Kanye West is many things – rapper, businessman, philanthropist, George Bush critic, Louis Vuitton don.
And now he’s a positive thinking guru.
That’s the new role that Grammy award-winning artist and producer has taken on in teaming up with co-author J. Sakiya Sandifer of Jersey City for his colorful literary debut, “Thank You And You’re Welcome” (Greenleaf; April 2009; $10.99).
The 52-page, self-published booklet contains a series of inspirational messages that range from a Nike slogan-sounding mantra (“Think it, Say It, Do It”) to the pithily ear-catching (“Believe in your flyness, conquer your shyness”).
There are also passages about West developing his philosophy during his early years as a producer for other rappers such as a fellow Chicagoan called Common. It tells how he always tried to prove his critics wrong.
The book is distinguished by the array of eye-popping colors and wide-lettered sentences that mark the postcard-size pages, bound by wire to give the look and feel of a portable diary/journal.
“The best way to describe this book is as a conversation with Kanye and me giving advice to someone else.” – J. Sakiya Sandifer
________
“The best way to describe this book is as a conversation with Kanye and me giving advice to someone else,” Sandifer said last week.
He took issue with those who questioned West’s involvement.
“The people who say it is a vanity project are those who don’t believe that Kanye West had anything to do with it,” said Sandifer. “But this was a 50/50 full-fledged effort.”
Success by design
Sandifer said collaborating with West was the latest venture in a 25-year friendship going back to their youth in the Windy City.
“We joke … that I don’t think we would get along with one another if we didn’t know each other as well as we do,” Sandifer said. “And it also helps that he has not changed as a person due to fame.”
The creation of “Thank You And You’re Welcome” was also about working with an admirer, as West had been an early fan of Sandifer’s first book, “Think Think Think and Think Again,” which displayed upbeat words of wisdom for the reader to ponder.
Sandifer said that both he and West think alike and positively in many ways. He said the words could be read as interchangeable between West and Sandifer.
Being of like mind was beneficial, as Sandifer and West were thousands of miles apart when they were putting the book together.
“If we did this book in a sitting-down fashion, it would not have the look and format that it has now,” Sandifer said. “When you walk away from it for some time, you come back with fresh new perspective.”
Sandifer cut his teeth as a designer starting in the 1990s and currently runs his “creative business consulting” firm, We Think LLC.
He said having a writing partner with a design mind was what brought about the book the public currently sees.
“We took two weeks for digging out the colors, since this is a very highly thought-out book when it came how we wanted it to look,” Sandifer said. “But we wanted the book for other non-readers, and we wanted to make this book aesthetically pleasing, since we want everyone to read this book and use it as a tool.”
However, he admitted, “It is not cost effective, and if we went to a traditional publisher, this book would have never been done.”
Think ahead
What do Sandifer and West want readers to do?
“People spend more time thinking than reading,” Sandifer said. “I hope people stop and pause between pages to ponder some of what was written.”
He also hopes the public will go out and buy the book when it is officially available in Barnes and Noble starting July 14.
For more, check out Sandifer’s blog, The Think Movement (http://www.wethinkllc.com/blog/).
Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonrreporter.com.