Kanye West and his Yeezy brand are in an interesting spot right now. Overall, he isn’t exactly producing any new shoes. Although he just had a restock with Adidas, that is going to be all for now. At this juncture, he is all on his own and has to figure out how to distribute sneakers and clothes on his own, there is going to be a tough road ahead for him, however, he seems to have a plan all figured out.
According to reports from The US Sun and Radar Online, Ye has hired Doc Charney from America Apparel to run his brand. Moreover, they have fired numerous staffers as they want to cut costs. Subsequently, they have taken to Craigslist where they are hiring interns for the reduced cost of $16 per hour. Overall, this alleged information comes from sources who claim to be close to the situation.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 23: Designer and music artist Kanye West performs during Playboi Carti’s set during 2022 Rolling Loud New York at Citi Field on September 23, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)
“Although Kanye is determined to bounce back with Yeezy, and work is going on at his new HQ on Melrose, he’s already been cutting costs,” a source the US Sun. “It’s no secret he’s been bad with money in the past, and some people who have been working for him have been let go in recent weeks, or told he can’t afford them at the moment. […] Despite this, he has been advertising for interns to work for him on Craigslist and social media for $16 per hour. He wants them doing everything from pattern making and sample sewing to photo editing and social media.”
At this point, it remains to be seen if Yeezy can persist this way. Running a sneaker brand is not easy, and Ye knows that. However, it will be interesting to see what he comes up with. Fans are looking for something fresh and new, and there is no telling if his interns can provide that. Let us know what you think of this new plan, in the comments section below.
Kanye West and Bianca Censori have certainly been turning heads as of late. Overall, Ye’s relationship with Censori kind of came out of the blue. However, the two are now married and appear to be extremely happy. Moreover, Censori has been hanging out with North West, and the two seem to have a great relationship. For many Kanye fans, it’s been nice to see him happy and experience some form of normalcy. Although for others, his previous comments are still a fresh wound that may never heal, and understandably so.
That said, Kanye West and Censori have spent a lot of time together out in Los Angeles. In fact, they are not afraid of being seen by the paparazzi. While Ye has had his fair share of issues with the Paps in the past, he seems more okay with them when Censori is around. He has been photographed on ice cream dates and dinner dates, and that continues to be the case. Recently, they were out and about in LA again, although this time, they showed off another new look.
LOS ANGELES, CA – MAY 13: Kanye West and Bianca Censori are seen on May 13, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rachpoot/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
According to photos obtained by Page Six, Kanye and Censori were both wearing no shoes. Instead, they had leggings that covered their feet. Clearly, Kanye is looking to take a break from wearing his signature Yeezys. Furthermore, the two could be seen making out and engaging in some PDA. Images of this were obtained by the Daily Mail. Needless to say, these two are still extremely happy with one another. While it has been a long road for Ye, it looks like Censori is providing him some stability.
Either way, we wonder what this shoeless look could mean for Kanye and his Yeezy brand. Without Adidas’ help, he will need to find some new ways to produce his shoes. Only time will tell whether or not his brand makes a comeback. Let us know your thoughts on the shoeless look, in the comments below. You can find the images of his style, in the via link beneath this paragraph.
Jay-Z and Kanye West’s legendary collaboration, “N*ggas in Paris,” has officially reached diamond status. The iconic song, released as part of their joint album Watch The Throne in 2011, was certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on June 12th, 2023. Watch The Throne showcased the undeniable chemistry between two rap legends, […]
Upon tossing in the headphones for Yeezus, the listener is immediately thrown into the intergalactic ballad of the retro video game distortion and menacing bars of “On Sight.” By 2013, Kanye West’s audience quite literally went beyond this planet. You had astronauts blasting his sound in a zero-gravity environment while the rest of the world admired the focused grandiosity of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Unsurprisingly, Yeezus’s headfirst focus on an unparalleled blend of electronic and hip-hop soundscapes didn’t initially connect with audiences. Twenty-four hours after its release, fans were calling it a flop. They were hoping for the old Kanye but didn’t get it. Instead, they caught him in the middle of a quarter-life crisis.
However, Kanye West’s Yeezus was never going to live up to the initial expectations of fans. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was resoundingly met with 10/10 ratings. In addition, his studio efforts were stop-gapped with Watch The Throne and Cruel Summer with Jay-Z. Once a broke Chicago kid, Kanye West was now touring with his childhood idol in front of millions of lights. The reality? He was as mentally unwell as he’d ever been. That caused strife in Ye’s persona. On Yeezus, West harshly realizes that his endless pursuits weren’t aiding his baseline happiness. If anything, Hollywood was making him as hopeless as ever.
Yeezus Had A Poor Initial Reception
Yeezus was an emotional output of these feelings, featuring a level of honesty from West that we hadn’t seen since The College Dropout. His sixth studio album is an electric power grid, where he delivers some of his most saddening ballads to date. In many ways, it’s a continuation of the initial experimentation he tapped into on 808s & Heartbreak. However, he’s taking it even further. “New Slaves” is a confrontational protest to the systematic racism of the prison-industrial complex, where Kanye menacingly bars out amidst heavy distortion and loophole keys. “Hold My Liquor” is a self-deprecating indictment regarding Ye’s issues with alcohol. His level of drunkenness parallels his crumbling personal relationships.
Yeezus also got its hits in the form of “Bound 2” and “Black Skinhead.” Sampling The Ponderosa Twins’ “Bound” on the former, the discography-defining hit is an ironic contrast to the foreboding narratives of the project. The record reads as an interlude-esque outro, a sunny world that’s very much distinct from the distorted synthesizers of Yeezus. With My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Ye was partaking in several iconic press tours. Making various outlandish statements, he visualized his most commercially successful record to date. Even if My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy has been hailed a classic by Kanye loyalists, there wasn’t even one top-10 hit on the album. The eventual success of Yeezus is concrete proof that it’s almost impossible to predict commercial reception in the creative space.
Kanye West Is Painstakingly Vulnerable
At its core, Yeezus was all about audacious rule-breaking. He knew that fans would hate it. He knew that it likely wouldn’t stand with his most profitable endeavors. However, he made Yeezus for himself. That overarching purpose even shows up in the project’s surprising collaborative choices. Even if Rick Rubin and Daft Punk are famous producers, they’ve always had a knack for their turn-left personalities. There are also exciting once-and-comers like Hudson Mohawke, Young Chop, and Arca. The crew was a perfect fit, finding a way to deliver Kanye’s electric world in a somewhat cohesive manner. Of course, Yeezus is also blatantly inspired by the electronic classic that is Random Access Memories.
Kanye was a nerd growing up. Even if he were blending in with the gang-infused streets of Chicago, he would go home and exist in the solace of Akira. Yeezus directly reflects that world, a vulnerable project about a headspace that is sometimes downright nightmarish to exist in. It’s not his cohesive masterpiece, but it’s who he is. It was during the time of 808‘s release that Ye reportedly told VIBE, “I’d rather piss a bunch of people off and make myself happy than make everyone else happy and be pissed off inside.” With time, people have come to regard tracks such as “Blood On The Leaves,” “New Slaves,” and “Bound 2” as some of his greatest songs to date.
It’s hard to believe for a guy who spent the first decade of his career making a diamond shape with his hands, but Jay-Z has just received his first-ever Diamond single certification from the RIAA. On Monday, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) announced the 2011 single “N****s In Paris” from Jay-Z and Kanye West‘s collaborative album Watch The Throne had passed 10 million units sold. The achievement marks Kanye’s second diamond certification after the 2007 Graduation lead single “Stronger” crossed the threshold in October 2021.
US Certifications (@RIAA): Jay Z (@sc) & @kanyewest, N****s in Paris Diamond (10,000,000).
Hit-Boy, who produced the record, noted the accomplishment on Twitter, drawing a parallel with his groundbreaking work with former Jay-Z rival Nas. “it’s a real blessing to be apart of the song that became jay-z first diamond record and producing the album that won Nas his first grammy,” he wrote. “What a life.” Mike Dean, who also contributed to the track, celebrated receiving his fourth Diamond award.
it’s a real blessing to be apart of the song that became jay-z first diamond record and producing the album that won Nas his first grammy. What a life
“Paris” was a record-breaking hit in other respects, as well, becoming known for the number of times the duo would perform encores of the song while on tour. They maxed out at 12 times in — naturally — Paris on June 18, 2012.
Just for the fun of it, you can listen to “N****s In Paris” above.
Kanye West is another year older as of last week, but that doesn’t mean he’s put his antics behind him. At his birthday party on Saturday (June 11), he served sushi on the bodies of naked models, causing something of a stir on social media. For his Sunday Service the following day, the “Power” rapper took a slightly more wholesome approach, instead offering patrons food to eat with their bare hands, placed on top of autopsy-style tables.
As Page Six notes, the scene looked comparable to American Horror Story, with choir members donning white robes and guests also sporting the colour of purity. There were no utensils in sight, forcing those brave enough to eat either salmon, steak, or chicken for their main course. Afterward, some indulged in treats like watermelon and ice cream for their dessert, also laid out on the eerie silver tables.
There didn’t seem to be any recognizable faces at yesterday’s worship session, however, a few celebrities did join Ye at his birthday party. Among them were Chloe Bailey, who looks to have sustained an injury recently, Ty Dolla $ign, and Freddie Gibbs. Aside from eating sushi and connecting with friends, the father of four was also seen rapping along to “Off The Grid.”
At the same time, North West was recording him with a camera nearly the size of her. It’s possible the footage could be for the DONDA track’s music video, or it could just be creative exploration with his eldest daughter. Regardless, we’re certainly curious to see what inventive ways the 46-year-old will serve up food next. Elsewhere in the news, Jay-Z has Kanye West to thank for helping him reach a record career milestone. The pair’s Watch the Throne collaboration, “Ni**as In Paris” just received a new certification from the RIAA, marking Hov’s first Diamond single. Read all about it at the link below, and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.
Kanye West and Jay-Z may no longer be friends in the same capacity they were before, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t grace us with some serious hits over the years. We’ve heard them on “Run This Town” with Rihanna, “Monster” alongside Rick Ross and Nicki Minaj, and Beyonce’s “Drunk In Love (Remix),” just to name a few. Of course, there was also 2011’s Watch The Throne album, which has just earned Hov his first RIAA Diamond certification.
As HipHopNMore notes, Ye’s “Stronger” single was his first Diamond plaque, but adding another to the collection is still exciting nonetheless. His second comes from his and Jay’s work on “Ni**as In Paris,” which has now moved upwards of 10 million copies in the US alone. Other popular titles from the collaborative project include “No Church In The Wild” with Frank Ocean and The-Dream, as well as “Otis” featuring the legendary Otis Redding.
It’s been quite some time since we’ve seen West and the New Yorker link up on stage, but the year after dropping “Ni**as In Paris” they famously performed it 11 times in a row. The moment took place during their Watch the Throne concert in Paris, France in 2012, and has since been immortalized as a piece of hip-hop history. The last time we heard Hov on a Kanye track was on 2021’s DONDA, though recently leaked documentary footage shows the 46-year-old threatening to remove his frequent collaborator from the album.
At this point, it seems unlikely that we’ll see the two work together in such a close capacity again, but still, we’ll hold out hope for a reconciliation. Elsewhere in the news, Jay-Z’s name became a hot topic this past weekend after R. Kelly’s former cellmate alleged that the convicted sex offender had previously shared theories about Hov trying to kill him. Read all about the rumours at the link below, and tap back in later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.
Over the weekend, music and fashion mogul Kanye West celebrated his 46th birthday with a party in Los Angeles, which one would expect to bring out droves of celebrities. At this intimately private event, the excitement stirred around how the food was being served.
Nyotaimori, which is a Japanese tradition of serving food off a person’s naked body, was the centerpiece of the night, with several food platters resting atop the breasts, crotch and legs of a nude female model. The practice has recently attracted staunch criticism from feminist groups.
Kanye West celebrated his 46th birthday by including the Japanese practice Nyotaimori, which involves serving sashimi or sushi off the naked body of a woman.
A chef could be seen assorting the platters of sushi for the party’s guests while attendees vibed to ‘Ye’s “Come To Life” tack from his critically acclaimed Donda LP.
While people criticized West’s decision to have his 9-year-old daughter North West attend the festivities, Dad made sure his daughter was preoccupied with family duties, like filming him while he raps the lyrics to “Off The Grid”.
Other notables who were in attendance include Kanye’s wife Bianca Censori, fellow artists Freddie Gibbs, Ty Dolla $ign, Chloe Bailey, and long-time friends GLC and John Monopoly.
Kanye West turned 46 years old on Thursday (June 8) and over the weekend, he celebrated with a nyotaimori dinner with friends and associates like “wife” Bianca Censori, Freddie Gibbs, GLC, John Monopoly, and Ty Dolla Sign. Nyotaimori (sometimes called “body sushi”) is the Japanese practice of serving sushi on a woman’s naked body. The practice dates back to the Edo period (between 1603 and 1867) but has since become thought of as an “exotic” attraction after its popularity in Japan dwindled in part due to international travel. The practice has been banned in some countries due to health and moral concerns.
Kanye West included the Japanese practice Nyotaimori at his 46th birthday party last night, which involves serving sashimi or sushi off the naked body of a woman. pic.twitter.com/c2XdnoCd9n
Kanye West’s 46ᵗʰ birthday party had sushi served on naked woman’s body….. & North West’s tried to feed Kanye’s wife Bianca sushi pic.twitter.com/6Js5JoYyJV
— HIPHOP CROWN NATION (@hiphopcnation) June 12, 2023
Fans seeing videos from the celebration on social media certainly expressed some of those concerns, especially as it became apparent that Kanye’s daughter North also attended the gathering, shooting video of her dad rapping along to his track “Off The Grid” (she was apparently in a different section of the establishment where the sushi was being served normally). Some fans criticized the rapper, calling him a hypocrite for previously criticizing his ex-wife Kim Kardashian for allowing North to maintain a TikTok account. “so kanye flipped when kim let north do a dance on tiktok but he’s okay with having her come to his birthday where they’re serving sushi off a naked woman?” one fan asked.
so kanye flipped when kim let north do a dance on tiktok but he’s okay with having her come to his birthday where they’re serving sushi off a naked woman?
Of course, as always, Kanye’s got his defenders, as other fans expressed appreciation for Kanye teaching North videography skills (or just, you know, saving money on a pro videographer). Although the rapper/producer has fallen out of favor, it looks like he’s still got plenty of supporters, and peers in the industry who are willing to show up to celebrate with him.
Another year of life has come and gone for Kanye West, who undeniably experienced no shortage of ups and downs over the past 365 days. He specifically distanced himself from plenty of close friends and loved ones with his controversial social media rants. In the time since, Ye has turned his efforts from begging Kim Kardashian to reconcile with him to living his best life with his new wife, Bianca Censori. After celebrating his birthday a few days back (June 8), the embattled artist threw a party on Saturday (June 10) where a select few famous friends stepped out in honour of West.
From the footage we’ve seen so far, there were two major standout moments during the father of four’s 46th. The first was his eldest daughter, North West, filming him in what appears to be a visual for DONDA‘s “Off The Grid.” Ye was wearing the same shoulder pads he’s been regularly rocking as of late. Of course, he’s the victim of merciless teasing by internet trolls as a result. Elsewhere, the man of the hour made waves by serving up his meal – sushi – Nyotaimori style.
Kanye West included the Japanese practice Nyotaimori at his 46th birthday party last night, which involves serving sashimi or sushi off the naked body of a woman. pic.twitter.com/c2XdnoCd9n
Rather than placing the seafood on traditional platters, this method sees it delivered to attendees on the body of a naked woman. In various photos and videos, those who stepped out for West’s party are seen surrounding the candlelit table adorned with nude models holding up various platters.
Chloe Bailey was photographed at Ye’s birthday, though the roller she was using to maneuver around tells us she must have sustained an injury recently. Ty Dolla $ign was also out on the town to turn up with his “New Body” collaborator, as was Freddie Gibbs, who appears in a video alongside the Graduation artist.
Keep scrolling to see more photos and videos from Kanye West’s 46th birthday celebration. Would you be brave enough to eat sushi Nyotaimori style? Let us know in the comments, and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.
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