"Lefsetz Knocks One Out of the Park." Kanye remains.

 

In the past I've casually read Bob Lefsetz's "Leftsetz Letter" when it was forwarded to me by a friend (usually only when the topic involved videogames). The "music industry figure's" (as wikpedia calls him) commentary's reliably solid, showing a deep understanding of media, awareness, and concern for the shit happening in the world. I've always liked his stuff, but I've never joined the Letter's mailing list.

Yesterday I received an email with the subject line above. I read it and subscribed right after. You should too.

Check out the full letter called "Kanye" here, but see below for a few wonderful snippets.

Jay Leno

That’s why you’ve got to stay in the game.  You never know when serendipity will deal you a ratings bonanza on your most important date, in this case, the debut of your show.  Everybody’s making a big deal re Jay’s question about what Kanye’s mother would say.  Who would ask such a question?  I’d say who’d answer it, but Kanye didn’t.  Not that Kanye didn’t ask for it…  He’s living his life in the media, he gets no time off, he fucks up, he apologizes, it’s endless grist for the mill.  As for it affecting his career…  There’s a dearth of hip-hop superstars, and no pop or rock stars to fill the void.  So, expect Kanye to come back bigger and better than ever, Kanye 2.0, who is humble, who apologizes, and makes music that doesn’t sound radically different from what he made previously.  We love resurrection stories more than destruction stories.  Look at Whitney Houston.

After talking about Obama's rumored reaction to Kanye's little ordeal, he addresses Taylor Swift's reaction.

Taylor Swift

Yes, Kanye did hand the mic back to her, but like the 19 year old she is, she was so overwhelmed, she couldn’t speak. Cementing her status as the teenage naif with the singing diary.  What happens when she grows up?  Well, I guess she’s listening to Joni Mitchell records right now.

A later section "The American Public" is listed under the "LOSERS" section of the letter. I'd break it up, but it wouldn't make much sense, and the impact would be lost. With permission from Bob, here it is: 

A real story can no longer get traction.  Health care is too complex.  It’s like studying in class as opposed to flirting in the cafeteria.  We’ve become a nation of gossip, and misinformation.

Furthermore, who didn’t know Kanye’d been acting like a jackass previously?  It’s like his jackassness was a musical career, waiting for the tipping point for everyone to celebrate.  He acted poorly at this awards show, said bad things at Bonnaroo, now, finally, when so many were watching, he fucked up one more time.  Now he truly is a superstar!

But he was already.  And most people piling on weren’t paying attention to begin with.  Then again, I must admit the music community and fans are piling on too.  Because they like to.  Like the above-referenced high school society, exacting its own justice.

I’m not saying frivolity has no place, I’m just saying that we revere in popular culture almost nothing of value. Everything’s grist for the mill.  Either you’re smart, starting Facebook, writing an iPhone app, or you dropped out of high school and became a lowest common denominator twit like Paris Hilton, focusing eyes on you.

Everybody wants to be rich and famous, everybody wants the attention.  Doesn’t matter how many "Behind The Music" shows are aired, people think stardom will solve all their issues.  So, the inherent fabric of our country becomes ripped and torn, dilapidated.

I know you think I’m on overkill here, but…

People go into finance to get rich, even though this finance doesn’t build our country, only tears it apart.

People can’t get high tech jobs because they’re not educated enough.

People who do go to college study business, those dreamy liberal arts majors who used to create the culture we reveled in are seen as pussies.  It’s about cash, baby.

We spend our money living like rappers, going to the Palms in Vegas to splash in the pool while consuming overpriced liquor.

I’m just saying we need a readjustment here.  Gossip must be the underbelly, not the primary.  We seem to carom from one celebrity event to another, from Michael Jackson’s death to Kanye, and since the news media sees itself as stars, they throw logs on the fire.  Twenty four hours on kidnappings, not twenty four hours on explaining bills in Congress, or Supreme Court decisions.  But they need the ratings!

That’s what Kanye is, ratings.  For everybody and anybody who’s got something to sell.  And we’re buying it.  So the laugh’s on us.

Now, go and fucking subscribe.