Welcome to the 110th insertion of DEMUR®, an analytical series highlighting the intricacies of the artistic world and the minutiae lying within. In this episode we remember Kanye West’s legendary performance at Apple’s 2005 Keynote, revealing the truth behind Steve Jobs’ cover up.
Ye has a long history with Apple. Referring to himself as the “Steve Jobs of popular culture”, West has repeatedly cited the tech-company founder as his biggest inspiration and role model. For decades we’ve seen the hip-hop artist share hits of infamy with the brillant Steve Jobs, as he continues to remind us of his prestigious legacy.
Turning back the clock to 2005, Kanye West’s debut album ‘The College Dropout’ had released a year prior and the Chi-town native was officially on the come up. Similarly, Apple had solidified themselves as a pervasive force in the tech-based milena, making their notorious iPod universally available for purchase.
In an attempt to reach a broader audience, Steve Jobs pivoted to begin production of the 1st Generation iPod Mini (2004), and again that next year with the iPod Nano’s release. It appeared as if Jobs shared a mutual interest in West as he invited the hip-hop artist to perform at Apple’s 2005 Keynote conference. Unsurprisingly, Ye accepted the rare opportunity and geared up for what would become one of the most obscure events in Apple’s history.
Gathering on September 7th in the Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco, many in-person and online eagerly awaited Apple’s yearly announcement. Not only was it 11 in the morning, but the audience, which consisted of scholars and journalists, had likely never heard of Kanye West, let alone his newest album. Following the successful debut of the iPod Nano, Ye stood on stage, to the beat of Gold Digger and All Falls down.
Sporting his iconic collegiate track jacket and Louis Vuitton evidences, West failed to extract a mere head-bob or sing along. One commenter described the performance as “embarassingly horrific… on par with something you’d expect to see in a highschool gymnasium.” - ouch. The livestream was later edited to cut out Ye’s performance, leaving us with sole images to document this moment.
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