A voice for 'the voice'

By Tatiana Sanchez

All I could do when I saw Kanye West pull his latest stunt at this year's Video Music Awards was bury my face in my hands and ask "Kanye, why?" After the initial shock subsided, I realized that Kanye West has become defined by his frequent public outbursts.

Let's take a look back at some of Kanye's most outrageous moments, ones which have not only marked his career indefinitely, but that have labeled him a jerk and a publicity-hungry jackass.

In 2004, at the 32nd annual American Music Awards, Kanye was defeated by Gretchen Wilson for Best New Artist and stormed out of the awards show in protest. He was quoted on MTV News as saying, "I felt like I was definitely robbed, and I refused to give any politically correct bullsh---ss comment ... I was the best new artist this year."

On Sept. 2 2005, The Washington Post reported that Kanye stunned viewers of a live TV fundraiser held for victims of Hurricane Katrina with the angry claim that, "George Bush doesn't care about black people!"

We come full circle to Sept. 13, 2009, when Kanye upstaged a meek Taylor Swift at the VMAs as she stood to receive her award for Best Female Video for her single "You Belong to Me." Swift spoke into the microphone for about a millisecond before Kanye interrupted, saying "I'm sorry, but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time."

Okay, so he's a little overly expressive, somewhat flamboyant and downright arrogant, but his cockiness is warranted.

The world has perhaps never seen a more egotistical character than Kanye West, but it most definitely has never seen a more original, innovative, monstrously talented and musically enlightened artist.

Outbursts and award show tantrums aside, we should revere Kanye as the "fresh to death" music god he claims to be.

There are many reasons to love Kanye, but the first is his undeniable talent as an artist. It is safe to say that Kanye West is the one and only artist of his kind. He has revolutionized hip-hop into a timeless art that is constantly evolving. Just when rap seemed to be hitting rock bottom, Kanye brought us songs like "Jesus Walks", "Gold Digger" and "Can't Tell Me Nothing." Today, he continues to grace the music industry with his presence, producing heartfelt electropop songs that touch listeners in ways that other artists can only hope to achieve. One of my personal favorites from his latest album, 808's & Heartbeak is "Welcome to Heartbreak" featuring Kid Cudi. Realizing that he let his life slip away in the pursuit of material possessions, money and success, Kanye sings: "Chased the good life my whole life long, look back on my life and my life's gone. Where did I go wrong?"

Aside from producing great songs, Kanye's creativity and fearlessness in his artistic career is what has taken him to the next level. Whether starring in the BET Awards or in a new video, Kanye's performances are full of energy and style. His pairings of color, sound and special effects are what make West unique and unstoppable. He creates a dynamic that no other artist has yet to emulate successfully; his particular vision for good music is incomparable.

And let's not forget about his killer style. When was the last time you saw a male hip-hop artist pull off skinny jeans, a hoodie vest, Nike kicks and even a little Louie V. on the side?

But perhaps most important to remember is that Kanye, like so many other rap artists, has not always had the most picture-perfect life. He was raised by his mother Dr. Donda West, a single parent. In 2007 he lost his mother tragically during complications from cosmetic surgery. Shortly after, Kanye split from longtime fiancé, Alexis Phifer. Though perhaps these devastating events are not legitimate excuses for his behavior, they most certainly prove that he is human just like everyone else.

Despite his outwardly negative portrayal in the media, Kanye has actually contributed to the community. With music as his greatest drive, he has created the Kanye West Foundation. The mission statement, according to the foundation's website "is to help combat the severe dropout problem in schools across the United States by partnering with community organizations to provide under-served youth access to music production programs that will enable them to unleash their creative ability and reach their full potential."

As cocky, controversial, criticized and crazy as Kanye may be, his artistic work and creative drive prove that he is more than just an arrogant character. He has proven to be worthy of his own praise and has also shown that even the greatest artists are simply human.

So the next time you see a Kanye train wreck on TV, think about the struggles he has faced, the undeniable talent he possesses and what he has done for the music industry.

Tatiana Sanchez is a senior English major and the opinion editor for The Santa Clara.