North Texas Daily

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Let’s be clear right off the bat: this article is not about Kanye West’s music. The multi-platinum selling artist is a creative genius and his music deserves to be respected.

Mr. West, however, needs to learn a thing or two about respect. After alt-rock veteran Beck won Album of the Year for “Morning Phase” at Sunday’s Grammy Awards, Kanye ran up on stage and almost pulled a 2009 Video Music Awards flashback where he took the microphone from Taylor Swift. After shaking his head and smiling, West returned to his seat and let Beck finish without saying a word.

Everyone thought it was a joke. Even Beyoncé, the nominee almost everyone was rooting for, pulled out a nervous grin after apparently mouthing the words, “No, Kanye, no!”

But can you ever really read Kanye’s emotions?

West later revealed to E! the seriousness of his actions, saying, “Beck needs to respect artistry and he should have given his award to Beyoncé. Y’all know what it meant when ‘Ye walked on the stage.”

There was no doubt everyone was shocked Queen Bey didn’t win. Beck even agreed. That still doesn’t excuse Kanye from acting like a pissed off toddler because the Grammys didn’t go his way.

Beck has been putting out albums long before Kanye dropped out of college. His first big hit, “Loser” on his 1994 album “Mellow Gold” captured the apathy of the 90s and his music has progressed since then.

Whether “Morning Phase” deserved a Grammy is not for Kanye to decide, although he certainly thinks it is.

“I just know that the Grammys, if they want real artists to keep coming back, they need to stop playing with us. We ain’t gonna play with them no more,” West told E!. “Because what happens is when you keep on diminishing art and not respecting the craft and smacking people in the face after they deliver monumental feats of music, you’re disrespectful to inspiration.”

You would think someone who is currently working with Sir Paul McCartney would respect diversity and longevity in the music industry. Identifying himself as a crusader for creativity does not make Kanye an omnipotent being who decides what a “real artist” looks like.

Can Kanye have opinions? Yes. Can Kanye share his opinions? Yes. But taking away from someone else’s success not only divides the music industry into them versus us, it’s just plain rude.

Those who applaud Kanye for his award show etiquette are only perpetuating his childishness. When Wiz Khalifa’s toddler is better behaved than a 37-year-old man, there’s a clear problem.

Let us not forget that Beyoncé didn’t go home empty-handed. She won Best R&B Performance for “Drunk in Love” and wowed the crowd at the end of the night when she belted a beautiful gospel hymn.

Kanye could learn a thing or two about respect from Knowles, who obviously knows to let her music do the talking. However, Kanye knows how to do this as well, evident by his performance of “Runaway” at the 2010 VMAs.

For now, we all must sit and wait to see what asinine thing Yeezy says next. Hopefully, someone takes the mic away and doesn’t let him finish.

Featured Image: Kanye West performs in Aug. 2007 at Westminster Central Hall in London. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons