At the 2015 VMA awards Kanye declared he was running for president in 2020. He has yet to follow up with his proposals and efforts he is going to make leading up the election, but I think it will be interesting if he was to actually go through with it.
Inspired by Kanye's controversial moment of madness or potential serious vow to his decision to run for presidency, I want to create a bank note that represents him as a person and future president - inspired by his individual existing aesthetics.
Kanye is an american hip hop recording artist, songwriter, record producer, fashion designer and entrepreneur. He is among the most acclaimed musicians of the 21st century, attracting both praise and criticism for his work and outspoken public persona. Incorporating these factors about this life is my goal for the project.
Seeing as Kanye is an american citizen, I will be producing a banknote for the USA. Most likely distributed within 2020, if he is to win the presidency.
The reason I am going to produce a banknote produced around Kanye is to reflect is explosive personality and confident persona.Obnoxiously putting his face all over a banknote the second he becomes president is something I can imagine Kanye doing.
Another reason why I chose Kanye, was the fact he has been involved within politics before himself. Expressing controversial statements about previous presidents is nothing new to him.
Here is an article I found reciting all the times he has expressed opinions about the government and social issues.
(source: http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/08/where-2020-candidate-kanye-stands-on-the-issues.html )
Racism
Obviously, Kanye's music and performances deal heavily with issues of racism, but in several interviews, he's said his view of America's core problem has evolved. "It’s about class and it was a classist move that even when you get invited to certain dinner parties, or even when you’re in certain magazines, it’s still a Dinner With Schmucks situation," he said in a 2013 Wild 94.9 interview. "Are they inviting you to be a part of what you’re doing or are they inviting you to laugh at your teeth? And ask you a million questions like, 'Oh, those are cool teeth. What’s that?' … It’s not about racism anymore. It’s classism. Like Paula Deen, she was old school with it. They like, 'We don’t do it like that anymore, that’s racist. We classist now.'"
Obviously, Kanye's music and performances deal heavily with issues of racism, but in several interviews, he's said his view of America's core problem has evolved. "It’s about class and it was a classist move that even when you get invited to certain dinner parties, or even when you’re in certain magazines, it’s still a Dinner With Schmucks situation," he said in a 2013 Wild 94.9 interview. "Are they inviting you to be a part of what you’re doing or are they inviting you to laugh at your teeth? And ask you a million questions like, 'Oh, those are cool teeth. What’s that?' … It’s not about racism anymore. It’s classism. Like Paula Deen, she was old school with it. They like, 'We don’t do it like that anymore, that’s racist. We classist now.'"
In an interview on the radio show "The Breakfast Club" earlier this year, host Charlamagne Tha God noted that while Kanye once challenged President Bush, "it seems like you were just fighting for the civil rights of rich people lately." Kanye offered an interesting theory on the future of racism:
"I think it's the rights of everyone. And another thing that I used to get really caught up on was with race. You know, with race it's like, okay we know it's racist people, we know that a lot of white men over the age of 60 are racist, we embrace that. We know that a lot of people that are in power don't really... they're like Donald Sterling. We understand that. We know that, but the world is moving. Ten years from now, 20 years from now, every person of color or female or any minority that comes into power will eventually shift it. You got the ozone layer, you got all this stuff, you see 100 years from now the entire world might be black. Just to even survive on the earth, period." - Kanye West
The Confederate Flag
Kanye believes that the Confederate flag is a symbol of slavery and racism, not merely southern pride. However, he may want to reclaim the flag rather than removing it from state capitols. He's worn the flag and featured it on his tour merchandise, explaining, "I took the Confederate flag and made it my flag. It’s my flag now, now whatchu gonna do?"
Kanye believes that the Confederate flag is a symbol of slavery and racism, not merely southern pride. However, he may want to reclaim the flag rather than removing it from state capitols. He's worn the flag and featured it on his tour merchandise, explaining, "I took the Confederate flag and made it my flag. It’s my flag now, now whatchu gonna do?"
Tax Reform
In the midst of the 2012 election, Kanye rapped, "I be all up in Goldman Sachs like these n—– trying to hold me back, these n—– trying to hold me back, I’m just trying to protect my stacks, Mitt Romney don’t pay no tax, Mitt Romney don’t pay no tax." On the one hand, this supported Harry Reid's now-debunked claim that Romney evaded paying taxes for years, but on the other hand, 'Ye seemed to sympathize with the billionaire candidate's financial troubles.
In the midst of the 2012 election, Kanye rapped, "I be all up in Goldman Sachs like these n—– trying to hold me back, these n—– trying to hold me back, I’m just trying to protect my stacks, Mitt Romney don’t pay no tax, Mitt Romney don’t pay no tax." On the one hand, this supported Harry Reid's now-debunked claim that Romney evaded paying taxes for years, but on the other hand, 'Ye seemed to sympathize with the billionaire candidate's financial troubles.
Education
On The College Dropout, Kanye detailed his complex feelings about leaving school at 20 to pursue his musical career. He founded the Dr. Donda West Foundation, which is named after his late mother, to combat illiteracy and low graduation rates, and to provide access to music education programs (it ceased operations in 2011). However, education advocates would likely take issue with 'Ye repeatedly making anti-literacy declarations, such as "I am not a fan of books. I would never want a book’s autograph. I am a proud non-reader of books."
On The College Dropout, Kanye detailed his complex feelings about leaving school at 20 to pursue his musical career. He founded the Dr. Donda West Foundation, which is named after his late mother, to combat illiteracy and low graduation rates, and to provide access to music education programs (it ceased operations in 2011). However, education advocates would likely take issue with 'Ye repeatedly making anti-literacy declarations, such as "I am not a fan of books. I would never want a book’s autograph. I am a proud non-reader of books."
Marijuana Legalization
He hasn't addressed the issue specifically, but considering that his announcement speech included the line, "Ya'll might be thinking right now, 'Did he smoke something before he came out here?' The answer is yes, I rolled up a little something. I knocked the edge off!" we'll assume he's pro-legalization.
He hasn't addressed the issue specifically, but considering that his announcement speech included the line, "Ya'll might be thinking right now, 'Did he smoke something before he came out here?' The answer is yes, I rolled up a little something. I knocked the edge off!" we'll assume he's pro-legalization.
Public Health
Kanye has done his part to raise awareness about AIDS, but other advocates were not thrilled when he declared at the 2005 Live 8 concert tour that AIDS is a "manmade disease" that was "placed in Africa just like crack was placed in the black community to break up the Black Panthers." He reiterated this point in the 2005 track "Heard 'Em Say" with the line, "And I know the government administered AIDS / So I guess we just pray like the minister say." In 2010's "Gorgeous" he added, "I treat the cash the way the government treat AIDS / I won't be satisfied til all my niggas get it, get it?"
Kanye has done his part to raise awareness about AIDS, but other advocates were not thrilled when he declared at the 2005 Live 8 concert tour that AIDS is a "manmade disease" that was "placed in Africa just like crack was placed in the black community to break up the Black Panthers." He reiterated this point in the 2005 track "Heard 'Em Say" with the line, "And I know the government administered AIDS / So I guess we just pray like the minister say." In 2010's "Gorgeous" he added, "I treat the cash the way the government treat AIDS / I won't be satisfied til all my niggas get it, get it?"
Foreign Policy
As we learned in 2005's "Diamonds From Sierra Leone (Remix)," Yeezy is very concerned about West African children forced to mine "blood diamonds." He has yet to weigh in on the Iran deal.
As we learned in 2005's "Diamonds From Sierra Leone (Remix)," Yeezy is very concerned about West African children forced to mine "blood diamonds." He has yet to weigh in on the Iran deal.
Income Inequality
In 2011 Kanye visited Occupy Wall Street with Russell Simmons, which many found ironic since he's made it rather clear that he's part of the one percent. As Yeezy remained uncharacteristically quiet, Simmons explained his thoughts on the matter: "Kanye's been a big supporter, spiritually for this movement. He's just here to stand with the people. He's not — the politics of it, he doesn't want to make a statement, didn't want to do any media at all, actually. He's here, and I guess there's no way around it," Simmons said. "He's here … and he understands this idea about getting the money out of the government and letting the people govern. He wants to give power back to the people. That's why we're here."
In 2011 Kanye visited Occupy Wall Street with Russell Simmons, which many found ironic since he's made it rather clear that he's part of the one percent. As Yeezy remained uncharacteristically quiet, Simmons explained his thoughts on the matter: "Kanye's been a big supporter, spiritually for this movement. He's just here to stand with the people. He's not — the politics of it, he doesn't want to make a statement, didn't want to do any media at all, actually. He's here, and I guess there's no way around it," Simmons said. "He's here … and he understands this idea about getting the money out of the government and letting the people govern. He wants to give power back to the people. That's why we're here."
During a lecture at Oxford University earlier this year, Kanye also shared some deep thoughts on the discrimination inherent in $5,000 sweaters:
"It’s illegal to not wear clothes, and also possibly too cold. That means someone is imposing an idea on you that should legally have to do! Clothing should be like food. There should never be a $5,000 sweater. You know what should cost $5,000? A car should be $5,000. And you know who should work on the car? The people that work on the $500,000 cars. All the best talent in the world needs to work for the people. And I am so fucking serious about this concept that I will stand in front of anyone and fight for it. Because I was 14 and middle class. I know what it felt like to not get what I have." - Kanye West
"It’s illegal to not wear clothes, and also possibly too cold. That means someone is imposing an idea on you that should legally have to do! Clothing should be like food. There should never be a $5,000 sweater. You know what should cost $5,000? A car should be $5,000. And you know who should work on the car? The people that work on the $500,000 cars. All the best talent in the world needs to work for the people. And I am so fucking serious about this concept that I will stand in front of anyone and fight for it. Because I was 14 and middle class. I know what it felt like to not get what I have." - Kanye West
Prison Reform
Kanye earned praise from the likes of Michael Moore for criticizing the private prison system in "New Slaves." He raps: "Meanwhile the DEA / Teamed up with the CCA [Correction Corporation of America] / They tryn'a lock niggas up / They tryn'a make new slaves / See that's that private owned prison / Get your piece today."
Kanye earned praise from the likes of Michael Moore for criticizing the private prison system in "New Slaves." He raps: "Meanwhile the DEA / Teamed up with the CCA [Correction Corporation of America] / They tryn'a lock niggas up / They tryn'a make new slaves / See that's that private owned prison / Get your piece today."
Commentators said his basic analysis of the prison industrial complex was correct, but Think Progress's Alyssa Rosenberg felt his conclusion was less eloquent:
Instead of targeting, say, Corrections Corporation of America founders Tom Beasley, T. Don Hutto and Doctor Robert Crants, or the private prison company’s current board chairman, John Ferguson, or its president and CEO Damon Hininger for their corporate decision-making, or Drug Enforcement Administrator Michele Leonhart for her policy-making, “New Slaves” ends with a cheap, nasty fantasy of sexual revenge. “They prolly all in the Hamptons / Braggin’ ’bout they maid,” West reflects of the DEA and CCA. “Fuck you and your Hampton house / I’ll fuck your Hampton spouse / Came on her Hampton blouse / And in her Hampton mouth.” 
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