Kanye West Heads to the Persian Gulf for his Next Musical Venture

By: Summer Yasmin

First Jay Sean sings in Qatar’s soccer cup with “Yalla Asia” then M.I.A. follows with  a wickedly daring “Bad Girls”; two vastly different videos that meet in one place: The Arabian Peninsula.  It seems celebrities are becoming increasingly enamored with the land of milk and honey and Kanye West is no exception. The multi-platinum rapper has apparently “fallen in love” with the region after performing in Abu Dhabi last year.  His first initiative to be produced by his newly launched design company DONDA, is an art film slash music video much like “Runway’ that premiered on MTV in 2010. Kanye’s intention is to shoot this ‘music film’ in the very Persian Gulf that has so captured his imagination, as early as March 2012. It’s no surprise that Kanye West has chosen a mini musical film as the medium to express his new affair with the Gulf “Sometimes people write novels and they just be so wordy and so self-absorbed. I am not a fan of books … I like to get information from doing stuff like actually talking to people and living real life.”  The artist once said. And it seems like this is exactly what he has set out to do.

The rapper has sent representatives to scout locations in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Doha, Qatar, in search of the right people and places to bring his vision to life.  Although the film’s plot has not been revealed, just the idea of it has created a significant buzz.  It is said that the artist wants to depict an authentic picture of the local culture, what Mr. West and his creative team view as “authentic  Arab culture” will be interesting to see. Thus far it seems that the artist is very positive and genuine towards the project and if that is the essence of the final product, one can anticipate the effect this music film could have on the way the world sees the Persian Gulf.

“His reps seemed genuinely enthusiastic about creating a piece which highlights the culture accurately,” a source working with Kanye’s team explained.  “There’s a lot of preconceived notions and stereotypes about Emirati’s and Qatari’s, which Westerners often play up. Kanye is looking to bridge the cultural divide and break misconceptions.”

So committed is Kanye to the project that he, along with his team will be moving to the region for a few weeks. He plans on showcasing local talent and utilizing film companies from the region to develop his venture.   Of course, if Kanye wants “culture” he has to have a few sheikhs!  And who better to bring some bling to the project then the Arab royalty? Thus, there is also talk of the rapper inviting some of the local royalty to partake. “Many of the sheikhs like to be flashy and appreciate celebrity notoriety.”, explains a source close to the talks. This is no doubt true, but it raises the question of how the artist and his team will navigate the social divide in the very culture they aim to realistically depict. Will this video end up looking like a sugar and spice version of a typical western music video or will Kanye be able to find the right balance of people and royalty? Given who holds the majority of ruling power in these countries, it will take a lot more than an open casting call to truly find and reflect the heart of the Persian Gulf.  Since the government controls all film initiatives in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha, Kanye’s team will have to work closely with it in order to actualize the project. This poses a significant challenge to Kanye’s proposed vision but it also has its advantages.

Rumors are that there is a bidding war is going on between various government entities and private investors to fund the film.  All interested in being affiliated with an affiliation with Kanye’s project.

One thing can be said for sure, the artist definitely has a lot of support for his film, as Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Qatar all seem determined to win production rights. This makes the venture not only lucrative for all parties involved but also hypes the intrigue around it.  Critics speculate that Kanye’s interest in the Gulf is because of this fact alone; that the Gulf States are willing to financially indulge his vision. However it remains to be seen if the venture will bring as much reciprocal benefit to the region that wins the bid, as it most definitely will to the rapper himself.

Kanye West, himself puts it best “To use is necessary. And if you can’t be used, then you’re useless.”

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