Popular Moments:
17:25 - You ain't got the answers Sway
32:00 - Intentionally bad freestyle
In November 2013, musician and designer Kanye West appeared on "Sway in the Morning," a popular radio show hosted by Sway Calloway. This interview occurred during West's Yeezus Tour and shortly after the release of his sixth studio album, Yeezus. The conversation became one of the most referenced moments in hip-hop media history, primarily due to West's emotional outburst where he repeatedly exclaimed "You ain't got the answers, Sway!" The interview took place during a important period in West's career as he attempted to transition from being solely a musician to establishing himself as a fashion designer and creative entrepreneur.
Early in the interview, West discussed his foundational musical influences, specifically highlighting A Tribe Called Quest. He expressed particular admiration for Q-Tip, calling him "my hero" and citing albums like "Midnight Marauders," "Electrical Relaxation," and "Low End Theory" as significant inspirations for his work on "The College Dropout." West explained that the melodic choices and sampling techniques used by Q-Tip and Pete Rock heavily influenced his production style, with tracks like "Heard 'Em Say" representing his attempt to capture their sonic aesthetic.
West also acknowledged other influential producers from hip-hop's golden era, including Diamond D and Showbiz from the Digging in the Crates crew. He recalled his early career challenges, noting he "didn't really have enough money to buy the records that were needed to create a sound to the level of what the Beat Nuts were creating and what Diamond D was creating."
Sway praised West's Yeezus tour performance at Madison Square Garden, describing it as an unprecedented concert experience where "every song was its own story." West explained his decision to feature A Tribe Called Quest as the opening act, reinforcing their importance to his artistic development. He characterized the Yeezus tour as "more of a film or Broadway or a play idea than a concert," contrasting it with the Watch The Throne tour with Jay-Z, which he described as a "rap concert idea."
West revealed his meticulous attention to detail during performances, including making real-time adjustments to lighting and effects. This portion of the interview highlighted West's evolving approach to live performance as a comprehensive artistic expression rather than traditional concert entertainment.
The most substantial portion of the interview focused on West's attempts to break into the fashion industry and the institutional resistance he encountered. West disclosed having gone "$13 million in debt working on my clothing line" while facing discrimination and marginalization. He characterized the fashion industry as "classist" rather than racist, explaining: "It's not racism... it's more like who can they control?"
West specifically mentioned fashion executives like Francois Pinault (owner of Balenciaga, Puma, Saint Laurent, and Stella McCartney) and Francois Arnault (owner of Louis Vuitton, Celine, and Givenchy) as examples of the concentrated power structure in the industry. He described how these corporate figures controlled manufacturing facilities and distribution networks essential for fashion success, creating barriers for newcomers regardless of their creative talent.
The interview revealed West's frustration with Nike regarding his Yeezy sneaker line, particularly concerning the release of the "Red October" colorway. West claimed Nike was holding back information about the release date while using the product's popularity to leverage sales of other shoes, stating that stores were told: "if y'all want that red October, you got to take these 10 other shoes."
The interview's most notorious moment occurred when Sway suggested West should bypass corporate partners and establish his independent fashion line. West became visibly agitated, repeatedly shouting "You ain't got the answers, Sway!" and "You ain't been doing the education." The exchange escalated with West stating: "You ain't spent $13 million of your own money trying to empower yourself."
When Sway noted he had invested "hundreds of thousands" in his own clothing ventures, West dismissively replied: "And it ain't no Ralph, though. It ain't Ralph level." This comment underscored West's ambition to compete at the highest echelons of the fashion industry rather than operate at a smaller scale.
After Sway calmed the situation, West explained his position more clearly: "I just told you I lost the money because I did not have the knowledge of how to do it the right way." He elaborated that without adequate capital and manufacturing partnerships, he couldn't achieve competitive pricing or quality, stating: "If I want to get this Japanese-level thermal, right, at a better price to you, if I'm starting small, I'm not going to be able to get the best price."
Throughout the interview, West emphasized his vision for Donda, his creative company named after his late mother. He described Donda as "the NBA of creativity" and compared his situation to Will Ferrell's character in the film "Semi-Pro" who was "trying to start a new league." West expressed frustration that his creative potential was being limited by institutional barriers, drawing parallels between his struggles and historical figures who faced similar resistance.
West explicitly compared himself to cultural icons, stating: "I am Warhol. I am the number one most impactful artist of our generation. I am Shakespeare in the flesh. Walt Disney, Nike, Google." He challenged the notion that he should remain confined to music, asserting: "For people to say the idea that Kanye West should only do music is ridiculous." West declared his ambition to become "the Tupac of clothing."
West addressed the challenges of navigating public perception and media criticism while pursuing his creative vision. He referenced President Obama's criticism of him and described feeling constrained by "constant public perception being brought down." West compared his situation to Michael Jackson's struggle to get videos played on MTV due to being considered "urban," suggesting he faced similar institutional resistance despite his commercial success. The interview revealed West's sensitivity to ranking and standing in the hip-hop community when he mentioned being placed "number six after Big Sean on a hip-hop list."
Despite the heated exchange, the interview concluded with mutual expressions of respect. When Sway requested West perform a freestyle rap, West intentionally made a freestyle that didn't rhyme. And then the interview concluded with Kanye apologizing for the outburst earlier in the interview.
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Kanye West appears on Sway in the Morning
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Kanye West and Sway Talk Without Boundaries: Raw and Real on Sway in the Morning | Sway's Universe - YouTube
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