Chicagoist: Kanye Shows Chicago Some Love

DazzlingUrbanite

Sat, 12 Apr 2008 19:30:25 -0600

I actually still like Kanye, and I really like this song. It reminds me of the days when I was in school in California and I couldn't wait to go home. Even a R. Kelly "Step In The Name Of Love" video could make me nostalgic back then. (Back then = two years ago.) That being said, I like the sillouette thing but this video is pretty weak. I agree with The People being a much more representative video.

UTV

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 14:14:53 -0600

Ah, Extras. Shame on me for not getting the reference - I own both series. Could they be holding the album?

mich

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 10:42:15 -0600

Right on, Matilda.

matilda

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 10:13:53 -0600

"Shame on you for choosing ignorance over education." Yeah, because being up to date on what some celebrity does in his spare time is "education."

tc3

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 09:56:27 -0600

UTV, you clearly didn't investigate the link. Shame on you for choosing ignorance over education.

UTV

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 07:57:52 -0600

Reppin' the Bean, y'all. Also, I don't see why I should like Chris Martin's crappy music because he "steps up" for drinking water.

plumbum82

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 06:53:01 -0600

Well, I could care less about Chris Martin and his nascent Bono-ism, but I did like the video and song. Probably the only time I can deal with Kanye. That said, Millenium Park is SO gangsta!

Prescott Carlson

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 23:06:44 -0600

OK, I just realized that a) I need to watch "Extras", and b) Chris Martin is only perhaps 99.1% douche.

tc3

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 22:47:20 -0600

I like the song and the video. Nothing groundbreaking, but nothing worthy of the anger either. And people can hate Chris Martin, but when's the last time any of you stepped up for those in the world without clean drinking water?

Tower18

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 20:02:00 -0600

Here's the Fever vid After further inspection of the Common video, I'm fairly positive that at least a few of the street scenes are New York.

Tower18

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 19:57:40 -0600

Am I off base here, or does it look like certain parts of that Common video are shot in New York, rather than Chicago? I had the general feeling of New York in certain parts, and I could swear I saw an MTA bus, rather than CTA, at one point. I know, no big deal, but it's bugging me. Rhymefest's "Fever" is a good one, shot almost entirely on the Green Line.

Prescott Carlson

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 19:42:02 -0600

I thought the imagery of Kanye "coming home" and wistfully thinking about how his old Millennium Park neighborhood has changed was quite moving.

mike_thoms

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 19:05:06 -0600

If he'd written an ode to New York instead of Chicago people would be bitching, bridge or no bridge.

onlyconnect

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 18:22:25 -0600

love it. chi-city. fireworks at lake michigan. lodi yo yo, lodi yo yo.

celerysalt

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 18:06:43 -0600

@ezfinn - true, touche'....i'll admit that i was one of those suckers who thought trouble showed "potential". i was wrong, world. wrongwrongwrong.

ezfinn

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 17:48:33 -0600

@celery chris martin ever had credibility?

celerysalt

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 17:31:07 -0600

@ ontology: great call - The People is a real love letter to the people of Chicago. Kanye's video is a love letter to himself.

celerysalt

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 17:25:34 -0600

agree with grizz.... chris martin has lost all credibility - i mean his appearance in this is just embarrassing....cringe worthy. someone should really tell him that he'll never be thom yorke (although if we're to judge by this little jaunt, he's already stopped trying.....) also, for the record, i liked the crocheted-pants common much better.

Grizz

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 17:24:06 -0600

Good call Ontology, Common's 'The People' is a much better representation. Great song, great hook and a simple yet enjoyable video.

groggy

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 17:15:59 -0600

I gotta give a Youtube shoutout to Yea Big + Kid Static. Their video for "The Life Here" is ultimate Chicago music video... it doesn't hurt that these guys are regular, cool REAL Chicagoans or that the people in their music video are real Chicagoans too. (Seriously, the guy at 3:39 is as Chicago as it gets.)

Ontology

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 17:08:32 -0600

Unlike seemingly everyone else on Chicagoist, I actually enjoy Kanye. This video, however, looks like a tourist's black-and-white home movie. It's trying to represent Chicago to people who don't live here, so it has to traffic in recognizable images (Millennium Park, Marina City, the skyline, etc). Common's video for "The People" is much more successful representing Chicago to Chicagoans.

mich

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 16:30:34 -0600

I was about to post something about being tired of the Kanye-hype, but everyone above has said it so nicely...

P Griffin Baron

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 16:24:41 -0600

a) there's no bridge in that song b) the hook is boring c) that video barely shows off chicago d) lame.

Grizz

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 16:22:28 -0600

More Lupe/Common please, less Kanye...much less Kanye

groggy

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 16:10:10 -0600

Super enjoyment. But why does Common pops up every once in a while? Why is it the same shot each time? Why does he look like he needs a hug?

Spook

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 16:09:47 -0600

Kanye Pest, please go some where, please.