jeen-yuhs

As a document of a complex icon, it's essential. As a movie, it's curiously aimless. I could be talking about Dont Look Back, but if that were the case, I'd be thrilled and changed. I guess when I first saw Dont Look Back I was obsessed with Dylan. Jeen-yuhs is for peopled obsessed with Kanye. I've been a fan one way or another since elementary school, but my taste has drifted a ways. I see his earlier work as superior, and more nostalgic for me, so it's been years since I was actively passionate as a fan -- but even examining his earlier work, some of which I love, I'm often underwhelmed. Kanye has made some great music, and I love it, and I'm a lifelong fan; but I don't see him as a superlative artist. Even when Dylan disappoints me as an artist, he's still profoundly magnetic in a way Kanye isn't. Kanye is original, but he lacks the subtlety of others interesting to me like Dylan. Aggression doesn't always suit me, which I've said before. I always liked "Family Business." Consider how rare such tenderness is in the grand scope of his discography and cultural influence. Most of his impact is aggressive or otherwise unsubtle. Aggression can be subtle if it's layered, but his often manifests superficially like medication-stilted stream-of-consciousness rather than draughts of a deep artistic well. Dylan had his amphetamine anger, and it's not my favorite part of his work, but his body of gentler subtle work is colossal compared to Kanye's. Maybe it's unfair or uninteresting to keep comparing Kanye West to Bob Dylan, but it's natural for me, and Kanye himself certainly wouldn't fear the comparison, nor would many culture critics, it seems. Kanye also wouldn't fear comparisons to e.g. Kendrick, but they're very unflattering for him, in my mind.

I feel Kanye has an inspired mind, but not necessarily a subtle one. Again, I don't mean he shouldn't be aggressive or abrasive, but usually his artistry is bigger than it is deep.

I do love Kanye, ultimately, especially the first few albums. But I've lost a little touch with him, like the filmmaker did. I don't idolize him like I do Dylan, so the minutiae isn't enough to carry the documentary. Dont Look Back was all about the minutiae of the icon, with minimal performance footage. But these are two different icons for me, personally.