Subscribe
HipHopWired Featured Video
CLOSE

The jig is up when it comes to seemingly universal praise for Kanye West (not counting previous incidents like that whole Taylor Swift thing) thanks a run of press where the “Bound 2” rapper has come off as a bit of a spoiled brat. However, one person solidly in his corner is Def Jam founder Russell Simmons

Russell Rush penned a letter of support for Yeezy on Global Grind, which caught Mr. West’s attention.

Reports the Huffington Post:

“I recently sat down with Ye in New York and got the chance to hear about his hopes and ambitions, his frustrations and contradictions, his happiness and his anger,” Simmons wrote. “But through it all, what I felt from Kanye was an artist who desperately wants to leave his imprint in the history books.”

“What’s often times misunderstood about Kanye is that people believe he wants all of this for himself, in fact, quite the opposite, he wants all of this for the rest of us,” Simmons continued. “He wants to destroy the glass ceiling with 808′s and crack music … so one day WE have the power to see all of the lights. Certainly he wants a piece for himself … everybody would, but at his core, at the bottom of his heart, lies an inner-truth that has led to an external battle to make this world a bit easier for those who have been dealt a hand of struggle, by showing them a glimmer of hope through his art.”

Simmons also praised West’s ambition and “his genius, his tenacity, his creativity, his relentlessness and his madness.”

West caught wind of Simmons’ word and took to Twitter to express his appreciation. “Thank you Russel [sic] for these kind insightful words, I appreciate your mentorship,” he tweeted. He added, along with a link to the story, “You inspire us all to be greater and have broken the original doors down that gave us the platform.”

It was Simmons who accompanied West to “observe” the Occupy Wall Street movement and just, hang out.

Would Yeezy have taken to Twitter to say thanks if Simmons had offered any sort of constructive criticism, though? In his letter not once does Simmons mention any of the issues many fans and critics alike have with West (megalomania, rudeness, a false sense of entitlement, etc).

Or does being a musical genius give you a pass for your otherwise poor social habits? Let us know what you think in the comments.

Photo: YouTube