Kanye "Fade"

[97 1,140]

1 hour ago, StrawberryBlond said:

It's not about beauty, it's about what she's doing in the video. I'm referring to the bit you said about videos like this making you accept that you're bi when I said it. It doesn't magically make everything ok just because nobody forced anyone to do anything. It's still sexualisation and it's really harmful for women and men to see this constantly. I'm not saying your attractions and tastes are invalid or wrong, I'd just like you to question why you have them because you'd be surprised how many people don't even know why they like or accept something.

"It's still sexualisation and it's really harmful for women and men to see this constantly." Why do you feel consensual sexualization is harmful? I don't let anyone think for myself or tell me what to like. We can agree to disagree. Thanks for making think about what I'm attracted to and why   different views and opinions make the world more interesting. 

[Ferrer Zorola 3,966]

hottest couple I've seen in a long time damn I envy her 

[StrawberryBlond 14,862]

1 hour ago, ReidOne said:

I'm at work right now on lunch break, so I'm responding quickly (DISCLAIMER, my thoughts below are not quite fully formed) and won't be able to elaborate, but please see my prior comments about this being her "post-baby body" and the overlap that creates with Kanye/Kim and the Fame. 

Additionally, I think the sexualization and shower scene are a form of racial commentary. You could argue that his message is this... (much like Jesse Williams speech at the BET awards) ... the black community is adored within the world of entertainment, particularly for their sexiness and use of their athletic bodies. And white's consume the culture, while also bastardizing it. And look at the performers as not real people, but essentially animals. 

To me, Kanye makes this point very clear. When the camera cuts away from the shower, you get the image of Teyana in a literal LION face and tail. She's a ****ing animal, literally. But then... As the camera pans out... You see she is the King (a lion) and she is surrounded by a flock of **white sheep** (implying that the "white" sheep flock to black entertainment. And in this video, with Teyana portrayed as a lion, it shows ultimately she is the one in power as she is the lion, the hunter --- the sheep are her prey). 

[Please note, this is not at all an attempt to start major racial dialogue about what is right or what is wrong, but simply my attempt at putting into words the racial undertones that I witnessed and trying to make sense of the visuals, beyond mere "shock value"]  

 

Also, to relate this back to the song... the lyrics of the song are about working non-stop and finally taking a minute to smoke some weed and "fade away"  when "nobody watchin" (while also using that moment to fuel your next creative endeavor -- "I get lifted, yes!"). It also addresses the frustration Kanye feels at the GP, as he has made some amazing art and been applauded for it, yet the world exists to tear him down, "I been on my ****, whole world on my ****." 

The overlay this with the symbolism of the video, Teyana working her ass off in the gym represents Kanye working his ass off on his art. And the final segment of the video, where she sleeps with her husband is her "fade" moment (not smoking weed, but another indulgence, sex). 

 

This one comes to mind...  

 

(Please don't take the above as an attack! Just enjoying exploring a counter perspective. I love a good debate.) 

What a minute, are you saying whites can't be sexy or have athletic bodies? Those things are not racially exclusive or even slanted towards any particular race. And maybe some racists see these performers like animals and not real people, but most of us don't. I don't like this perception that whites just want to steal black people's culture. We're just enjoying it, just like they enjoy our culture. We don't accuse them of stealing anything when they get inspired by stuff that we created.

It took me a while to even realise that she was intended to look like a big cat, it just looks like something terrifying! I think Kanye's constant racial angles are quite offensive, honestly. I mean, I like what he went for with Yeezus but at what point do you start to draw the line? I mean, I do like some of his music but when he gets into too much of the race-baiting angle, I'm really turned off. You don't end racism by fighting it with more racism.

About the Britney video, I think you've missed the point. Britney is in the video and she dances more sexually then any of the men there, she is the main focus as the sex object and the men are dancing comedically. I'm asking for a video by a female artist where she does not feature in the video yet she features a solo man doing a sexy dance.

 

58 minutes ago, 97 said:

"It's still sexualisation and it's really harmful for women and men to see this constantly." Why do you feel consensual sexualization is harmful? I don't let anyone think for myself or tell me what to like. We can agree to disagree. Thanks for making think about what I'm attracted to and why   different views and opinions make the world more interesting. 

About the bi bit that you edited out, no need to worry, I'm bi-curious myself, so I get you! I sometimes feel a bit guilty for seeing women so sexually myself when I'm supposed to be advocating seeing women as more than their bodies. Yes, consensual sexualisation can be harmful. Rely on it too much and you start to feel it's all you can do. And you start to feel down on yourself when you age and you start losing your looks and body. And it's harmful to outsiders having to consume it all the time, thinking they aren't good enough because they don't look perfect and get ideas into their heads about gender roles. As a woman, I'm very aware of the damage this can do. I certainly thought that now Kanye had a daughter he would start to consider the implications of her growing up in a world like this. I know I wouldn't my daughter acting like this.

[97 1,140]

21 minutes ago, StrawberryBlond said:

What a minute, are you saying whites can't be sexy or have athletic bodies? Those things are not racially exclusive or even slanted towards any particular race. And maybe some racists see these performers like animals and not real people, but most of us don't. I don't like this perception that whites just want to steal black people's culture. We're just enjoying it, just like they enjoy our culture. We don't accuse them of stealing anything when they get inspired by stuff that we created.

It took me a while to even realise that she was intended to look like a big cat, it just looks like something terrifying! I think Kanye's constant racial angles are quite offensive, honestly. I mean, I like what he went for with Yeezus but at what point do you start to draw the line? I mean, I do like some of his music but when he gets into too much of the race-baiting angle, I'm really turned off. You don't end racism by fighting it with more racism.

About the Britney video, I think you've missed the point. Britney is in the video and she dances more sexually then any of the men there, she is the main focus as the sex object and the men are dancing comedically. I'm asking for a video by a female artist where she does not feature in the video yet she features a solo man doing a sexy dance.

 

About the bi bit that you edited out, no need to worry, I'm bi-curious myself, so I get you! I sometimes feel a bit guilty for seeing women so sexually myself when I'm supposed to be advocating seeing women as more than their bodies. Yes, consensual sexualisation can be harmful. Rely on it too much and you start to feel it's all you can do. And you start to feel down on yourself when you age and you start losing your looks and body. And it's harmful to outsiders having to consume it all the time, thinking they aren't good enough because they don't look perfect and get ideas into their heads about gender roles. As a woman, I'm very aware of the damage this can do. I certainly thought that now Kanye had a daughter he would start to consider the implications of her growing up in a world like this. I know I wouldn't my daughter acting like this.

I edited it out cause I felt it was a bit much, I'm glad you can relate! Bottom line I respect women, they give life & without them men wouldn't be sh**. I'm not a woman so there is things I will never understand but I try. Cheers 

[Quartz 12,535]

From OP's reaction, I expected the second coming of Jesus

I am disappointed

[ReidOne 12,427]

5 hours ago, hellothing said:

From OP's reaction, I expected the second coming of Jesus

I am disappointed

Sorry if this was overhype to you... totally understand that perspective! 

But please understand my perspective... I absolutely LIVE for the early days of house music from the 80s. And Kanye has delivered one of the greatest homages I've ever heard for that style... and he's a legit person to do it, since House music was born in Chicago in the 80's, and Kanye is also from 80's Chicago. It's sheer perfection to me. 

Totally understand all users will not feel the same. But, receipts for my obsession here: 

 

[ReidOne 12,427]

PS, one of my favorite things about "Fade" is the actual music "fade" at the end of the track... he ends the song on a pure, unadulterated sample of the 80's house classic "Mystery of Love." It's the perfect fade out for a song called "Fade." 

I'M SHOOK. 

I need to gather up all the thoughts in this thread and right a cohesive essay. I haven't been this captivated by a pop song in well over a year. 

[ReidOne 12,427]

I'd also like to add that "Fade" is one of the greatest weed smoking anthems I've ever heard. 

There is so much going on in this release, I can't take it! On the surface (song and video), it looks super basic and there's not much going on. But look a few layers deeper and the artistry is expansive. 

[Gala 478]

Finally on vevo, this video is true masterpiece