Do not try to understand Kanye – just sit back and enjoy the content
Kanye—sorry, ‘Ye’ (he recently legally changed his name) has been spotted in a number of bizarre face masks across Europe over the past few days and we have absolutely no idea why.
That being said, it’s an interesting story nonetheless – so here we are.
The artist formerly known as Kanye West has been on the continent for a number of days now, being first spotted in Berlin before appearing at a wedding in Venice. For whatever reason, he arrived in the city wearing this:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CVK2X4wIeSX/
Nothing to see here.
He then went on to perform at the aforementioned wedding between fashion industry friends, Alexandre Arnault – a Tiffany & Co. executive – and Geraldine Guyot, the founder of D’Estree.
Rather than playing his latest album, Donda, he treated the guests to a selection of the hits. However, I’m sure they were more surprised when he stepped on stage looking like this.
Kanye performing "Runaway" last night at Alexandre Arnault and Geralde Guyot’s wedding in Venice. (10.16.21) pic.twitter.com/4WwxHsBEX1
— Ye Media (@KanyeMedia_) October 17, 2021
Now, we’re not going to pretend that we haven’t seen him in a mask before – in fact, he’s done many a gig wearing some form of mask fashion over the years – but unless he secretly joined Slipknot without telling anyone, this does seem somewhat different
Here he is at a sold-out Donda listening party back in July (where he didn’t even play the full album as it wasn’t finished) and whilst it still covers his face like any other mask, it’s closer to pair of tights you’d see a robber wearing in a movie.
The masks we’re talking about here are something else entirely.
So why these various, bizarre masks, Ye? Well, we may never really now what’s going on in his head (and we mean ever) but people have put forward plenty of theories already.
For instance, one person drew a connection between his Venice mask and old French crime fiction from 1964 – the exact level of niche artistic influence we can imagine Yeezy lapping up.
People should know the mask is from an old French movie villain called Fantomas. pic.twitter.com/7MOqYELVhA
— Alex Noyer (@alexnoyer) October 18, 2021
But what about the black mask from the performance itself? Well, another possibility that seems more tangential than anything, though we do like it, is that the same mask he and two other performers wore at the Venetian wedding.
Here’s a more detailed look:
.@kanyewest with @eightyocho and @vory777 today. (10.16.21)
Styled by Ye and Balenciaga. pic.twitter.com/LvdA3pTSu1
— Photos Of Ye (@PhotosOfKanye) October 17, 2021
Now, if you compare that to—SPOILERS!—one of the characters in Squid Game, there is a slight resemblance, we suppose:
However, it could just be that he was in Venice: i.e. the Carnival of Venice – you know, Mardi Gras, masquerade balls and all that?
On the other hand, he was also spotted in Berlin prior to that wearing the same mask and the same baffling pair of d boots. Again, everyone is just as confused as we are.
Kanye West & Vory spotted in Berlin
Man is walking around Berlin looking like Michael Myers what the hell is going on pic.twitter.com/MNT8Yhy1HG
— Kurrco (@Kurrco) October 17, 2021
People are naturally always going to speculate about what’s going on with the biggest rapper in the world, especially following his high-profile divorce from Kim Kardashian.
Some people on social media are even suggesting that there is a reason outside of style for the slew of random masks, having recently been spotted at a McDonald’s in Sweden (yes, a maccies) and being mocked for his new haircut.
https://twitter.com/barelybrokeguy/status/1450298555038633993?s=20
That being said, some people genuinely seem to believe it and the masks are simply being worn to cover it up.
While it’s entirely possible and you’re entitled to your opinion, Kanye doesn’t do anything without intention; moreover, using a mask to cover up a dodgy haircut is completely negated when you post a picture of it on your own Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CVLktgSpPdW/
Last but by no means least – and perhaps the most left-field part of this entire saga – is that as well as popping up here there and everywhere in masks, he apparently tried to trademark his newly-legal name ‘Ye’ as the designated term for sanitary face coverings.
This guy wanted to patent the piece of cloth we’ve all been pulling over our mouths for the past two years. He is simply incomparable.
The lesson here, as always, is don’t try and understand the world of Kanye. His galaxy brain and commitment to art, in whatever form it may take, is on an entirely different astral plane than ours.
Either that or ‘Ye’ just loves masks – just as good a take as any.
Related links:
- Peppa Pig trolls Kanye after album gets better review than Donda
- From Becky with the hair to Kanye’s Hurricane ‘confession’ – how cheating sells records
- Kanye West sets himself on fire during Donda listening event
