Do White People Deserve Kanye West? -

[Totenkopf]

This article literally hurts my brain.

So when I spoke on a Drunk TED Talk panel about Kanye West in New York I anticipated a less than favourable reaction to my topic, Do White People Deserve Kanye? Indeed, the very question itself was poised in a way to be kinda confrontational – a warning shot. Sure enough, the mostly white crowd quietly vacated the room while I was speaking.

When I was asked to participate, I had never met the event organiser – a white man. When we met, I told him that I might “curse out some white people” and that I was happy to have the opportunity to tell them they didn’t own anything about Kanye. He said that this was very much what he wanted; he was aware that he was also white and was comfortable with being mocked. I sighed. Many times white people ask you to admonish them in public simply to absolve the guilt they feel for knowing about racism but choosing to enjoy privilege. It’s emotionally exhausting.

Wait, so you are complaining that white people don't want to listen to you talk, but when the event organizer says he's excited to let you talk, that is also racist? What?

There is a conversation about Kanye, which white people refuse to have; one that lays bare the reality of racism. Many white people, like those in that audience, believe that their interest in Kanye is enough to allow them to understand these problems, but he is not a trophy. I wasn’t there to congratulate people for coming and Kanye will not be either. If you pay to see him this weekend you will have no more control over him than you did last week or the year before.

I did not expect to learn much at my talk but it reaffirmed something very important: the truth will always be resisted. Kanye is resisted because his very existence speaks the truth that I discussed but just like my audience, when one has the option to disengage it is always easier to walk out. Whatever the reaction is for Kanye, you can trust that it will come as no surprise to him, just as it didn’t to me.

If you like Kanye West, you're a racist. If you dislike Kanye West you're a racist. If you show interest in Kanye West and try to learn about him, you're a racist. If you ignore Kanye West, you're a racist.

Full disclosure, I am a white amateur musician who really likes Kanye West, but... does this seem dumb to anyone else?

 

[YI 457]

Who is Kanye West and why I should care? I only know the guy because they used one of his song here:

That guy is just like Lorde. I had to google her name while watching the South Park episode. Outside of the States they are just random, semi-known "artists". What is the fucking deal?

 

[CatParty]

No one deserves him. Now if they consciously subject themselves to him, that's their problem.

 

[AnOminous]

Why would white people need to deserve him? He's not something that happened to white people.

Do black people deserve Kanye West? That's the question.

Obama doesn't think so.

 

[niggers]

lol i interpreted this topic "do white people deserve kayne west" the opposite way at first glance.

like kayne is a kind of penance for white people

 

[Conrix]

Knowing Kanye's legendary ego, he could damn well be involved in the writing of that article.

 

[Le Bateleur]

Kanye West is a racist.

 

[drtoboggan]

His music violates the Geneva Conventions and Hitler played it at Auschwitz.

 

[IronJustice]

Yes, I think it's dumb for anyone to really like Kanye West.

 

[Red_Rager]

I got a better question, is his music worth my time? Is his music worthy? If yes, he is worthy of my attention. If no, then he is not worthy of my time.

Why, yes I am an entitled consumer. The artist is entitled to produce his music/vidja/etc. but he is not entitled to my time and money which are precious commodities. So far, I don't consider him worth my time.

 

[nad7155]

Kanye West has an ego ten times his talent.

He is rude.

He has a stupid name.

He sucks groundhog ass.

 

[AnOminous]

Kanye West doesn't care about white people.

 

[ZehnBoat]

Indeed, the very question itself was poised in a way to be kinda confrontational – a warning shot. Sure enough, the mostly white crowd quietly vacated the room while I was speaking.

it's like being racist pisses people off
WHO WOULD HAVE GUESSED?!?!!?
i can't wait for 50 years in the future for a new generation to look back on shit like this and conclude that non-whites are all stupid, rude, and racist. so it's okay to be racist to them.

 

[TheProdigalStunna]

i like kanye and have an interest in kanye because his music is good and he is sometimes funny in public

 

[ZehnBoat]

i like kanye and have an interest in kanye because his music is good and he is sometimes funny in public

not sure if sarcastic

also TED, what the fuck is going on with you.
you used to be a place where people can share interesting if strange knowledge. now it's overrun by SJWs
TED: WHITE CRACKERS SHOULD DIE LOL XD part 2348347387
TED: MEN R SHITLOARDZ XD part 234723847
TED: Peace, will it happen in our lifetime (canceled)

 

[Teddy]

@ZehnBoat

TED has always catered towards SJW idiocy. Bunch of race baiting, "evil patriarchy", tumblrite crap. Why people show them in schools I don't know. Maybe in biology class but that's it.

 

[Pickle Inspector]

This article literally hurts my brain.



Wait, so you are complaining that white people don't want to listen to you talk, but when the event organizer says he's excited to let you talk, that is also racist? What?



If you like Kanye West, you're a racist. If you dislike Kanye West you're a racist. If you show interest in Kanye West and try to learn about him, you're a racist. If you ignore Kanye West, you're a racist.

Full disclosure, I am a white amateur musician who really likes Kanye West, but... does this seem dumb to anyone else?

The Guardian often seems to be to the left what the Daily Mail is to the right, at least in their opinion and pop culture columns.

Off topic:

Spoiler

A few years ago an article which insulted transsexual people lead to an hilarious confrontation where a one of the writers had a near meltdown when they realized that even as a lesbian radical feminist she was below transsexuals on the oppression stakes and started tweeting things like "People can just fuck off really. Cut their dicks off and be more feminist than me. Good for them."

 

[Cuck Norris]

Implying Kanye isn't a complete bag of shit and untalented hack.

 

[Roger Rabbit]

Kanye West doesn't care about white people.

 

[cypocraphy]

White people deserve Public Enemy.