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Whether you consider yourself a fan or not, we can all admit that Kanye West has had his fair share of moments that cause us to question what in the world is going on in his head. From interrupting artists onstage at awards shows, to endless Twitter rants about who knows what, West has definitely proven to the public that he is an opinionated man unafraid to speak his mind, regardless of how ridiculous his thoughts may be. While Kanye West has taught fans the true meaning behind the phrase “express yourself,” his actions have also taught us that sometimes a little self-restraint is necessary. Here are eight times practicing self-restraint would have done Kanye some good.
1. The time he likened himself to Jesus.
Courtesy: Rolling Stone
Having already caused a great deal of controversy in the past, many were not surprised when Rolling Stone revealed a cover in which Kanye West was seen posing as Jesus. While West has contradicted himself time and again in regards to his religious beliefs, there is no doubt that he feels he has a Christ-like persona; a persona that was only reaffirmed with the release of his album Yeezus, which featured a track entitled “I am a God.” Whether he is just trying to use God as a symbol of where he stands in the entertainment world, or he actually believes that he is a God-like being, I think it is safe to say that this is definitely not a man afraid of expressing his ego.
2. The time he went off-script to diss the most powerful man in the country.
Courtesy: Giphy
Everything was going well at NBCUniversal’s, “A Concert for Hurricane Relief,” until Kanye West made his appearance. While the rest of the featured celebrities were doing their part and following what they were told to do, Kanye West had a mind of his own. Following Mike Myers’ opening lines, West proceeded to ramble on about how blacks are portrayed in the media in a time of crisis. While many were confused about the point that he was trying to make, it wasn’t until Kanye West stated, “George Bush doesn’t care about black people,” that many jaws dropped.
3. The time he ruined Taylor Swift’s moment and then proceeded to almost do the same to Beck.
Courtesy: Giphy
Of course we can’t forget about one of the most infamous moments in award show history. At the 2009 MTV VMAs, Kanye West shocked artists and viewers alike when he took to the stage in the midst of country music sweetheart Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech for Best Female Video. A terrified Swift stood on the stage as Kanye proceeded to shout about how Beyoncé had the best video of all time. The crowd watched in horror, unsure of how to react to the events that were unfolding right in front of them. While there has been speculation about Kanye attempting to make amends, it became evident that he has no shame in his actions when history almost repeated itself at the 2015 Grammys. After Beck was announced winner of Album of the Year, Kanye once again made his way towards the stage but luckily this time he stopped himself. What makes him even more insane? Apparently, the voices in his head told him to do it.
4. The time he flipped out on Sway in the Morning.
Courtesy: Giphy
It seems almost impossible to keep up with the emotions of Kanye West. One minute he is calm, and the next he is shouting. After attempting to offer his advice, radio host Sway Calloway was immediately attacked by Kanye who began shouting about his clothing line, claiming that Sway did not have the answers and therefore, did not have the right to speak his mind on this topic. It’s not very often that we see Kanye smile, so it comes as no surprise that he has some bottled up aggression ready to be taken out on the nearest victim.
5. The time that he tweeted Bill Cosby was innocent.
Courtesy: Twitter
The Twitter world is no stranger to the outrageous rants of Kanye West, but none hinted at insanity quite like his recent tweet that Bill Cosby is innocent. While we have no idea what Kanye’s reason behind this tweet was, we do know that Bill Cosby was accused of sexually assaulting more than fifty women. If it was simply a stunt to get publicity before the release of his recent album, then there are less controversial routes he could have taken. If he truly does believe that Bill Cosby is innocent, then I truly believe that this man is not sane.
6. The time he stopped his concert to yell at a kid in a wheelchair.
Courtesy: Daily Mail
While it may be acceptable as an artist to want fans up on their feet dancing, it is not acceptable to yell at those who do not have the ability to do so. Refusing to continue his show until everyone was standing, Kanye West put his concert on hold to single out two audience members who were not on their feet. The first fan had to physically take her prosthetic off in order to prove to him that she was handicap, and when the second fan remained seated, Kanye took action by sending his bodyguard over to confirm that the fan was in fact, in a wheelchair.
7. The time he claimed that he was the one who made Taylor Swift famous.
Courtesy: Twitter
Just when you thought Kanye West’s ego couldn’t get any bigger, he releases a song taking credit for making Taylor Swift famous. Reality check, Kanye: The only person who made Taylor Swift famous is Taylor Swift, and the recent Grammys proved that Kanye isn’t the only one who can throw shade.
8. The time he announced he would be running for president in 2020.
Courtesy: Giphy
Perhaps the most insane Kanye West moment occurred at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards. Clearly on some sort of drug, it wasn’t enough for West to go on and on about whether or not he is a different person than he was at the 2009 VMAs, but he had to take it to the next level by announcing his presidential bid for the year 2020. Some fans may believe that this could be the greatest thing to happen to America. If you are one of those people, then you should scroll back through this article.