Kanye West has always proclaimed to value artistry, and has moved accordingly. While a high-profile celebrity relationship has kept him squarely in the public eye, Yeezy's true calling has always been the music. One does not simply amass one of hip-hop's most celebrated discography by ignoring the value of creativity. For this reason, it's no wonder that Yeezy found himself enamoured with the late XXXTentacion, who seemed willing to reinvent himself on a song-by-song basis; it wasn't uncommon for X to stray from traditional hip-hop, to emo, to metal, to Latin-infused pop, all in the scope of one album.
Now, Kanye has taken his love of XXXTentacion to a tangible place. Yeezy was recently captured wearing an XXXTentacion-themed shirt, while standing alongside the legendary Gangsta Boo. It's a true cornucopia of generational talent, and a harsh reminder that X is no longer with us. One has to wonder what a Kanye and X collaboration might have looked like, especially given their seemingly endless supply of creativity. Sadly, we'll never know.
In any event, it's cool to see Kanye holding it down for a young man gone before his time. Shout out Yeezy for this one. RIP XXXTentacion.