Would You Say Kanye West Is Modern Day Prince?

Kanye - Prince. How do we compare them if not musically? If it's based on what is in the media, then I'd say neither is a genius.

 

Well Questlove told a story of Prince, Eddie Murphy and other celebrities rolling skating. He said Prince and were real cool with one another.

 

Kanye West Is the Modern Day Kanye West.

 

I still don't understand why anyone would compare Kanye and Prince. Prince is a musical genius who can basically just think great music off the top of his head. A virtuoso on pretty much every instrument. Maybe the successor to Paul McCartney or Mozart. Miles said Prince was the only good new music, and they worked together a little. Kanye is from an entirely different mold - I don't see what they have in common. Prince is about the music and Kanye is about the statement/narrative/drama. His songs are about what they are ABOUT. Prince's aren't - the meanings are hidden - the Christian aspect of Purple Rain was mostly hidden to people until they could flip that chorus piece around on their computers. Kanye is very tasteful but really does spend a lot of time manipulating pre-existing material and then putting highly dramatic words/vocals on top of it (Peter Gabriel) or working with other singers (Peter Gabriel/Kate Bush, etc.) and when he is being more generative with his work it's not virtuosic at all, and the skill is mostly with the computer/equipment (Moby). I can't think of two less related artists than Prince and Kanye and I love Prince and like Kanye pretty well although I get bugged by his over-sentimental dramatism - like a Steven Spielberg movie that tugs at your heartstrings but you know you are being manipulated. I guess if I could find one thing in common it would be a penchant for grandiosity in the rhythm/chords sometimes. They can both be a bit over the top but so can Muse or Mike and the Mechanics and nobody is comparing either of them to those artists. ????

 

Can we put a sticky at the top of each page to let everyone know that we are not talking about comparing these two based on their musical output?

 

Just answering the question, I'm afraid if I elaborate re: Kanye I will get too negative.

 

Even just on the grounds of pissy egotistical narcisissm, there's not much to compare. West would bowl over his grandmother to get to a microphone into which he could declare his undeniable genius at length, whereas Prince would just publicly stroke his ego through his work and leave it to others to get in front of microphones to debate his merits or lack thereof.

If Kanye is Donald Trump, Prince is, I dunno, Howard Hughes maybe. He's known to be eccentric and unpredictable, and keeps a low profile when he's not on stage.

 

He's certainly a legend in his own mind. So yeah, I guess so.

 

Well if that's the case it sounds like your answer should have been "yes." If Kanye's cockiness and maniacal, egotistical actions equal or surpass Prince's then the answer should be "yes."

 

Kanye West is a great guitarist.

 

Worst. SH. Thread. Ever. "We are ignoring that their music and/or they made music...we think A is a reincarnation for a new era of B because of their mannerisms? And if you DARE try to consider their merit as artists in the analysis, YOU CAN'T READ! or YOU DIDN'T READ THE OP QUERY!" Is this a music forum or a sociological/psychological podium? I have changed my answer, however, from NO to I do not care, which was the actual correct in the first place.

 

I'd say he's a modern day dick.

 

Yes, I agree. There are also far better rappers in hip-hop. What I liked about "Yeezus" is exactly what you describe. As a non-native speaker it's easy for me to blank out the lyrics, though.

 

It wouldn't matter. The forum is driven to hating [and proclaiming it] Kanye for any reason they possibly can.

 

This sentiment has come up a few times in this thread, and I don't really understand it. Have you ever tried to flip samples to put together a beat? It's not easy and doing it as well as Kanye isn't something that should be so readily dismissed. It takes skill, creativity, and song-writing talent to pull together disparate components from different songs and use the pieces to create something new.

I don't think writing songs with samples is any more or less difficult than writing a song with a piano or a guitar - it's just a different tool set to use to realize the artist's vision.

 

I am not attacking him or saying that it is easy to sample, I certainly could not do it. But at the same time, if it is hard to sample, imagine how hard it is to write songs, sing, produce and play instruments? That is why I would never put anyone like Kanye in the same league as a songwriter/performer like Prince.

 

^^^This is the best answer to this question IMO. However, we are certainly in a different decade as far as celebrity tabloids and TMZ stuff goes so perhaps Prince's antics in his prime would be all over the press these days.

 

I love Prince's music.

I love Kanye's music.

If I were to force a comparison between prime Prince and a modern artist's music, though, I'll probably head more in the direction of Janelle Monae (or even Beynoce's latest); in fact, I think the comparison holds better in term of public reputation as well, if we allow Monae isn't at Purple Rain fame status. Yet...

Shalom, y'all!

L. Bangs

 

I think you're right. That said, there's a huge difference between piecing together music and the type of push and pull that comes with playing music. I prefer the latter, and while I have some albums that are more put together like paintings, I overwhelmingly find more enjoyment from things that are played.

The irony is that Prince recorded a lot of his music with overdubs, not so much with players in a room. He's had recordings on both sides of the fence.

As Bill Bruford elegantly described it, I like the Sound of Surprise.

 

Except that the OP says this thread is not about the music, but about their personalities. So, i'm kind of wondering why this thread is even in the music section.

 

Isn't that a pretty good start?

 

Good point, it should be moved because it has caused nothing but confusion.

 

But, if you're thinking of anywhere else, something's up.

Maybe this thread should be removed.

 

My avatar says, "Please explain."

 

Huh?