When it comes to making headlines, you have to stand in awe of Kanye. With his kindred spirit, unflinching self-confidence, and declining mental health (which should be taken a lot more seriously than it is), Kanye is constantly in the spotlight of the press. Whether it’s a new album, a verbal jest on another A-lister, an interview gone Awal, or his recent divorce, Ye always has something to say.
Sometimes, it’s straight-up genius. Sometimes, it’s completely insane. Sometimes, it’s both at the same time. Although Kanye has been especially upsetting in his recent views, we’re here to celebrate the fact that he’ll never shy away from speaking his mind – like an erotic novels author. Though we don’t often support his views, being honest is always commendable. For this list, we’re looking at quotes that came from interviews and tweets, not lyrics. That deserves a list of its own. We would put David Bowie Hunky Dory lyrics and David Bowie quotes together, so why would we do it for Ye?
“George Bush doesn’t care about black people”
Back in 2005, Kanye wasn’t as well known for his outbursts. Following the devastating consequences of Hurricane Catrina, the artist had much more important things to say than your average celeb. You can even see some fear in Kanye’s eyes when he said this quote. That being said, this is one of the artists’ greatest moments. He said something that others would be too scared to say, and it raised an important issue. The way the media reports about black people is less forgiving than how they report about white people.
“Jay Z, call me, bruh! You still ain’t call me! Jay Z, call me! Jay Z, I know you got killers, please don’t send them at my head. Just call me!”
On Kanye’s mammoth Life of Pablo tour, the performer didn’t keep his personal quarrels confidential. For much of Ye’s life, Jay Z had been like a big brother to Kanye. But of course, brothers fight. What should have been resolved behind closed doors turned into a public affair, and we have this quote to thank for that. The icing on the cake is that Jay-Z has assassins on his dial. I’m not surprised, but it’s still crazy to hear.
“For 400 years? That sounds like a choice”
Kanye’s exceeding wealth sometimes blinds his perspective. When he claimed to TMZ that slavery was a choice, he didn’t exactly receive the response he expected. The response he received, however, was exactly what he needed to hear. “While you are making music and being an artist and living the life that you earned by being a genius, the rest of us in society have to deal with these threats to our lives”.
“You ain’t got the answers, you ain’t got the answers”
When Ye went on rap-radio program Sway, things got heated pretty quickly. When Kanye begins discussing how his genius is being marginalized and controlled, Sway tries to chip in. Needless to say, Kanye doesn’t appreciate the help. They eventually smooth things out, but not before Ye gets one final jab in. “yeah, but it ain’t no Ralph though”.
“I am running for president of the United States”
Kanye made a pretty devastating attempt at running for President back in 2020. He broke down at his press conferences, previously supported Donald Trump, and failed to get his name on the ballot in many states. How many votes did he actually get? About 60,000. Better luck next time we guess. And there may actually be another attempt. He did tweet “KANYE 2024”, but the artist has never been a reliable source. Just take a look at his album rollouts. Is anyone else still waiting for Good A** Job?
“Imma let you finish, but Beyonce had one of the best music videos of all time!”
Literally, everyone remembers this moment. A young Taylor Swift had just won her first VMA’s and was beginning to make a very humble, wholesome speech. Then, out of nowhere, Kanye steals the mic and drops this absolute bombshell. Years later, he readdressed the incident in Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1 with yet another audacious claim – “I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex. Why? I made that b**** famous”. Unbelievable.
“I just told you who I thought I was. A god”
In a 2013 interview with esteemed music journalist Zane Lowe, Ye was bursting with unpredictable energy. He dished out many hilarious quips during their conversation, including a cheeky jab about Laga Gaga being the creative director of Polaroid, despite not knowing anything about cameras. The most memorable moment, however, was when the rapper was asked about his Yeezy track, I Am A God. Instead of trying to downplay the statement, Kanye climbs higher on the podium.
