Kanye West says he's 'voice of this generation'

[winston]

Nov 13, 4:40 PM (ET)

By LOUISE DIXON

LONDON (AP) - Kanye West is to music what Michael Jordan was to basketball - at least that's what West thinks, in his humble estimation.

"I realize that my place and position in history is that I will go down as the voice of this generation, of this decade, I will be the loudest voice," he said in an interview on Wednesday. "It's me settling into that position of just really accepting that it's one thing to say you want to do it and it's another thing to really end up being like Michael Jordan."

The Grammy-winning rapper-producer said Justin Timberlake had a chance to be music's MVP, but hasn't put out enough material. (Timberlake's last album was in 2006, while West released a CD last year and is releasing his latest - "808s and Heartbreak" - on Nov. 24.)

"There were people who had the potential to do it but they went on vacation, so when Justin went on vacation I made albums," he said. "And it just came out to be that."

West, 31, said life has been difficult since his mother's death. Donda West died last November after having plastic surgery.

"I'm just going through balancing that. And I always used to have that support system, you know. My mom would be there; no matter what, she was there before everything," he said. "We were together for like 30 years. And you know now when I'm on that stage and I look out and I say, 'What am I going to do with the rest of my life?' Like when does a real life start?' Because I have sacrificed real life to be a celebrity and to give this art to people, which is great. It is great that I was able to do that, I'm not trying to shun that in any way, but it's definitely a Catch-22 and it's bittersweet."

OH! OK, Whatever.........bla bla bla

[antipodean]

Contrast him with Dylan, who stated that he never believed the press about him being the "voice of his generation".

I rate Kanye as the most annoying and most over-rated voice of his generation. He's a total merchant....infantile twerp...mutter mutter snarl growl.....

[lennon211]

It's gonna be awfully hard to hear the loudest voice of this generation/decade with his head so far up his behind. Maybe it's like an echo chamber.

[1965]

Kanye is like a big baby, a real egotistical pr*ck. He threw a temper tantrum onstage after he didn't win an award he thought he "deserved" at the EMA's.

[kiramdear]

A legend in his own mind. Pathetic. He aspires to be Michael Jackson; that says it all right there.

[winston]

Just a gentle reminder to all.........please curb your temptation to use profanity. I have edited a number of posts today for that reason alone.

Other than that issue, the comments made so far ring true.

[kiramdear]

Not far to go on this one before getting My last word:

I'll start looking for a new voice when Bob Dylan gets through speaking,
thank you very much Kanye

[shamustwin]

Kanye just got busted in London for pushing a camera into a photographer's face. Second time he's done it, second time he's been busted for it.
Great role model for his generation.

The way music is so fractionalized today, being the spokesman for your generation (in Kanye's case, 31 year olds?) doesn't pack the same whallop it once did.

[kiramdear]

I think the generation gap, as well as "his generation" is a fallacy, invented in early post-WWII era to sell us cosmetics, bad music, and bad politicians. Before that young people were just young people, not the Pepsi generation. This generation, all-inclusive, mobeus like, is all there ever was. And as we all know, in Janis' immortal words, "... there is no tomorrow; it's all the same ( ) day, man."

Kanye needs to take off his hype-colored glasses and have a look out there in the real world. Whatever he thinks he's selling, only a few people are buying it.

[sowhat]

I understand that this question may sound offensive for mister West, but anyway: who the hockey is Kanye West?

[kiramdear]

Thanks, Sheena, you prove my point.

Kanye West is a rap star who came to public attention after making a controversial political statement at an MTV award show. Now he thinks he's a genius because his friends all told him so. To give him credit, his statement about the Hurricane Katrina debacle, "George Bush doesn't care about black people", may have rung true to many at the time, but no one can think of another universal truth that he's come up with.

Yeah, who is he anyway?

[whojamfan]

I say this not trying to be cool using an English phrase, but simply because I don't think a better word fits. This clown has been saying for years about how he is the best thing since sliced bread, and has been boring the pants off of the general public. While he and Justin Timberlake have been appealing to the 25 and under demographic, how many other people own their material and/or really listen to it? I would imagine that it would be the same number that own Hanna Montana and Wiggles videos.

Just because you talk the most trash, doesn't mean it's true. The industry is probably unaware that all of these multi-tattooed and pierced young people will most likely be stuck in jobs where they can no longer afford luxuries such as CDs. Life is tough when you look like you just did 20 years in prison and mommy and daddy ain't footing the bill anymore.

[Darkhollow]

I am so proud to honestly say that I couldn't identify a single song of his, nor his face. I have heard the name but have no clue who he is.

Maybe I am just getting old.