"Wake Up, Mr. West" - Kanye West and the Double Consciousness of Black Celebrity

Black celebrities in America have always walked a precarious line between their perceived status as spokespersons for their race and their own individual success­­--and between being "not black enough" for the black community or "too black" to appeal to a broader audience.
Few know this tightrope walk better than Kanye West, who transformed hip-hop, pop and gospel music, redefined fashion, married the world's biggest reality TV star and ran for president, all while becoming one of only a handful of black billionaires worldwide.
Despite these accomplishments, his polarizing behavior, controversial alliances and bouts with mental illness have made him a caricature in the media and a disappointment among much of his fanbase. This book examines West's story and what it reveals about black celebrity and identity and the American dream.

List of contents

Table of Contents

Preface: Let's Have a Toast for the Douche Bags

Introduction: Kids See Ghosts

Part

Welcome to the Good Life: Kanye West and the Souls of Black Folk

One.¿"Pinocchio Story"

Two.¿"We Major"

Three.¿"Be Like Mike"

Part

Everything I Am: Becoming Kanye

Four.¿"Family Business"

Five.¿"Kardashian-West"

Six.¿"Homecoming"

Part III.

The Miseducation of Kanye West: Politics, Prayer, and Platforms

Seven.¿"Republicans Buy Yeezys Too"

Eight.¿"Closed on Sunday"

Nine.¿"Wash Us in the Blood"

Chapter Notes

Bibliography

Index

About the author

Joshua K. Wright, Ph.D., is an associate professor of history in the Global Studies Department at Trinity Washington University in Washington, DC. He is the host of Woke History, a new podcast series streaming on the National Public Radio (NPR) One app.

Product details

• Authors: Joshua K. Wright
• Publisher: Ingram Publishers Services
• Languages: English
• Age Recommendation: from age 18
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 27.01.2022
• EAN: 9781476686486
• ISBN: 978-1-4766-8648-6
• No. of pages: 284
• Dimensions: 152 mm x 229 mm x 14 mm
• Weight: 381 g
• Illustrations: Raster,schwarz-weiss
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Music > Miscellaneous; USA, Music, Popular Culture, BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / General, Rap and Hip Hop, MUSIC / Genres & Styles / Rap & Hip Hop, Rap & Hip-Hop, Social and cultural history, United States of America, USA, Ethnic groups and multicultural studies, Popular Music, Black & Asian Studies, Relating to African American / Black American people