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On Tuesday, November 22nd Kanye West will release his fifth studio album titled My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Having sold approximately 20 million records worldwide throughout his controversial and illustrious career, Kanye West has established himself as one of pop culture’s most recognizable and influential personalities. From the infamous “George Bush doesn’t care about black people” debacle in 2007 to his reckless and drunken interruption of Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech at the 2009 MTV VMAs, Kanye West never lacks some sort of an opinion and certainly never ceases to make headlines. In the past few months the Renaissance man from Chicago has made headlines, but not in typical fashion.
This album cover was banned in America.
‘Ye has taken a different approach. Instead of embracing his willyy and arrogant persona, he has made the conscious decision to let his music and artistry do the talking. In anticipation for My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Kanye West recently introduced the G.O.O.D. Friday series of free music and “Runaway,” a short film starring himself and Selita Ebanks. One can only ponder the deeper meaning of “Runaway,” but ultimately the film marks a new era not only in hip hop, but in all genres of music.
“Runaway” is a cross between a larger-than-life music video and a hyped up indie flick premiering at Cannes. It depicts the brief but interesting co-existence of Kanye West and his phoenix (Ebanks). West incorporates brilliant concepts, vibrant colors, and abnormal artistic content to paint a picture that doesn’t necessarily have a place in any particular genre. Add in the nine original tracks featured throughout the film and you have an audio and visual display of fine art. From the explosions to the bright lights to the ballerinas, the music complements each scene and adds an extra bit of depth to his masterpiece.
Although Kanye West has tackled film in the past, he hasn’t done it quite like this before. Ultimately ‘Ye wants the music to speak for itself and created “Runaway” as merely an artistic interpretation of his vision. That’s not to say it hasn’t been done before. In fact, it’s been done many times, but not on such a grand scale. The only other artist who strived to push the boundaries of music and film was Michael Jackson with the production of short films for “Thriller” and “Rock My World.”
“Runaway” is part of Kanye West’s campaign to reinvent his reputation and rebrand himself. He is attempting to turn the music industry on its head, similar to how Michael Jackson’s influence reached beyond his genre. You would be hard pressed to find a film made in the same vain. He is doing something that hasn’t been done before in his genre. In a floundering music industry, Kanye West is stepping out of the box in order to change pop culture as we know it today. Because of his artistic bravado, films like “Runaway” and albums like My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy will have meaning and longevity in constantly evolving American society.
