On June 25, 2016, Kanye West released his highly anticipated “Famous” music video. The video was obviously controversial; I say obviously because have you ever known Kanye to produce anything that hasn't been met with scrutiny?
The video features a naked George W. Bush, Anna Wintour, Donald Trump, Rihanna, Chris Brown, Kim Kardashian, Ray J, Amber Rose, Caitlyn Jenner, Bill Cosby and the man himself, Kanye West, all lying in a California king sized bed together. These public figures’ nudity sparked a heated debate about whether West had gone too far in his supposed invasion of these celebrities’ privacy, which West had anticipated ahead of time. He tweeted “Can somebody please sue me already #I’llwait” the day the video premiered on Tidal.
As expected, celebrities both represented and absent from the video chimed in to voice their disdain for Mr. West’s art. Lena Dunham posted a lengthy Facebook post describing her disgust at West’s video, explaining that she believed the video to be misogynistic and promoting rape culture saying that the video seemed “inspired by the aspects of our culture that make women feel unsafe even in their own beds, in their own bodies.” Lena, I’m a fan, but I must respectfully, whole-heartedly disagree. Dunham is not the only person to criticize West’s exceptional piece and she will, unfortunately not be the last. It has become hip to critique Kanye West, so hip in fact that people have begun to ignore the artistry and pure genius he creates. The “Famous” music video makes a poignant statement on the song’s eponymous topic: fame.
All of the celebrities are lying in a bed they have proverbially made for themselves. Excluding Ray J and Amber Rose, who serve a different purpose to the video which I will explain later, each and everyone of those people excel or have found themselves at the top of the totem pole of the field they sought to dominate. Whether it be politics, music, or reality television, everyone lying in that bed found a way to get a spotlight on themselves. Now that they have gotten what they wanted, the acclaim, the power, the fame, they must forego their human right to privacy. It may not sound fair but in today’s society it is next to impossible to remain private in the face of stardom.
Especially for the featured celebrities, all of whom have relished in their fame and used it to acquire fancy possessions or in Cosby’s case people. That is why they are all static. They are in that bed for an audience’s consumption, and they have no choice in the matter, just like their real lives. On the day to day they may not be physically exposed, but their personal lives are investigated and written about for their fans’ amusement.
The most private relationship two people have is a sexual relationship and the tabloids sell based off of how many celebrity relationships they can expose. That is why Ray J and Amber Rose lay in that bed. West and Kardashian have had very public relationships with them; furthermore without her sex tape with Ray J no one would care who Kim Kardashian was and she would likely not be in the video, but I digress. Chris Brown and Rihanna also had a very high profile relationship. Brown was arrested for assaulting Rihanna, a fact that he does not deserve to have forgotten, but something that also made him more famous. Personally, I have chosen to never spend another dime on Brown’s music, but losing me as a fan has not lost him his fame. In fact, after the assault his star power grew, earning him a spot in the bed.
West’s video is a commentary on the fetishization of famous people. Fame is a double-edged sword; these celebrities want their privacy but cannot have it if they want to maintain their celebrity. The fact that they are immobile is haunting, but also the most telling aspect of the video. They are allowing this to happen to themselves because they want to be talked about. They want to be famous.
When West said “Can somebody please sue me already #I’llwait,” he was presumably being facetious and rightfully so. None of these celebrities could ever win a case in the United States if they were to sue West over this video. Each and every one of those celebrities is famous enough that they are public figures. Being a public figure means that their names and images are practically public property. West’s video is not slanderous because these people are famous. This is why West’s video is art. It is meant to be disturbing and haunting because no longer being in control of your name and image is frightening. Kanye West sought to make people discuss and ponder fame. The fact that there is nothing Taylor Swift or Donald Trump can do about the 10 minute long video of them lying naked alongside other celebrities proves his point that they are slaves to their fame.
Kanye’s video should have been lauded from the start, and had it been created by some bourgeois neo-renaissance artist it would have. But, alas, it seems that once again the public was too focused on criticizing West for being a “bully” to notice the genius he created.
For those of you who disagree, leave a comment because it would be my pleasure to explain further.
