Noisey recently published an article that argues that a little known song in Kanye West’s catalogue is one of his most important tracks. The song is part of a video that Kanye made with director Steve McQueen for “All Day.” Both songs were supposed to an album that he was supposed to release in 2015 that he had supposedly titled So Help Me God. That album was never released, but we have a few tracks that were released that never made it onto 2016’s The Life of Pablo.
The video for “I Feel Like That” shows Kanye sitting down panting before he starts asking a list of questions with symptoms associated to mental health disorders. The chorus is a response to these questions, stating that he “feel[s] like that.” It certainly is an interesting entry in Kanye’s discography. He doesn’t rap throughout the entire song. The questions are pointed and blunt about anxiety, depression and other mental health issues. On The Life of Pablo‘s “FML,” Kanye specifically references the medication Lexapro, an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) antidepressant.
While we should be careful about armchair diagnosing an individual, especially a personality like Kanye West, these references show that he struggles with mental health just like many of us. On songs like “I Feel Like That”, 2015’s “Only One” with Paul McCartney and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy‘s “Runaway,” Kanye is at his most vulnerable, humbled by his humanity.
I wouldn’t necessarily say that this is his most important song, and I wouldn’t say that it is my favourite song. That honour likely belongs to “Runaway,” which always makes me emotional. With Kid Cudi recently checking himself into rehab for “depression and suicidal urges,” however, the song is important for its honesty to talk about our mental health struggles. It opens up the conversation to reflect about our humanity and our mortality.
“I feel like that all the time” too, Kanye. I feel you.