Runaway

Yet Another Kanye Rec

Runaway ft. Pusha T by Kanye West

"It's embarrassing, but I really like this song. It’s fun, and I almost think Kanye makes fun of himself tongue in cheek kinda way. The lyrics are graphic but refreshingly honest. It always makes me smile and laugh at myself for liking such a song."

I was in shock when you said Kanye makes fun of himself, but I see what you mean upon listening to the song. I think more than making fun of himself, he's taking a jab at the way the media portrays him. Like, "Okay sure. You say I'm an scumbag? Fine, I'm a scumbag. Let's have a toast."

There's actually a lot of really awesome work that went into this song, and I think it might help you move past your embarrassment about being into it. Even if his music isn't typically your style, Kanye's a talented dude.

Okay, so Kanye wrote this song while thinking about the negative way the public had been viewing him, especially in light of a certain incident involving Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV VMAs. You know the one.

But despite this specific inspiration, Kanye really wanted Runaway to be "a song that the average person could relate to, as he perceived himself as someone who identified with the average person." I don't know if I buy him as an "average person," but I certainly appreciate the effort.

I think Kanye's verses do a good job of being relatable. There are plenty of douchebags and assholes and scumbags and jerkoffs in this world. They might even be perfectly nice people with a few bad habits.

Then you've got Pusha T coming in and outlining every single one of those bad habits.

It's like how when you're dating one of those guys, they're not always awful. They have great moments, or you wouldn't be dating them in the first place. But then, like Pusha T's verse, their scumbag side comes out of nowhere and you remember what they're capable of.

Pusha T said of working with Kanye:

"You will find yourself explaining yourself, and if you can't explain the reasoning behind the things you're saying in a verse or whatever the case may be, it might not fly. He won't let you get away with it."

I respect that.

(via)

One thing I don't like is the piano riff. I'm sure it's meant to be lonely and disconcerting, but I find it to be just a step too eerie in the beginning when it's the only sound we hear for a good minute. It doesn't bother me once it fades behind the drum beat and the vocals, but I still don't love it.

Anyway, I agree that it's a fun song. I enjoy singing along to the chorus, and I relate to the part where he's like I always find something wrong and I'm so gifted at finding what I don't like the most. Perfectionism, man. Not fun.

P.S. If the video embedded above seems long, just remember that there's a 34-minute "full-length film." That video includes many of the songs from the album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, not just Runaway.

Overview:

Genre:
Hip Hop

Favorite Lyrics:
I'm just young, rich, and tasteless.

Verdict:
I feel like the censorship takes away from it a little bit.