TIME magazine has just come out with its 100 most influential people list, and Kanye West is one of them.
That’s not all that interesting, as Kanye West deserves to be on this list. Honestly, can you name 100 people that generate more discussion than Kanye? Doubtful.
What’s interesting is who penned Kanye’s tribute.
Here’s what Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk had to say about Kanye, whom he called a “boundary breaker”.
Kanye West would be the first person to tell you he belongs on this list. The dude doesn’t believe in false modesty, and he shouldn’t. Kanye’s belief in himself and his incredible tenacity—he performed his first single with his jaw wired shut—got him to where he is today. And he fought for his place in the cultural pantheon with a purpose. In his debut album, over a decade ago, Kanye issued what amounted to a social critique and a call to arms (with a beat): “We rappers is role models: we rap, we don’t think.” But Kanye does think. Constantly. About everything. And he wants everybody else to do the same: to engage, question, push boundaries. Now that he’s a pop-culture juggernaut, he has the platform to achieve just that. He’s not afraid of being judged or ridiculed in the process. Kanye’s been playing the long game all along, and we’re only just beginning to see why.
Kanye and Musk have a history of sorts. They talked Moses in 2011.
Got called randomly by Kanye West today and received a download of his thoughts, ranging from shoes to Moses. He was polite, but opaque.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 21, 2011
Kanye has a pretty high opinion of Musk. He once suggested Obama “sit with Elon Musk”.
And he’s been known to call Musk “his boy” during concert rants.
This is a friendship I’d like to be involved in, please.
Image via rodrigoferrari, Wikimedia Commons
