Kanye West is a lot of things: a rapper, a producer, a self-proclaimed genius, a father, a husband, and, most importantly, an avid Twitter user – especially as of late. After wiping his account clear by deleting all tweets, Kanye has finally returned to the Twittersphere to give the people what they want: little nuggets of wisdom from the superstar.
While each one of his tweets are their own Kanye-isms, some are simply nonsensical. Others, on the other hand, actually might be little lessons we can apply to our everyday life from the rapper himself. Whether you’re not sure if you can pull off an outfit or if you’re in a creative rut, you can rely on some of Yeezy’s tweets to help you live your best life:
16. Creative Ideas Are Like Money
If anyone knows about the importance of creative vision, it’s Kanye. With a different concept every album to his own fashion line, the dude’s all in when it comes to understanding innovation. While creativity can’t buy you new Yeezy’s, ideas can push you further in life and help you get where you need to be. Ye’s just letting us all know that, even when we feel like we have nothing, we have our mind and our creativity. If you have a vision for something, Kanye wants you to know that’s what’ll help you achieve your dreams, not money.
15. Don’t Get Distracted
Like we said, Kanye is all about the creative vision. He knows that, no matter what you’re doing, distraction is everywhere. Maybe he wasn’t tweeting about writing an essay and taking a few minutes to check your Instagram feed, but he is saying that even something small like that can mess up a whole concept. Take it from Yeezus, who believed in his visionary skills so much that he asked for an investment from Mark Zuckerberg to help him out of his debt. The rapper is not about letting anything distract him from the goal he has in mind, so neither should you.
14. Materialism Isn’t Helping Anyone
Is this tweet referring to the music star deleting all of his tweets last May? Maybe, or maybe it’s Kanye letting you know that a clean slate is the best way to go about life. When it all gets too much, just wipe it all clean and start over. It’s worked for the star both on Twitter and Instagram, allowing him to essentially restart his image. Now, he’s passing the advice on to you: sometimes, it’s better to simply get rid of everything and start anew. So next time you’re deciding if that essay is actually well-written or whether or not to quit your job, maybe try getting rid of everything? I don’t know, maybe not though.
13. Stop Playing Games
While Kanye sometimes gets flack for speaking his mind, you’ve got to admire the rapper for his honesty and transparency. According to his tweets, that transparency is one of the keys to living a happy life. Trying to act like you’re in a play instead of living your authentic life is never helpful, and the superstar wants you to know. Life isn’t a game of chess either; it’s about letting things naturally fall into place rather than trying to set them up yourself. ‘Ye leaves us with a last bit of information to chew on: we should be making decisions based on love, not fear. Essentially, Kanye’s saying that when we’re living our honest self, we’re guided by clarity and love, rather than superficiality and hate. Wow, looks like he’s getting deep.
12. Love And Appreciate Your Own Ideas
If you can’t spot the theme emerging from Kanye’s tweets, it’s “ideas.” Use your creative vision; look into the future. Ideas are what start all passions and all forward movement. The music mogul understands that, and he wants to make sure his fans get the message as well. While other people also have great thoughts, Kanye wants you to know that your ideas are the best. Rather than concerning yourself with others, focus on your own vision. And if you find out you don’t love it? The rapper insists you drop it (i.e. “get rid of everything”) instead of trying to force yourself into liking it. If you’re living your life and not loving it, you’re doing something wrong.
11. Be Present in Life
Although time never stops, it seems that West wants you to try slowing it down. Rather than focusing on where you’ve been or where you’re going, why don’t you try paying attention to where you are right now? If you don’t think your present is the best, Yeezy says not to fret, because it all gets better. Any anxiety or stress will eventually go away, so instead of paying attention to the bad parts of the now, think about your ideas and your accomplishments and how the past will move you into the future. Every moment is something new, and if you don’t stop to see what’s happening, you might just miss the “highlights.”
10. Authenticity Over Everything
Everybody is trying to impress everyone else, whether it’s with clothing, knowledge, or skill. But this creative genius wants us to know that seeking approval from others makes us less of ourselves. If you’re sacrificing who you are to be accepted by others, that’s no way to live. Instead, West says that authenticity is the key to living that happy and love-led life he keeps tweeting about. Asking for acceptance from others means you’re molding into whatever society wants you to be, rather than staying yourself. And if ‘Ye can teach us anything, it’s that being yourself gets you far.
9. Our Flaws Make Us Beautiful
You’ve probably heard someone described as “perfectly imperfect,” but Kanye takes it one step further by saying that beauty isn’t created by our flaws, but that our beauty is our flaws. Some people may have one big imperfection, but others have many. Regardless of the number, this rap-god makes it obvious that appeal is in all parts of someone, not just the good. Everything is made up of perfection and flaws, and this tweet reminds us that sometimes we have to look into the ugly to see the beautiful. This is basically poetry.
8. Be Yourself
It’s a piece of advice we’ve all been told time and time again: be yourself. But, somehow, the sage wisdom seems to impact us more when it’s coming from a rap superstar. Kanye keeps it simple in this tweet, reminding us that all we have to do is be ourselves — full stop. If you’re not sure what shoes to wear, choose the pair you connect to most. When you’re going out on a date but you’re nervous about what to say, just let your personality shine through. It’s all about being yourself in every situation, no matter what that is.
7. Stop Planning Your Every Move
For centuries, people have argued over whether life is all about destiny or free will. In one simple tweet, Kanye has thrown his own opinion into the ring. Regardless of what controls our life, what’s starting to become a real problem is planning. Everything is planned out, insists the rap star, and that can sometimes bring more harm than good. So don’t worry about that last detail. Instead, focus on having fun in the moment and let opportunities approach you as they arise.
6. Style and Gender Are Not Related
West has creative visions for a lot of things, but one of his main focuses is on style. With his own clothing and shoe lines, the man has built an empire around fashion, so it’s no surprise that some of his knowledge is about such. In this tweet, the rapper reminds fans that style is a concept and does not have a gender. Anyone can wear everything! Rather than policing what people wear based on their gender, we should let people across the gender spectrum have access and ability to wear all clothes. Of all his tweets, this one just might be the only one legitimately on-point and totally necessary.
5. Don’t Fear Fear
If Kanye is known for anything, it’s for expressing his opinions on everything at any given time. Something the star often gets philosophical about is society and how it impacts the people. In one tweet, Kanye lets us know that we have been programmed with ideas and concepts all of our lives, but that it takes someone courageous to break out of the cage of standards. Speak up in your own way to say what you think, no matter what you’ve been taught to believe. That’s how change happens!
4. Keep Moving Forward
Much like Kanye’s tweet about staying in the present, he’s also very adament about keeping the past in the past. When you’re trying to make forward movement in your life, regardless of the situation, ‘Ye wants you to know that the past will only hold you back. Dwelling on it keeps you tethered to something that can not be changed, and it affects your outlook on the present and the future.
3. The Truth Will Set You Free
Why you always lyYyYyYin? In the same vein as the tweet about being yourself, Kanye’s advice isn’t always the most elaborate. Sometimes we just need to hear the simplest of lessons, like to tell the truth. Lying only hurts others and yourself in the long run, and the rapper completely gets that – have you seen his killer call-outs to People mag and TMZ? Yeah, the truth is super important to this guy. He tells it just like it is, and doesn’t try to bury the advice in any convoluted way.
2. Competition Doesn’t Help Anything
Comparing yourself to others is one of the worst ways to live your life, and ‘Ye knows why. When you create competition, you create enemies. West doesn’t do enemies, and neither should you. Instead of trying to find something to hate on, focus on yourself and remember to love. Once you bring back that emotion, everything will feel more authentic and you’ll be able to start moving in the right direction.
1. Love And Fear Control Us
Kanye loves the theme of “ideas,” but the one motif he spreads across every single tweet is that of love versus fear. He’s broken life down to the simplest of elements and realized that everything is fueled by one emotion or the other. Just by letting his fans know that information, he’s teaching them something. Next time you’re faced with a decision, think about the options from a place of love instead of fear. Love with help you grow, but fear will hold you back. In fact, love is most likely the secret to the rapper’s stardom, and who wouldn’t want to be that successful?