Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man

Usually I use this space to discuss a relevant political matter of the day. However I wanted to use this space to comment on a disturbing behavior matter regarding a particularly famous artist. It is nothing new for an artist to go through crisis. Because of their fame and popularity it often plays itself out in front of millions of people where as everyday people can make similar or worst transgressions and its only known by that persons close network. With that, this then becomes a plea. A plea for critics, fans and friends alike to intervene and understand the plight and portrait of this particular artist as a young man.

The rapper Kanye West has never been bashful about being in the public. This can date back to him being so eager to put his music out, that he funded and shot the first video to his single off his debut record. It is that same confidence and brashness that has garnered him millions of fans around the world. However as we know there is a thin line between confidence and arrogance. Kanye's behavior has often done more than simply crossed that line. Sometimes he has all out trampled over that line in self-indulgence. One can argue he loves to hear himself talk. Or you can make the case that like most celebrities he feels any press is good press. Finally some see it as his desire to be seen in the limelight by as many preening eyes as possible.

What is worth noting though is that lately Kanye West in his music and behavior has struck a bit of a different tone. The tone he struck was one of a young man who has lost his way. One who since the death of his mother and lost of his fiance has been quite evidently without direction and seemingly tired of the spotlight. We can first see his tantrum at the Los Angeles International Airport. Kanye, tired of the media and the attention that his superstar status has garnered him, takes the cameras of those taking pictures of him and goes on a tirade destroying their equipment. Then in a guest verse in the song "Put On" he laments about how people don't know his stress and how he has money and fame and it still doesn't amount to anything. There after on another record "Forever" he details that he'd love to "trade his grammy plaques just to get his granny back" and that he "used to want this thing forever, but you can have it back". Finally on Jay-Z's hit record "Run This Town" Kanye begins the last verse wishing that when he's in church he'd prefer not to be photographed. His most recent outburst saw him rudely interrupting an awards show.

This pattern of behavior seems potentially troubling. It seems to speak to a young man who is losing control of accurate decision making. In doing so we (the public) watch him go through a serious breakdown and crisis that sees him drinking in public, and being artistically unfocused. What the public must notice is that this is not the first time we have seen an artist do this. Great artist before him have also suffered from their own fame. Artist such as Michael Jackson, James Baldwin and Paul Robeson have all suffered from public persecution in one form or another. Kanye is no different. What is happening to him could and would happen to any of us if we were in the public eye. It is made worst because as we all have seen, Kanye is an artist that wears his feelings and emotions on his sleeves.

Hopefully in the very near future Kanye West takes some time to regroup and organize himself and his emotions. From there he can focus on his art and get back to the aspect of him that makes millions fans of his work. More than wanting good music (no pun intended) the public should want for him to get his life and himself under control. We as a viewing public have seen far too often what happens when a star shines too bright and ultimately fizzles out. We've seen it with Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Dave Chappelle and Martin Lawrence. Kanye West is showing signs that this "Hollywood life" is threatening his mental and emotional well-being. Now more than ever those who care about him should get him back to a healthy and comfortable place of being. A place where we the public pass judgment on his music and not his behavior.