Kanye West has never been one for modesty.

“I realize that my place and position in history is that I will go down as the voice of this generation, of this decade, I will be the loudest voice,” West, 31, says in a new interview with the Associated Press.

“It’s me settling into that position of just really accepting that it’s one thing to say you want to do it, and it’s another thing to really end up being like Michael Jordan,” he added.

The Grammy-Award winning rapper also slams Justin Timberlake, saying he missed his chance to be a music MVP.

“There were people who had the potential to do it but they went on vacation, so when Justin went on vacation I made albums,” West said. “And it just came out to be that.”

(Timberlake’s released his last album FutureSex/LoveSounds in 2006. West dropped a CD last year, and his newest disc, 808s and Heartbreak, hits stores Nov. 24.)

On a more sober note, West admitted he’s been struggling since the Nov. 2007 death of his mother, Donda.

“I’m just going through balancing that. And I always used to have that support system, you know,” he said. “My mom would be there; no matter what, she was there before everything.”

“We were together for like 30 years,” he added. And you know now when I’m on that stage and I look out and I say, ‘What am I going to do with the rest of my life?’ Like when does a real life start?’”

“Because I have sacrificed real life to be a celebrity and to give this art to people, which is great,” he said. “It is great that I was able to do that, I’m not trying to shun that in any way, but it’s definitely a Catch-22, and it’s bittersweet.”

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Just one day after Kanye West’s Thursday arrest at Los Angeles International Airport on suspicion of vandalism, he has a message for fans.

“I’m cool with the paparazzi,” the rapper – who was arrested with his road manager at LAX after allegedly causing damage to camera equipment worth more than $10,000 – wrote on his blog Friday morning.

“This guy wasn’t cool,” West wrote, referring to one of the lensmen allegedly involved in the incident. “I gotta work now … I’ll rant later!”

In the meantime, West’s tone seemed pretty casual about the whole thing – even though in video footage of the incident, West and his road manager were seen wresting a camera away from a photographer and smashing it into the ground.

“We back in the lab now!!!” wrote the rapper, who’s returned to work on his album.

Right after being released by the LAPD, he left on a private jet from Van Nuys to Honolulu, where he’s working on his next album at Avex Studios.

A court date is set for Oct. 2.

Source

WENN

Kanye West has left the building. And the state.

Shortly before 1 p.m., about four hours after his candid-camera airport bust, the hip-hop star was released from police custody on $20,000 bail and immediately headed for parts unknown.

Shielded by umbrellas, the 31-year-old Grammy winner and his road manager, Don Crowley, were ushered into a back Chevy Suburban (with the license plate “DIVA”) and spirited away to Van Nuys Airport. The SUV drove onto the runway and into a hangar to avoid being followed by the press.

No word on the duo’s final destination, but they had been due to board an American Airlines flight from Los Angeles International Airport to Honolulu when the camera-smashing incident went down.

There has been no comment yet from West’s camp.

West and Crowley were booked with felony vandalism after smashing a TMZ shooter’s video camera at LAX in a scene an eyewitness described to E! News as “pure chaos.”

Pending an investigation, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office will decide whether to charge the men. For now, West is tentatively due in court Oct. 2.

Here’s hoping his legal docket doesn’t keep him from further travel plans. West is due to embark on a tour of the U.K. on Nov. 8.

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WENN

FROM TMZ:

Kanye West has just been arrested at LAX for felony vandalism.

A still photographer was trying to take pics of Kanye at the American Airlines terminal. According to our guy on the scene, Kanye allegedly confronted the photog and smashed his camera to the ground.

Our photog then began videotaping the scene when Kanye’s assistant grabbed our camera — a struggle ensued and the assistant threw the video camera to the ground, breaking it.

When Kanye realized our camera guy had videotaped the incident, he rushed our guy and yelled, “Gimme that f**king tape!”

Both Kanye and his assistant have been arrested and will be booked.

Erik, our cameraman, is on his way back to our offices now, after being interviewed by LAX Police. Here’s how he said it happened.

Erik says he was at Terminal 4 (American Airlines) when he noticed a still photog taking several pictures of Kanye West. Erik says West rushed the photog and grabbed his camera. A struggle ensued and the still guy was screaming, “Police, Help!” Erik says Kanye then took the still camera and threw it on the ground, breaking it into pieces.

Erik then went over to Kanye, his camera rolling, when Kanye’s assistant walked up to him, realized Erik was taping, and said, “Give me the camera, give me the camera.” Erik responded that he had a press pass and had a right to shoot. The assistant then gabbed the camera, ripped off the mike and viewfinder and then grabbed the cam and smashed it to the ground.

Kanye West is to launch a chain of burger restaurants in his native Chicago, Illinois.

Executives at the Stronger hitmaker’s company, KW Foods LLC, have purchased the rights to the North American Fatburger franchise to develop 10 fast food joints in Chicago.

The first of the eateries is set to open in Orland Park in September, while a second restaurant will open in January.

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WENN

Kanye West has denied rumors he will produce Britney Spears’ upcoming studio album.

The Stronger hitmaker has been linked to Spears since her manager, Larry Rudolph, confirmed she was heading back into the studio to work on a follow-up to her 2007 album Blackout.

But West has refuted claims he will be working with the singer.

Writing on his blog, he says, “I have not signed up (to) do Britney Spears’ music.”

West told fans he will be using his blog to dismiss untrue press reports.

Source

WENN