There are two kinds of people in this world. People who liked Yeezus and those who did not. I was among the latter. I appreciated what I felt Kanye was trying to communicate and explore with his album. I just couldn’t stand to listen to it. The sounds are weird and distorted, and I didn’t feel like I could take it seriously.
I’ve noticed that Kanye has a flaw I’ve seen other rappers like Kendrick Lamar and Ab-Soul. He loses his touch with the softer side of music as he grows older. His words and beats get harder, he receives more press and fame, but his music is not what it once was. I know people’s musical styles evolve, and I don’t think that’s bad, but I think it’s bad when musicians forget how to make a softer or more soulful song every once in a while.
I’m like any other rap fan, I love when rappers spit crazy wild flows and blow us away with the things they can do with words. But I also think a real musician should be able to take a ballad and make it amazing. I’m a firm believer in yin-yang. A good musician needs balance.
I really like Kanye’s older music. Flashing Lights was the first rap song I knew all the words to, and I still love songs like Diamonds from Sierra Leone and Heard ’em Say.
Heard em’ Say is a great example of the kind of balance I like in a song: Drums beats against a piano melody; well delivered and succinct rapping matched by soulful vocals (and a pretty cool music video!)
Nobody’s saying be a Drake. I’m not saying every song has to be a ballad. Just don’t lose touch with making music beautiful every once and a while.
Putting the pen to paper 