That is completely fair Mega. Hip Hop/Rap is not everyone's cup of tea. However, in that regards he is considered talented. You won't find many lists of greatest rap albums of all time without there being at least one Kanye album on there.
Guy is an insurable douche but he didn't get where he is today because of self promotion. A lot of people (and critics) just actually really like his music. I'm one of those people. I think just about every album he has released has been borderline classic (but I also really like rap). However, I also don't pay attention to his tabloid life either.
Talent is subjective especially when it comes to creativity/art. 99% of real heavy metal sounds like gibberish to me and not even music. However, I'm sure those guys have talent.
In your world I liken it to Kiss and Gene Simmons. Gene Simmons seems like a complete prick in just about everything I've ever read. Kiss seems like masters of endless self promotion and I don't really connect with their music. Of course for someone like you who follows them closer you would argue that there is more to the story than the handful of articles I've read and youtube clips I've seen. Gene Simmons might seem like a gigantic douche to me, I might think their music is pretty average however I do think they are talented guys. I might not see it but too many people enjoy their music and they've sold too many records for me to think they got where they are by painting their faces and being on every single piece of merchandising known to modern man.
Kanye is a dick but in his field his is at the top of the talent list (all time).
Great post. And actually Gene Simmons and Kanye West is a pretty solid comparison in some ways.
99% of my income comes from commissioned photographic art or fine art sales. Maybe 1% comes from playing music. But I can definitely understand the subjectivity of art. One thing I do know however and it actually makes your comparison between West and G$ all the more valid - talent can get you so far, but being a self-promoter can get you to the top in any kind of "art" more than perhaps any other field.
I connect to KISS as most KISS fans do - through indelible childhood memories. If you are in your mid to late 40's, there were three cultural events in the 70's that changed your life. KISS, Star Wars and Farah Fawcett's nipples. Four things, I guess.
It's not that their music is anything more than dumb, fun bar rock. It's not, really. But they grew their fan base by working their asses off and delivering a show like nobody else. And they did their own singing and playing (on stage anyway). It was real. They did self-promote, obviously, but they caused more guys to pick up guitars than anyone not named The Beatles, so they had some talent. Good, not great musicians in the original lineup.
I've covered hundreds of bands, but among the hardest things I've ever done is learned to play baselines for Detroit Rock City and Black Diamond while stomping around in 7 inch boots with sweat and makeup in my eyes while interacting in character with the crowd. That shit is hard!
Just for sitting around and listening to music that I connect to, I never listen to KISS. But on the occasion I hear a classic KISS song on the radio, at the gym or if I am playing with my band, it always takes me back to that feeling of being 7 years old and wondering if those guys were aliens, monsters or what.
I'll be open minded about Kanye, but what really pisses me off is when he calls himself a rock star and butchers an iconic song. I'll buy that he's a sonic artist, but not sure I am ready to call him a musician.
