We can accuse Kanye West of a lot of things—arrogance, insensitivity, paranoia, ingratitude… the list goes on. But one thing he is not guilty of is dishonesty. The longer he spends in the international media spotlight (and he’s going on thirteen years now), the more the confessional side of his music seems to be emphasized. What makes the 2010 song “Devil In A New Dress” striking—aside from the quality of West’s lyrics, something for which he has taken criticism in the past—is his sense of humor and honesty about his own widely noted rudeness. “Hard to be humble when you stuntin’ on a jumbotron,” he deadpans. That may be so, but he’s not making excuses here. West adds, in a comment that could be equally directed at a hypothetical date or music fans: “You love me for me; could you be more phony?”
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