Kanye West to Audience: 'I Contemplated Suicide'

By PopEater / Wire Services Posted Oct 19th 2010 10:22AM

Kanye West told an audience at a screening of his film/extended music video, 'Runaway,' that he thought about killing himself, but now feels a responsibility to make a meaningful contribution to pop culture and art.

Describing himself as a pop icon and "soldier for culture," West, 33, told the crowd "there were times that I contemplated suicide." However, he said, "I will not give up on life again."

"There's so many people that will never get the chance to have their voice heard" as loudly as his, West said Monday. "I do it for them."

West, who didn't say when he had considered suicide, is credited as director of the abstract 35-minute film, which features portions of nine new West songs, boldly colorful visuals and off-kilter camera angles. The mostly dialogue-free piece, set to premiere this weekend on MTV, VH1 and BET, will accompany Kanye's upcoming album, 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,' which will be released Nov. 22.

PopEater Hit the Streets to Talk Kanye Album Art and 'Suicide' Talk >>

After a prelude featuring narration from rapper Nicki Minaj, West's character, Griffin, is seen driving a black MTX Tatra supercar down a country road. Lying next to a hole in the pavement is a phoenix fallen to Earth, played by model Selita Ebanks in pink, gray and brown feathers.

He takes her home and offers this advice: "First rule in this world, baby: Don't pay attention to anything you see on the news."

The phoenix sits on a lawn with a deer, rabbit and sheep, then joins West at a private parade featuring fireworks, a marching band and a float depicting Michael Jackson.

Playing over those visuals are West's next single, 'All of the Lights,' which he said features Elton John on piano and an all-star chorus including Alicia Keys, Rihanna, Fergie and John Legend.

Ballerinas in black tutus perform in a scene featuring his current single, 'Runaway.' When the tune ended, there was applause from both the on-screen and live audience. In attendance were Morgan Spurlock, Ryan Phillippe, Pete Wentz and others in the entertainment industry.

West told them that after a "long, hard year," he'd found his "creative sweet spot" by thinking like "a 5-year-old at all times." Besides his mother Donda West's death in 2007, West said he'd also lost three other parental figures in the last three years.

"Everything has been taken away from me," he said. "I'm so not ... scared. I so don't care."

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Kanye West Photos

Kanye West waves to fans in Hollywood, California. More Kanye photos >>

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Kanye West Snapshots

Kanye West Foundation Chief Executive Officer Joseph Collins (R) and Chicago Public School Chief Executive Officer Ron Huberman (second from right) are interviewed with students at the Kanye West Foundation's 3rd annual Stay in School event at the Farragut Career Academy on June 8, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. The Kanye West Foundation's 3rd Annual Stay In School Event Farragut Career Academy Chicago, IL United States June 8, 2010 Photo by Paul Warner/WireImage.com To license this image (60680843), contact WireImage.com

Kanye West Snapshots

Kanye West Foundation Chief Executive Officer Joseph Collins (R) and Chicago Public School Chief Executive Officer Ron Huberman (L) attend the Kanye West Foundation's 3rd annual Stay in School event at the Farragut Career Academy on June 8, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. The Kanye West Foundation's 3rd Annual Stay In School Event Farragut Career Academy Chicago, IL United States June 8, 2010 Photo by Paul Warner/WireImage.com To license this image (60680846), contact WireImage.com

Kanye West Snapshots

Musician Lupe Fiasco and musician/actor Common attend the luncheon on behalf of the Kanye West Foundation at Buca di Beppo Chicago on June 8, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. Kanye West Common & Lupa Fiasco Luncheon on Behalf of Kanye West Foundation Buca di Beppo Chicago Chicago, IL United States June 8, 2010 Photo by Barry Brecheisen/WireImage.com To license this image (60681258), contact WireImage.com

Kanye West Snapshots

CHICAGO - JUNE 08: Kanye West (L) and Common perform at the Kanye West Foundation's 3rd annual Stay in School event at the Farragut Career Academy on June 8, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kanye West;Common

Kanye West Snapshots

CHICAGO - JUNE 08: Common performs at the Kanye West Foundation's 3rd annual Stay in School event at the Farragut Career Academy on June 8, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Common

Kanye West Snapshots

FILE - In this Aug. 28, 2005 file photo, rap mogul Marion "Suge" Knight is taken away by paramedics after he was shot in the leg at the Shore Club in Miami Beach, Fla. Knight, was shot once in the upper right leg by an unknown assailant at the star-studded party hosted by Grammy-wining hip hop artist Kanye West. More than four years later, Knight is claiming in a lawsuit that West and the Shore Club's owners failed to provide adequate security. Knight is seeking more than $1 million, including a 15-carat diamond earring he lost in the chaos. (AP Photo/Kim Tumey, File) NO SALES

Kanye West Snapshots

Singers Kanye West, Tony Bennett, Jennifer Hudson, Al Jardine, Jamie Foxx, Carlos Santana and others perform "We Are The World 25 Years for Haiti" pose for a group picture following the recording session held at Jim Henson Studios on February 1, 2010 in Hollywood, California. "We Are The World 25 Years For Haiti" Recording Session Jim Henson Studios Hollywood, CA United States February 2, 2010 Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com To license this image (59480499), contact WireImage.com

Kanye West Snapshots

Singers A.R. Rahman, Gladys Knight, will.i.am, Toni Braxton, Brian Wilson, Kanye West and others perform at the "We Are The World 25 Years for Haiti" recording session held at Jim Henson Studios on February 1, 2010 in Hollywood, California. "We Are The World 25 Years For Haiti" Recording Session Jim Henson Studios Hollywood, CA United States February 2, 2010 Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com To license this image (59480685), contact WireImage.com

Kanye West Snapshots

Singers Wyclef Jean, Kanye West and Jennifer Hudson perform at the "We Are The World 25 Years for Haiti" recording session held at Jim Henson Studios on February 1, 2010 in Hollywood, California. "We Are The World 25 Years For Haiti" Recording Session Jim Henson Studios Hollywood, CA United States February 2, 2010 Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com To license this image (59480534), contact WireImage.com

Kanye West Snapshots

Singers Natalie Cole, Kanye West and Jennifer Hudson perform "We Are The World 25 Years for Haiti" pose for a group picture following the recording session held at Jim Henson Studios on February 1, 2010 in Hollywood, California. "We Are The World 25 Years For Haiti" Recording Session Jim Henson Studios Hollywood, CA United States February 2, 2010 Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com To license this image (59480776), contact WireImage.com

Kanye West Snapshots

After the Taylor Swift incident last year, which he called "a moment of sincerity," West took a six-month break. (At the MTV Video Music Awards, Swift's acceptance speech for best female video for "You Belong with Me" was disrupted by West, who took the microphone to say Beyonce should have won instead for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It).")

West said he moved to Rome and "was interning at Fendi" before finding the inspiration to get back to music.

He has hinted at the subject of suicide in his recent song 'Power,' which includes the repeated lines: "Now this would be a beautiful death – I'm jumping out the window, I'm letting everything go."

That song's remix is among the 10 tunes that West has released for free in recent weeks through his website, a buzz-building initiative he dubbed "G.O.O.D. Fridays" for his label imprint, Getting Out Our Dreams Music.

The producer-turned-rapper said that after 'Fantasy' – recorded in Hawaii with the likes of Q-Tip, DJ Premier, RZA and Pete Rock – he will release an album of songs with Jay-Z and another with Lupe Fiasco and Pharrell Williams under the name Child Rebel Soldiers.

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Tags: Kanye West, Runaway

Comments

(106)

Tuesday 19 October

By Lori

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

I highly doubt that you are the voice for so many people that will never be heard. Your views on right and wrong are just that......wrong.

By mnsming

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Describing himself as a pop icon and "soldier for culture," West, 33, told the crowd "there were times that I contemplated suicide." However, he said, "I will not give up on life again.".I love this , So does My boyfriend .he is almost 11year older than me .i met him via age'lessmate.c'om a nice place for seeking age le ss love.which gives you a chance to make your life better and open opportunities for you to meet the attractive young girls and treat you like a king. Maybe you wanna check it out or tell your friends..

By Mr. Leo

Kanye = GAY FISH

By Sick of bullies like you

@Lori-I think whats wrong are people like you and the rest of the hateful bullies on this site. This guy may be able to help some kid somewhere but you don't care. All you care about are your own hateful views. Posters like you are the bullies that are causing kids to kill themselves.
If you don't like West don't post just move on to the next picture but no you have to stop and bash.

By mickey

Hey Sick of Bullies, I see you stopped by to post your hate. Practice what you preach.

By gary

Exactly!

Wednesday 20 October

By BTDT

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Young people today. No perseverance.

By Suz

OH BOO HOO,,,, LIAR LOSER. GO AWAY KANYE>

By themeeker

He should have tried just a little bit harder. Loser. He can't even off himself properly.

By herman schmeckle

everyone at some point contemplates suicide, it's just that only self-absorbed drama queens like fantasia and kanye have the total lack of decency to use it as a publicity tool and marketing campaign...quite frankly, a tremendous number of people on this planet do not care whether they live or die, but this crap about "living for others" is pure drivel: kanye lives for kanye the "icon," but South Park has forever put the Gay Fish in his rightful place.

By maria

I agree!! When will he admit he is part of the Illumati?

Vote down Vote up Report this

I mean The Illuminati, sorry I spelt it wrong! The facts remain. Kanye, Beyonce, and her husband, Jay-Z all three of them! Check it out for yourselves!

By J.B.W.

Hey Kanye go away!

By forplease

he should have jumped.....

By Sundogg

You, Mr. West are irrelevent, how does that feel?

By senorita cosa

man, talk about being out of touch with reality. no one cares, kanye, what worthless thoughts go through your shriveled-up pea brain. we have our own stuff to think about. get a life.

By TomW

Just for fun keep track of how many celebs and politicians will cash in on the attention that was created when the poor Rutgers kids took his own life for being outted by his creul room mate. Whenever anything happens the cheesy, loser celebs try to gain attention and restart their careers by chiming in. Its sick and sad. Remember when we had the I was molested revelations but that ended after ther was no topping loser McKenzie Phillips going for broke and saying she had a lot of sex with her recently dead father..can't top that one. And there was bulimia, we had a march on that one. And beant by spouses. Celebs are the creepiest people in the world and yet people will worship them no matter what and there is no bigger creep on earth than Kanye West.

By moffattbooks

I honestly don't care about Kayne and his neverending quest to keep himself in the spotlight. He screwed up and is now trying to milk it to death. Meanwhile is his performance good enough to win back fans or make new fans? Can sales support a tour, that's what he should be concerned about or else he's just used up the last of his 15 minutes

I know what you mean. He's worse than that little Beeber chick.

By JOANNA

Is this guy EVER going to grow up???
PETER PAN needs to take his "anything for a photo op"
con game off the net, and out of the news. YAWN

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