Ye in New Orleans
Kanye West is coming to New Orleans this Friday, August 28, for his self-titled "Ye" concert live at the Caesars Superdome.
The timing of this concert, a day before Hurricane Katrina rattled the Gulf Coast 21 years ago, feels political, transformative, and nostalgic. West made national headlines then live on a national telethon with Michael Myers to rally relief for the natural disaster impacting our city two decades ago. State and federal funding post-Katrina was insufficient. However, no one expected Ye to be the first to speak up on behalf of Black people and, more importantly, the economically disadvantaged people in the city of New Orleans during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
"I hate the way they portray us in the media. If you see a black family, it says they're looting. If you see a white family, it says they're looking for food," Kanye West said off script during NBC's "Concert for Hurricane Relief."
He continued, "George Bush doesn't care about black people."
These comments from West created a direct link between presidential responsibility and economic disparity. More than 25,000 people evacuated to the Superdome downtown, originally thought to be the safest place to find shelter amidst one of the deadliest hurricanes to strike US soil in nearly 50 years. For the residents inside the feeling of safety was short-lived. Rain had poured into the Dome's wind-damaged roof, people dealt with backed up toilets, extreme heat, lack of clean water, and armed forces preventing them from leaving. Authorities evacuated the dome after residents spent many days in chaos and turmoil. George Bush and his administration remained silent.
Two decades later, Ye steps into the very Dome that once served as a haunting symbol of the city's abandonment but is now a testament to the city's resilience. Although West's comments then were a pivotal force that made a cultural, social, and economical impact, people have questioned Ye's reputation and mental health, as well as his values. Since the last time he performed here for his "Yeezus" concert at the Smoothie King Center, his comments of "slavery is a choice" and being "anti-black" in the seasons since then and now leaves a harrowing uncertainty of his connection to the black diaspora as a whole.
While his connection to the diaspora has felt uncertain during those times, there is a lot of love here for Ye. The memory and feeling of him speaking out on behalf of our city will forever be immortalized in our hearts and minds. Ye's music career has always conveyed the energy of power, respect, affirming confidence and the boldness to be who you are without outside noise getting in. This is the vibration of Ye that we know and love, and this is the Ye the residents of the city are excited to rally behind in concert this Friday.
Tickets are still available for purchase on ticketmaster.com.
