Rap-Up.com || Video: Kanye West

Kanye West paints a moving portrait in the 90-second video for “POWER,” the first single from his fifth studio album, tentatively titled Dark Twisted Fantasy.

Inspired by Michelangelo’s frescos in the Sistine Chapel, the piece combines motion and imagery to depict a faux historical moment—an empire on the brink of collapse from its own excess, decadence, and corruption.

“It’s a moment of transition for [Kanye],” says director Marco Brambilla. “It’s like the end of an empire. It’s him becoming mortal again.”

Watch the rise and fall of Mr. West below.

Posted in Kanye West, Music Videos | Permalink

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68 Comments

mr
August 5th, 2010 at 8:32 pm
wow genius speechless…wow!

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leslie24
August 5th, 2010 at 8:33 pm
this video is wack

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T-SWIFT4EVER
August 5th, 2010 at 8:34 pm
I LOVE IT

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leslie24
August 5th, 2010 at 8:34 pm
hey mr,
were you watching the same thing i was
this was his worst video ever

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philly11
August 5th, 2010 at 8:37 pm
This video/painting made me wanna take my ass to church on Sunday but as a fan, I can appreciate the creativity.

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mike
August 5th, 2010 at 8:38 pm
LMAO it was lame as hell!!!!
it’s not genius by any means, it was boring, was not creative cuz it was actually copy-paste from something created 500 years ago
he tries to step outta the box and well……. the results aint always great! take this video as an example

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dj
August 5th, 2010 at 8:41 pm
@leslie24

for one, this wasnt a video its a portrait. Secondly, if ure not into art, like myself, then u won’t like it

with that being said, i doubt ill ever look at this video portrait again. Art is just not my thing

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Dizzle
August 5th, 2010 at 8:42 pm
Errmmmm ok? :/

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mr
August 5th, 2010 at 8:45 pm
@leslie24 yes i was and like kanye i can appreciate great art and creativity something i dont think you really care about. Some people arent used to seeing out of the box ideas from a TRUE artist

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JAQUANisKING
August 5th, 2010 at 8:46 pm
Love it but ummm if they keep saying its illuminatie why keep doing wierd stuff//but i dont think he is i think it was just art in a song (GRAMMY)

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leslie24
August 5th, 2010 at 8:52 pm
i cant wait for wayne to get out of prison
we need some real hip hop

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WhatTheF
August 5th, 2010 at 8:54 pm
#TeamKanyeezy

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locuz flower
August 5th, 2010 at 8:54 pm
i can appreciate art and creativity too…but this sucked ass…why it was 90 sec is beyond me…oh well off to see “love the way you lie” vid again =)

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A Realist
August 5th, 2010 at 8:55 pm
That’s the whole video????? lol. Anyway, I loved it. Wish there was more.

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ponyo
August 5th, 2010 at 8:58 pm
this is one of the best videos i’ve seen thus far.

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gab
August 5th, 2010 at 8:58 pm
I like when people try to be different in music, but that was such bullshit.

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gab
August 5th, 2010 at 8:59 pm
and I’m a fan of his…

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WhatTheF
August 5th, 2010 at 9:05 pm
It’s not a video, it’s a painting!

STAY MAD!

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joey
August 5th, 2010 at 9:08 pm
wait thats it? im so confused. like if they made it the full thing. deff would be video of the year. why go half ass? once again confused

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mr
August 5th, 2010 at 9:16 pm
ONCE AGAIN FOR SLOW RETARDS ON THIS BLOG IT IS NOT A VIDEO IT IS A PAINTING! YALL DONT NO ART AT ALL OR ANYTHING ABOUT THE ARTIST WHO DIRECTED IT SO STICK TO WACK UN CREATIVE VIDEOS WHILE HE STAYS WAY ON THE NEXT LEVEL

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Billiam
August 5th, 2010 at 9:16 pm
wtf 90 f**king seconds good theme and it looked good but u’d think if ur “saposely” the ‘Biggest’ rapper alive u could aford more than 90 sec.

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Dillon_68
August 5th, 2010 at 9:28 pm
Couldh’ve been longer, but that was dope. It’s art.

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Sly B.
August 5th, 2010 at 9:36 pm
I liked it, creative.

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MARS
August 5th, 2010 at 9:46 pm
Do People Not Read The Title? Once again, Power “Its not a video……. its a painting”

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Fool
August 5th, 2010 at 9:55 pm
I like it creative i mean what video can u say look alot like this video None

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True Blue
August 5th, 2010 at 10:11 pm
“It’s not a video, it’s a painting”

OK, I like Kanye’s music and all, and his videos are dope as hell, but he really needs to stop making himself out to be some modern day Mozart or something. I mean damn, he promised to tone down his ego, but it looks like he’s not living up to that promise.

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mr
August 5th, 2010 at 10:23 pm
@true blue so being out of the box and pushing yourself is having an ego wow you guys really need to stop straining your brains because you are talking really dumb

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Concerned listener
August 5th, 2010 at 10:30 pm
wow…I don’t know what to say. I like where it was going, but I wish he would have finished the painting aka completed the video.

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True Blue
August 5th, 2010 at 10:32 pm
@ mr:

No, constantly hyping yourself as a genius is having an ego (read the tagline for the video). I said like his music and his videos, so obviously I’m not denying that he’s talented, but if you’re that good, then you let the work speak for itself. Let the people talk about how great you are instead of you trying convince everybody yourself. That’s what real geniuses do. You never heard The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson or any of the other legends talk about themselves like they were the greatest, they were actually very humble and let their work speak for themselves. That’s how it should be. It’s kinda hard for people to take Kanye seriously when his ego overshadows his talent, even if he always delivers. Try getting some reading comprehension instead of “talking dumb” yourself.

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Jarvis
August 5th, 2010 at 10:33 pm
I guess now watch…someone on this forum is gonna bring that illumanati stuff up…smfh

5….
4….
3….
2….
1….
GO!

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mr
August 5th, 2010 at 10:45 pm
@true blue thats why people give kanye a hard time because he is talented and can back it up. He didnt say one thing egotistic in there that is how you interepreted it. He doesnt have to be all humble and calm about his gifts. that is the norm but kanye west is his own artist and he does what he believes in. all those people have teams that tell them what to say and then it became embedded in their minds. He is kanye west and he can act however he wants to. You expect him to be fake but he will remain one of the best most outspoken artists of our generation regardless of the true blues and others who cant interpret his genius

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JhuntdaProdigy
August 5th, 2010 at 10:46 pm
Well, if it was gonna be a moving painting, then I wish it would’ve moved for the whole song lol. I can appreciate it, I think it’s cool, but he kinda should’ve did a full video for it. Oh well, I’m pretty sure he’ll go a more traditional route for the 2nd single

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mr
August 5th, 2010 at 11:02 pm
@true blue and your not a real kanye west fan because kanye’s fans understand him as an artist and as a person

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True Blue
August 5th, 2010 at 11:06 pm
@ mr:

You mean I’m not a stan who thinks everything Kanye does is the greatest sh*t ever. Please. Being a fan of someone doesn’t mean you like everything they do, let’s be real now.

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mr
August 5th, 2010 at 11:26 pm
@no being a fan means supporting the artist and respecting his work especially when its of this caliber. And you dont get him at all. You dont have to like everything he does but when you find meanings in stuff that isn’t there(ie he has a ego for just stating that this work is not a video but a painting), then you have no idea who he is. All the director did was explain the video and you say sumthin about an ego. Smh the man cant get a break

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True Blue
August 5th, 2010 at 11:42 pm
^^ I get him alright, that doesn’t mean I can’t call out his obvious flaws. But apparently you know Kanye better than anyone else, so that means you are the authority on who’s a real fan and who isn’t. Anyway, I’m done discussing this.

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mr
August 6th, 2010 at 12:12 am
@true blue i knew you would eventually. You never made any valid points. Well you win some you lose some i guess…….lmao smh

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art
August 6th, 2010 at 1:05 am
move this shit to the museum…wur art belongs…wat next?…he be miming n saying it ain rap but art…STFU n sit ur ass down

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joey
August 6th, 2010 at 1:13 am
people need to get real now. like people are correcting others because they are saying they arent seeing the art and how its a painting not a video (w/e). when really im sure we all see how amazing it is we just dont understand why it only lasted for 90 secs. thats like being nice to 80 people in a room full of 90, yea ur a nice person, but why not be nice to everyone.

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ihateDre
August 6th, 2010 at 1:23 am
Loooooooooooooool @ mr stop defendin kanye I’m a big fan of him and the>VIDEO< still sucked

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Larry
August 6th, 2010 at 1:24 am
@mr

Sorry to interrupt, but…shut the fuck up!!
Take his dick out your mouth for TWO seconds to give a complete unbias opinion.
And if someone on this site don’t like the video that’s their fucking opinion. Last time I check everyone had their own view on what art was, that’s why it’s art…because it’s objective!
BITCH (just to be ignorant)!!

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True Blue
August 6th, 2010 at 1:25 am
@mr:

I wasn’t dissing Kanye’s creative output (which is what you’re getting at), just his general attitude when presenting himself. It’s one thing to be confident, it’s another to be cocky, which you can’t deny that he is, most of the time at least. Even he admits he has an ego problem. I think that’s a pretty valid and accurate point. Good night.

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Busy Bee
August 6th, 2010 at 1:49 am
I like it wish it was longer

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Stephonne
August 6th, 2010 at 1:52 am
The director/artist in the making for the video told Kanye he wasn’t interested in doing a music video. When the painting was finished moving he stopped it where ever it ended in the song. It was the directors choice and it is a piece of art. Kanye isn’t just another rapper. He is very different in dress, sounds, speech and expression. I guess people just don’t get what was being done with this piece. It wasn’t meant to be a music video. It isn’t whack but at the end of the day beauty is in the eye of the beholder and everyone has their own interpretation of any art. He definitely got you talking. He is depicting what has happened in the past year and what is happening right now on this blog. I dig it.

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Tristan
August 6th, 2010 at 3:18 am
This is like, the best hiphop videoclip in such al long time… Speechless

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Jordyn
August 6th, 2010 at 4:53 am
FLOP. This was so boring &now he is copying Lady GaGa. This dude is a joke to the world &Im sure he thinks its epic. Girl bop back to Chicago.

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Yo
August 6th, 2010 at 5:16 am
in just 90 seconds he just shi**ed all over Eminem’s new video.

Amazing Mr. West!

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WhatTheF
August 6th, 2010 at 5:30 am
STAY MAD!

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Red
August 6th, 2010 at 6:27 am
People on here are retarded as fu(k. Because it had so girl dancing in the club, no cars they most people couldn’t afford, no movement its considered bad. Sorry Black People can be so ignorant. Get a education but its obvious you don’t have one!

At the guy who says he couldnt afford more than 90 seconds. Im sure the video cost more than the house you and your mamie rent! @ Billiam – Sit Your Ass Down!

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goon
August 6th, 2010 at 8:44 am
this guy is a genius, but he got too much love for himself…

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SR
August 6th, 2010 at 9:14 am
this is one of the best videos i’ve seen

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stellar2
August 6th, 2010 at 9:45 am
kanye west is a genius. he is so original. this video, i mean painting, obviously proves it. a lot of hate, but watch this song is going to the top. I like kanye wst way better then eminem. especially his rhymes.

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sneakerhead
August 6th, 2010 at 10:03 am
dis video is too sick….. kanye u out did urself, i love this video..

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Alejandro
August 6th, 2010 at 10:10 am
AMAZING portrait from Mr. West. I can’t wait for the album.

It’s a shame that so many of you lack taste and intelligence.

BRAVO

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buddyreal
August 6th, 2010 at 12:20 pm
making this video leaves room for an incredible rate of downloads from people who have never heard this song but are intrigued by the visuals..

2birds with one stone..innovative..i commend kayne

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2011k
August 6th, 2010 at 1:15 pm
this video is the EPITOME of power!!!1

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WOW
August 6th, 2010 at 3:05 pm
How the hell is this genius? WHACK!

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bijan
August 6th, 2010 at 5:39 pm
“it’s not a video it’s a painting”
shut the fuck up. they always build their videos up too much. it’s a video that is trying to be as artistic as a painting.

FAIL

[Reply]
PHRESH VIDEO: KANYE WEST-”POWER” « Phresh Delivery
August 6th, 2010 at 7:08 pm
[...] SOURCE [...]
True Blue
August 6th, 2010 at 8:30 pm
^^^ Exactly.

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Stoney
August 7th, 2010 at 4:35 am
has anyone but me seen Marco Brambilla’s work???? this is what he does… and he explicitly told Kanye that if he was going to work on this, that it could not be a music video, and that it did not necessarily have to be the length of the song… do yourself a favor and see his other work
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQJVr8Lvce0

but once again, if you don’t like art, then of course you won’t get it! which is why so many people are dismissive of what Kanye did here… personally i found it breathtaking, but thats just me

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Ronja
August 7th, 2010 at 4:46 am
Like that’s not like every fuckin other videos.. Party, party, party, party, party … I’m getting so tired of it!
But it’s a video, not a genuis painting ..

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B4T
August 7th, 2010 at 5:24 am
this can’t be whole video song itself is 4:52 long so it’s a sneak peak

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Jarrel
August 7th, 2010 at 9:43 am
Yeezy did it again! If anyone paid attention, Yeezy kinda showed that he was a mason from this video!

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reese
August 7th, 2010 at 10:29 am
will burn in hell 4 this one!!!

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d3X
August 8th, 2010 at 2:57 pm
wack

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jd
August 13th, 2010 at 5:06 pm
man forget kayne lil wayne jay z rhiana and them they are poisoning your minds if you don’t believe that go on youtube and look up illuminatI its all about reading between the lines..

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Fan Ov A Fan
August 14th, 2010 at 9:31 am
COOL :D
i like

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