I think due to my age at the time of, "the rise of Kanye", as well as, my disregard and dissociation for everything Kardashian. I missed out on a crucial propionate and figure in rap, so I decided that it was finally time I learn a little about this multifaceted artist, philosopher, and human being, Kanye West.

With the recent release of "ye" which features, on its album cover, the same mountain rage that I grew up seeing daily on my morning commute to school, and is etched on the inside of my left arm, Kanye West became much more present in my life. The summer of 2018 brought with it three summer jobs, a desire to spend as much time outside as possible, and an exhausting and encompassing eating disorder. The addition of Kanye West to my small 10,000-person town, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, was exciting, but I had other, more precedent, things on my mind. I did my thing, and from what I gather from friends, the media, and assumption, Kanye did his thing. And after reading an article published by, Rolling Stone, on Kanye's need for an escape which (claimed by the article) he was able to find in the 30ish mile valley that I spend most of my time in, I felt a twinge of connection. In the midst of the Rocky Mountains we both of found a need for the beauty and peace that the mountain environment provides.