In a “Weekend Update’’ segment of “Saturday Night Live” on Oct. 7, 2018, Pete Davidson described what life on the “Saturday Night Live” set was like when rapper Kanye West was the musical guest the week prior. Davidson, having struggled with addiction and mental health disorders, did a quick impersonation of West, saying, “But Kanye, I know you’re like, ‘Yo, this is the real me. I’m off the meds.’ Take ‘em.” Davidson also said, “Being mentally ill is not an excuse to act like a jackass.” Little did we know that a few years later, these two would be at the brunt of an internet battle.
It is well known that 22-time Grammy Award winner Kanye West struggles with bipolar disorder. It is difficult for West to manage this disorder, given that he believes medication will take away his creative genius when writing and producing music. West describes the common side effect of numbness when people who experience mania take mood stabilizers like lithium for bipolar disorder. As an artist who has evoked powerful, fearful, euphoric and depressing emotions in his music, West’s craft revolves around his feelings. However, his decision to not medicate, as well as his active presence on social media platforms while dealing with manic episodes, has caused many life-changing problems for the rapper. More recently, West’s unstable behaviors presumably led to his divorce, albeit not finalized, with reality star, aspiring lawyer and business owner Kim Kardashian. This divorce may have triggered deeper issues in West’s mind.
In the summer of 2020, at a political rally, West revealed that he and his wife considered abortion upon first finding out she was pregnant with her firstborn child, North. This deeply private and difficult conversation that happens between partners can be traumatic and devastating. It is not meant for public knowledge, especially when that very daughter was only seven years old at the time and well known in the public eye. On Twitter, West also accused Kim Kardashian and his mother-in-law, Kris Jenner, of trying to get him locked up. One could assume that these public outbursts were triggered by Kardashian’s desire for a divorce.
West denies the divorce and is confident that the marriage will rekindle. And though Kardashian has agreed to joint custody of their four children, West is currently struggling to see his children. West has taken to social media to express his rage on the matter. He has attacked not only Kim but Kim’s new romantic partner, comedian Pete Davidson. Separately, he has made remarks toward singer Billie Eilish and even one of his best friends, fellow rapper Kid Cudi.
Being a fan of the collaborative projects that Kid Cudi and West have done together, including the album “KIDS SEE GHOSTS,” I was saddened to find West attacking his friend. Kid Cudi has been by West’s side through past bipolar and depressive episodes, so it was difficult to witness this conflict.
Could some of this hysteria have built publicity for his new album, “Donda 2,” set to release on Feb. 22? West is a creative mastermind, and this Twitter and Instagram rampage has caused lots of buzz. It is unfortunate that West will most likely gain more listeners and profit at the expense of his romantic and platonic relationships.
Celebrities — they are just like us. Celebrities aren’t perfect, and some have deep flaws. While this behavior may serve as entertainment to West, Davidson and Kardashian fans alike, it is affecting real people. This includes West’s young children, who, thanks to the internet, can see these brawls forever. West’s mental illness isn’t different because of his social status. And while the world is seeing its effects displayed on every news report and social media outlet, we should not glamorize mental health issues. While it may be hard to look away from the battlefield that is West’s social media, it is important that we, as an audience, give him space and time to recover.
West has deleted all of his previous posts and posted on Instagram with a caption apologizing to his fans and to Kim. One part of the caption read, “I take accountability. I’m still learning in real time. I don’t have all the answers. To be good leader is to be a good listener.” This is definitely a step in the right direction. While his album is anticipated by many, I hope that West takes time to recover before trying to work and create just to meet a deadline. In his song “Yikes” from the album “Ye,” West claims his bipolar disorder isn’t a disability, singing “I’m a superhero!” And while the musical icon may think that, as fans, we have to remember that he is human.
Annie Dineen is a freshman majoring in chemistry.