Somewhere Kanye West Is Smiling

Somewhere out there, Kanye West is quietly smiling. If you don’t remember, go back and read my conspiracy theory about Jay-Z masterminding the Kanye West-Taylor Swift fiasco.

Jay-Z’s strategic acumen is unreal, and Kanye played his villainous part to perfection. Oh sure, Taylor Swift has the talent and would have been successful without the extra attention. But being talented in the ultra-talented music industry sometimes just isn’t enough, right Susan Boyle?  To really standout, you need that break, that moment in the spotlight.  And that was the MTV Video Music Awards in September 2009.

Look what culminated five months later in the 52nd Grammys. Beyonce aka Mrs. Jay-Z with 6 Grammys, 20-year old country music crossover Taylor Swift with 4 Grammys including Album of the Year, Best Rap Song going to Run This Town by Jay-Z, Rihanna, and Kanye, and the biggest Grammy-watching audience in six years.  Talk about a win-win situation all around.

But what about the instigating bad boy Mr. West? How did he win in this situation?  He hasn’t yet.  You know he’s quietly smiling somewhere out there with his return already preordained.  He has the talent (did you notice Kanye was three of the five nominations for the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration Grammy?), and now the spotlight is waiting for his revival.

And Kanye is rising, performing on the charity anthem “We Are the World — 25 for Haiti.” When a smiling smirking Kanye does re-emerge, the millions of haters and fans will be waiting. Can you feel Kanye smiling now?