Kanye West

What is going on with rapper Kanye West?  He has stirred up another controversy this week, with an astonishing comment about black slavery.  He has also announced that he wants to build cities, as well as re-affirming his love for Donald Trump.

Birth Chart

There is a lot in his natal chart which is relevant to his extraordinary behaviour and life.  Firstly, he has Sun in Gemini (a wordsmith) conjunct Jupiter (bombast).  Sun conjunct Jupiter does not always show a bombastic nature, but his Jupiter is exactly opposite Neptune (spiritual confusion and sensationalism) and Jupiter also trines Pluto (grandiose designs).

“I will say that I’m spiritual. I have accepted Jesus as my Savior. And I will say that I fall short every day.”

His mother (as depicted by the Moon in Pisces in his chart) was a Professor of English, and his love of poetry and sensitivity to words may well come from his maternal influence.  The Sun in Gemini squares closely his Moon in Pisces – sometimes his left hand doesn’t know what his right hand is doing.  His parents separated when he was three years old, symbolized by the close square between the Sun (as father) and the Moon (as mother).

His “freedom” with speech may be attributed to an unaspected Mercury.  I recently did a blog about Winnie Mandela, and pointed out that her tendency to be a “loose cannon” in speech may be attributed to the same.

His musical success and  acclaimed talent can be seen in his triple conjunction between Mars and Venus (charisma) with Chiron in Taurus (the sign of art and musicianship), channelled into a 10th House of Fame and Career.  Indeed he also has a keen interest in fashion (another province of Venus), which he has translated into business projects.

Success

Although he achieved success as a music producer early in his career, it was his ambition to be a rapper.  Apparently, a car crash on 23rd October 2002 shattered his jaw which needed to be wired shut, but motivated him in his ambition, and led to him making a groundbreaking composition (“Through the wire”).  Jupiter was sextile his natal Jupiter, and trine his natal Neptune at the time (success) but Pluto was squaring his natal Moon in 8th House (crisis).  He expressed the fact that “the album was my medicine”, reflecting the conjunction in his chart between Venus and Chiron (the wounded healer).  Adele has Venus conjunct Chiron, in her 5th House of Creativity, and we all know that her emotional pain inspired her early success.

A plaudit in Entertainment Weekly from 2004 states:

“West delivers the goods with a disarming mix of confessional honesty and sarcastic humor, earnest idealism and big-pimping materialism. In a scene still dominated by authenticity battles and gangsta posturing, he’s a middle-class, politically conscious, post-thug, bourgeois rapper — and that’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

Elon Musk has also praised him to the hilt, regarding his inclusion in Time’s 100 most influential people list:

“Kanye West would be the first person to tell you he belongs on this list. The dude doesn’t believe in false modesty, and he shouldn’t […] In his debut album, over a decade ago, Kanye issued what amounted to a social critique and a call to arms (with a beat): “We rappers is role models: we rap, we don’t think.” But Kanye does think. Constantly. About everything. And he wants everybody else to do the same: to engage, question, push boundaries.”

Kim Kardashian

Together with his wife, Kim Kardashian, he forms a power couple in this age of the cult of celebrity.  They married on 24th May 2014, but had known each other for a long time.  Kim’s own chart is a fascinating study.  She is of course a lynch pin of the reality television success “Keeping up with the Kardashians”.

She has Jupiter exactly conjunct the Midheaven – depicting a successful brand, in Virgo in 10th House (a style icon).  Her mother Kris (Kardashian/Jenner) has a similar successful signature, as I wrote in May 2017 in my blog about Caitlyn Jenner:

“Kris Kardashian, matriarch of the Kardashian empire, has an amazing exact conjunction of Jupiter and Pluto in Leo in 10th House conjunct her Midheaven (Careerpoint).  It is no wonder she carved out such a successful long running television slot.”

Kanye and Kim’s second child, Saint, also has Jupiter on the Midheaven in Virgo in 10th House, and could go on to achieve similar success.

Kim has Sun conjunct Pluto in Libra in 11th House (which speaks of “how to win friends and influence people”).  Her Moon is powerfully placed on her I.C. in 4th House of Home and Family, emphasizing the role of her mother and sisters in her life, and family roots.

In their synastry, Kim’s Saturn is conjunct Kanye’s I.C. – she may help a little to keep him grounded.  But her Neptune sextiles Kanye North Node, so she adds extra glamour to his karmic mission.  Her Pluto conjuncts Kanye North Node, so that is some power she holds in the relationship.  And his Jupiter is on her Descendant, adding to the success of the relationship.

At their marriage,  Jupiter was on his Ascendant, so that was an advantageous marriage for him.  Uranus sextile his Jupiter added an entrepreneurial element.  Jupiter was trine her Mercury, so it was also good for business for her, and Jupiter was sextile her Venus, which is a classic marriage transit.  Both Kim and Kanye have Venus in 10th House, showing their status as style icons.

Donald Trump

“You don’t have to agree with Trump but the mob can’t make me not love him.  We are both dragon energy.  He is my brother.  I love everyone.  I don’t agree with everything anyone does.  That’s what makes us individuals.  And we have the right to independent thought”

~ Tweet by Kanye West, 25th April 2018

Trump has retweeted some of West’s tweets.

It is easy to see from their synastry, what makes this relationship a mutual admiration society.  They are both Geminis, to begin with, and both have a swagger, and both like words.  Trump’s Moon is sextile Kanye’s North Node, Trump’s Mercury trines Kanye’s Uranus,  and Trump’s Venus sextiles Kanye’s Mercury.  Tellingly, Trump’s Jupiter trines Kanye’s Sun, giving him a feelgood factor, and Trump’s Uranus conjunct’s Kanye’s Sun (almost telepathic).

Controversies

Kanye’s controversies are too numerous to mention, but I will try to list some:

In 2004, he stormed out of the American Music Awards because he had not been awarded Best New Artist

In 2015 he said “George Bush doesn’t care about black people” at a concert for Hurricane Relief

In 2015 Kanye West said he was thinking about running for President. “When I talk about the idea of being president, I’m not saying I have any political views. I just have a view on humanity, on people, on the truth.”

In 2016 Kanye claimed to be in 53 million dollars’ debt, and demanded that Mark Zuckerberg help him.

This week (May, 2018) he said: “When you hear about slavery for 400 years…for 400 years? That sounds like a choice.  You was there for 400 years and it’s all of y’all?  It’s like we’re mentally imprisoned.”

An article this morning in the Observer written by David Olusoga describes his behaviour: “Like a pampered toddler, he keeps going because he has so often been reassured that his every utterance is of profound insight and earthshaking importance”.  Kanye has Pluto in the 3rd House of Communication, so he does strive to be profound.

State of Mind

Are his outrageous comments just verbosity, are they the outpourings of a narcissistic personality, or is there psychosis involved?  He has experienced psychotic states, notably in November 2016, and was admitted to hospital for “temporary psychosis” caused by dehydration and sleep deprivation (Saturn was square his natal Moon at the time, and Uranus was on his South Node in Aries).  He has also been addicted to opiates.  He is becoming more outrageous, so perhaps there have even been permanent changes to his brain from the use of drugs.  He has also experienced depression, paranoia, anxiety and suicidal thoughts in the past.

In an interview with Ellen DeGeneres on Friday, Kim’s mother Kris gave him a sympathetic hearing.  She said: “Kanye has a lot of love for all of you, all of his fans, and everybody who’s been there to support him forever.  And, I know that he will explain himself in his own way.”

Current Transits

As well as his recent controversial remarks, he also released a record in April called “Lift Yourself”, the lyrics of which have been called nonsensical.

His current transits include the challenges of Pluto square his Nodal Axis (extreme karma) and Neptune conjunct his Moon in Pisces in 8th House (extreme confusion).  He does have some planetary support too, and presumably friends and family who will rally round.

He has a concerning transit coming up around 24th/25th June this year, when Uranus (newly entered into Taurus) transits his natal Mars, which can be destabilizing.  Jupiter returns to his 5th House cusp and trines his Ascendant around 6th/7th September, which could provide him with some help, hopefully of the right kind, that which he needs.  It may also bring him a creative renaissance, as his work seems currently in the doldrums.

Aspects

Spiritual inspiration is the order of the day today, with a sextile between the Sun and Neptune.  This can result in a highly creative day, and produce work of an elevated order.  It is also good for rekindling sensitive rapport with friends and family.

Tomorrow (Monday 7th) could be more rocky for starting the week, with Mercury square Pluto.  There may be problems to deal with going into the office, which bring the need to prioritize and be clear on your psychology and values.  The collective game needs to be raised (group meditation or hug) before discussion, if disagreement is to be avoided.  We also have been promised extremely hot weather for this UK Bank Holiday, and more people may be at the beach than in the office;  caution is advisable, and travel may be a source of discontent.

The evening brings different challenges, confusion in relationships for example, with Venus square Neptune.  That artistic project you may have started on Sunday may develop a flaw, and you may need to stand back and ask for further inspiration or guidance for proceeding.  Deception and illusion may be behind the conundrum of the evening, and you may want to wait for truth to emerge in its own way, before judging the situation or making your mind up.

Wednesday (9th) is more upbeat as the Sun opposes Jupiter, and at least people are in the mood for a joke and a laugh, even though you may not share exactly the same sense of humour.  Freedom may be a watchword for the day.

The most constructive aspect of the week is the Sun trine Pluto on Friday (11th).  After some of the nuances earlier in the week, you may feel clearer about what really matters, and where your values and priorities really lie, and can be empowered on Friday to put into practice the teachings of the week.  What you do on Friday can be meaningful and profound, satisfying and fulfilling, in a serious way.  Social workers and Psychologists can execute their work harmoniously.

We are back to caution for Saturday (12th), the day of the Eurovision Song Contest.  Don’t go out rashly and put all your money on the Royaume Uni entry, for instance.  The day could be incident prone, with minor upsets and abrasions.  One Eurovision entry may nearly have to pull out, for example!  Near misses may demand that you carry your sticking plasters wherever you are headed, and be prepared to issue kind words and soothe egos.

The week in bullet points:

  • Today – spiritual harmony
  • Tomorrow – different headaches
  • Wednesday – upbeat
  • Friday – psychologically sound
  • Saturday – minor incidents