If Generation’s Have Voices, Who Are We Listening To . Levin
The great philosopher and part-time rapper Kayne West announced earlier this week that he will be the voice of this generation. In an interview on Wednesday, the king of white sunglasses said, "I realize that my place and position in history is that I will go down as the voice of this generation, of this decade, I will be the loudest voice. It's me settling into that position of just really accepting that it's one thing to say you want to do it and it's another thing to really end up being like Michael Jordan."
We realize that this is Kayne being Kayne. His new album, 808s and Heartbreak was released yesterday, and this is just the circus act that we can count on prior to any album delivery of his. What Kayne did suggest is that there is no voice of this generation.
After recent years of war and political head-butting which artist will be remembered as a voice of this generation? We decide to make a short-list of who was the voice of their generation, who did we miss, who should be on it, who will be the true voice of this generation?
Recent to not so Recent:
Eddie Vedder
Bob Marley
John Lennon
Bob Dylan (voice of every generation, voice of mankind)
Elvis Presley
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Comments: 18
For our current decade, I have no idea of who I'd put forth as the voice.
Would I pick him as the voice of my generation? Who knows. But I think a lot of people can relate to him.
Kanye's not the voice of me. All he's done in my life is wake me from my peaceful doze around dawn at this years Bonnaroo.
Laurels like he's claiming are only handed in retrospect anyway. Kanye's just a loud mouth and in that sense he is certainly "A voice" of this generation...of this decade.
But what if you've been a mopey white teenager of late, surely Elliott Smith and Conner Oberst mean more to you than Kanye. What if your anxiety preffers anger and gruff-house techno, I think Trent Reznor has that number. Or how about a rowdy mall punk? There you've got a range of choices from any t-shirt wall-unit at Hot Topic to fall in rank before Mr. West.
Frankly, I think when the future gets past being future and starts reviewing us as passed they might just stumble on Henry Rollins; his television show, interviews, books and tirades will likely speak best of what we liked least about what's recently been.
Plus he could beat the ever loving snot out of Kanye West.