Cultural Impact of Kanye West

Through rap and hip hop, entertainers have provided a voice questioning and challenging the sanctioned view of society. Examining the moral and social implications of Kanye West's art in the context of Western civilization's preconceived ideas, the contributors consider how West both challenges religious and moral norms and propagates them.

"Provocateur, egotist, sage, and artist, no figure in the past decade of popular culture has reflected and defined the zeitgeist better than Kanye West. This collection lays bare the tangle of complexities and contradictions that have made the artist and the art indispensable to our era and proves that if game recognizes game, wisdom does too." - Jelani Cobb, author of The Substance of Hope: Barack Obama and the Paradox of Progress "If Julius Bailey was a song, he would be that surprise banger DJ Red Alert drops around one in the morning as the party is at its peak. He is humbly one part scholar and two parts philosopher, yet all hip-hop. Respected for his integrity as a cultural critic and archivist, it's no surprise that, like a master beat maker finding the perfect sample, he was ahead of the curve when he proposed to explore the cultural impact of Kanye West . . . but right on time." - Toni Blackman, US Hip Hop Ambassador "The Cultural Impact of Kanye West is a much-needed addition in today's diluted hip-hop cultural criticism. By deeming West, his chameleon persona, and iconic brand worthy of scholarly examination, this book takes us on a philosophical odyssey like no other in the modern academy." Rahiel Tesfamariam, founder and Editor-in-Chief, Urban Cusp

Reynaldo Anderson, Harris-Stowe State University, USAShaDawn Battle, University of Cincinnati, USADawn Boeck, Texas A and M University, USARegina Bradley, Florida State University, USAA.D. Carson, University of South Carolina, USATommy Curry, Texas A and M University, USAAkil Houston, Ohio University, USAJohn Jennings, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USANicholas Krebs, Purdue University, USADavid J. Leonard, Washington State University, USAHeidi Lewis, Colorado College, USAMonica R. Miller, Lewis and Clark University, USAMark Anthony Neal, Duke University, USATim'm West, Artist and Activist