New York Times somehow got Kanye West to break his "no interview" policy that he's been sticking to so adamantly. During a three day span, 'Ye spoke about many topics including his upcoming album Yeezus, his personal life, which includes his girlfriend Kim Kardashian, and their soon-to-be daughter. He also touched on working with Rick Rubin and some of the controversial moments from his past such as the Grammys, and the Taylor Swift debacle at the VMAs.
New York Times writer Jon Caramanica visited Kanye West at the Shangri-La Studio in Malibu while Kanye was working with Rick Rubin and putting the finishing touches on his sixth studio album Yeezus. The interview lasted three days and had 'Ye talking about many topics. Instead of giving you guys the run down, I'll let you read exactly what Kanye had to say on some of the highlighted points from the interview:
On Yeezus: “This album is moments that I haven’t done before, like just my voice and drums. What people call a rant — but put it next to just a drumbeat, and it cuts to the level of, like, Run-D.M.C. or KRS-One. The last record I can remember — and I’m going to name records that you’ll think are cheesy — but like, J-Kwon, “Tipsy.” People would think that’s like a lower-quality, less intellectual form of hip-hop, but that’s always my No. 1.”
On the Grammys: “I don’t know if this is statistically right, but I’m assuming I have the most Grammys of anyone my age, but I haven’t won one against a white person. But the thing is, I don’t care about the Grammys; I just would like for the statistics to be more accurate.”
On apologizing to Taylor Swift: “Yeah, I think that I have like, faltered, you know, as a human. My message isn’t perfectly defined. I have, as a human being, fallen to peer pressure.”
On when he knew he was going to be famous: “I knew when I wrote the line ‘light-skinned friend look like Michael Jackson’ [from the song 'Slow Jamz'] I was going to be a big star. At the time, they used to have the Virgin music [stores], and I would go there and just go up the escalator and say to myself, ‘I’m soaking in these last moments of anonymity.’ I knew I was going to make it this far; I knew that this was going to happen.”
On Kim Kardashian: “I’m the type of rock star that likes to have a girlfriend, you know? I’m the type of soul that likes to be in love and likes to be able to focus. And that inspires me.”
On becoming a father: “One of the things was just to be protective, that I would do anything to protect my child or my child’s mother. As simple as that. … I just don’t want to talk to America about my family. Like, this is my baby. This isn’t America’s baby.”
On working with Rick Rubin: “I’m still just a kid learning about minimalism, and he’s a master of it. It’s just really such a blessing, to be able to work with him. I want to say that after working with Rick, it humbled me to realize why I hadn’t—even though I produced Watch the Throne; even though I produced D
On his fashions from five-to-seven years ago: “Yeah, kill self. That’s all I have to say. Kill self.”
On his place in pop culture: “I think what Kanye West is going to mean is something similar to what Steve Jobs means. I am undoubtedly, you know, Steve of Internet, downtown, fashion, culture. Period. By a long jump. I honestly feel that because Steve has passed, you know, it’s like when Biggie passed and Jay-Z was allowed to become Jay-Z.”
You can read the full article over at NYTimes.com.
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