“I just want you to be proud of me.” Kanye West at the 2008 Grammy Awards.
By now, everyone has voiced their opinions – relevant or not – on Kanye West’s opinion regarding Beck taking home Album of the Year at the Grammys on February 8. However, in the midst of that media frenzy, viewers may have missed an emotional connection regarding West’s performance of “Only One”.
In 2008, Kanye West took the stage to perform his ballad, “Hey Mama,” which was written in dedication to his mother, Donda West. West, who had passed from complications due to a cosmetic surgery the year before, was one of the most important figures in his life, as stated within the song.
Flash forward six years, West takes the Grammy stage again to perform “Only One,” another emotional tribute to his mother, his wife, and his daughter, North.
Despite public opinion, West attempted to humanize himself in front of millions of people, though many would say that he suffered from Foot-in-Mouth Syndrome shortly after.
Watch the official video for “Only One” and a video of West and his mother singing “Hey Mama” below.
