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| by rocafan on 6/21/2005 04:43:00 PM |
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****** KANYE WEST RETURNS WITH EPIC NEW VIDEO ******
Source:rocafella records
THROW YOUR DIAMONDS IN THE SKY:KANYE WEST RETURNS WITH EPIC NEW VIDEO
'DIAMONDS FROM SIERRA LEONE'HYPE WILLIAMS-DIRECTED VIDEO SET TO AIR THIS WEEK
AS HOT NEW REMIX FEAT. JAY-Z BLASTS OFF AT RADIO HIGHLY ANTICIPATED NEW ALBUM LATE REGISTRATION SET FOR AUGUST 16TH RELEASE ON ROC-A-FELLA/DEF JAM.
"Sophomore slump? Not for Kanye: His 'Diamonds Are Forever'-theme-sampling new
single leaves us shaken and stirred." - Rolling Stone's Hot List
"Maybe no one told Kanye West about the 'sophomore slump.'...he shows no signs
of slowing down with 'Diamonds'...Kanye definitely has that swagger..." - The
Source
NEW YORK, NY - June 14, 2005 - Kanye West, the 28-year-old Grammy winner
recently named to Time Magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the
world, is stressed. Strange, perhaps, but West - the perpetual underdog - is
still fighting for his life, currently pitched in heated battle with the latest
800-pound gorilla in the corner: Himself.
"It's hard when people are depending on you to have an album that's not just
good, but inspired," West recently told Teen People. "I mean, my music isn't
just music - its medicine. I want my songs to touch people, to give them what
they need. Every time I make an album, I'm trying to make a cure for cancer,
musically. That stresses me out!"
If "Diamonds From Sierra Leone," the stunning first single from Late
Registration - Kanye's sophomore effort set for an August 16 release on
Roc-A-Fella Records - is any indication, the gorilla should be stressed.
"Diamonds" is signature Kanye West: Over a heavy groove and sped-up soul sample,
courtesy of Shirley Bassey's classic "Diamonds Are Forever," Kanye's unusual,
conversational flow sounds sharper than ever, weaving his offbeat witticisms
into a love-letter for The R.O.C.
An artist known for his groundbreaking videos - "All Falls Down" was the
most-played video on MTV last year and "Jesus Walks" prompted three videos to
complete his vision - Kanye has branched out this year to become a video
director, helming critically acclaimed clips from John Legend ("Ordinary
People") and Common ("The Corner" and "Go"). Now, Kanye steps back out in front
of the camera with the incredible new Hype Williams-directed video for
"Diamonds."
Like "Jesus Walks," with it's imagery of abusive prison chain gangs and Klansmen
burning crosses, "Diamonds" once again finds Kanye tackling difficult subject
matter. Shot over a three-day period in Prague, the haunting black-and-white
clip juxtaposes the iconic old-world glamour of a DeBeers diamond commercial
with the brutal "blood-diamond" trade of Sierra Leone, which has claimed the
lives of millions of Africans.
"When I first played the song for Q-Tip, he brought up the blood-diamonds. He
started informing me," explains Kanye. "The very first thing I did was change
the title of the song. From that point on, I wanted to do whatever I could to
learn more and educate people about the problem. We came with the concept for
the video and, of course, I couldn't wait for the opportunity to rap on the
subject."
And on the new "Diamonds" remix featuring Jay-Z, Kanye gets the chance to do
just that: "See a part of me's sayin' keep shinin'. How, when I know what a
blood diamond is?/ Though it's thousands of miles away, Sierra Leone connect to
what we go through today/ Over here it's the drug trade, we die from drugs. Over
there, they die from what we buy from drugs/ The Diamonds. The chains, the
bracelets, the charms is/ I thought my Jesus piece was so harmless, till I seen
a picture of a shorty armless, and here's the conflict/ It's in the black
person's soul, to rock that gold. Spend your whole life tryin' to get that ice/
On a polo rugby you look so nice, how could something so wrong make me feel so
right."
The "Diamonds From Sierra Leone" video is set to premier with a special look
behind-the-scenes on BET's Access Granted on Wednesday, June 15 at 8:00pm.
"Diamonds" will make its MTV premier on Monday, June 20 on TRL.
Kanye West's new album Late Registration is set for an August 16 release. Check
out his artist page at www.rocafella.com for more details.
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