The 2014 Bonnaroo lineup has been announced and it features some big names in the music industry, including Elton John and Jack White but a name that surprised concert attendees was Kanye West.
Kanye West first attended Bonnaroo back in 2007 and showed up hours late for his performance, blaming Pearl Jam for running long and a set failure. Fans did not take kindly to West showing up late and greeted him with boos and negative energy.
It is surprising that West would want to return to Bonnaroo especially after his last experience with the concert festival and even more surprising that the festival would welcome the rapper back to the main stage.
Bonnaroo has become known as the melting pot of music festivals, acts from all kind of genres come together and fans of a variety of music camp out together and experience the festival. It is about people coming together and sharing new things, new music and new experiences. West no longer appears to have that attitude towards music.
In recent years West has been rude to the media, his own concertgoers and wants to let the world know his point of view. Yes, sometime creative people have strong and over the top personalities but when an artist take the stage, it is to perform for his/her fans that have paid their hard earned money for an evening of music. West doesn’t respect that.
The motivation behind Bonnaroo announcing West as one of the main headliners along with Elton John and Jack White, might have been for the shock value and for the press that comes along with including Kanye West in anything.
Attending a high profiled festival is a memory that fans will have forever maybe it is time that West remember how he got to be such a celebrity in the first place. His fans supported records like “Through The Wire” and “Jesus Walks With Me.” That was a time when West walked with Jesus and was yet to become Yeezus.
In the end, there can be hope that West will respect the fans and venue and deliver. It is about time that West return to his rap roots and remember that every performance is a blessing, not a right but If West had his way it would be the world according to “Yeezus” and we would all just be living it in.
image: Wikimedia Commons
