly the only dropout on the list. School doesnt account for overall intelligence. Are you seriously going to compare Kanye to Hendrix now? I didn't realize Kanye was an activist for anything but himself and his fashion line. Grow up.
I've written most of this from my phone cut me some slack lol. Those aren't the only errors in names I found.
Lord... What is the world coming to that people consider rappers geniuses? Mozart, able to freestyle and write entire compositions in his mind. That is talent. Erik Satie, who modified classical music into a precursor of modern ambient music able to convey emotion was a genius. Yes art and its appreciation is subjective, however some stuff takes more talent and involves a higher degree of difficulty than others. Just like its harder to do what Tony Parker does than me heating a hot pocket while posting here. I love rap and it does take talent to have a good flow, etc but lets be real. A Tribe called quest is praised and even they have corny, brainless rhymes like Bo knows this, Bo knows that... (you know how the rest goes). And Kanye is not even a good rapper... Rap is popular because its catchy and any idiot can get it.
Okay. Please tell me why it can't even be up for debate that a guy who helped change the course of rock music and was instrumental in creating a hugely influential sub-genre cannot be even considered a creative/artistic genius? What is this singular, precise definition of 'genius' that you are using, which spits out an objective yes/no answer?
if modern musicians are not considered comparable talents to centuries-old classical composers, this is an indictment on society rather than today's popular musicians.
Modern musicians are absolutely comparable and then some. Popular musicians are a different animal. We need to make that distinction. In the 16th century people listened to minstrels instead of Palestrina who is now considered a genius. In the 1950's people listened to Elvis Presely instead of Arnold Schoenberg who changed the course of modern classical music. The Grammies chose to celebrate Tina Turner's life a couple years back instead of the genius of Milton Babbit who died the same year. Your absolutely right that this in an indictment on society, however this era is no different than any other era.
