Not surprisingly, preppy hip-hop star Kanye West managed to inject a lot of energy into his show-closing performance of "Runaway" at Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards. He started out playing a loop which served as the backdrop for the song, then he danced around in his bright red suit, all while singing and rapping live. He may not have the best voice when he performs live, but at least he didn't lip synch, and that's respectable.
In the track, West calls himself out, referring to himself as a douchebag, an asshole, a scumbag and a jerkoff. He says, "You been putting up with my shit just way too long. I'm so gifted at finding what I don't like the most." In the track, he takes a modest, humble approach in reference to the incident, while at the same time sarcastically toasting the people he supposedly doesn't want to be like.
Who knows if he's sincere, but at least West made the effort to address his dickheadness at all, which is more than what the vast majority of rappers would ever do. "I just blame everything on you," he sings in the pretty song, "at least you know that's what I'm good at." It's a genius move: please the people who got mad over the stupid incident, while at the same time come off with bravado.
Regardless of whether he really means it, maybe the track is some closure for Swift and the rest of her fans. Now if only all the other singers who have been disrespectful to ladies could do the same.
