Netflix: Act one of jeen-yuhs puts Ye's come up on full display
Los Gatos, California – Act one of Netflix's jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy dropped on Wednesday, giving fans and foes an inside look at the musical mind of Ye.
Not much was known about the three-part Coodie & Chike documentary on the come up of Kanye "Ye" West prior to Wednesday's act one debut.
That is, other than some ruffled feathers on Ye's behalf regarding his desire to "be in charge" of his image by demanding the filmmakers let him into the editing room for final approval.
But Ye surprised many, possibly even filmmaking duo Coodie Simmons and Chike Ozah, when he showed up at an early screening in Los Angeles on February 11, where he reportedly hugged the filmmakers afterward.
After watching act one: VISION, it's evident why Ye was OK with how he's painted in the film.
Portrayed as a visionary who just can't get any respect, the early days of Kanye West's music career nearly rival his present-day headspace.
If you take away the money, fame, and highly publicized Instagram tangents, "Chicago's very own" – as Ye called himself in the doc – has managed to stay true to his "I'm a star" mentality and the work ethic he's had since the beginning.
Act one of jeen-yuhs, which is narrated by Coodie and features clips captured by the filmmaker dating back to 1998, shows Ye's come up in a new light.
By showcasing his no-quit mindset that landed him in the booth with hip hop legends like Jay-Z, Mos Def, and Talib Kweli during his early days, Coodie & Chike have managed to show the human side of a musical mastermind.
Putting respect on Ye's name
It's easy to get caught up in Ye's nonsensical ramblings and outbursts, but jeen-yuhs pulls back the curtain as to remind fans and foes of what brought the Chicago native to the here and now: undeniable talent.
The doc makes it clear that Ye's been a force in the music world since the late '90s, producing next level beats as an up-and-comer out of Chicago's untapped music scene, which led him to some troubling places.
From artists trying to get his beats for free when he was "living beat to beat", to labels refusing to sign him for not fitting their particular mold, Ye's been fighting an uphill battle since day one.
Despite the fact the 44-year-old was garnering some praise as a producer from other artists in the game, Ye always wanted more.
After all, it's one thing to produce beats for top-tier rappers, but it's another to become a renowned rhymester yourself.
A documentary touching on the evolution of Ye would be nothing without video footage of his late mother, Donda West, who passed away in 2007.
The various clips of Donda and Ye give a glimpse into what she meant not only to him as a person, but also to his music career.
There's no love quite like that of a mother, and Donda's grounding presence might've been just what Ye needed to make the move from producer to rapper.
The first act ends with Ye's vision for his wordsmith future starting to take flight as the newest signee to Jay-Z's label, Roc-A-Fella Records.
What happened next will be revealed when act two of jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy drops on Netflix at 3 AM ET on February 23.
Cover photo: Imago/UPI Photo