Get Very Excited For Kanye’s VH1 Storytellers

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Let’s get this out of the way: this is going to be epic.

Kanye’s VH1 Storytellers episode will air TONIGHT, at 9:00 pm Eastern time. Click on for more information, including the setlist, rumors, and a sneak peak video of Ye’s fantastic “Stronger” performance.First of all, I’d like to comment on noone is commenting on: Kanye’s very interesting setlist. The performance includes both “RoboCop” AND “Say You Will,” two of the more sing-y songs on 808s and Heartbreak. This will be the first time Kanye has performed these live on any television show (or in concert, I believe), and it will be VERY interesting, to say the least, to see whether he can carry the tune. His performances of “Heartless” and “Love Lockdown” are always very mixed, sometimes excellent, and other times pathetic. And those aren’t even hard to sing. So we’ll see how he fares on “RoboCop” (my favorite song off 808s) and “Say You Will.” I think he’ll be just fine. The full setlist:

“Nightmare”
“Robocop”
“Flashing Lights”
“Amazing”
“Say You Will”
“Stronger”
“Good Life”
“Heartless”
“Touch the Sky”

Now, the more talked-about aspect of Kanye’s performance- what’s being cut. All over the blogosphere are reports of Kanye “storytelling” about Thom Yorke, O.J. Simpson, and Chris Brown during his performance, and his controversial comments about all three:

According to Reuters, Mr. West’s comments on Thom Yorke went a little something like this: “West was aggrieved that Radiohead singer Thom Yorke had allegedly snubbed him backstage at the Grammys five days earlier. That hurt, West told the audience, because he idolizes the British band, and considers it one of his few creative rivals.” Kanye told the “Storytellers” crowd, “So when he performed at the Grammys, I sat the f**k down.”

On Chris Brown: “Can’t we give Chris [Brown] a break? … I know I make mistakes in life.”

And on O. J.: “O.J. Simpson, amazing. Is he not? What he did, when he did, what he did. Was he not amazing though?”

All of these comments hit the cutting room floor, but I don’t really mind- knowing Kanye, we should definitely get some funny sound bites out of this performance anyway.

Finally, click here for a preview video of Kanye’s phenomenal performance of “Stronger”…can’t wait for this show.

by Adam Offitzer on February 28, 2009 ‡ 0 reactions