It’s 2009. You’re slouched on your couch watching the MTV Video Music Awards. Taylor Swift wins Best Female Video. You’re unsurprised. Suddenly, a man wearing a leather shirt and sunglasses snatches the microphone from Taylor and claims that she doesn’t deserve the award (Beyonce does). If you’re most people, you’re indignant. Who does this asshole think he is? This guy sucks! If you’re a rap fan, you’re probably not all that surprised, but you cringe nonetheless. Oh no.
The decision to march on up that stage defined Kanye West’s career for the next few years and set in stone the braggadocios public persona he maintains today. No longer the earnest newcomer of The College Dropout or the vulnerable lover of 808’s and Heartbreak, Kanye was now — and for many, still is — the douchebag. …
When Covid struck the world, millions of college students lost the ability to go to in-person school in the 20–21 school year, so they had to decide: some version of online classes or a gap year? For me, the decision was a no-brainer. I was going to be a freshman and starting college on a computer while paying an inordinate amount of money was an easy pass. But then, of course, I was stuck with another decision: what do I do during the time? …
