14 DAY TRIAL // Kanye West, a self-titled “proud non-reader,” is an author in his own turn, having just come up with a guide to wisdom, the Kanye West style, called “Thank You and You’re Welcome.” The book is meant to set the record straight on most things that are currently being circulated in the media on Kanye, and hopefully, people will buy it even if the rapper says he personally never would, as a Reuters report says.
The hitmaker, who is also a college dropout, says not reading and generally shunning books has helped him remain “pure” to write his own masterpiece. His aversion to books, though, has nothing to do with the fact that reading is a time-consuming activity or one that would require a bit more intellectual effort than, say, walking in the park or catching a movie, but rather with that he would rather live his life than read about the fictional one of others.
“Sometimes people write novels and they just be so wordy and so self-absorbed. I am not a fan of books. I would never want a book’s autograph. I am a proud non-reader of books. I like to get information from doing stuff like actually talking to people and living real life.” Kanye explains for Reuters. Still, he hopes people will rush to buy his 50+-page masterpiece, as it is filled with “Kanye-isms,” several completely blank pages, and bits and pieces on how to live one’s life in as an optimistic manner as the rapper does.
“This is a collection of thoughts and theories.” Kanye says of the book he wrote with the help of J. Sakiya Sandifer. "I get paraphrased and misquoted all the time. My favorite [Kanye-ism] is ‘Get used to being used.’ I feel like to misuse, overuse or abuse someone is negative. To use is necessary and if you can’t be used, then you are useless.” the rapper further says. Yet, he does not see himself as some sort of modern Confucius – although he does attempt to “end confusion” – but rather as a man who has discovered a winning recipe and is willing to share it with the rest of the world.
“I’m gonna put that on the next album.” Kanye also says. “Thank You and You’re Welcome” is dedicated to Kanye’s late mother who, again ironically, was a university English professor before she started to act as his manager. She died in 2007 following complications after plastic surgery, and this book is Kanye West’s thank you for teaching to believe in his “flyness” and conquer his shyness.