Kanye West: Analyzing a Pop Culture Icon March 2017 | Page 18

B
y the end of 2016 an exhausted Kanye West’s
Saint Pablo tour was cancelled by force (by
his doctor) after series of rants that put into
question West’s sanity. Much of the publicity was
not in his defence, and was reluctant to treat the star
with empathy as he has recently made inflammato-
ry comments such as his public support for Donald
Trump, telling fans that he did not vote in the pres-
idential elections of November 2016, but that if he
had, he would have supported Trump.
"I told you all I didn't vote," the hip-hop artist and
designer told the crowd as one of his songs ended.
"But I didn't tell you — I guess I told you — but if
I would have voted, I would have voted for Trump
The 21 cancelled dates of the hip hop stars tour
cost him an estimated 30.2 million dollars as he
was pulling in an approximate 1.4 million dollars
a night from ticket sales alone (according Fortune.
com).
Though Kanye West’s mental breakdown was wide-
ly disappointing to concert goers (who easily may
have spent up to $200 dollars on their concert tick-
et) Kanye took the opportunity to re announce his
desire to also run for president.
BY NAOMI SPENCE
ILLUSTRATION BY PATRICK MOBERG
"I don't say 2020 out of disrespect to our president
at all. I'm not saying that, 'Aw, man, that just means
anybody can win.' That's not what I'm saying when
I say 2020. I'm just saying I've got some ideas about
the way we should connect our ideas. We should
use opposite parties — that the Republicans, that
the Democrats, that everyone who ran that had an
idea that people agreed with should be the collective
ideas that are used to run the country. That should
mean more. So it's things that Benjamin Carson
believes in that I believe in. I think that Benjamin
Carson should still be a consultant. I think that
Hillary Clinton should still be a consultant. I think
Bill Clinton should still be a consultant. I think
Obama should still be a consultant. Instead of, 'Oh,
I don't f--- with your principles so now I'm not go-
ing to give you no information that could help you
help all of us.'"
From a communications standpoint whatever mes-
sage Kanye is trying to express would be lost as the
context and the audience is not the appropriate to
announce any future candidacy that he might have
desired.
As part of the communication process set in place
to “save face” Kanye’s excuse for his admission
to a psychiatric hospital circulated to all of the
most popular tabloids, TMZ, E!, etc. “He’s just
exhausted,” said a source. “He’s been working
around the clock on fashion design, both his own
line and the Adidas line.”
What's more his already incredibly unstable public
image, his relationship with Jay Z and Beyonce was
put into question as well after he told audiences that
he was "hurt" after hearing that Beyoncé refused to
perform at the MTV Video Music Awards unless
she won Video of the Year over him, and he also
urged her husband, rapper Jay Z, to call him. "Jay Z
I know you got killers — please don't send them at
my head," West said. "Talk to me like a man."
The crisis ended in a mirage of random panic. "The
Saint Pablo Tour is the most relevant thing happen-
ing. If your old a-- keeps following old models, your
a-- is going to get Hillary Clintoned. You might not
like it, but you need to hear it," said Kanye. "This
is the future, this is the way of thinking to make
America great again," West said, though it's not
clear what specifically he was referring to.
Mental Breakdown | 19