[Michelle]
I like that because I thought you're on the way to doing things differently, all the promotion around your album. It was really like just awesome to me, because it wasn't the traditional roll out that they do to radio where they send the single and then they're doing is they're doing that and, you know, you're doing an appearance on, you know, whatever TV show. But it was really cool. It was like when you showed in over 60 cities. You showed the-- you know, I wouldn't even call them videos. It was more of like a-- just an art exhibition that you did in these different cities. It is kind of, "What's spurred that, to do it that way?"
[Kanye]
I mean, we have dreams. We wake up, and we make them happen. I appreciate that my label allowed me to go unorthodox with that. And there's people at the label who appreciate it and there's people who don't appreciate that. It's like non-traditional in that way. But I have to push. And really, it's all practice to me. Being a musician is practice. Life is practice. You know, so it's not like a in go-- so I'm fine to make a mistake. I'm fine to, like, put out an auto tune album that no one understands. I'm fine to put out a complete punk new wave album that no one understands. I'm not trying to maintain, you know, some spot in the hip-hop charts on radio or something like that. I'm trying to open up people's minds. I want people to think more. I want people to feel like it's okay to create. I want people to feel like it's okay to make mistakes in front of people and follow what their dreams are and not feel boxed in. I want people to feel like, you know, awesome is possible. I want them to, you know, feel like, you know-- it's not a matter of just even what I'm doing at DONDA. It's the amount of people that are hearing me and now they're going to fight to get the best ideas out. Because the world will only be saved through good intention and design, It's not going to be saved is politics. The irony is, what holds things back? Politics! So how could that push things forward?
[Michelle]
I heard you say that you were trying to work out a deal with the Gap and politics held you back from doing that with your merchandise for the tour, and it may be just wonder what, sort of-- elaborate on that. What are you talking about when you say "politics?"
[Kanye]
I mean it, like, what would happen if I was able to design a collection and was like backed by the Gap? It would be awesome, right?
[Michelle]
It would totally be awesome, but then my question for you is, but you have-- you're not hurting. You're doing well, so couldn't you just do that yourself? You don't need the Gap.
[Kanye]
No, you can't. You need the infrastructure. It's not a matter of just having money.
[Michelle]
But you have a great staff set up in everything, I feel like...
[Kanye]
No, I don't have a great staff at all. That is a sk** set that takes years and years of anything. If I wanted to get into the coal business and I had-- and also, "well-off" is that, that is-- what's the word I'm looking for? I'm trying to use the simplest word sometimes. Yeah, it's all relative. Because I'm not, because, okay-- I could make an amount that seems, like, really crazy to people, like 10 million a year, right? To open up a new fashion company might costs 15 million. So if I went and took all the money I had and I invested it into trying to do it like that, it could leave me 5 million in debt.
[Michelle]
That's fair enough, I get that.
[Kanye]
And then you're not well-off.
[Michelle]
That's-- yeah-- I'm sorry, I know it's not all about money, but I've just been saying that the team that you have at DONDA and-- I would think that you could hire anybody that may want to come and work for you.
[Kanye]
I'll-- now we are. Because of what we're doing. Because of the way we're turning up. Now we can get real designers, real infrastructure. But it's really hard. Just as much as, you know, getting a creative person is hard, it's hard to get the back office guys; the people that run the-- [?] who do the real work. Yeah, you get the Rihannas, the Big Seans, the Kanyes, but you need the Barry Weiss, the Steve Barlows and [?], and like these people, you know, all the people all the people who get mentioned on the Grammy speeches, and you just can't, that's-- what you're saying is like-- Okay, you're a major recording artist because you signed to a major label. Can't you just do independent clothing? The answer is, "No." Now, can't you just get a clothing deal from a major label? The answer is, also, currently is, "No." And that's the issue. That's the Truman Show wall. That's the gla** ceilings. That's the Michael Jackson can't get his video played. Because everybody-- nobody is looking at what Obama is wearing. I'm the number one most influential person on the globe in fashion. [?] is a great designer. I love Saint Laurent and their $1 million dollar jackets and everything. I love it. But, I should have backing from one in the majors. Louis Vuitton group which is Bernard Arnault, Karen group, which is France Rapinoe, or Renzo Rosso, who owns Diesel and Margiela. Bottom line. And that's the only way it's going to be, because the thing is, when you try to go, you know, when you go less that, the level of the product is just isn't where should be. Yeah I'm doing T-shirts that are amazing. We put all our design into it, and so many people like T-shirts. And I love that. I get people T-shirts. But I also want to create entire gyms. Like gyms. Like I want to make a gym. I wanna make a store. I want to do apartment complexes. I want to build cities. I want to be involved with hyperloop when it comes to reality, with Eli Musk. That's the conversation I want to be in. So I will not be held into a box of being a musician, or that you get it somehow confused. I don't look like a rapper. Now rappers look like me, but when I started, I wasn't gangsta enough. You know what I'm saying? Like, I'm getting married to Kim Kardashian, and I've never played in the NBA.
(Laughter)
[Michelle
Oh my god.
[Kanye]
So, that's thought.
[Michelle]
You know, you raise a really good point here. If you just joined us, I'm Michelle and we're live on 97.1 Radio Los Angeles with Kanye West. You know, in creativity in rap music, do you think that, because I don't-- you definitely don't do things like everybody else. Do you think there's a certain lack of originality and creativity, not, you know, I'm not going to say that for all rap, but it seems like you do things a little differently. And a love that that; with music, I mean.
[Kanye West]
There's a lack of creativity in every field, because people are afraid. Because the powers control people. And the only place where people can be fully creative is in Silicon Valley. Everything else, there's an old regime. And oligarchs are controlling whether or not you're going to be able to feed your kids. So no one can say the type of stuff that I'm saying because they'll lose their job.
There is a a lack in creativity in Hollywood. There's a lack in creativity in clothing. There's a lack creativity in the education system. There's a lack in creativity on the globe period! @hen you look up and look at billboard ads, the majority of them s**. There's a lack creativity in advertising, in agencies. There's just a lack, because the person with the good idea needs to pay dues for 20 years before their positioned to say the idea, and they might not have the relevancy anymore. Right now, I have the relevancy and I have the perspective and I have the voice and I'm going to scream as loud as I can. And ain't nothing gon' happen to me except success.
[Michelle]
You're here to save it, man. At least, like, change it, which I love. Whoo! That heat, I love that.
There's so much pa**ion because I share a lot of the same-- where the view is my pa**ion, and I feel like people don't always get it. You know, and they're like, "Gosh, it's kind of harsh" with everyone. You've just got to be true to yourself. You know? I got to-- by the way, before I forget, you know with your clothing and your fashion, we were just talking about your merch line.
[Kanye]
Really quick, and don't forget your question, please. I wanna stop using the term "fashion," because Eve made Adam bite an apple. And since then, it's been illegal to be naked. I'm helping people follow the law in style. I'm helping people with their opinion on how to follow the law. This isn't about fashion. I'm creating new standards, things so you don't have to think about it. Fashion is too high of a sk** set. It just needs to be easy. Easy as the hoodie and jeans that I'm wearing. And I'll do all the hard work. I'll figure out exactly where that collar goes and exactly where that hoodie sits and-- and how many times you can wash that fabric and stuff so that it looks better 5 years from now. I'll do the hard work for you. Fashion is forcing people to do all this hard work where you look back 2 years from now and say, "That looked crazy!"
There are certain things that are just standard. A suit jacket is a suit jacket is a suit jacket. A hoodie is a hoodie is a hoodie. Jeans are jeans are jeans. And a Michael Jordan sneaker is a Michael Jordan sneaker. Now, let's take our kids to the park. It's not about fashion. It's about life, and me helping it become more awesome...
(TO BE CONTINUED)