Conflicts of the iPod: "...it cost a million dollars, Pam Anderson was in it, I was jumping over canyons & s**t..."- by VON B.

My words are represented by ***

http://www.cbc.ca/arts/music/story/2.../west-mtv.html


Kanye West, who earlier was named best hip-hop artist, stormed the stage to protest losing the best video award to Justice and Simian, who won for We Are Your Friends.

"Best video should have been mine. I should have won," West said in reference to his video for Touch the Sky, arguing it "cost a million dollars, Pamela Anderson was in it. I was jumping across canyons."

The 1970s-style video portrays West as a daredevil named Evil Kanyevel about to attempt a suicidal stunt, with Anderson playing West's girlfriend.
West protested because best video was the only award not chosen by MTV viewers.

"If I don't win, the awards show loses credibility," he said.

West's protest was similar to that of the Beastie Boys in 1994 after the video for Sabotage — directed by Spike Jonze and also an homage to the 1970s — lost to R.E.M.'s Everybody Hurts. Beastie Boy Adam Yauch took the stage dressed as Swiss alter ego Nathaniel Hornblower, and declared the awards show a farce.

West said in his case the award went to another band as a "spreading-the-wealth type thing."


***'Ye, 'Ye, 'Ye. Damn, am I conflicted. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a huge Kanye supporter, but I'm also a fan of bowing out gracefully- a trait that Kanye has proven he doesn't have. ****

Proof (http://people.aol.com/people/article/0,26334,1554485,00.html )

• As this year's Grammys approached, he appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone wearing a crown of thorns, and later said he'd "really have a problem" if he didn't win album of the year for Late Registration. (He lost to U2's How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb.) ***The crown of thorns was too damn much, but LR was greatness. F--- U2, 3, 4 & 5.***

• During last year's NBC celebrity telethon for Hurricane Katrina victims, he said on the live broadcast, "George Bush doesn't care about black people." He also attacked the news media, saying: "If you see a black family, it says they're looting. See a white family, it says they're looking for food." ***He was damn right to put that shit out there.***

• After losing the favorite breakthrough artist award to Gretchen Wilson at the 2004 American Music Awards, West told reporters, "I was robbed. ... I was the best new artist this year," and "I got 10 Grammy nominations, and won three – even if I should have won all 10." ***GANGSTA***


***Kanye can't do this every time things don't go his way. Next month, Kanye will probably go after Sacha Cohen saying, "Nah, f**k that s**t, man. I cain't believe ya'll let this nigga get away with this s**t...Borat was my idea!"

But, I'll say this about Kanye, & it's probably the biggest reason why I am a fan of his: the man believes in himself beyonfd the shadow of any doubt. While we live in a world where people will put you down before you even TRY to do something productive with youself, Kanye says "fuck the naysayers" before they can even begin to naysay. From there, not only does he back up what he says, we exceeds every expectation. That's something we should all aspire to do.

I can't side with Kanye in this sitation, however. Voicing your displeasure at losing a few times is one thing, but come on. To take things a bit further, he can't interrupt the winner's spotlight.



No matter how gangsta it was. Really, how funny is it that Kanye didn't even see these guys' video?

Keep touching the sky, homie, even if you don't win the award for it. Just, don't bitch about it all the time. Damn.***





***Peace, hairgrease, & 360 waves***
-Von B, the Esteemed.