Kanye West has reacted angrily to criticism from Bob Ezrin, the record producer famed for his work with Pink Floyd, Lou Reed, Alice Cooper, Peter Gabriel and others, telling him: “Please never speak in public again … you are everything that is wrong with the old guard.”
Ezrin had written to the Lefsetz Letter – a music industry email written by Bob Lefsetz, which often offers succour to those who think music ain’t what it used to be – offering his thoughts on West’s career.
He said West’s music would not stand the test of time – “unlike other creators in his genre like Jay Z, Tupac, Biggie or even MC Hammer” – and that he did not “open up new avenues of discourse like NWA, or introduce the world to a new art form like Grandmaster Flash, or even meaningfully and memorably address social issues through his music like Marshall, Macklemore and Kendrick”. West’s songwriting, Ezrin wrote, “was sophomoric at best”.
“Instead, Kanye’s greatest achievements have been in the form of excessive behaviour, egomaniacal tantrums and tasteless grandstanding,” he wrote, adding that what really annoyed him was that people might think West was an artist. He said he had not listened to West’s album The Life of Pablo, which currently is only available on Tidal.
West, naturally, did not take kindly to this. Last week he told “white publications” not to write about his music any more, and on Tuesday night, Ezrin was added to his hitlist in a series of tweets.
Has anybody ever heard of Bob Ezrin???
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) February 24, 2016
What the fuck does he know about rap…
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) February 24, 2016
Do something relevant… Please don’t speak on me bro ever again!!!
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) February 24, 2016
I’m tired of old people that have no connection with anything trying to comment on music!
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) February 24, 2016
Your kids are ashamed of their dad… Sorry for speaking about kids… but could you imagine if you were Bob Ezrin’s kids…
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) February 24, 2016
I’m so sorry for them… I will send them free Yeezys to make up for the embarrassment that you have caused your family!
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) February 24, 2016
Bro you said Macklemore was more important musically than me… no offense to Macklemore, he’s a nice human being!
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) February 24, 2016
Bob please never speak in public again… you are everything that is wrong with the old guard …
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) February 24, 2016
it’s guys like you that run companies and don’t invest in Ye even if I’m your kid’s idol!!!
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) February 24, 2016
Rock and Roll was stolen… Rap was exploited…
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) February 24, 2016
Ezrin I truly feel sorry for your friends and family that they have had to suffer an idiot like you for so many years…
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) February 24, 2016
