Rock Star denotes the Rock genre. Kanye makes noise which some people do seem to find appealing but it is definitely not rock!
Though somebody mentioned that the term "rock star" has transcended genre and has been used to refer to some musical icons that are not necessarily rockers, it doesn't mean that they are correct in their usage of the term.
Also, while Jimmy Page is still alive he holds the title of biggest rock star on the planet. I mean seriously, who doesn't like Led Zeppelin.
"A dirty book is rarely dusty"
Well, if we're going to talk in terms of music...Kanye doesn't fall under the 'rock' genre. He falls under the crap...er...rap genre. What about the Sir Paul McCartney...been on the charts for decades and just came out with a new album. He beats the crap out of Kanye for popularity...number of fans...musical accomplishment.
If we're talking in terms the urban dictionary definition then I don't think Kanye is even on the charts. He spews this absurd noise because he knows he'll get free publicity and how can you beat free publicity?
BTW...I think I saw Sprite's name under one of the definitions of 'rock star' in the urban dictionary under the rock star unicorn category.
It's too bad the media always quotes out of context. Again, he's not saying he's a rockstar as in he is the top of the rock music genre. He was saying that as far as culture, fashion and influence goes, rap has become more relevant than rock and roll - and that means as far as importance and cultural influence goes, he's therefore become the 'biggest rockstar on the planet'. Finally saw the actual interview. Not advocating, defending and agreeing and yeah, it's super arrogant, but it's always nice to know what the context was before unloading.
*Quoted from the Interview
"Rap is the new radio," he announces, before continuing:
"Where's the culture at? I'm sitting in the middle of it, whether I'm at a dinner with Anna Wintour or at a listening session with Pusha, or me and Virgil (Abolh, West's adviser) are in Rome giving our designs to Fendi and over and over getting knocked down. We brought the leather jogging pants six years ago to Fendi and they said 'No.' How many motherfukers you done seen with the leather jogging pants? So when I see [Saint Laurent creative director] Hedi Slimane and it's all like, 'This is my take on the world.' Yeah, he's got some nice $5,000 jeans in there… There's some nice ones, some good shit here and there. But we culture. Rap is the new rock stars."
"It's been like that for a minute," Lowe adds.
"It's been like that for a minute, Hedi Slimane," he yells back. "It's been like that for a minute. We the new rock stars and I'm the biggest of all of them!"
maybe the biggest asshole but never a rock star...
"The Gods that smiled when you were born
are laughing now."
I have to admit that some of the comments I read here were as entertaining as KW's antics and incredibly inflated ego is.
No, he is not the biggest rock star on the planet. In fact when it comes to music in general, he ONLY hits a select genera and it could be debated if he is even the top of THAT one.
Also to think that POP/RAP/HIP HOP is now the dominant music of our culture is IMO not even close to being accurate. It simply depend on where YOU hang out, WHO you hang out with, and WHERE you look. The world can seem like one thing if the only thing YOU look at is a small slice of it. If you grew up in Arizona, and didn't know anything but Arizona, you might think that planet was void of any real surface water. But the truth is that the earth is MOSTLY water. That is the same with music.
Maybe the biggest HIP HOP star, but not biggest rock star. That's Mariah Carey, she has sold more recording than Elvis or The Beatles!
Kanye is confused. By biggest rock star on the planet, he meant he smokes more rock than anyone else on the planet.
Genres of music have become so fractured and are branching out in different directions. I had heard the name Kanye West before but really did not know what he did. Checked up on his music and no, I don't like it. You could torture me with that. I like real rock, mostly classic rock, blues, old-fashioned R&B, and country (love country). I also love classical music and have season tickets to the symphony. However, I can't stand hip-hop, but I realize that is just my personal tastes. Kanye West maybe King of hip hop and I really don't care, unless I was a financial investor in his business empire.
Taking a queue from what Sprite said above rock star used as a description, my goal in life is to be a rock star of business, a capitalistic superstar.
Kanye West isn't rock so he isn't a rock star, but he is good I like him esppeially his last two albums. He is a troll though, people shouldn't take what eh says too seriously.
Calm Down People he didn't mean to say he was the biggest Rock star on the planet he actually meant he was the biggest arrogant,douche bag, racist, window-licking, asshole hood trash with a God complex on the planet. Just to clarify
reality check in progress ah no