I've said it before & I will say it again, Kanye West is a fucking genius. This short film was a direct example of how this man is a true artist in all aspects. I'm sure a lot of people weren't expecting this film to be as symbolic & metaphorical as it was (I sure wasn't). As a quick overview for those who haven't seen it yet, Runaway is a short story about a man named Griffin who falls in love with this alien bird women who is played by Victoria's Secret model Selita Ebanks. The relationship is ill-fated & short lived due to the fact that the world cannot take Selita's uniqueness; the beautiful creature is discriminated against for her curious behavior & abstract features. The entire 35 minute film is dialogue by Kanye's new album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.
One of my favorite scene's is one of the first (about 90 seconds i
n), when Ye is driving down the picturesque country road in a sleek sports car as the film's first song begins, which features lyrics like, "Too many Urkels on your team/ That's why your wins low," a line he dropped during his BET cypher. Suddenly, the MTX Tatra Yeezy's driving crashes, and when he gets out to inspect the damage, he finds a phoenix lying in the road. There are only a few words actually spoken throughout the whole film. The first line was said in the next scene in which Selita awakes in Yeezy's living room. She looks at the TV & he says to her, "First rule in this world, baby, don't pay attention to anything you see in the news."
As the story persists on, as the odd couple comes together through music & Selita uncovers the wonders of this new world. In the following scene, the phoenix stumbles through a lesson on dining etiquette, clumsily practicing how to sip from a teacup with her long gilded talons. The two attend a dinner party & are seated at a large banquet table with several cocoa-skinned diners dressed in white; they shoot disapproving glares at the duo. The phoenix has dressed up her look with a gilded headpiece but disgusts her fellow diners with her inelegant table manners. West seems amused by the scene until the guest next to him strikes up an unsettling conversation. The man leans in, saying, "Your girlfriend is really beautiful," and West replies proudly, "Thank you." "Do you know she's a bird?" the guest queries. "Naw, I never noticed that," Yeezy deadpans, looking pained.
As Kanye stated in a interview after the film was released, he said that every women he has ever loved, including his mother, should feel represented in this film. I believe this scene is an obvious depiction of Amber Rose. Think about it: through out their whole relationship, those exact words were all the media had to say about Amber. "Hey Kanye, your new girlfriend is absolutely breathtaking. Did you know she's a ho tho? Like literally dog she use to work the pole." Ah, yes obviously nigga he's very aware she's a ho! He probably found her on a video set or something of that nature.
In conclusion the film "Runaway" foreshadows the cycle of life, death, and rebirth that is thrusting us towards spiritual evolution. I'm sure that since this film is attached to the album, the track list will have similar themes of recognizing evil, burning it away, being reborn in a new light, & lastly repeating the cycle all over again. Kanye's life exemplifies the Phoenix, & I believe we can always count on Yeezy to shine beautifully, burn beautifully, & be reborn beautifully. We've seen it done during 'College Dropout', '808s & Heartbreak', & most recently this past year from Taylor Swift to 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'! This is why I respect Kanye West, because he burns willingly for the benefit of humanity as a whole. Make sure you pre-order the album, I'm very excited to hear the whole thing, especially All of the Lights which will definitely be an anthem (the song being played during the fireworks/ Michael Jackson parade) - LOVE!
