In a tale as old as time, Kanye West insults a deserving artist at an awards show. Previously, Taylor Swift was the target of his ire, and this year? Beck at the Grammy's. Given the undeniable clout of both artists, we have to wonder: Is a Kanye diss the new ultimate compliment?
Almost. Today, we learned that the pinnacle of flattery in this business is an ongoing and convoluted process. First, get your talents and efforts publicly slammed by Kanye. Next, make sure that Win Butler of Arcade Fire does a mash-up of your work with Kanye's.
Butler, under his alter artist ego DJ Windows 98, mashed up Kanye's "Jesus Walks" with Beck's "Loser."
And the result is actually kind of amazing. Unlike Glee era mashups, the songs aren't completely opposing in terms of beat and vibe. The melody of "Loser" starts the track off with Beck's token shoe gaze-y sound. Kanye's complex lyrics rain-pummel the track, complimenting the slow swagger catchiness of Beck's tune. As Kanye laments the devil trying to break him down, "I'm a loser baby, so why don't you kill me?" takes center stage in the mix. It's a worthwhile build, and—I can't believe I'm actually writing this—a bit haunting.
Yes. The Kanye-Beck-Butler musical circle jerk of a result is glorious. Everyone wins, and each member can walk away with a significantly larger ego.
Isn't art wonderful?
