Kanye West
Kanye West doesn't quite touch the sky
| 17 Aug 2007
Tonight’s show is not without its fair share of tension. Midway through what turns out to be the penultimate song, West stops the DJ and tells him to “play one they know.” Make no mistake, for a superstar of West’s reputation and, of course, ego, such an open admission that things aren’t going to plan is a big deal. There is a nervous silence as A-Trak files through his crates, the gig’s energy dissipating fast.
Up to this point we’ve heard a blast of hits, from the opening "Diamonds from Sierra Leone" to "Jesus Walks" and the massive "Gold Digger" – all of which back up West’s relevant status. But we’ve also had a fair whack of filler, not so much from West or his tunes, but patching up the inevitable cracks in a poorly realised production: a string section who serve only to distract, backing singers totally without soul and A-Trak, a DJ who is capable but who never manages to eke out any magic.
Back to the present, and A-Trak finally pulls out a record. It’s the Mayfield-sampling "Touch the Sky," and West throws himself into it with utter conviction and determination, unashamedly fighting as hard as he can for the approval of this (by his stadium standards) small crowd. His rapping crisp, sharp and articulate as ever, he tells us: “When I was growing up I’d look in the mirror and say to myself: ‘before I die, I’m gonna touch the sky’”. West doesn’t quite reach those heights tonight, but one thing’s for sure: with willpower like that, he will never play a bad gig. A good platform, then, for touching the sky. Next time.
Up to this point we’ve heard a blast of hits, from the opening "Diamonds from Sierra Leone" to "Jesus Walks" and the massive "Gold Digger" – all of which back up West’s relevant status. But we’ve also had a fair whack of filler, not so much from West or his tunes, but patching up the inevitable cracks in a poorly realised production: a string section who serve only to distract, backing singers totally without soul and A-Trak, a DJ who is capable but who never manages to eke out any magic.
Back to the present, and A-Trak finally pulls out a record. It’s the Mayfield-sampling "Touch the Sky," and West throws himself into it with utter conviction and determination, unashamedly fighting as hard as he can for the approval of this (by his stadium standards) small crowd. His rapping crisp, sharp and articulate as ever, he tells us: “When I was growing up I’d look in the mirror and say to myself: ‘before I die, I’m gonna touch the sky’”. West doesn’t quite reach those heights tonight, but one thing’s for sure: with willpower like that, he will never play a bad gig. A good platform, then, for touching the sky. Next time.