Author Topic: Why do people label Kanye West as a "Musical Genius"?  (Read 15754 times)

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Why do people label Kanye West as a "Musical Genius"?
« on: October 03, 2010, 10:16:19 PM »

Offline Change

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For those of you musically inclined feel free to chime in. Is he really a 'Genius'? Its the new buzzword whenever his name comes up. And sadly It caught on. To me he is average at best. Average rapper, Average lyricist, terrible singer..... I guess he makes good beat, but thats about it. The par was set so low, that a Kanye is considered a Genius. His competition afterall is Akon, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Lil Wayne.....

Re: Why do people label Kanye West as a "Musical Genius"?
« Reply #1 on: October 03, 2010, 10:30:16 PM »

Offline indeedproceed

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Kanye is pretty talented. Genius? I'm not qualified to make that kind of judgement, but he is very talented, and he's maybe the most original hip hop artist out there, aside from Kid Cudi (who I can't stand. I understand he's doing something different, and that's cool, but its not for me.)

His rap talents, aren't great...but he's a pretty good lyricist for a guy who really is better at making music than he is at performing it (if that makes sense), but he's shown good progression through his career, his live shows seem pretty good (never been), and he's the primary motivating force behind two of my favorite albums of all time...College Dropout and The Blueprint.

That beat from Ain't No Love..that's Kanye.

Also, he's responsible for maybe the most underrated Jay-Z song (in my opinion), Girls, Girls, Girls (remix).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_M25lnBq4A0

His album 808s and Heartbreaks is a legit Pop-Art masterpiece. It's one of those albums you listen to once, then think to yourself or aloud (probably around your friends) that you don't see what the big deal is.

Then, you pick it up when you're at home, and you don't stop listening to it for a month. You don't tell anyone about it, you don't recommend it to your friends, but you don't go 6 months without listening to your favorite track.

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Re: Why do people label Kanye West as a "Musical Genius"?
« Reply #2 on: October 03, 2010, 10:36:55 PM »

Offline xmuscularghandix

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He’s one of the best Hip-Hop Producers of the past decade.

Re: Why do people label Kanye West as a "Musical Genius"?
« Reply #3 on: October 04, 2010, 12:30:27 AM »

Offline LilRip

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Kanye West is very talented and is a great producers, to be honest. Plus, he reinvents and tries to make a new sound for himself. in terms of rapping abilities/lyrics, he's not the best, but he's decent too. But his strong point is in producing the tracks.



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Re: Why do people label Kanye West as a "Musical Genius"?
« Reply #4 on: October 04, 2010, 12:46:14 AM »

Offline ManUp

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I think it's arguable, he's definitely a special artist. I think that musically he can do whatever he wants and be successful, look what he did with auto-tune. In my opinion he's one of the most creative artist we've had in a while. His music for the most part ranges from good (Graduation), great (late registration), to classic (College Dropout, 808 & Heartbreak). I think he's far from average.

Auto-tune
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfrenkSar8Y
pop-radio

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vwNcNOTVzY&NR=1

hiphop classic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVpt_NIomNU
Edgey/Bragging type stuff
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5FLvOLL_aQ


What more can you really ask of someone?

Re: Why do people label Kanye West as a "Musical Genius"?
« Reply #5 on: October 04, 2010, 02:14:57 AM »

Offline Jevi

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Kanye's genius is personified in both aspects as lyricist and producer. He keeps peeling off layers of genius lyrics, beats, sounds, visuals that are just in undeniable demand. Genius in hip hop is not often thrown around at all, til you ask artist of any genre who they'd love to work with. Genius is his work on Estelle's "American Boy", #1 worldwide. Hey most people who love his music think his fashion sense don't make sense, so it's ok you don't think he's a genius
« Last Edit: October 04, 2010, 02:39:19 AM by Jevi »

Re: Why do people label Kanye West as a "Musical Genius"?
« Reply #6 on: October 04, 2010, 05:04:53 AM »

Offline Dybdal

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I view Kanye West as a Savant, when he's dealing with music he's absolutly talented but when you take that away from him and go into the core of the person, all thats left is Kayne the mentaly challenged idiot.

I think if Kayne would have stayed out of the lime light and just kept to the music, he would have been seen in a different light than he does today.. but when you act that stupid in the public, views tends to change.
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Re: Why do people label Kanye West as a "Musical Genius"?
« Reply #7 on: October 04, 2010, 06:53:49 AM »

Offline Bankshot

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For those of you musically inclined feel free to chime in. Is he really a 'Genius'? Its the new buzzword whenever his name comes up. And sadly It caught on. To me he is average at best. Average rapper, Average lyricist, terrible singer..... I guess he makes good beat, but thats about it. The par was set so low, that a Kanye is considered a Genius. His competition afterall is Akon, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Lil Wayne.....

Rihanna and Taylor Swift are not competition.  JayZ, Eminem and the like are his competition.  It's obvious that you just don't like him. lol
"If somebody would have told you when he was playing with the Knicks that Nate Robinson was going to change a big time game and he was going to do it mostly because of his defense, somebody would have got slapped."  Mark Jackson

Re: Why do people label Kanye West as a "Musical Genius"?
« Reply #8 on: October 04, 2010, 08:30:29 AM »

Offline adam8

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I know most probably know this but I think its worth saying. Kanye doesn't write down his raps he gets in there and does his thing. I don't like the new Kanye but I still appreciate his first few albums especially knowing that his lyrics are all from the mind which is pretty impressive.

Re: Why do people label Kanye West as a "Musical Genius"?
« Reply #9 on: October 04, 2010, 08:33:33 AM »

Offline MBz

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He is an extremely talented producer, one of the best in music today.  He is also one of the few mainstream hip hop artists who have lyrics which make sense.  In terms of main stream artists, you have Jay-Z and Eminem.  After those two, you have Kanye West and then guys like Lupe and Nas who though they don't get on the radio all that much, they still are very popular.  Lil Wayne, Drake, almost all of Young Money, they don't make sense when they rap.  They try to make cultural references that usually don't make any sense. "I got a city that I Carey like Mariah."  That's a line from one of Drake's songs.  That is just a little play of words, it's not a good punch line by any means.  You can tell that rap music is down just by listening to jamn94.5 now.  I remember 10 years ago, you would hear Q-Tip, Biggie, Tribe, actual rap music.  Now, Justin Bieber, Drake, Lady Gaga on Jamn?  Actual rap music is slowly fading out.
do it

Re: Why do people label Kanye West as a "Musical Genius"?
« Reply #10 on: October 04, 2010, 08:39:06 AM »

Offline jarufu

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There will be backlash .. I'm prepared.  Remember it's just my little opinion ..

I don't even think he's musical, nevermind a genius.  I think Kanye West is a chancer.

Stay classy, San Diego. Hello, Baxter? Baxter, is that you? Bark twice if you're in Milwaukee. Is this Wilt Chamberlain? Have the decency to say something.

Re: Why do people label Kanye West as a "Musical Genius"?
« Reply #11 on: October 04, 2010, 09:01:28 AM »

Offline Witch-King

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Kanye's 'Spaceship' is one of my favorite songs from him. I don't know about y'all, but I'm way more in favor of his earlier stuff, from his album 'College Dropout' because his mindset back then seems so much more practical compared to what he raps about these days.

In that album he raps from the perspective of a young artist who hasn't yet broken through and achieved widespread success in the music industry who dreams of one day perfecting his craft (whether it be mixing beats, producing, rapping), putting it all together and releasing an album that represents himself as an artist.

'Late Registration' and 'Graduation' were solid as well, though I'm am not a fan of auto-tuning and as a result '808 and Heartbreak' was not getting too much rotation in my car stereo. Either way, we know that Kanye West is more than capable of releasing quality music, it just seems that now that Kanye has become a successful, 'mainstream' (I hate to use that word, ugh) entertainer he has forgotten to be humble and sometimes comes off as an egoist, even in public situations where he should be expected to act with at least some sort of composure.
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Re: Why do people label Kanye West as a "Musical Genius"?
« Reply #12 on: October 04, 2010, 09:05:16 AM »

Offline StartOrien

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Kanye West, in my opinion, was unquestionably the best artist of the last decade. And musically, hip hop isn't even my preference.

College Dropout and Late Registration were both 5 star albums, and 808's and Late Registration were both very good. College Dropout is probably in my personal top 10 favorite albums of all time.

His new stuff has been amazing, I can't wait for it to come out.

Re: Why do people label Kanye West as a "Musical Genius"?
« Reply #13 on: October 04, 2010, 09:13:58 AM »

Offline boom

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It's simple, he's considered a musical genius because he is a musical genius. I mean, first look at his production -- he's laid down beats for some of the greatest songs of all time. That's not including his own albums which one could argue to be classic. Then his features are usually phenomenal.

Then his ability to find and surround himself with likewise talent is just absurd. Look at the GOOD Music roster, and the music out of that camp. It's ridiculous.

Re: Why do people label Kanye West as a "Musical Genius"?
« Reply #14 on: October 04, 2010, 09:18:56 AM »

Offline Rondo2287

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I can think of two other hip hop artists that i would put above him just off the top of my head.

Jay-Z
Eminem
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