Kanye West is the Voice of Somebody's Generation

Kanye West has made himself a reputation for speaking his mind. Whether it be denouncing the government or bolstering his gargantuan ego, Mr. West always manages to have something to say.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Nov. 14, West humbly asserted what he believed his place in the history books would be. He stated that he would be the "voice of this generation" and that he is to music what Michael Jordon is to basketball.

Then on Nov. 23, during his acceptance speech at the American Music Awards, West went on to say that he and several of his peers in the hip-hop and R&B music industry will continue to push their music untill they reach the level of innovation achieved in the 60's. West went as far as saying that he and his peers would be "the new Beatles" and that he wanted to be Elvis.

Unfortunately for West, this title automatically comes with the proverbial asterisk attached. Kanye, if anything, will be the "self-proclaimed Voice of a Generation."

But let's humor Mr. West for a second. Let's actually look at what it takes to usurp the throne of Elvis Presley or match the innovation of The Beatles.

In a matter of four years, West has released four albums and has had six tracks appear in the top 10 of Billboard's Hot 100 chart, two of them peaking at No. 1.

In the first four years after The Beatles released their first album in 1963, the band had released nine albums. They had racked up 23 tracks in the Hot 100, 15 of those peaked at No. 1. On the April 4 1964 chart The Beatles held an unprecedented 12 spots, which included the entire top five.

By 1967, The Beatles had been on the scene as long as Mr. West's solo career. In that short time the band released the aforementioned nine albums, starred in two movies, circled the world and sold out concerts to the point that they had given up touring all together.

The Fab Four had introduced the world to new sounds on a nearly album-by-album basis, whether it was reinventing rock and roll in 1963 or having the first pop single to feature a full orchestra in "Eleanor Rigby."

On a cultural level, The Beatles had revolutionized the music industry with their album, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." The album resonated in every facet of popular culture, changing the way people dressed, how they thought and the music they created.

Musically and culturally, West is known for making good beats and having a big mouth.

West is a slightly above average player in a game that strives for nothing more than the quick pay off. He has created nothing; if anything, he has simply streamlined a genre that hasn't changed in 20 years.

Mr. West has failed to realize that in order to speak for a generation they have to pick you - never the other way around.