“I had a dream I could buy my way to heaven. When I awoke I spent that on a necklace.” -Kanye West (“Can’t Tell Me Nothin'”) Worth a reported $90 million, Ye has shunned what so many in his position attribute to their self worth. “I wanted something better, something fresher,” he freestyled during a recent performance stop in Amsterdam. “It wasn’t because of the pressure it’s just that I wanted something better or fresher. A lot of people buy brands because of the pressure, and without the brands they make you feel lesser. Every bus stop there’s a message, ‘Get like this.’ Pretty, black and white photo. Get like this.” And then there’s the Kim Kardashian factor. A man clearly venting his frustrations with being famous, is committed to the biggest reality star on the planet. In the past he’s chosen virtual unknowns, all of whom were made into stars just by linking arms with him. In the case of Kardashian, she’s certainly sustained her popularity because of West—and their unborn child—but she was doing perfectly fine on her own. How she achieved fame doesn’t necessarily dictate her moral compass, nor her ability to relate to a boyfriend falling in and out of love with the spotlight, but the union does make for a juxtaposition of realities. Were it not for the help of companies connecting with the 32-year-old, and her family, her career would be much different today. Advertising sales on Keeping Up With the Kardashian, and the many accompanying spin-offs have bankrolled her brand, which makes it odd that West would rant about an issue that has now become a big part of his life. But perhaps that’s the root of his frustration. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
