The old Kanye can’t come to the phone right now. Why? ’Cause he’s…
Yes, it seems Kanye West has entered his Reputation era. While his last poem (“DIVORCE”) was presented without comment, the new piece he shared early on Tuesday morning includes a preface to explain that he won’t be doing any more explaining.
Or in the words of his old nemesis Taylor Swift: “There will be no further explanation. There will just be reputation.”
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The caption of Kanye’s latest IG post on Tuesday reads:
“I feel already compromised that I have to justify my expression after over 20 years of art that I’ve contributed to the planet but I also see the need to make sure we as a species are allowed to still feel anything Men not allowed to cry celebrities not allowed to cry I will not explain this new piece for the explanation destroys the mystery and magic of true love and puts it in a box that can be counted Art is subjective Art only works when it is the artist absolute truth Someone’s truth can be another persons lie We don’t all have to feel the same because we are not the same With out further ado I present to you my latest creation it is called DEAD”
What follows are not the most intricate bars that the rapper has ever penned (see: rhyming “dead” with “bread” multiple times).
However, they certainly tell us a lot about Ye’s current state of mind, and it’s a deep insight into the musical genius’ outlook at the point in his life following his divorce from Kim Kardashian.
He wrote:
“No one wanted to tell me I was DEAD
And only people that would talk to me were in my head
No one wanted to tell me I was DEAD
Only people who loved me would visit in their dreams instead
They would come to my grave and sprinkle some bread
So on my tombstone the birds would be fed
I would give new requests but nothing was said
Cause no one wanted to tell me
That I was DEAD”
The next bit contains a not-so-subtle reference to his project with his now ex-friend and collaborator, Kid Cudi:
“They ran through my account like the sign said free bread
But no one wanted to tell me I was DEAD
My kids would dance for me in a home I once led
But kids see ghosts and didn’t know I was DEAD
Every thing was wrong in the press that I read”
The poem continues with what seems to be a Shakespearean reinvention of the word “prayed”:
“Cause nobody would tell me that I was DEAD
I realized when people spoke to me was only when they pread [sic]
Cause nobody would just tell me
Bro you been DEAD
Won’t anyone listen to one word I said
Of course not sir
You know how long you been DEAD
Funny it’s been a long time since I bled”
And the poetic work concludes:
“You think someone who prides being smart as me would have known that he’s DEAD
So now every idea only exists in my head
I guess that’s how people treat people who are DEAD
I found out one day at the newsstand in purgatory there was a front page article of my murderers story
I was so surprised at what it said
This info is for the living
And surprise… You’re DEAD”
Does anyone else find it unsettling that Ye would write about being “dead” immediately after releasing a music video where he buried his romantic rival alive? That’s a lot of dark imagery. (BTW, is Pete Davidson the “murderer” here? Or is that Kim?)
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Whatever the case, it’s clear from his writing that the Donda artist’s personal issues and family troubles have caused him great pain. And while we empathize with that, he has reacted by lashing out publicly at friends, family, and loved ones (and Skete).
Maybe this recent poetry schtick is a healthier outlet for his emotions, but we hope Ye seeks help to sort out these feelings in a way that doesn’t do lasting damage to himself, his reputation, and his relationships.
Thoughts, Perezcious readers?
Share your take on Kanye’s latest IG content down in the comments (below)…
[Image via MEGA/WENN/North West/TikTok & Kid Cudi/Instagram]