Next fall, Concordia University will become the first Canadian university to offer a course dedicated to the work and influence of American rapper, composer and entrepreneur Kanye West. Title Kanye vs. Ye: Genius by Designthe class will be introduced by Yassin Alsalman, a lecturer at the university for seven years, who is quick to describe his subject as artistically brilliant, yet controversial.
“Kanye West is the archetype of someone who is aware of the power of fame, but who both embraces it and hates it”, summarizes Yassin Alsalman, also known on the Anglo-Montreal rap scene for almost twenty years under the stage name Narcy. “That contradiction is one of the aspects of him that people are interested in — just bring up the subject of Kanye West to ignite a conversation! »
The American rapper, author of some of the most striking albums in pop music of the last twenty years, is making headlines today on several fronts. Musically, he recently launched the album 2his eleventh career, available exclusively on a device called Stem Player.
His rise in the music industry was the subject of a long and fascinating documentary, Jeen Yuhs, presented on Netflix since February 16. Finally, in a less glorious way, the rapper continues to be talked about for personal reasons these days due to the recent divorce he is going through with acrimony, if his unfortunate daily publications on the Instagram network are to be believed.
Projects and issues
These recent twists add to a panoply of polarizing statements and blowouts, such as his endorsement of former President Donald Trump and his own bid to be elected President of the United States in 2020. also that these gestures are made publicly, and that ends up distracting us from its creation, comments Professor Alsalman. In class, I intend to address Kanye’s trajectory, the community around him, those who helped shape the character and the artist to understand how he has today become this “monster” of American rap. “I think his journey is unique and raises a lot of questions about fame, the responsibility that an artist of his stature should or shouldn’t have. Of course, he said and did some problematic things, so we’re going to explore that as well. »
This course is part of the approach of the Faculty of Fine Arts of Concordia University to study hip-hop, its music as well as the phenomenon and its cultural impact – Alsalman already teaches two courses on the subject.
“This course on Kanye West is a bit like a new lens through which we can observe social phenomena differently, since a lot of issues intersect through it. »
Meanwhile, rapper Narcy will launch tomorrow IRAQAFELLA (The Anthem)the first single from his upcoming album to be released next fall, and is planning with his wife the inauguration next month of MAKTABA, a bookstore and cultural center dedicated to promoting Montreal’s various cultural communities.