I'm Kayne-
Who Is
Who Is
This author draws a parallel between Kanye West’s desire for “white freedom” and Michael Jackson’s transformation.
Who is Ta-Nehisi Coates?
Zora Neale Hurston famously declared she did not “weep at the world”—instead, she was too busy doing this.
What is sharpening her oyster knife?
According to Coates, Kanye West claimed this politician gave him hope that a Black boy from Chicago could be president.
Who is Donald Trump?
Hurston says she became “colored” when she moved from Eatonville to this city.
What is Jacksonville?
Coates describes this as what Kanye and Trump both share, using the phrase “dragon energy.”
What is narcissism?
In Hurston’s metaphor, people are like these items, propped against a wall, holding a jumble of priceless and worthless things.
What are bags?
In his essay, Coates notes that Kanye West's fame came at the expense of this community that shaped him.
What is the Black community?
Hurston describes feeling most colored when she is set against this stark visual backdrop.
What is a sharp white background?
This act by Kanye at an awards show was interpreted by Coates as more than righteous anger—it showed a “paucity of wisdom.”
What is losing his mind?
Hurston describes this genre of music as making her feel primal, tribal, and deeply alive, unlike her white friend.
What is jazz?