Chicago poet/producer/film maker Malik Yusef recently showed some hometown love when he stopped through to discuss his work flow and collaborations on the Drea O Show [aired Monday, April 25th]. The 5-time Grammy Award winning artist shared news on his new book, Infrared Poetry; Love Letters to a City, a short film/video titled Trouble in the Water featuring Common, and an album he is set to drop in the summer. He also cites his writing credits on Beyonce's Lemonade project and speaks about his involvement in the making of long time collaborator Kanye West's The Life of Pablo.
"It's always the same, working with Kanye, you know, it's always very difficult, it's always a task of great arduity, it's always an argument it's always a fight," West's respected mentor expounded. "Sometimes even a genius needs to have direction. Sometimes it's hard to give a brain that big and that powerful some directions."
Albeit the focus of the interview would transition to encompass much more than Yusef's experience with the superstar, he spoke of his insight into Ye's enigmatic aura from a very intimate and personal place; so much so, that he opened up with candor on the matter of Kanye rejecting evaluations of his mental health. "He doesn't take his medication because he chooses not to, and I applaud him for that," Malik said. "Whatever they prescribe you for like bipolar or schizophrenia, whatever they diagnosed him as ... but that doesn't mean anything, you know, they can diagnose you as all kind of stuff, that doesn't mean you have to adhere to those principles. And Kanye doesn't adhere to it."
The topic of Kanye's state of health surfaced in early February when Rhymefest, who has also long been a tight member of his circle, suggested that the legendary musician/designer needs spiritual and mental counseling. "I want my friend to be healthy, and healthiness is happiness. I want him to be happy, and if he's not happy, I'm concerned. ... I think sometimes we get concerned with entertaining the public when we should be concerned with being happy," Rhymefest said at the time. West's continual relationship with Yusef by all indication has been a stabilizing one, with the GOOD Music partner noted for stepping in the mediate when 'Ye went off on Wiz Khalifa early this year. Helping people he told Drea, is a big reason for why he does what he does, responding to her question as to why he continues to return to Chicago by stating: "The fact that people need help, and I'm a servant. I'm just born like that, that's who I'm made to be. I do it despite the pain that it causes sometimes, despite the financial losses I take, I do it anyway. If I can just save one person. I discovered Kanye, he needed some help, so, there might be another Kanye somewhere around here."
Yusef's involvement in the Respect My Vote campaign is one way the artist/activist revealed his remains active in the lives of Chicagoans. He went on to address police brutality and poverty, professing that the campaign focuses in on such issues on the ground as he called all politics local. In addressing the tragic state of violence in the city he spoke optimistically about solutions, offering that "most of the violence is about stress and resource acquisition. So we can relieve the stress by providing the resources. In a resourceful environment people are going to be less violent." Ultimately, Malik Yusuf has been very busy, he reveals, when not helping craft lyrics and produce music, helping in the personal lives of those around him and in the welfare of the greater community.
Source: youtube.com
