True Life Stories: Kanye West

Egomaniacal. Divisive. Provocateur. Genius. Whatever your take on Kanye West, you can't deny his enormous imprint on popular culture. Everyone seems to have an opinion of him, but how many truly know his story? True Life Stories: Kanye West traces his journey from growing up with a single mother on the south side of Chicago to global superstardom.

Born in Atlanta in 1977, Kanye was moved to Chicago at the age of three when his newly divorced mother received a teaching position. His mother was a profound influence on his life, and encouraged him to learn, explore and evolve. The young boy began writing poetry by the time he turned five, and found himself consumed by a love for hip hop once he reached the seventh grade. Dropping out of university after a year and moving to New York City, he toiled with his music for a while before establishing a fruitful collaboration with Jay Z.

What follows is a play by play of Kanye's monumental rise through the ranks of the music community. Today, he is an industry unto himself, and has transformed much of the music scene in his image. Along the way, viewers will benefit from thoughtful analysis of some of his biggest hits, insights on the many peaks and valleys of his personal life and professional career, and a colorful interpretation of his marriage to reality television icon Kim Kardashian. The commentary in the film is impassioned, informative and informal.

The film doesn't shy away from the more provocative incidents that have marked his public persona, including the infamous on-stage spectacle involving himself, Taylor Swift and Beyonce, his unfailing support of President Donald Trump, and his frequent displays of grandiosity on social media and elsewhere. What emerges is a multi-layered portrait of an artist with strong convictions, who possesses a fearlessness in speaking his mind, and an infinite desire to find the truest version of himself.

The second episode of True Geordie's biographical documentary series, True Life Stories: Kanye West is an absorbing look at one of the most talented and polarizing artists of our time.

Directed by: Laurence Mckenna

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2018, BIOGRAPHY - 86 MIN