Kanye West. There are few Americans who do not know the name. Maybe my dad does not listen to the New York rapper often, but I have a strong feeling that if I mentioned West’s name my dad’s face would show some sign of recognition. Aside from his rapping ability, West’s name sparks images of superstardom, flashy jewelry, private planes, and fine alcohol. Come to think of it, I cannot think of any rapper who has made it to the level of West’s popularity and does not have their name associated with a similar lifestyle. Popular rappers, like West, feature their extravagant lifestyles in their music and then let the media take pictures and videos of their daily lives in order to reach the widest possible audience.
The interaction between conscience and buying habits is a constantly recurring theme in West’s music. The song that stands out most to me is his song “All Falls Down.” At the beginning of the song, West blames his low self-esteem for his never quenched thirst for expensive clothing brands and fancy jewelry. I find humor in this because West is often depicted as having a level of confidence that would make Napoleon look like a middle schooler who just hit puberty. If his confidence is actually all show, Juliet Schor would agree that West’s constant desire for more is likely tied to his focus toward gaining “others’ esteem.” He wants anything that is rare and expensive so he can show it off to his friends, and the public, and have them awe at what he has collected. It is this desire to awe that allows MTV “Cribs” to have a limitless amount of celebrities willing to show off their mansions to a cable audience.
After the first chorus of “All Falls Down”, West seems as though he is going follow Schor’s point, but ends up coming up with alternative reasoning for his extravagant expenditures. He explains that he is unable to pronounce many of the brands which he consumes, but:
“ Then I spent 400 bucks on this,
just to be like n**** you ain’t up on this.”
West’s highlights that his spending habits do not simply come from his low self-esteem, but also from his desire to be on the cusp of what is popular. For West, staying on the cusp of what is popular might not just be a desire, but also a business decision. In order to stay at his current star status he must exemplify popularity in all realms.
Michael Schudson, in his article “Delectable Materialism,” briefly summarizes a wide range of perspectives on human wants versus human needs. Early on Schudson summarizes Karl Marx and Adam Smith and concludes that both philosophers recognized that “human needs are social and relative.” Thus, what is a luxury for some can be a necessity for others depending on their culture and social position. Smith gives the example that while a linen shirt is not necessary for survival, a “credible day-laborer” would be embarrassed to be seen in public without one. So, to Smith, a linen shirt is a necessity that social sphere.
Now, I want to stretch this definition of necessity to a wealthy banker living in a fancy suburb outside of New York City. While this banker could drive an old Kia, he most likely would be ashamed while his peers are driving fancy imports. Thus, it would seem by Smith’s definition that an $80,000 dollar car could be deemed a necessity for such a banker. On the same line a powerful businessman could justify the purchase of a private plane to keep up with the pace of his competitors who also fly charters.
It is an easy, and common, argument that Kanye West’s level of consumption is “over the top” and wasteful. But, America’s capitalist economy has made it possible for West to reach his level of wealth without negatively effecting others wealth on his way up. By consuming more, using a strict interpretation of the trickledown effect, it is possible that West is creating work for those on the lower end of society. So is it not more reasonable for West to own 500 pairs of shoes than for a middle class house wife to buy a $600 dollar Louis Vuitton handbag? The woman is trying to give the impression that she is in a class that is way beyond her means. Because so few people in the woman’s realm of society own such a handbag, the woman could not reasonably be ashamed to be seen without such an item.
West, on the other hand, falls in a class of society where it is not uncommon to own a room full of shoes. Many of the musical artists and actors whom he associates with put their shoe collections in their music or show them on T.V. So to simply fit in West has to consume at a level that is unimaginable to almost anyone. But, I would take it a step farther and say that West could make owning 501 pairs of shoes out to be a necessity even when everyone around him only has 500. Part of the reason that Kanye is so famous is that he is always working to be on the cusp of popular consumption.
When Kanye released the single “Stronger” last year, he brought Shutter Shades from obscurity to popularity. Shutter shades have no practical use and serve purely aesthetic purposes. Now, whenever someone sees a pair of Shutters their mind automatically goes to Kanye West. Because there is so much talent in the entertainment business today, it is the little things that divide the no-names from the superstars. So, in hopes of creating a new wave of popularity, West needs to stay on the outer edge of consumption. To remain at the top of the music industry (make billboard top 100, have his music get played on radio / TV, and sell out concerts) West is creating the outer limits of what is a necessity.
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