The 8 Best Things Kanye West Told The New York Times

All Kanye West wants for the world is dopeness.

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In between storming away from paparazzi and storming the stage at New York’s Governor’s Ball music festival, Kanye West squeezed in time to chat with the New York Times about being the self-proclaimed “Michael Jordan of music” and his newest album Yeezus, due out June 18. For loyal followers of the rapper’s @kanyewest Twitter feed, his epic quotes should come as no surprise. But for the newly-indoctrinated, the New York Times article is filled with an apt amount of Kanye pomp. Here are our favorite lines from the interview.

On going from outsider to insider to insider who no longer wants to be in:

“The longer your ‘gevity is, the more confidence you build. The idea of Kanye and vanity are like, synonymous. But I’ve put myself in a lot of places where a vain person wouldn’t put themselves in. Like what’s vanity about wearing a kilt?”

On his fashion sense from years past:

“Yeah, kill self. That’s all I have to say. Kill self.”

On being a trendsetting innovator (with the slightest hint of bombast):

“I think what Kanye West is going to mean is something similar to what Steve Jobs means.”

On his much-publicized child with Kim Kardashian:

“Like, this is my baby. This isn’t America’s baby.”

On never wanting to grow up: 

“I’m forever the 35-year-old 5-year-old. I’m forever the 5-year-old of something.”

On offering to defend his friends:

“[I fight] for what’s right. I am so credible and so influential and so relevant that I will change things.”

On speaking his mind at all times (even if it means unapologetically interrupting Taylor Swift mid-speech): 

“It’s only led me to complete awesomeness at all times. It’s only led me to awesome truth and awesomeness.”

On not wanting to be tamed:

“Why do you want to control me? Like, I want the world to be better! All I want is positive! All I want is dopeness!”