Kanye West:‘I Wouldn’t Be Kanye West If It Wasn’t For Michael Jackson’

We the real rock stars and I’m the biggest of all of ‘em.

Tell ‘em ‘Ye! Just the other day we showed you the promo for Kanye West’s intense interview with Zane Lowe of BBC Radio 1 and now we’ve got Part 1 of the full interview. During the sit-down held in a London studio, Yeezy and Zane started things off by talking about all things music-related, before transitioning into how Kanye has helped push the culture forward. Kanye expressed his difficulty with breaking new grounds creatively, all while comparing the music industry to the civil rights movement. He also said that there would be no Kanye West if it wasn’t for Michael Jackson and made a good point when he said that black dudes wouldn’t be wearing Givenchy in the hood if it wasn’t for his infamous Paris Fashion Week photo that made it to South Park. Check out the Top 5 highlights from Kanye’s sit-down with Zane below:

1) On making perfect music and trying to break new grounds

I’m not trying to regurgitate myself. I showed people that I understand how to make perfect. Dark Fantasy can be considered to be perfect. I know how to make perfect but that’s not what I’m here to do. I’m here to crack the pavement and make new grounds sonically and [in] society culturally.

2) On being the new Michael Jackson when it comes to breaking down barriers

I wouldn’t be Kanye West if it wasn’t for Michael Jackson. I was with Quincy Jones a couple of days ago at John Legend’s wedding. Quincy was telling me, it wasn’t just Mike, but these guys broke down the barriers. You know, Michael Jackson, he had to fight to get his video played because he was black. This is Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson’s not even black, he’s Michael Jackson. He’s so crazy, how can he even be classified as just this black artist? So, for me, in my life and creativity, it’s been challenging, but I’ve been able to ascend to massive levels of heights and never stop because of the foundation that my mother and my father and my grandfather laid through civil rights, what Michael Jackson did with music videos and the ground he broke. There would be no Kanye West if there was no Michael Jackson.

Now let’s say there’s people who have issues with me as Kanye West [and] they classify my motivational speeches as rants. ‘Why is he saying that? Why is he doing that?’ Well, I’ve reached a point in my life where my ‘Truman Show’ boat has hit the painting. I’ve got to a point that Michael Jackson did not break down. I have reached the glass ceiling, as a creative person [and] as a celebrity. I want to do product, I am a product person, not just clothing but water bottle design, architecture, everything that you can think about. I’ve been at it for 10 years and I look around and I say, ‘Wait a second, there’s not one person around here in this space that looks like me and if they are, they’re quiet as f–k.’ So that means that we’re now seriously in a civil rights movement.

3) On not getting credit for starting new trends

Remember our South Park photo? Remember how funny that was? Do you think there would be a Givenchy in the ‘hood if it wasn’t for that South Park photo? No one thinks about that. No one thinks about the names I got called for wearing tight jeans.

[...] Brought the leather jogging pants six years ago to Fendi and they said no. How many mother f–kers you done seen with a leather jogging pant? We culture! Rap is the new rock and roll! We the rock stars! We the real rock stars and I’m the biggest of all of ‘em.

4) On bringing real rap back

I brought real rap back. I’m going to do dope things. I’m going to take this opportunity to speak to something. I go to Hype Beats right? To look at the new things that are coming out and everything. Every time my name goes up there’s a series of people who write just negative comments. They want to joke around and say, ‘Why is he still trying? Why is he doing this?’ They diss me, me as a person, for TRYING! Now, mind you, I’ve brought 10 years of product that has added to humanity.

5) On rappers being the new R&B dudes

I’m not mentioning no names, but when people used to use the term ‘R&B N—a,’ people used to use that term. Then it was rappers. Then rappers didn’t want to be no ‘R&B N—a.’ Now the rappers is the new ‘R&B N—a’! The rappers is the new radio! Like, where’s the culture at?