"Wake Up, Mr. West": Kanye West and the Double Consciousness of Black Celebrity

by Joshua K. Wright

Overview

Black celebrities in America have always walked a precarious line between their perceived status as spokespersons for their race and their own individual success­­--and between being "not black enough" for the black community or "too black" to appeal to a broader audience.

Few know this tightrope walk better than Kanye West, who transformed hip-hop, pop and gospel music, redefined fashion, married the world's biggest reality TV star and ran for president, all while becoming one of only a handful of black billionaires worldwide.

Despite these accomplishments, his polarizing behavior, controversial alliances and bouts with mental illness have made him a caricature in the media and a disappointment among much of his fanbase. This book examines West's story and what it reveals about black celebrity and identity and the American dream.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781476644400
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	01/14/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	284
File size:	3 MB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Joshua K. Wright, Ph.D., is an associate professor of history in the Global Studies Department at Trinity Washington University in Washington, DC. He is the host of Woke History, a new podcast series streaming on the National Public Radio (NPR) One app.
Joshua K. Wright, Ph.D., is an associate professor of history in the Global Studies Department at Trinity Washington University in Washington, DC. He is the host of Woke History, a new podcast series streaming on the National Public Radio (NPR) One app.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Preface: Let’s Have a Toast for the Douche Bags
Introduction: Kids See Ghosts
Part
Welcome to the Good Life: Kanye West and the Souls of Black Folk
One. “Pinocchio Story”
Two. “We Major”
Three. “Be Like Mike”
Part
Everything I Am: Becoming Kanye
Four. “Family Business”
Five. “Kardashian-West”
Six. “Homecoming”
Part III.
The Miseducation of Kanye West: Politics, Prayer, and Platforms
Seven. “Republicans Buy Yeezys Too”
Eight. “Closed on Sunday”
Nine. “Wash Us in the Blood”
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

An important read for popular and scholarly audiences.”—Journal of Popular Culture

From the Publisher