# Kanye West monkey wrenches Concert for Relief **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 3, 2005, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832 "2005-09-03T00:45:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2005, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/21 "2005-09-03T18:46:47Z")
I like Kanye, Jurassic 5, Outkast, Kool Keith and all his various identities, Deltron 3030, and most old-school stuff from the '80s and early '90s (especially Dre and Snoop in their primes). But you can’t deny most mainstream hip-hop and R&B that gets played on the radio is generic at best and horrible music at worst. ---
**Author:** ![HelloKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecccb3/32.png) [@HelloKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelloKitty)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2005, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/22 "2005-09-03T19:02:39Z")
I thought it was funny how he said “I have calls into my manager to see how much money I can give…” :rolleyes: It was also funny watching Mike Myers squirm. I didn’t even realize cutting away to Chris Tucker was their “bale-out”. Kanye’s only point well taken was at the beginning where he said they have shown “blacks as looters” and “whites as looking for food”. He was right about that. The rest of his ranting was pretty non-sensical and embarrassing. :wally ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2005, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/23 "2005-09-03T19:18:41Z")
[Here’s the video](http://media.putfile.com/Kanye79) for anybody who hasn’t seen it. Ironically, there’s something more refreshing about Kanye that there is about Myers’s “insert fake sincerity here” reading of the teleprompter. ---
**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2005, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/24 "2005-09-03T19:19:30Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > I like Kanye, Jurassic 5, Outkast, Kool Keith and all his various identities, Deltron 3030, and most old-school stuff from the '80s and early '90s (especially Dre and Snoop in their primes). That’s some good stuff, but you’re barely, barely scratching the surface. Maybe a new thread is in order? 😉 > [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > But you can’t deny most mainstream hip-hop and R&B that gets played on the radio is generic at best and horrible music at worst. I think that that’s true of every genre of music, but that in recent years, a lot of mainstream rap has gotten _interesting_ and _weird_ and creative and great, which it hasn’t been for about 20 years. David Banner, Mike Jones (his debut album, “Who is mike jones?” is probably going to be my #1 of the year, regardless of mainstream/indie and genre), Lil John’s productions, the Neptunes having moved into their “cubist” period, the Ying Yang Twins’ “intimate club” movement, producers like Just Blaze, Scott Storch, Kwame, Ghostface working with Madlib and MF Doom (just unprecedented; would have been unheard of five years ago), Little Brother breaking through due to 9th Wonder’s producing for Jay-Z and other big james…there’s a lot going on for the first time in quite a while. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2005, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/25 "2005-09-03T19:20:09Z")
**New this Summer from NBC** : Art Linkletter Productions and Mark Burnett present “CELEBRITIES SAY THE DARNDEST THINGS” with your host Carson Daly! ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2005, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/26 "2005-09-03T21:08:04Z")
> [@Sam Stone](#): > > The worst part of that rant was that he torpedoed the efforts of a lot of people. That HAD to have an effect on contributions last night. I’d be interesting in seeing a graph showing how much money was collected in the time before that speech vs the time after. > > He struck me as someone who has more opinions than brain cells. Up until now, I just thought he was incredibly arrogant. Now I know he’s both arrogant and stupid. NBC has long made it clear that they have nothing to say to me as a straight, moderately conservative, middle-class, gun-owning, mid-westerner; providing a venue for people like West just confirms it. I’m glad I get to read about stuff like this after-the-fact rather than experience it. But no amount of public jackassery by the networks would inhibit my giving a donation to the Katrina Relief Fund, and I’d really like to think that Americans are better people than to let one bad messenger put them off from what is so obviously a worthy cause. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2005, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/27 "2005-09-03T21:10:28Z")
Oh, how I hate Kanye West— he is a giant, loud-mouthed Neuticle. It hurts too, because I like his music. “Through the Wire,” “Jesus Walks,” “Gold Digger,” etc are all _awesome_ songs, but he ruins my opinion of him (which breaks his heart, I’m sure 😛 ) by opening his stupid yap. I hear he has a new song/video out that talks about how awful blood diamonds and all that are\*. “Wonderful,” thinks I, “Most people don’t realize what is going on over there and how awful the diamond trade really is. Maybe Kayne West isn’t a giant, loud-mouthed Neuticle who throws a temper trantrum when he loses at an awards show.” Yeah, I was wrong. Some gems from “Diamonds from Sierra Leon”: > [@](#): > > If you a stripper named Porscha and u get tips from many men > Then your fat friend her nickname is Minivan > Excuse me, > That’s just the Henny, man, I smoke, I drink, I’m supposed to stop I can’t because… Then he goes into the hook: “Diamonds are forever…blah blah” > [@](#): > > I was sick about awards > Couldn’t nobody cure me > Only playa that got robbed but kept all his **jewelry** > Alicia Keys tried to talk some sense to them > 30 minutes later seems there’s no convincing them > What more can you ask for? > The international awards? nah > Who complains about when he is old? > And throw a tantrum like he is 3 years old Yeah, that’s pretty much the only mention of anything resembling diamonds (in the song). But, hey! The video shows kids working in diamond mines! And um, the end says blood diamonds are bad! Oh but wait, Kayne’s still sporting his bling-bling in the video. Oh what’s that? He just came out with a horribly tacky line of $50,000, diamond encrusted Jesus heads? Seems hypocritical, but who am I to judge such a noble advocate of African rights? :rolleyes: Oh how I hate Kanye West. This latest event just adds to my stewing hatred. - Apparently, some producer pulled him aside and taught him all about the diamonds trade (in one sitting). Because of this, he became enraged by what people are going through in Sierra Leon (I’ll admit, that’s reasonable). Anyone wanna take a bet on whether or not Mr. West can even point out Sierra Leon on a map? ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2005, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/28 "2005-09-03T21:11:31Z")
**ExTank.** How is this jackassery by NBC if Kayne West deviated from the script for a minute and thirty seconds? ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2005, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/29 "2005-09-03T21:15:41Z")
:smack: preview is my friend, but I haven’t talked to him lately. That should be “…_on_ the networks…” ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2005, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/30 "2005-09-03T21:25:24Z")
That video is funnier than anything I’ve seen on _Saturday Night Live_ in the past five years. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2005, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/31 "2005-09-03T22:04:59Z")
There’s not much that isn’t… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2005, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/32 "2005-09-03T22:25:08Z")
His rant was intended to boost his street cred among his demographic. It obviously played well with many. ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2005, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/33 "2005-09-03T22:28:59Z")
> [@Askia](#): > > **Sam Stone.** I think anyone thinks that people would, en masse, withhold contributions to people in need just to spite one goofball on TV who ranted at a slow moving president need a reality check. The longer you watch, the more likely you are to give. I could see MANY people turning the channel with this little rant. THAT does have an impact on giving. I think this punk cared more about his “street cred” and looking tough than helping some poor people. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2005, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/34 "2005-09-03T22:37:15Z")
“Street cred.” Uh-huh. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2005, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/35 "2005-09-03T22:51:56Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > NBC has long made it clear that they have nothing to say to me as a straight, moderately conservative, middle-class, gun-owning, mid-westerner; providing a venue for people like West just confirms it. If you can spare a moment from beating your breast in lamentation over the lack of programming choices for you on NBC, could you look [here](http://www.nbc.com/NBC_First_Look/fallschedule/) and indicate (with specifics) which shows are indicative of the abandonment of your demographic? ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2005, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/36 "2005-09-03T23:25:20Z")
> [@Askia](#): > > **Sam Stone.** I think anyone thinks that people would, en masse, withhold contributions to people in need just to spite one goofball on TV who ranted at a slow moving president need a reality check. No, I don’t think that people en masse would turn off the show because of that. But people on the margins might. And it’s those people you’re really trying to reach. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2005, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/37 "2005-09-03T23:34:59Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > If you can spare a moment from beating your breast in lamentation over the lack of programming choices for you on NBC, could you look [here](http://www.nbc.com/NBC_First_Look/fallschedule/) and indicate (with specifics) which shows are indicative of the abandonment of your demographic? There’s not a lot of lamenting going on here; in fact, none at all. Other channels have since captured my interest. FWIW, I don’t have a fuckload of use for ABC, CBS, or FOX, either. If you love NBC, good for you; long may you watch it. But let’s not get into a pissing match over my passing commentary about one network, when the gist of my message was essentially that, regardless of network, or presentation, donations to Katrina Victim Relief Funds are good things. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2005, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/38 "2005-09-03T23:44:46Z")
> [@Hippy Hollow](#): > > Where can I get a shirt that says “George Bush Hates Black People?” > > Mike Myers’ face was priceless. As was Chris Tucker’s. He didn’t say that. He said “George Bush doesn’t care about black people.” I doubt that he hates them, but I’m fairly certain he doesn’t give a rat’s ass about them. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/39 "2005-09-04T00:00:44Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > If you love NBC, good for you; long may you watch it. I have no particular love for NBC; I’m not sure I even watch any of its programming (although I watch a few things on its cable station, Bravo). But I don’t feel like NBC, through its programming choices, is thumbing its nose at me or my demographic. You made the rather bizarre assertion that straight white males with guns are not welcome at NBC and in between bouts of eye rolling and eyebrow raising at the idea of a network with not one but four versions of _Law & Order_ has something against straight white men with guns, I’m genuinely curious as to how you arrived at this conclusion. > [@ExTank](#): > > But let’s not get into a pissing match over my passing commentary about one network, when the gist of my message was essentially that, regardless of network, or presentation, donations to Katrina Victim Relief Funds are good things. That was your gist? Huh. ---
**Author:** ![La\_Llorona](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@La\_Llorona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/La_Llorona)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2005, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832/40 "2005-09-04T00:42:10Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > Yeah, that’s pretty much the only mention of anything resembling diamonds (in the song). But, hey! The video shows kids working in diamond mines! And um, the end says blood diamonds are bad! Oh but wait, Kayne’s still sporting his bling-bling in the video. Oh what’s that? He just came out with a horribly tacky line of $50,000, diamond encrusted Jesus heads? Seems hypocritical, but who am I to judge such a noble advocate of African rights? :rolleyes: To be entirely fair, **DiosaBellisima** , that’s only one version of “Diamonds from Sierra Leone.” I’m not sure which is the single, but [this one](http://www.lyricstop.com/d/diamondsfromsierraleoneremix-kanyewestfjay-z.html) (warning: there may be popups; I have so many popup blockers that I have no way of telling) is the one that comes first on the album and is slightly better on the caring-for-people-dying front and contains the (I think!) interesting line, > [@](#): > > Good morning! This ain’t Vietnam, still > People lose hands, legs, arms for real And am I a really horrible person for giggling just a little bit at the rhyming of “harmless” and “armless”? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kanye-west-monkey-wrenches-concert-for-relief/319832.md?page=3)