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How I met Kanye West! |
Now that I got your attention, let me first announce a spoiler alert.?
If you’re yet to see the documentary Jeen-Yus – a trilogy about Kanye West streaming on Netflix, you should, so you can meet him too, just like I did a few days ago
Jeen-Yus is a three-part series documenting Kanye’s life over the past 21 years.
Told through the eyes of his childhood friend Coodie who decided to leave behind his own dreams and take up the task of being Kanye’s ‘personal videographer’, chronicling his craft, struggles, rejections, resilience, triumphs, mistakes, humanity, and the one thing that remained undeniable- his Genius.
If you follow me on IG @identitycoach, I’d mentioned on my Story that I’d be sharing my thoughts with you today.
I have so many but I’ll just zero in on a few characters that stood out for me.
Donda, Coodie and Pharell Williams.
Donda guys! If cheerleader were a human…., Whoooooosh!
Donda West, Kanye’s mum, was everything!
She made him go sit in the studio learning beats at age 13 from the best producers in his hometown of Chicago ‘Chi-town’ (pronounced as chai) because she recognized his unusual abilities.
By the time he moved to New York, he was already making beats for the biggest name in hip-hop; Jay-Z (and other A-list artists). Grammy award winning beats.
That should have been enough right?
In genius territory, you’re never really satisfied till every expression in you is given a voice.
Thing is, Donda knew he was more than just a producer.
She knew he was ‘spitting’ lyrics and learnt the words of his every song, rapping effortlessly along with him in private moments – before he ever decided on taking his gift public.
She knew her child was a genius before anyone else did and always reminded him of that. Encouraging him to step forward without apologies for his difference. She always left him with her voice cheering him on and validating who he dared to say he was.
And oh! Was he confident on steroids or what!
She genuinely saw him and kept him grounded.
If you’re a parent/mentor/guide (or hope to be one), pause and let those words speak to you.
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Coodie
He was already hosting this successful hip-hop TV show in Chicago and then he met 17 year old Kanye.
It seemed like a simple interview but Coodie knew he was in the presence of greatness.
He had the inclination to film him, documenting his journey on the way to stardom.
He couldn’t tell why he did that, but he did because ‘he just knew’.
At the time, Kanye was just an upcoming producer but Coodie packed up his life to follow Kanye and record him over the next 20 years.
Can genius be recognized ? How do we handle access? Constantly being in the presence of greatness makes you great.
Let me just mention that Netflix bought this documentary for $32m.
Pharrell Williams
This one is simple. A lesson in graciousness. My favorite scene is when Kanye had just got through a bad car accident that left him with his jaw wired shut.
He had invited Pharrell to the studio to listen to his song ‘through the wire’ where he was literally rapping with his jaw shut.
Pharrell’s response was priceless. He literally walked out of the studio into the hallway because he was in awe. He spoke words that almost sounded like an apology. ?
‘I didn’t know’ …. “I didn’t know’ (loosely translated as, I had no idea of your genius. I see you. I honor you)
Note that at this time, Pharrell was a bigger/more recognized artist.
But, greatness honors greatness and gives room for it.
That’s how powerful alliances are formed.
There’s so much more in there and I’ll most probably write you a Part 2 to this.
What do you say? Yes or Yes?! Grin…
But, I’d like us to compare notes.
You don’t have a Netflix subscription? Get one. Our world is such that we will learn in the most unusual places. If you’re in Nigeria , its N4,400 for the premium plan (about $7.5).
Do not underestimate the power of visual learning. Except you see a thing in your mind’s eye, you cannot create or become it.
The more options you create for yourself, the richer your life will be.
If you’re asking, “YBB, why am I reading about Kanye West this Sunday morning?”
Because –
He is the highest certified digital singles artist in the United States with 84 of his singles going platinum.
He’s also won 22 Grammys. One of the top Grammy winners in history and is tied with Jay-Z (who at a time was his icon) as the highest decorated hip-hop artist.
There’s a price for genius. You may have heard this before.
I’ll sum it up in Donda’s words: “A giant looks in the mirror and sees nothing.”
“Everybody else sees the giant”, but the giant never sees his own self or else it will consume him.
%name%, what do you see?
More, More and… More!
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A few days ago , I was asking myself how I got here.
It’s surreal that I think about you and how I miss writing these letters to you when I’m unable to. And it’s even more surreal that I speak about or teach the things I currently do.
I’ve been going over the many experiences and little steps that have led me to you.
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Barely 3 years before now, I didn’t even exist as I am.
Let me give context to these thoughts.
About 15 odd years ago, I was this young woman growing a family and I had a great job in an experiential marketing firm, creating campaigns for top brands, planning/executing premium events and generally doing what I loved.
I was that one that showed up at meetings and always made an impression.
If I wasn’t wearing the most stylish shoes, I would intentionally be the ‘tightest’ dresser in the room.
My ‘baddest’ combinations were reserved for client presentation days.
I didn’t play on those days. Lol.
Goes to say that I wangled my way with presentations.
Even if there was something wrong with my slides, no one noticed because I’d talk my way confidently through them and ace whatever questions might have followed.
What a show stopper!
I’m actually laughing just thinking about it.
But if we’re to go by standards prescribed by the public, fulfillment and success are measured by money , good living conditions, a good job/business, a husband/wife, a family, traveling the world etc – what else can you possibly want?
Unlike many, I didn’t have the general story of not knowing how to appear or speak confidently.
I didn’t necessarily need better living conditions and I was not struggling with finances.
As it seemed, there was no concrete reason to change the course of my life.
Yet, being me as I was then, just wasn’t enough.
Because I wasn’t lacking in many things, my mind often tricked me into feeling ungrateful for wanting more as I didn’t even really know what more should have been for me.
Our individual stories are uniquely woven to guide us on our journey to ‘More’.
Who are you? Who are you becoming?
The confusion or struggle lies somewhere in between these two questions.
‘More’ is not just for people who are helpless, hopeless or clueless.
It is also for those who have attained some level of ‘success’ but who themselves know- there is more to aspire to.
And those in a place of comfort, who are no longer challenged and have willingly resigned to being content with repetitive cycles.
When we get to our highest level per time, (of thought, expression,ideas and execution) there will yet remain more to become.
It is not really that we always want more, it is that we are built to give more… till there’s nothing left to give.
The balance can be imagined in this question.
Is this all you are able to show up on this earth with or is there more?
I have since accepted that ‘More’ is a state of BE-ing.
It is neither greed nor discontentment.
It is the instruction you give to your mind that frees you to receive capacity.
Active discipline to do the things you know you should do, when you should do them and not trivializing that process with words like -‘maybe it was not for me’ or ‘there will be other opportunities’.
Choosing to restrain when we can be uncontrolled and not seeking sympathy with ‘I am only human’.
Permitting that inner voice of wisdom to lead, when it says ‘now’, we don’t sleep on it and not become religious with ‘God is a God of second chances’.
Enough with the excuses that become self deception!
What happens if you do not yield to the ‘More’ required for your life today?
One of two things:
1. You join the camp of those called ‘ordinary’
The ones who are comforted by human constructs that keep them human.
Those governed by their senses and how they feel.
The reactive ones.
2. You become an echo of what should have been called ‘divine’
Loud and reverberating but lacking tangible evidence.
Many in the streets praise you for what they think you are.
Yet in your quiet place, you know you are only but a shadow of who you have the capacity to be.
To live in “More”, you must daily bring yourself to account.
What did I do? What could I have done better?
What levels of brilliance am I yet to embrace? What must I commit myself to and deny myself of?
Learn your own excesses, so you can choose to conquer them.
Heal yourself from repeating the patterns of many years, because you lack the discipline to do better.
This is the time to Explore the depths of your own abilities..
When you discover them, put them to use so you can learn your own power and grow in it.
Do you want more? This is our construct in this realm. Do not suppress or feel guilty for it.
You do not need the validation of others to rise into higher levels of existence.
Create room for yourself.
If you want it, go for it.
More, More and… More!