by: Emily Moseley
Kanye West and Alexander Hamilton have a LOT in common.
Before y’all stop reading because this probably sounds like an outrageous statement since we’ve been listening to, breaking down, and analyzing the genius behind Hamilton for so long, hear me out. Kanye West began his life here in Atlanta in 1977, his father a photographic journalist and mother a teacher. So you can already tell that West did not start out with deep pockets or many connections. Alexander Hamilton, born out of wedlock suffered the societal consequences for his entire early life. He was orphaned and penniless at age 13. There was not much on the horizon for him even at such a young age.
Now about family life (keep in mind the change in society after 200+ years): Kanye’s parents divorced when he was just 3 years old. He lived with his mother in Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood and spend summers with his father. Alexander Hamilton also never saw his parents in the same room. They were not married and his father never formally acknowledged him, rendering him a bastard.
Their educations had similar patterns as well. Upon moving back to Chicago, after living and studying in China for a year, Kanye was drawn to the hip-hop scene and befriended the DJ and producer No I.D. (his new mentor). He later dropped out of Chicago’s American Academy of Art to pursue his passion: music. Hamilton never had a chance at a traditional education because of his illegitimacy, so he looked to alternative means of education like individual tutoring, classes in a private Jewish school, and extensive reading. This allowed him to pursue his passion of creating change and writing things into existence.
See where I’m going with this?
By saying that Alexander Hamilton and Kanye West have a lot in common, I am in no way undermining the trials and tribulations that Hamilton endured as a child, by comparing him to a middle-class boy who had support from his mother. Their early childhoods differed significantly; however, their goals remained the same. The energy that each of them pour into their work is unmatched and they share a unique talent for going after what they want. Kanye, at times more explicit and harsh with his words, shares Hamilton’s drive and ultimate success in his pursuits.
“He is a 21st-century phenomenon — a producer turned rap superstar who has reinvented hip hop several times over in the course of a stellar career; but whose creative genius is sometimes eclipsed by his talent for putting his entire foot in his own mouth.” – A&E Television Networks
Now take a look at this quote from an NBC news article about Alexander Hamilton from an interview with Lin Manuel Miranda about his show.
“Hamilton’s extraordinary life – he was a “bastard” son born in the island of Nevis who emigrated to the U.S. – is a quintessentially American story of genius and reinvention.” – NBC News
And this isn’t going to be the first (or last article you read about this). Set designer David Korins even nominates Kanye West for the role of Alexander Hamilton once Miranda leaves the show.
“I worked with Kanye for a couple of years and I feel like he would be a great candidate. He’s very prolific, he has the stage presence and the rap and hip-hop music wouldn’t be a problem. At times he’s a misunderstood artist, so he could relate to Hamilton as well.” – David Korins
I could go on with the similarities between Alexander Hamilton and Kanye West, but I think you get the point. Their unrelenting personalities brought them great success even if Hamilton’s ultimately led him to perish in a duel. Let’s hope history does not repeat itself here.
Sources:
– https://www.gq.com/story/lin-manuel-miranda-told-kanye-west-hamilton-was-about-him-and-it-kind-of-is
– https://www.biography.com/people/kanye-west-362922
– https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/lin-manuel-mirandas-genius-reinvention-alexander-hamilton-n320586
– https://genius.com/Lin-manuel-miranda-alexander-hamilton-lyrics
– https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2016/06/tonys-red-carpet-hamilton