If you’re still shocked by anything Kanye West does, you’re probably in the minority. However Kanye’s new music video for ‘Famous’ off his latest album The Life of Pablo, which debuted on the weekend, is causing a stir for featuring the bodies of naked celebs like Taylor Swift, Donald Trump and Amber Rose.
But him and wife Kim Kardashian are right there with them, featured in the centre of a long bed of the bare celebrities (in case you’ve forgotten, this isn’t even the first time him and wife Kim Kardashian have appeared naked in a music video together in one form or another). The naked bodies are wax figures, and they are filmed in such a voyeuristic fashion that it is quite unsettling to watch.
The video is a straight rip off a painting called ‘Sleep’ by Vincent Desiderio, and Kanye claims that his take on it is a commentary on fame. In order, the camera reveals the identities of the celebrities as: George W. Bush, Donald Trump, Anna Wintour, Rihanna, Chris Brown, Taylor Swift, Kanye West, Kim Kardashian West, Ray J, Amber Rose, Caitlyn Jenner, Bill Cosby.
Kanye West spoke to Vanity Fair about the meaning behind the video.
“It’s not in support or anti any of [the people in the video],” he said. “It’s a comment on fame.”
One of the most famous and controversial lines in the track is: “I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex / Why? / I made that bitch famous.” The video also includes Amber Rose, one of his ex-lovers, however he talked about wanting to avoid certain connotations associated with that in the process involved in shooting.
“We were very careful with shots that had [something] sexual to take them out,” he said.
He has already dared people to call him out on the video, tweeting: “Can somebody sue me already? #I’llwait” on Saturday afternoon.
In reference to the Taylor Swift line, he also commented that his marriage has not affected his creative vision.
“[I say] a lot of lines other wives would not allow a husband to say,” he said. “But my wife also puts up photos that other husbands wouldn’t let them put up. One of the keys to happiness in our marriage is we’re allowed to be ourselves.”
He ran the video by lots of other celebrities at the premiere of the video, and despite many negative reactions from the public, he claims some celebrities have had a more inspired reaction.
“Guess what the response is when I show it to them?” he said. “They want to be in the bed.”
You can watch the full video on Tidal.
