We’re pretty used to celebrities championing literacy, so it’s shocking to hear Kanye West declare that he doesn’t like books or reading. He did manage to overcome his dislike for books long enough to write one.
A direct quote from the article:
“I am a proud non-reader of books. I like to get information from doing stuff like actually talking to people and living real life.”
Via the Stranger’s Slog (some NSFW language in the Slog’s title to this story).
another thing
Oh yeah, Kanye, “808s and Heartbreaks” sucked too.
Jerk.
double jerk
This is beyond belief. Not exactly a model for the younger generation.
Kanye was a bookish sort
Mr. West is a proud grad of Polaris HS, a school that selected only the cream of the crop of all 8th grade grads. Mr. West, bless his heart, was the son of the late college professor, Dr. Donde West and Ray West, one of the first black photojournalists at the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
Kanye may want to re-write his past but he was raised in a rarefied environment, albeit by his mother after his parent’s divorced, but surrounded by books and culture.
I know his ‘raised in the ghetto’ rep sells music, but it’s a fabrication.
He is a role model to some
Alas, the sad truth is that he, and other pop and hip-hop stars are looked up to and emulated. They have a lot of influence, for good or bad.
Hopefully, there are more people who just enjoy his music (and welcome to it), than those who look to him for life-lessons.
Co-author
It’s only 52-pages and he needed a co-author? And this will probably sell more copies than The Effing Librarian’s book, too. Where’s the justice?
What a role model, eh?
That quote is just wrong on so many levels. He’s an uneducated asshole. Literacy is important. What we read has a great deal to do with how we think. This is one reason why, I stress to the kids coming into my media center, that reading is a powerful shaper of individual thoughts.
Ah, young fool! You have
Ah, young fool! You have much to learn about how we use the meeting rooms…
Seriously though, as easy as it is to look at this guy and laugh (I did.) it’s a good thing to keep in mind when planning library instruction and programs – not everyone is there for the books.
“so you’re a gay fish?”
another ignorant comment to garner attention for himself and those who are sure to bitch about me (including me). well mr. west you got me again! IMHO your first two cds were remarkably the best ive ever heard on their release. “graduation” was subpar and “808” was horrid. now your just adding sugar on an already sh*tpie of a career.
the best part about this is that it will gain a little bit of steam and fizzle away, and that the book will go on to make more money then ill see in a long time. dont confuse what kanye considers “real” life as the only life on this planet. go live your own, read a book, listen to him or dont. ignorance is only praised by the ignorant.
personally, i cant get to sleep at night unless i settle down with a nice book.
And I will continue to be a
And I will continue to be a non-buyer of your albums. I can delete Jesus Walks from my ipod now.
Hilarious!
“I am not a fan of books. I would never want a book’s autograph”
– That one is definitely going on the workroom quote board!
“West, a college dropout, said being a non-reader was helpful when he wrote his book because it gave him ‘”a childlike purity.'”
– Because that’s how I’ve always thought of Kanye West – childlike and pure.:)
Personally, it doesn’t bother me to hear Mr. West speaking out against reading – it’s not as if I’d ever considered him a positive role model in the first place. Just imagine if he’d decided to pretend he likes books – we really would have to stare at his face on “READ” posters every day!
His mother is rolling over in her grave
Isn’t it lovely that the son of a PhD in *English* would say such a thing?
Maybe for shock value…
I wonder if it is all for shock value…or just more publicity