Kanye West went on another Twitter spree Tuesday night, addressing recent comments made by veteran music producer Bob Ezrin. In a letter published by Bob Lefsetz’s the Lefsetz Letter newsletter, Ezrin – who worked on albums like Pink Floyd’s The Wall, Lou Reed’s Berlin, and KISS’ Destroyer – wrote that West was “sophomoric at best” and said he didn’t compare to other rap stars.
“He didn’t open up new avenues of public discourse like NWA, or introduce the world to a new art form like Grandmaster Flash, or even meaningfully and memorably address social issues through his music like Marshall, Macklemore and Kendrick,” Ezrin wrote in his letter.
West fired back in a series of tweets that begin with one question, “Has anybody ever heard of Bob Ezrin???” He then added, “What the f— does he know about rap. I’m tired of old people that have no connection with anything trying to comment on music! Do something relevant… Please don’t speak on me bro ever again!!!”
West also took issue with Macklemore comment (“Bro you said Macklemore was more important musically than me… no offense to Macklemore, he’s a nice human being!) and dinged Ezrin’s family.
“You’r kids are ashamed of their dad… Sorry for speaking about kids… but could you imagine if you were Bob Ezrin’s kids,” West wrote. “I’m so sorry for them… I will send them free Yeezys to make up for the embarrassment that you have caused your family! Ezrin I truly feel sorry for your friends and family that they have had to suffer an idiot like you for so many years…”
Ezrin had commented on West’s tendency to speak out on Twitter in his essay. “Instead Kanye’s greatest achievements have been in the form of excessive behavior, egomaniacal tantrums and tasteless grandstanding,” he wrote. “What he is a true artist at is living his life out loud – and shoving it down the throats of the rest of us whether we give a sh– or not. He’s like that flasher who interrupts a critical game by running naked across the field. Is that art???”
West disagreed and wrote: “I made Dark Fantasy and Watch the Throne in one year and wasn’t nominated for either and you know who has 2 albums of the year.” (Taylor Swift recently won her second Album of the Year Grammy award, and referenced West in her acceptance speech.)
See all of West’s tweets below and read Ezrin’s letter here.
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