Kanye West is considered by many as one of the greatest innovators in the rap game. The producer-rapper has produced some of the biggest hits of the past 30 years and released some of the best solo albums during that era. However, self-induced divisiveness in the pop-culture conversation comes with that notoriety and praise. A discussion, while warranted, has allowed the accomplishments of Ye’s career to be forgotten. Thanks to the upcoming Netflix documentary series: jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy, we enter the mind of Kanye West’s life and career which brings to light how much the “Old Kanye” is missed.
Premiering at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, directors Chike and Coodie’s Act I: Vision dives into the early career of Kanye. Showing the confidence West had in himself and his talents, Coodie Simmons began to document Ye’s career after meeting him at a birthday party for Jermaine Dupree. Once Kanye moved to New York, Coodie chronicled his rise to becoming a Roc-A-Fella artist.
One of the biggest takeaways from Act 1 is Coodie capturing Kanye’s drive and motivation to be more than just a “beats guru.” Moments throughout the act show Kanye going to the offices of Roc-A-Fella records and rapping live in their office along with sharing demos of his music. When that fails, Ye offers his talents up to other labels, which lays the groundwork that Kanye paved his way to a record deal.
jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy‘s most insightful aspect is West’s relationship with his late mother, Donda. There is little to deny that Donda was a foundational force in West’s success and his life. Throughout the first act, Donda offers up words of encouragement and wisdom. Never doubting his talents, Donda even memorizes some of Kanye’s old raps, which she raps by memory. Quite frankly, it’s one of the best and most touching moments in the film’s first act.
Along with the good comes the bad, and the first act offers glimpses of what is known as the “Kanye Rants.” Despite these rants, Coodie and Chike balance them in a fashion that allows a look at his more poignant thoughts over the self-indulgent diatribes. It’s evident from day one that Kanye has a lot to say, whether we want to hear it or not.
With just act one under my belt, it’s safe to say Chike and Coodie’s Act 1 is an underdog story. A look at West pre-superstardom days and the steps he took to becoming one of the all-time greats. The film offers a subjectivity to its creative process because it looks at the rise in real-time rather than constructing the narrative in the present day. It excites me for the final two installments in the trilogy and, in turn, shines a light on the greatness of Yeezy’s musical career.
