Kanye West is here for the long haul in the hip-hop rodeo. While he is primarily known for churning out bangers, he also has an impressive connection to the art world. In 1997, the rapper won a scholarship to enroll in Chicago’s American Academy of Art. Although he did not complete his artist studies, he has still kept his fingers in the art world, recruiting top artists for his album covers and fashion collaborations. But when it was time to shape his new platform, YEWS, West did not go on a hunt for an artist. 

Instead, he took a leap back in time and drew inspiration from an eighteenth-century poet and painter!

The Romantic age artist who influenced Kanye West YEWS

Kanye West has directed his focus toward YEWS after creating overwhelming anticipation for his upcoming album ‘Vultures’. With the platform gaining popularity among fans, they quickly took note of the William Blake artworks featured in every YEWS article. Interestingly, talks about the similarities between Kanye West and William Blake already existed on X, formerly Twitter. And following this move by the ‘Donda’ rapper, the comparisons shot through the roof.

The reason West and Blake frequently land in the same breath of comparison lies in their shared trait of not conforming to norms. Despite Blake being criticized in his early years, he became highly regarded by critics later. Similarly, although Kanye West is currently in the eye of the storm, fans believe that there will be a day when onlookers will peel back the layers to reveal the philosophical richness in his work. Something that even Joe Rogan and Tony Hinchcliffe are on the same page about.

In Joe Rogan’s latest podcast episode, both the podcaster and the comedian talked about the value of ‘Vultures’ in Kanye West’s career.

Tony Hinchcliffe and Joe Rogan’s take on Ye’s upcoming joint album 

In the most recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Rogan and Tony Hinchcliffe unpacked the growing excitement surrounding ‘Vultures’. Rogan hinted that with just this one album, the rapper could be back in the saddle. He shared that ‘Vultures’ is going to be an absolute banger and will be a game-changer for the ‘College Dropout’. Tony Hinchcliffe then added to that stating how the industry is light-years behind Kanye West.

Hinchcliffe then emphasized that every up-and-coming artist “has to catch up years behind” to even come close to Kanye West’s level. Rogan then chimed in, noting that every “wild pioneer” artist tends to be a bit “unhinged“. Interestingly, this observation has also been made about William Blake. That said, no wonder these two artists, despite the sands of time between them, are frequently compared by fans. 

What do you think about Kanye West drawing inspiration from William Blake? Let us know your thoughts in the comment below!