Ever since it was announced this summer that Kanye West would perform in Israel for his first time – his second time visiting the country this year – Israeli hip hop fans were expecting one of the biggest concerts of the year.
For media outlets, it was simply too good to be true, for the puns alone – after all, this is a man that has decried himself as "Yeezus" and likely believes that he is Jesus Christ reincarnated. Heck, he even has a song called I am a God (not to mention those rumours that he and wife Kim Kardashian are naming their next child "God"). So for a rapper and so-called deity of his stature to finally return to the Holy Land after thousands of years, people were naturally excited.
But, according to those who attended the Sept. 30 concert – in particular representatives of media outlets like Ynet News, the Times of Israel and Haaretz – the performance itself was meh. Yes, 25,000 fans were in attendance at Ramat Gan Stadium, and yes most of them were singing along to hits like Runaway, Stronger, and Power, but for those who have legitimate access to the masses through this wonderful little platform known as the media, West’s performance was mediocre at best.
The Times of Israel’s Stuart Winer writes that “local Hebrew-media reports called out West for barely making an effort to connect with the audience of some 20,000 fans.” He couldn’t even muster a measly "Shalom," says Winer.
Ynet’s Ami Friedman was unimpressed with the “embarrassing” production and overt use of pre-recorded music. “Kanye West's appearance in Israel at the height of his powers is not insignificant for a country used to seeing international stars at the end of their careers, but to bring here a huge artist and cultural icon and let him run around onstage by himself to pre-recorded music, is not really serious,” he writes. Also, if the sound was as terrible as Friedman makes it out to be, that's really not West's fault as much as it is the technicians and producers.
Haaretz correspondent Ben Shalev mentioned that he overheard a concertgoer say, “To tell you the truth, man? This is super-not exhilarating," a sentiment that Shalev agreed with.
Here’s the thing. As someone who has seen Kanye West perform in both the United States and Canada, I can say with fair certainty that it wasn’t that Kanye gave less of a performance because he was performing overseas in Israel. Au contraire, Yeezy fans have come to expect the artist’s minimalist, DIY approach, and still flock to his shows by the thousands. As a man with such a strong God complex, Kanye West doesn’t feel like he needs anyone elseon stage with him, whether it be a live band, or even another rapper to sing the chorus. All he’s ever really brought to the table is exactly what he reportedly brought to Israel: tons of flashing lights, and a microphone.
Perhaps Israeli critics and concert reviewers have been a bit spoiled by fantastic sets from bands like Soundgarden and the Rolling Stones or artists like Lady Gaga. As rap concerts aren't as common in Israel, it could be that they're also simply not as familiar with them (most rap concerts, except if you're seeing The Roots, feature pre-recorded music, for example).
It feels like critics were upset that West didn’t use his microphone for anything else but rapping, but believe me, consider yourself lucky that you got 90 minutes of music rather than a string of hits and a 35-minute rant about leather sweat pants and the perils of the fashion industry. He could have easily started campaigning for Yeezy 2020 too (let’s not forget his upcoming presidential bid).
It’s fair to expect the best from artists of Kanye’s stature. All I’m saying is, you got exactly what any of us gets here in North America. Yeezy: unadulterated, uninhibited, and unaccompanied. I will say this, though: he could have at least said "Shalom" or greeted the audience in some way. That ain't right, no matter how you spin it.
