West is still breathing, but his career could be on life support. Since bursting onto the scene as the ultimate underdog with Roc-a-Fella Records in 2001, West has come a long way to prove himself musically. Shunned for a time by the label that only wanted him to produce beats, West used wit and relentless bravado to gain recognition as a rap artist. However, after earning respect from the hip-hop community and releasing three creatively ingenious albums, West continued to play the bravado card and slowly drifted from the foundation that made him star.
He moved from the South Side of Chicago to Hollywood. He dumped his longtime fiancé, Alexis Phifer, and began dating an ex-stripper who is thoroughly enjoying milking her 15-minutes of fame. And his bravado is now cloyingly condescending.
West is at a critical point in his career because he allowed himself to believe his own hype. He is losing his connection with his core fan base. From a business standpoint, West is only as good as the people that support him when they buy his records or attend his concerts. So it’s important for him to regain a sense of commonality before he becomes another superstar who is no longer relevant in music. –amir shaw
