Welcome to Heartbreak
“Now I can let these dream killers kill my self esteem-or use my arrogance as steam to power my dreams!!!” - Kanye West
Kanye West has a polarizing effect on so many people. I hear so many people (often young kids) who are so "over" Kanye. Most often, people cite his arrogance as the reason they don't "like" him, anymore. Personally, I find his "arrogance" to be quite justified. No one else is doing what he's doing - and they definitely aren't keeping it as fresh as he is.
You don't have to like Kanye to recognize the artistic genius impulses of the universe are manifesting through him - because he has opened himself up to be a conduit. He speaks the truth - oftentimes to a point of hitting my already oversensitive nerves. He isn't perfect - but, he uses his platform to encourage, and to witness for the ultimate artist, our Creator -
“I ain't here to argue about his facial features Or here to convert atheists into believers I'm just trying to say the way school need teachers The way Kathie Lee needed Regis that's the way yall need Jesus"
Could it be that because he speaks to our darkest, dankest, most private of places - we feel exposed by him?
"When your message resonates with the people, then you know your message is from God, and we are building this movement in the interest of all of God's people."
I'm thankful that he's keeping it real - keeping it relevant, all the while - packing in Louis Vuitton luggage. His words and his art arise from a place that is familiar to us all. And, sometimes people get distracted by the GQ Covers, Videos, and Gossip Blogs - and lose part of that relevant message that he's really trying to share - which is to LIVE. To experience. To appreciate. To create.
For him, appreciation comes in many forms - Fashion, Art, Music - etc. But, don't get it twisted - the material things aren't what is providing him the happiness, nor the inspiration. It is his gratitude - and his presence of mind that is fueling this lyrical mad man.
He posts these sorts of things nearly every day on his blog: http://www.kanyeuniversecity.com/blog/
Please hear him when he says -
“We buy our way out of jail but we can't buy freedom, We buy a lot of clothes when we don't really need them, Things we buy to cover up what's inside.”
How dare he speak to our darkest, dankest, most shameful of secrets - and pull them out into the light of day? But, thank God that he does.
Because that is what art is - it is cathartic - and it is about evoking emotions and responses from others. Good art allows you to experience the pain or the joy of an experience outside of yourself. Something that perhaps you never would've even thought about - had this artist not introduced it into your psyche.
When I was training for theater at UCO - I learned that the first plays ever performed in this world were in ancient Greece. Recalling those painful days in eighth grade when your teacher forced you to read Oedipus Rex or some other Greek Tragedy - those were the first performance pieces known to man. Well, the Greeks and the Romans began to see merit in these performances - and in fact - valued them so much that they mandated all the citizens to come to the performances and watch. It was their belief that if the community experienced the joy, love, exhilaration, and then complete tragedy - by watching the play together - and reacting to it, together - it would cathartically release some of the audience's human impulses - and would help them to learn lessons on how painful one act of 'passion' can truly be.
Their thought was, if you witnessed the horrors of a murder - like in a Greek tragedy play - you'd be less likely to go out and actually commit a murder yourself. Because you'd have a frame-of-reference. It would allow you to empathize your way out of a tough situation.
The thought that the Greek Community would gather together, as a city, to expand their hearts and their minds - and that they valued the artists. That they would allow the actors to take them to the further reaches of their emotional capacities - that thought, alone, always made me feel so noble and justified about what I was doing, in acting.
And, really that holds true for any sort of creative expression. By creating and sharing, you are providing an outlet for new understanding - to so many different and receptive people.
I think about Kanye - and how he often brags about how luxe his life is - and at the same time will tell you realistically, that his heart is hurting, despite all of the trappings he has acquired. I can relate completely. I don't live the life he lives- and won't claim to have known the luxuries he's known - but, I have been afforded some opportunities to glimpse into that multi-billion dollar lifestyle - and I can say this much. It can be lonely in the back of a Bentley, too.
If you allow yourself to buy into the "American Dream" - you'll continue to chase Consumerism - all all it's trappings. Chasing things leaves you empty.
If you allow yourself to open to the possibility that God wants to do something in and through you - your possibilities begin to open along with your eyes. And, distractions will fall away. Practice gratitude - and practice really observing the wonders of the world - through your own artistic eyes. Love your experience of the world and all of its' vibrance. Then, seek ways to share what it is that you're seeing - and what it is that you are greatful for right now.
Share your stories - so that you might help others. And, oftentimes, for artists like Kanye - those stories and insights are expressed in song - or in this case- video:
KANYE WEST "Welcome To Heartbreak" Directed by Nabil from nabil elderkin on Vimeo.
I'm so thankful that I already know that my time spent travelling First Class isn't going to fill my void. Rather, the times I spend with my first class friends and family - that will be the difference in true fulfillment.
Kanye West has a polarizing effect on so many people. I hear so many people (often young kids) who are so "over" Kanye. Most often, people cite his arrogance as the reason they don't "like" him, anymore. Personally, I find his "arrogance" to be quite justified. No one else is doing what he's doing - and they definitely aren't keeping it as fresh as he is.
You don't have to like Kanye to recognize the artistic genius impulses of the universe are manifesting through him - because he has opened himself up to be a conduit. He speaks the truth - oftentimes to a point of hitting my already oversensitive nerves. He isn't perfect - but, he uses his platform to encourage, and to witness for the ultimate artist, our Creator -
“I ain't here to argue about his facial features Or here to convert atheists into believers I'm just trying to say the way school need teachers The way Kathie Lee needed Regis that's the way yall need Jesus"
Could it be that because he speaks to our darkest, dankest, most private of places - we feel exposed by him?
"When your message resonates with the people, then you know your message is from God, and we are building this movement in the interest of all of God's people."
I'm thankful that he's keeping it real - keeping it relevant, all the while - packing in Louis Vuitton luggage. His words and his art arise from a place that is familiar to us all. And, sometimes people get distracted by the GQ Covers, Videos, and Gossip Blogs - and lose part of that relevant message that he's really trying to share - which is to LIVE. To experience. To appreciate. To create.
For him, appreciation comes in many forms - Fashion, Art, Music - etc. But, don't get it twisted - the material things aren't what is providing him the happiness, nor the inspiration. It is his gratitude - and his presence of mind that is fueling this lyrical mad man.
He posts these sorts of things nearly every day on his blog: http://www.kanyeuniversecity.com/blog/
Please hear him when he says -
“We buy our way out of jail but we can't buy freedom, We buy a lot of clothes when we don't really need them, Things we buy to cover up what's inside.”
How dare he speak to our darkest, dankest, most shameful of secrets - and pull them out into the light of day? But, thank God that he does.
Because that is what art is - it is cathartic - and it is about evoking emotions and responses from others. Good art allows you to experience the pain or the joy of an experience outside of yourself. Something that perhaps you never would've even thought about - had this artist not introduced it into your psyche.
When I was training for theater at UCO - I learned that the first plays ever performed in this world were in ancient Greece. Recalling those painful days in eighth grade when your teacher forced you to read Oedipus Rex or some other Greek Tragedy - those were the first performance pieces known to man. Well, the Greeks and the Romans began to see merit in these performances - and in fact - valued them so much that they mandated all the citizens to come to the performances and watch. It was their belief that if the community experienced the joy, love, exhilaration, and then complete tragedy - by watching the play together - and reacting to it, together - it would cathartically release some of the audience's human impulses - and would help them to learn lessons on how painful one act of 'passion' can truly be.
Their thought was, if you witnessed the horrors of a murder - like in a Greek tragedy play - you'd be less likely to go out and actually commit a murder yourself. Because you'd have a frame-of-reference. It would allow you to empathize your way out of a tough situation.
The thought that the Greek Community would gather together, as a city, to expand their hearts and their minds - and that they valued the artists. That they would allow the actors to take them to the further reaches of their emotional capacities - that thought, alone, always made me feel so noble and justified about what I was doing, in acting.
And, really that holds true for any sort of creative expression. By creating and sharing, you are providing an outlet for new understanding - to so many different and receptive people.
I think about Kanye - and how he often brags about how luxe his life is - and at the same time will tell you realistically, that his heart is hurting, despite all of the trappings he has acquired. I can relate completely. I don't live the life he lives- and won't claim to have known the luxuries he's known - but, I have been afforded some opportunities to glimpse into that multi-billion dollar lifestyle - and I can say this much. It can be lonely in the back of a Bentley, too.
If you allow yourself to buy into the "American Dream" - you'll continue to chase Consumerism - all all it's trappings. Chasing things leaves you empty.
If you allow yourself to open to the possibility that God wants to do something in and through you - your possibilities begin to open along with your eyes. And, distractions will fall away. Practice gratitude - and practice really observing the wonders of the world - through your own artistic eyes. Love your experience of the world and all of its' vibrance. Then, seek ways to share what it is that you're seeing - and what it is that you are greatful for right now.
Share your stories - so that you might help others. And, oftentimes, for artists like Kanye - those stories and insights are expressed in song - or in this case- video:
KANYE WEST "Welcome To Heartbreak" Directed by Nabil from nabil elderkin on Vimeo.
I'm so thankful that I already know that my time spent travelling First Class isn't going to fill my void. Rather, the times I spend with my first class friends and family - that will be the difference in true fulfillment.