Advertisement

Kanye West renounces celebrity status at New York City concert

Share via

Someone alert the paparazzi: Kanye West is not a celebrity, and you guys can pack up and go home. Nothing to see here.

That was the intended takeaway, at least, from another classic-Kanye monologue during West’s set Thursday night at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City.

West’s show was tied to Adult Swim and its part in the TV industry’s advertiser-luring event known as the upfronts. But as West is wont to do, he stole the show with a fiery defense of his own artistry.

Advertisement

PHOTOS: Celebrities by The Times

“One thing about me, I’m the worst kinda ... celebrity, because all I do is make real music. All I do is sit in the studio and make real, real ... And that’s it,” he said, according to MTV. “That’s ... it. That’s ... it. So I don’t want nobody trying to run up on me with no cameras, trying to sell pictures ... to magazines, asking me no dumb ... questions, throwing me off of my focus ... I ain’t no ... celebrity.”

West, who is currently expecting his first child with reality-TV star and retail titan Kim Kardashian, also added that he would not stoop to any self-parodies for his appearance this weekend on “Saturday Night Live.” “I ain’t here to apologize ..., man. It ain’t about me humanizing myself. At what point did I become un-human where I had to turn myself back? Or maybe I was demonized. Or maybe I was treated inhumane and not human in that kind of situation.”

Advertisement

“Hell nah, I ain’t doing no ... ‘SNL’ skits; this my ... life. This ain’t no ... joke. That’s it. Stop that ... right there,” he continued.

West’s turn as Gregory Peck in “To Kill a Mockingbird” was also punctuated with new music, however. He performed a new single that his frequent collaborator Hudson Mohawke previewed in a recent DJ set in Poland. In the meantime, fans are still waiting to see what will arrive on West’s cryptic “June Eighteenth” date of note. We just hope his Lamborghini is doing OK.

ALSO:

Advertisement

Lil Wayne apologizes to Emmett Till familyChris Kelly, half of rap duo Kriss Kross, dies at 34

Kanye West reveals June Eighteenth as ... something

Advertisement