Analysis
A very popular clip from this interview is at 4:32.
Summary
Tour Merchandise and Personal Background
In a 2013 interview with Los Angeles' 97.1 AMP Radio,
Kanye West addressed controversy around his use of Confederate flag imagery, stating "I took the Confederate flag and made it my flag." He reported strong merchandise sales comparable to Metallica and Justin Bieber, highlighting his fashion background at Fendi and his design work for luxury brands. West described growing up between suburban and urban environments and
living in China during fifth grade, explaining how his father faced both racism from white people and criticism from Black people for "acting white," shaping his cross-cultural perspective.
Media Commentary and Future Vision
West defended his
infamous interruption of Taylor Swift at the 2009 VMAs, insisting the video "still hasn't been a video that good" five years later, and proclaimed himself "the most relevant voice on the planet Earth at age 36." He expressed belief in creating a "human utopia" through proper resource allocation and emphasized his determination to express himself fully rather than waiting for consensus. When asked about a potential "Watch the Throne 2" with Jay-Z, West clarified his priority was securing corporate backing for his Yeezy brand, comparing his creative constraints to being allowed to color once but not having a "coloring book tomorrow."
Personal Life and Views on Public Figures
West expressed gratitude for his recent engagement to Kim Kardashian, describing it as "All-American" and stating, "God gave me exactly what I wanted." He briefly characterized various celebrities, describing Jay-Z as "brother," Steve Jobs as "God-like," Miley Cyrus as an "artist" who should "twerk more," President Obama as "cool," Jimmy Kimmel as "creative" (after their public feud and reconciliation), and Kim Kardashian as "goddess... the love of my life."*There may be errors on this page.