Tag Archives: coldest-winter

Kanye West Posts Long Blog On Creativity, Alexander McQueen And More

‘For me the hardest thing is to ‘just’ agree and that is what sparks creativity,’ West writes. By Jem Aswad Kanye West Photo: Stefania D’Alessandro/ Getty Images Kanye West relaunched his Web site last week, and while the first day only featured his “Coldest Winter” video and an arty photo of his girlfriend Amber Rose, it’s filled out recently and on Tuesday (March 2), he posted one of his long all-caps blog entries, rendered even more difficult to read (and cut-and-paste) by his new site’s format. Titled “Creativity,” the post finds Kanye musing on his own past, deaths in his family, the recent death of designer Alexander McQueen (of whom West was a big fan) and much more. “I’m on the plane listening to [his 2004 debut LP] to The College Dropout, ” the post reads in part. “It brings back so many memories.” He then talks about the deaths in his family since that time, and the early days of his career. “We were the underdogs,” he continues. “I never feel like I’m not the underdog. I never felt completely comfortable. I’m tormented by the need to create. With the loss of McQueen I feel like we lost one of the faces of modern creativity’s Mount Rushmore. … Maybe McQueen felt his job was done because his last collection was the greatest of the decade. We are all so hurt. I know we’re selfish because he brought us so much joy and inspiration. I know how it feels when the night demons come. We can’t let them control our hands and feet. … I was blessed with the opportunity to bring my and others dreams to life. It’s like performing magic or something. It’s surreal. We bring the unrealistic to reality. … When I wake up in the morning and brush my teeth and look in the mirror it’s like I see Michael [Jackson, presumably] and my mom and Malcolm [X, presumably] … Who’s that African in the background Mom? Oh, he created the original layouts for the pyramids, but he was written out of the history books and his MTV award was given to ‘Aliens.’ … Everything is an opinion. The way you dress is an expression of your opinion. Your religious beliefs are your opinion. The music you turn up loud is your opinion. For most people it’s easier to just agree. For me the hardest thing is to ‘just’ agree and that is what sparks creativity. The feeling that something can be better, the feeling that something’s missing, the feeling that something’s needed.” What do you think of Kanye’s post and his new Web site? Let us know in the comments below! Related Artists Kanye West

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Kanye West Posts Long Blog On Creativity, Alexander McQueen And More

Kanye West Didn’t Want To Be In ‘Coldest Winter’ Video

‘He’s in that place in his life where he just wants to make art,’ director Nabil Elderkin says. By Jayson Rodriguez Kanye West Photo: Stefania D’Alessandro/ Getty Images Kanye West is a bold personality and presence, so when director Nabil Elderkin and the rapper decided to film the “Coldest Winter” video they both agreed on one thing: to leave the 808s & Heartbreak star out of the clip. The video, which premiered on Monday via iTunes, features an ominous woman in white, running throughout a dark, wintry forest populated by scary Grim Reaper-like characters. And West is nowhere in sight. Elderkin didn’t even have to sell the rapper on that concept. “You know what, the funny thing is, he didn’t want to be in it,” Elderkin told MTV News. “I wasn’t even gonna put him in it. He didn’t want to be in ‘Paranoid,’ to be honest. There was more Kanye in ‘Paranoid’ [originally], and I took him out. He’s just cool right now with putting out visuals that fit the song without having to be in it. I think he’s in that place in his life where right now he just wants to make art.” When Elderkin — who has collaborated with West on “Welcome to Heartbreak” and “Paranoid” — presented the rapper with this latest idea, it wasn’t in treatment form. The director simply told West about the concept, and the rapper was onboard almost immediately. Elderkin said he feared overshadowing the song, one of the most personal on the emotional 808s & Heartbreak, which was inspired in part by West’s mother passing and a failed relationship. Instead, he wanted the visuals to complement the music, which features West’s eerie production and the haunting refrain: “Goodbye, my friend, will I ever love again.” Much like ‘Ye’s “Flashing Lights” clip , this one doesn’t have a linear plot. “Sometimes I don’t want to get too literal with videos, like, ‘This is what this is suppose to mean, and that’s what that is suppose to mean,’ ” he said. “I wanted to leave it open to interpretation. I want people to get whatever they want out of it.” What do you think of Kanye West’s “Coldest Winter” video? Would you rather have seen him in the new video? Let us know in the comments below. Related Artists Kanye West

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Kanye West Didn’t Want To Be In ‘Coldest Winter’ Video

Kanye West’s New ‘Coldest Winter’ Video Is ‘Haunting,’ Director Says

Nabil Elderkin calls clip, premiering this week, ‘minimalistic, slow and very visual.’ By Jayson Rodriguez Kanye West Photo: Bryan Bedder/ Getty Images Kanye West continues to release videos for 2008’s 808s & Heartbreak album as the rapper is set to debut the latest, “Coldest Winter,” this week. The clip was helmed by frequent collaborator Nabil Elderkin who also directed West’s “Paranoid” (featuring a cameo by Rihanna) and “Welcome to Heartbreak.” Elderkin said for “Coldest Winter,” one of the most personal records on the emotional project, based on West’s past relationship with his former fiance and the lost of his mother, the video isn’t as intense as their previous work together. “It’s pretty minimalistic,” he said. “It’s slow and very visual. I just wanted to catch the vibe of the song and not get too literal. Because the lyrics are very close to Kanye and go much deeper than the video goes, obviously hearing the song you know it’s very emotional.” In the track, West, replete with an ominous AutoTune-tinged quality to his voice, express his dismay over a lost loved one. “Goodbye my friend, will I ever love again?” he croons repeatedly throughout the track. The director wrote the treatment for the project and described the final product as a boundary-pushing effort compared to their past work. According to Elderkin, the pair experimented in the visual medium in a way they haven’t ever done before. He said the process was more challenging for him, particularly since West wasn’t a part of the editing process and only saw the final version. The MC, however, approved the finished product. The final version even includes a revamped version of the track, according to Elderkin. “This is definitely more of a haunting one,” he said of the number. ” ‘Cause this is sort of a remix. I don’t think anyone has heard this version of the song. He did some really amazing sound work to this one. This one he got into his production a little bit more.” At press time, the debut date for the “Coldest Winter” video had not been announced. Related Artists Kanye West

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Kanye West’s New ‘Coldest Winter’ Video Is ‘Haunting,’ Director Says