Kanye and the Advanced Genius Theory

by Bella Barba

Kanye West is a genius. He’s just ahead of his time. I can feel the ooze of judgment already. But, let's keep an open mind.

West, or Yeezus, has without a doubt had a significant impact on culture; this significance supports the ‘Advanced Genius Theory’ coined by author Jason Hartley. This theory has been associated with the likes of Bob Dylan, Kiss, and David Bowie. But what makes these artists an ‘advanced genius’? The answer is not so simple. According to Hartley’s, The Advanced Genius Theory: Are They Out of Their Minds or Ahead of Their Time? characters of this theory support:

-you must have done great work for more than 15 years

-you must have alienated your original fans

-you must be completely unironic

-you must be unpredictable

-you must "lose it"

But, an Advanced Genius is not limited to these elements. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Hartley adds that this theory's foundations are “you seem to completely lose your way and you also embrace religion.” Sound familiar yet?

1. You must have done great work for more than 15 years.

West’s debut album, The College Dropout (2004), premiered his presence as an innovator in the music world. He incorporated soul and storytelling into his music amidst a gangsta rap movement that controlled the hip-hop industry at the time. While also keeping a youthful and upbeat feel, Yeezus told a story in his debut that has followed him throughout his career, that of nonconformity. The following year, West released Late Registration. This album solidified his stance as a growing influence in hip-hop, earning him eight Grammy nominations and a Grammy win for Best Rap Album. For 18 years, Kanye has remained a central topic of conversation surrounding music and fashion.

2. You must have alienated your fans.

Kanye has landed several sentences in ‘celebrity jail’ after many instances of inappropriate behavior, from his feud with Taylor Swift to endorsing Trump to commenting that slavery was a choice. This problematic behavior has weakened his fan base. Olivia Pomesky at GQ comments, “Kanye’s fans appear to be dropping like flies, having concluded that the artist’s actions have become too unforgivable to justify the art.”

3. You must be completely unironic.

Just look up @kanyewest on Instagram-need I say more?

4. You must be unpredictable.

West has consistently provided us with unwarranted rants that have taken him to the hot seat on many occasions. Must I add his very successful fashion line? West’s Season 1 Yeezy collection was ridiculed for being monochromatic and dystopian. Contradicting these criticisms, 2022 fashion is just that. Modern street style trends prove to hold the same androgynous and dystopian style West was critiqued for. His Sunday Service and Gospel album are important to note, “Jesus is King.” This album is completely different from his previous work and supports the Advanced Genius Theory element of “you also embrace religion.”

5. You must "lose it."

This element stumped me. There's quite a list to support. However, it becomes difficult to list his actions as ‘losing it’ without being empathetic to his mental health struggles. Some can argue that his public slander of Pete Davidson was ‘losing it.’ Others can add that including celebrity wax figures in bed with West for a music video was ‘losing it.’ While others believe it was the outcome of a manic episode.

Kanye West pushes the boundary of how much an artist can get away with. Does his talent justify his problematic behavior?

Kanye West is advancement. Hartley describes advancement as “ a state of disassociation from one’s artistic identity and public image that is achieved only by a select few celebrities, which allows for a radical creativity that can only be appreciated in the future.” You don't have to be a good person to be a genius. As Jason Hartley stated, Kanye is one of those artists that are “so great that we don’t understand them.”