
Kanye West is an enigma of epic proportions. For certain he is one of the most unique characters in the music business, though it seems his quirkiness has peaked as of late. Between the on-stage melt downs, the bald headed barbie (ex?) girlfriend and the one-of-a-kind sense of style, we are left wondering, ‘where does West’s eccentricity come from?’
Kanye seems more akin to a mad-genius-music-scientist than the run-of-the-mill rapper, and for that we are ever-intrigued.
After a long hiatus following the Taylor Swift-MTV Awards debacle, Kanye has reemerged with a single that is tearing up airwaves. “Power” is West’s catchy return to rap, post the era of “Heartbreaks and 808′s.” While the song is acoustically appealing enough to ride the wave of success straight to the top of the charts, we are a bit bothered by its message. Hearing West agonize about the woes of “one man having all this power” over the hymn-like lulling of a gospel choir is eerily ominous. Add the references to a “beautiful death” from his proposed “Jumping out the window, ” and Kanye has managed to throw us into a full blown panic. Is “Power” merely an egotistical testament to West’s accomplished stature laced with his signature ef-you attitude, or the mark of a troubled genius struggling with the responsibilities of new-found power?
We decided to use the lyrics of “Power” as the means by which we take a stab at the complicated question of “Whats bugging Kanye West?”
Here’s what we came up with:
No one man should have all that power
The clock’s tickin’, I just count the hours
Stop trippin’, I’m trippin’ off the power
(21st century schizoid man)
Q: Whats Bugging Kanye?
We’re Guessing: The immense pressures of fame. We think Kanye is just trying to get a handle on the
The system broken, the schools closed, the prisons open
We ain’t got nothin’ to lose, ma’f**ka, we rollin’
Q: Whats Bugging Kanye?
We’re Guessing: We don’t really think that Kanye has jumped ship on democracy and capitalism in favor of anarchy (especially considering the shout out to his diamond chain a few bars later). Perhaps, though, there is a tinge of lawlessness involved with limitless power and privilege. If he is the genius that we believe he is, the Kayne is definitely making reference to the perceived absolution of rules that results from fame.
In this white man world, we the ones chosen
So goodnight, cruel world, I see you in the mornin’
Huh? I see you in the mornin’
This is way too much, I need a moment
Q: Whats Bugging Kanye?
A: Who among us has not had a moment of “woe is me cruel world.” Add race into the equation and it is easy to see what has Kanye down. He just needs a moment people.
F*ck SNL and the whole cast
Tell ‘em Yeezy said they can kiss my whole ass
More specifically, they can kiss my asshole
I’m an asshole? You n*ggas got jokes.
Q: Whats Bugging Kanye?
A: Everyone attacked Kanye after his VMA outburst, and as all major stars do, West went on SNL to address the incident directly in a humorous way. In the end, though, we think that Kanye thinks that the joke was on him. Shame on those SNL-ers for tricking him into furthering his egotistical image to the public, thus making everything worse! We just can’t lame the man for being upset and feeling bamboozled! There was also this set, in which the cast sarcastically blasted West for his exorbitant effort to defend Beyonce’s “Single Ladies”:
Now I embody every characteristic of the egotistic
He know, he so, f*ckin’ gifted
I just needed time alone, with my own thoughts
Got treasures in my mind, but couldn’t open up my own vault
Q: Whats Bugging Kanye?
A: How does one balance being gifted and recognizing one’s own talent without seeming egotistical? Maybe this is also his way of saying, ‘no people, I was not in rehab or in India. I was just taking sometime to gather my thoughts outside of the spotlight.’
My childlike creativity, purity and honesty
Is honestly being prodded by these grown thoughts
Reality is catchin’ up with me
Takin’ my inner child, I’m fighting for it, custody
Q: Whats Bugging Kanye?
A: Apparently he’s also trying to find and keep a hold of his inner child. Not even halfway through the song, this man has already unveiled a handful of issues.
With these responsibilities that they entrusted me
As I look down at my dia-mond-encrusted piece
Q: Whats Bugging Kanye?
A: When we saw Kayne perform at the BET awards with that humongous Egyptian piece we thought 2 things: a) Oh no, Kanye has abandoned Jesus (the pendant, that is) and; b) how ridiculous is that. But after seeing the pictures of him visiting the sarcophagus of King Tut’s Great-Grandmother, we decided that he was just inspired. He must be upset with the rest of you out there who judged him too. Maybe.

Lost in translation with a whole f*ckin’ nation
They say I was the obamanation of Obama’s nation
Well, that’s a pretty bad way to start the conversation
Q: Whats Bugging Kanye?
A: Everyone seems to be down on Kanye, and he’s definitely feeing thepressure.
I don’t need yo’ p*ssy, b*tch, I’m on my own d*ck
I ain’t gotta power trip, who you goin’ home with?
How ‘Ye doin’? I’m survivin’
I was drinkin’ earlier, now I’m drivin’
Where the bad b*tches, huh? Where ya hidin’?
I got the power, make yo’ life so excitin’ (So excitin’)
Q: Whats Bugging Kanye?
A: 2 words; Ambe Rose. Kanye took Amber from total obsurity to total fame. Now rumors of Ambers expoits are running as wild as she allegedly is. Whatever happened to loyalty Amber? We think Kanye’s trying to send a message to his ex along the lines of ‘i don’t need you, you need me.’
[ione-gallery id="518805" src="http://giantmag.com"]Now this’ll be a beautiful death
Jumpin’ out the window
Lettin’ everything go





