The final episode of the Netflix mini-series, Jeen-yuhs aired last week.

https://twitter.com/dussyisthc/status/1499086672083968003?s=20&t=Z8xyXn3ixbQW0U72iIyByg

Filmed over a 20 year period by Coodie, a Chicago filmmaker and stand-up comedian, the series captures Kanye West’s rise to fame.

If we know anything about Kanye, he’s no stranger to controversy, so his journey had no simple trajectory.

(Act I: Vision)

Kanye West wasn’t always a billionaire… Starting in the late 90s – early 2000s the first episode follows Kanye, the scrappy dreamer, who will do anything to be signed to a label as a rapper.

After producing Jay-Z’s The Blueprint (2001), Kanye West was acclaimed for being a talented producer but overlooked as a rapper in the music industry.

In order to prove himself, Kanye began working on The College Dropout.

Seeing Kanye believe in himself when others doubted him is truly inspiring.

(Act II: Purpose)

Finally signed to Roc-A-Fella Records, Kanye is still working to prove himself in the NYC hip-hop scene.

With the support of industry moguls like Pharrell and Jay-Z, Kanye begins recording The College Dropout.

As everything is falling into place, Kanye gets in a freak car accident and breaks his jaw.

Inspiring Through The Wire, where Kanye had to record with his mouth wired shut post jaw surgery.

(Act III Awakening)

After the passing of his mother, Donda West, and the controversies that followed, filmmakers Coodie and Chike were kicked out of Kanye’s inner circle.

At this point, his fame has skyrocketed. It was amazing to see his talent finally being recognized, but there was a dark side to all the glitz and glam.

Kanye’s mental health became a spectacle in the media.

Throughout his career, Kanye has been very vocal about racism and injustice. I believe the sentiment behind (most) things he says is good. But his mental health seems to get in the way of his delivery, and often steers his message off track.

The series is through the eyes of Coodie and has no bias for or against Kanye. However, watching Kanye’s fame as a big picture, you gain empathy for the rapper.

Kanye is flawed in many ways, but his story is more nuanced than simply being a “douchebag.”

Whether you’re a fan of his music or not, he’s such a prominent figure, that I’d recommend this docu-series to anyone.