Light, Liberation, Fire And Freedom

The following is based on my one-hour conversation with Ye.

Light helps us see in the dark, but it can blind us too, just like how fire can keep us warm–or kill us–if we don’t control it.

Ye personifies the two because his life has been an ongoing fight to retain control of his light and fire, too bright to some and too hot for others.

Light

“But you’re in a position now to focus that light and fire where it needs to be, to reset, and set things back to a sacred place,” I said.

“That’s why God has you here at this time,” Ye said.

“Yesterday was the best day of our life thus far. Today is even better. And tomorrow will be better than that. I remove the singular because we are one, collective consciousness.”

“Human beings, as we are attracted to each other, we’re attracted to things. Everything on a human is functional. There’s nothing for pure aesthetics. It all has a purpose. And we’re God’s favorite technology.”

When Ye was three years old, his late mother, Donda West, Ph.D., a Fulbright Scholar and Chair of Chicago State University’s Department of English, knew he had a gift. Many gifts.

Since he made graphite portraits as a student at Polaris School for Individual Education in 1995 to his first appearance on an album titled “Down to Earth” in 1996, Ye has demonstrated time and time again a remarkable ability to transcend–then transform–artistic mediums.

But despite his unprecedented commercial successes, his efforts have always been, and still are, stifled. “Don’t rap; produce.” So ye fought–and won 21 Grammys. “Don’t design; rap.” So Ye fought again–and his Yeezy fashion consortium is worth billions.

Yet the fight continues. Ye’s fight continues.

Fight

When I finally got to see the store

My little small piece of the store

I understood

What we were fighting for

“It’s our responsibility and pleasure to turn these dreams into reality, to simplify things, and provide more room for people to imagine, [not] constricting or enforcing ideas. Now, we’re in a position where ordained people care about this vision. We’re not a bunch of Cowboys running around, seeing what we can get out of things,” Ye said.

“And this is where Adidas and I are… there’s a possibility [we] can co-parent products that we make, but not in a way where I’m not getting say-so over colorways, and where they’re treating me like I’m dead.”

“And to see bags in the Times Square [GapGPS
] store, at the number one, prime real estate located in the world, where any company with stores would want that store… It was the first time that Gap’s comps were up since 2013. I talked to the board; they looked at me like I was on mute.”

On Thursday, September 15th, Ye terminated the Gap deal.

Liberation

“My kids will do whatever they feel like doing and be respected by the people they feel like doing it with. They will never be in the same situation as their daddy, who had to go crazy to demand his respect for our family. This isn’t about class; it’s about dignity.”

“God has ordained me to be a very big influence. Why have that position? Why have a tongue, a voice? What are we saying? What are we using our voice for? This is how we’re using our voice: first, for dignity, then financial literacy, and economic empowerment.”

“My family was separated, and I was put in the most dangerous place on Earth, the south side of Chicago, Illinois. And we’re here now. And we’re going to bring opportunity back to Chicago in a way where the world has to see it, love it, and accept it. This is the kind of thing that, throughout history, there have been ramifications for, but this time, the hero wins.”

Future

We have an opportunity

Because we’re alive

God is alive

God is the Creative Director

And we are the channel, the vessel

To make it on Earth

As it is in Heaven

Enter the future of YZY, created by and executed by Ye himself.

As he looks toward the future of YZY, Ye named a new Vice Chairman, Shervin Pishevar. Pishevar is a Florida-based Iranian-American investor and Chairman of Edison, a venture capital firm that’s backed UberUBER
and Airbnb, and is the former Chairman of Virgin Hyperloop One.

When we spoke about his YZY SHDZ, Ye had paint on his hoodie. “That’s being an artist. A painter is going to have paint on their hands from painting. A chef is going to have food on their hands. That’s the way we work,” Ye said.

“When it’s sold in America, it’ll be made in America, and when it’s sold in China, it’ll be manufactured in China. So the glasses will cost $20, and everything in the Ye Supply store will be $20. And, we’re working on how to make clothing free. Because life is free.”

“What’s next? After that?” I asked Ye.

“The monasteries,” he replied.