The 25 Best Kanye West Quotes About Creativity
Let Kanye inspire your next project.
Image via Complex Original
Back in September, Kanye West sat down for a long, four-part conversation with BBC Radio 1's Zane Lowe, the same interview Jimmy Kimmel decided to spoof on Jimmy Kimmel Live, thus inducing the rage of Yeezus and provoking the rapper's most epic monologue of all time. Following these two monumental interviews, Kanye has since cemented himself as the most quotable rapper of all time.
"For me, you know, I'm a creative genius, and there's no other way to word it," he tells Kimmel in his latest interview. "I know you're not supposed to say that about yourself, and I say things the wrong way a lot of times, but my intention is always positive."
Indeed, despite however furious Kanye may seem in interviews and even on Twitter, there is much to be taken from the rapper's words—especially when it comes to creating. Misunderstood and often quoted out of context (see Kimmel's infamous spoof of the rapper's interview), even some of Kanye's most narcissistic lines from his interview with the New York Times are pleas for the world to continue pushing boundaries and fighting for creativity. Just read some of Kanye's old tweets for evidence of his long-standing passion for the arts.
We took it upon ourselves to revisit Kanye's past songs, interviews, blog posts, and tweets to bring you The 25 Best Kanye West Quotes About Creativity.
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"What I want to explain to everybody out there is, like, I make music. I can do it, but I shouldn't be limited to one place of creativity."
"Being a celebrity has afforded me many opportunities but has also boxed me in creatively."
"If people have done things before, you should be able to surpass them. It's like, I'm on a pursuit of awesomeness. Excellence is the bare minimum."
"New ideas are an artist's greatest gift... exposure is an artist's greatest power"
"We have to rethink, re-inspire. Wash the brain, not brainwash."
"We're all works in progress... we're paintings... the oil don't dry till we die"
"As an artist with hopefully 100 years to create in this lifetime I hope to make a mark that will last forever."
"It's like someone who has drawings and ideas in them and they're scared to show them because people are gonna say they can't draw, and for all you know they might be the next Basquiat."
"When I think of competition, it's like I try to create against the past. I think about Michelangelo and Picasso, you know, the pyramids."
"But I don’t care about my name as much as I care about my ideas. I could do something completely wrong, and people could hate it, but then someone else could see it and do it completely right. And it’s a push forward for civilization."
