Recently, Pitchfork announced that Kanye West has decided to feature Miley Cyrus in his “Black Skinhead” remix. Now, nobody knows what exactly Miley Cyrus will do in the respective feature. Back in August, she was featured in GOOD Music (West’s record label) and rapper Big Sean’s video, “Fire,” and simply moved her body in exotic ways and stared lustfully into the camera.
She recently had a “Kanye” moment at the 2009 Video Music Awards, and is most likely feeling the same shame that West felt after his tirade against Taylor Swift at — you guessed it — the VMAs.
It’s a feel good story from the man who has overcame his VMA gaff to produce the two most important rap albums of the last ten years ("Yeezus" and "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy"). He sees a reeling Miley Cyrus and sees himself. That’s a lot coming from someone deemed a narcissist by society at large. Would a narcissist have the empathy to lift someone else from despair? I don’t think so.
Now, what exactly does West see in Cyrus besides a pretty face? It’s rather ironic that he’s using her in his “Black Skinhead” remix, considering she is nearly a white skinhead with her hair cut. West has a sense of humor.
It seems that West is at the point in his career that he feels like he can make a hit out of anybody. Having Chief Keef featured on a track with Bon Iver seems like a disaster, but West made it work on his last album. Now with Cyrus, West has the chance to prove the doubters wrong again.
Some would argue (ahem, Anthony Fantano of "The Needle Drop") that West at this point in his career is an older version of Tyler, the Creator in the sense that he provides less art and more shock value for his audience. However, I think that West is just a marketing genius using whatever the zeitgeist is to his advantage and making it into an artistic statement. He’s a wizard and he may just make Cyrus bigger than she already is, or just teach her to keep her tongue in check — or cheek.
Reach the reporter at Demetrius.Burns@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @dgburns20
