The Book of Daniel
By David Hurtado
Its the end of times.
The Caldera super volcano in Yellowstone is ready to blow. Endless winter is on the horizon as the Western United States is predicted to be consumed by volcanic ash. Unable to adapt to rapid changes in the environment, crop failures will leave millions without food.
As wetlands in the Southern United States disappear by the acre, an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico leaks 700 barrels of oil each day (since 2004 )
Monumental highways, mines, and factories create violent gashes in our natural landscapes. Ecosystems are collapsing and coral reefs are being petrified.
The Book of Revelations played out Act I in California Old Growth forests with a protagonist of flames. Yet, despite the Biblical nature of the drama unfolding in the American landscape, when asked to think about redemption and the status of the human race I wonder: Is there redemption for Kanye West?
It’s difficult to think about the word “Redemption” and leave out Mr. West, whose volatile behavior has long placed the onus of absolution upon an unshakeable fanbase. Rocking a MAGA hat and Yeezy sneakers in a controversial meeting with Donald Trump, Kanye may have finally pushed his most loyal fans (myself included) to believe his longtime critics.
Kanye is a sinking ship and as the vessel floods bursting light bulbs release the last bits of electricity— an entertaining “I Love It” music video and a half-baked ‘Ye’. But unfortunately the short-circuitry isn’t being produced by Daft Punk (a-la-Yeezus). The “I Love It” video is a testament to the genius that brought Kanye where he is. It is a meditation on presence and persona, but the oversized silhouettes and Spike Jonze visuals make it feel like nothing more than a glorified Apple ad of dancing emojis (albeit a good one). There is little integrity in Kanye’s recent work or his stunts in the public sphere.
Some might describe the warm embrace of Trump and Kanye as they drag American society into the Mariana Trench poetic. A mirror image of falling empires. And as I watch our Commander in Chief continue his steady destructive march: claiming national lands for oil drilling, dropping climate treaties, and fueling racial violence I’m still curating playlists and trying to decide if Kanye deserves a place on them.
Is it finally time to cancel Kanye? Is my absentee ballot in the mail? Have we, as a nation, come to a moment of reckoning with both the state and our beloved pop-stars? When an empire collapses, what are we to do with the ruins?
How do we transition from nihilism and absurdity back to meaningful play? We look backwards and forwards simultaneously and throw a singalong on it. Tyler and A$AP’s joyful sample of “Knock-Knock” for Potato Salad is a fitting response to the fall of nations. While the world burns, Tyler and A$AP decided to play in the sand (ash). Their carefree raps on an old Kanye beat remind me that its alright to be playful despite the heat. That good artistry still exists and that Kanye’s legacy will forever be endlessly complicated.
Its possible that “Yandhi” will be Kanye’s magnum opus album. Layered with brilliant samples, top tier production, wit, and critical self-examination— but Kanye has been absolved by his fans and music too many times. No one’s going to redeem Kanye at this point, not even Kanye. Instead, I’m waiting for Princess Nokia to win the Presidential race, Brockhampton to claim a series of Senate seats, and a transgender Soundcloud rapper to save the coral reefs. I’m preparing for Caldera to blow and America to be the next Pompeii, without redemption but happily so. An allegory for the next intelligent species.
Like Potato Salad, I’m content to celebrate the past and meditate on the absurdity of the present. Maybe I’ll leave a Chanel bag buried deep in the desert— so that the inheritors of the earth have a relic to dance around when they find a cracked iPhone 7 looping my final playlist, Voyager II . I’m starting to think that redemption is a pipe 3 dream but we might as well enjoy the Fall.