Bye Bye Birdie

Everybody loves a hero, hero being used loosely in this instance, but what everyone loves even more is having something in common with their hero. And what better to have in common with your hero than your home town? For example, even being from a city as big and diverse as Chicago I still take immense pride in knowing that Barack Obama made a name for himself right here in Chicago, my home town. The common thread there may be irrelevant to the hero but it is something you have in common, something you could talk about if you ever met. Chicago has its fair share of home grown celebrities who have become heroes to many around the country; Barack Obama, Dick Butkus, Joan and John Cusack and Bill Murray to name a few. All are well accomplished in their fields and have made contributions to the social fabric of Chicago, and all have my support because we are Chicagoans.

But there is one celebrity, from Chicago, who I have begun to take issue with, Kanye West. Perhaps the most successful rapper (maybe even musician) to come out of the great Chicago, but also the craziest and least representative of what Chicago is. Although I believe his last album, 808s and Heartbreaks, was jam packed with hot garbage, I am not referencing his music. Because looking at the whole body of work, his music is amazing.

My beef with Kanye is not when he is in the studio nor is it when I am listening to amazing music produced and/or made by him. But when Kanye is not being enjoyed in either capacity, I do not want to hear from him. His genius has for too long disguised and maybe even made up for the lunacy that is Kanye West. With each album and accolade Kanye has received his head has grown and grown.

To quote Kanye, "In America, they want you to accomplish these great feats, to pull off these David Copperfield-type stunts. You want me to be great, but you don't ever want me to say I'm great?" Yes! Exactly! We understand and have acknowledged your genius Kanye, which is why you have millions in the bank and live the extravagant lifestyle. Because your music is great and we pay our hard earned dollars to hear and experience it. But no one needs you to tell us anything else about yourself. Sit down, shut up, and let us 'enjoy the beat'.

Kanye does not represent the city that works, Chicago is a blue collar town, where even those white collar folks work hard and more importantly keep quiet about it. Because humility is a virtue that is cherished in Chicago. On each album Kanye has sickeningly endorsed himself as someone so much better than those from not only his home town but from everywhere else. Which is the main reason I am embarrassed to say Kanye is a Chicagoan.

Kanye simply does not represent Chicago anymore. Chicago is not New York or Los Angelos where glitz and glamour are extremely important and where celebrities are expected to act as if they are a cut above the rest. That is not Chicago, Chicago is represented in a person Obama who despite being smarter and more accomplished than most Americans was and is humble enough to understand that you can not forget the people, because without them your respective greatness can not be recognized.

I do not expect Kanye to follow in the footsteps of a Barack but a lesson ought to be learned. You are nothing without your fan base Kanye, your so called "greatness" would never have been realized, so stop looking down your nose at us. You are great at making music, that is about it. Until you understand that I hope you stop claiming Chicago roots, because you are not shining a positive light upon those who live and work here and also understand what it means to truly claim you're from Chicago.