Kanye West, or “Ye,” has many opinions around him due to his successful music career and the controversial opinions he shares openly online and in person. His recent scandals raise the question: “To Ye, or not Ye?”
“I think Kanye West is an interesting man,” junior Anna David said. “He is a little different from the average person; I would say that he is crazy. He is a very successful songwriter and makes music, and the words in his songs are powerful. He speaks his mind, and I can respect that.”
Just as Anna admires Ye’s musical talent, another student does as well but believes that the death of Ye’s mother and the separation of Ye from his ex-wife Kim Kardashian altered his behavior.
“I love Kanye West,” junior Mason Coombs said. “I think he is the greatest musical artist of all time, but his music can only account for so much of his actions. He hasn’t been the same since Donda died and Kim divorced him.”
Others would not consider Ye an interesting or great person but rather someone desperate to stay a prominent figure in modern media.
“I think Kanye West overall has always tried too hard to stay relevant,” sophomore LeeAnne Phillps said. “And paired with any mental health issues, he is very controversial.”
These past weeks, Kanye has shared many controversial beliefs on the app X and has made what some would call questionable fashion choices for the Grammys.
“Yes, I have (seen the posts on X),” David said. “Kanye likes to do things and [does] not care what others may think of him. He is a very free-spirited person, and has his personal views on what he believes.”
David explains that Bianca, Kanye’s second wife, made a statement by wearing what she did to the Grammys.
“I think Kanye’s wife was underdressed and was making a statement,” David said. “But like I said, Kanye does what he wants and his wife looked really good at the Grammys. I think that Kanye may be different but also inspirational because he speaks his mind but is still a successful figure.”
While David said it was a statement for Kanye’s wife to wear the outfit she did, Phillips argues that it was just another failed media stunt.
“(Ye’s mental health) has only gotten worse over time,” Phillips said. “And when I saw his post on X, I wasn’t too surprised. I think his wife’s outfit was another poor publicity stunt, also free Bianca Censori.”
Ye has not only released one but multiple posts about taboo topics. Some get Ye’s concept behind the see-through dress Bianca Censori wore to the Grammys and her wanting to stand out even more than the award show itself.
“I have seen numerous posts from Ye talking about Hitler and the Holocaust,” Coombs said. I get his vision of how he wanted Bianca to be the more famous than the Grammy’s, and she was. More celebrities and even people in High School have done worse.”
Kanye fans and Taylor Swift fans come from two very different fan bases and have been feuding since 2009 after Kanye announced Beyonce should have won the award instead of Taylor Swift. Phillps explains that Ye is a terrible person, because she is Taylor swift fan.
“I think Kanye’s music is (sometimes) good,” Phillips said. “But as a Taylor Swift fan and a decent human being, I do not like him as a person.”
On the other side of the fan base, Kanye fans agree that it would be better if he kept his mental health private and some of his opinions to himself, but still believe his music is amazing.
“I like Kanye’s songs and the fact that he speaks the truth,” David said. “I do think that he could keep certain opinions to himself, but I mean, let the man live. Kanye is a lot of things, but boring is not one of them.”
The student interviewees agree that Kanye, for the most part, has acceptable music, but the uproar in his mental health has gone too far.
“I love the way his music feels and the meaning behind all of it,” Coombs said. “A man has never lived until they have listened to Ghost Towns by Kanye. I hate how when he’s in an episode he starts talking about Hitler and doing crazy things. I think he wouldn’t be Kanye without his Manic episodes, but it’s gone too far.”
