Synopsis: You think you know Kanye West, but you really don’t. Get to know the man — from his budding producer days to his rise to global icon — in jeen-yuhs, Netflix’s epic Kanye West documentary Trilogy event chronicling 21 years of West’s life and legacy. Meet the college dropout who produced for Jay-Z, fought for a record deal, won 22 Grammy Awards, and became one of the most controversial figures in pop culture. Award-winning duo Coodie & Chike, the creative forces behind West’s “Through the Wire” and “Jesus Walks” music videos and other projects, directed and produced jeen-yuhs, which features hours of legendary footage, including studio sessions, live performances, West’s conversations with his late mother and appearances from top musicians like Jay-Z, Jamie Foxx, Common, Mos Def, Scarface and Beyoncé. 

Taji Mag super duo, Dapper Dr. Feel (DDF aka Felipe Patterson) and NayMarie, tag-teamed this feature to bring you double the viewpoints. They both received early access to view the first episode of jeen-yuhs and Nay interviewed Coodie and Chike after watching Episode 1, but wanted to see more episodes before releasing this feature (as understood caution because Kanye). 

jeen-yuhs

DDF: If you are like me, you become instantly uninterested when you hear anything with Kanye West attached because of his recent behavior and viewpoints. But I decided to give his docuseries, jeen-yuhs, a view and mainly because the project was helmed by the duo Coodie and Chike. Coodie and Chike were responsible for West’s debut music video “Through the Wire” and the recent Stephon Marbury documentary, A Kid From Coney Island. 

Nay: If you are like me, you are totally interested in everything that comes out of Kanye’s mouth because you don’t think he’s “crazy” and understand (despite not agreeing with) most of everything he says.

DDF: The film opens with Coodie interviewing Mase and his group Harlem World, introducing a young Kanye West at Jermaine Dupri’s birthday party in 1998. We see Coodie interview other artists from Run D.M.C. to Snoop Dogg, and one name kept coming up – Kanye West. The narrator, Coodie, explains to the viewer that the consistent mentioning of the up-and-coming producer caused him to keep tabs on West. 

Nay: I pay attention to the little things, especially when it comes to artistry. I immediately started laughing when the opening paused and Coodie says, “I bet y’all wondering who I am and what the hell I got to do with this story.” I had to ask him. 

Nay to Coodie: How intentional was the opening? It gave me real nineties vibes.

Coodie: Well, when Chike, Jay Ivy, and I were writing, and also Max our editor, we knew that I needed to put some of my personality into this narration. You know, Jay Ivy is such a prolific writer that they felt like different moments like that and my comedy because I was a standup comedian, they felt like I needed to do it. So that’s where that came from. 

Jay-Z and The Roc

DDF: We see Jay-Z talk about how his hit “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” and performing it on the B.E.T. awards put Kanye on the map. This prompted Kanye to make his major push for a record deal and for Coodie to move to New York in 2002 to accompany West on his journey. A&R’s loved Kanye and saw he had talents, but the head of record labels did not agree, delaying his lifelong goal. It was interesting watching lower-tier record label employees show no interest in Kanye’s “Jesus Walks.” With the lack of fanfare and artists asking him for beats instead of bars, although Kanye has the look of defeat on his face, he is still persistent and ambitious to be the rapper he desires. He even mentions he used to practice his Grammy acceptance speech on his route to the train station.

Nay to Coodie: When you see Kanye going into different record labels and they’re answering phones and throwing papers everywhere, what was that like for you behind the camera?

Coodie: Well, I think in those times it was all about gangster rap or flashing, you know, I got the Benz and the Christal. Then you have somebody like Kanye talking about Jesus Walks. I don’t think they understood the message, and it took us to do the [Through the] Wire video to actually tell Kanye’s story. Steve Jobs said it’s not the product, it’s the story. It’s not about the products, it’s the story that sells and by us being able to use the documentary footage, which, full circle to today, to be able to tell Kanye’s real story, then people understood like, ohhhh. They understood the messaging. How did they not embrace that? It’s all about capital and it’s all about making money and they didn’t know that that can actually make money.

MTV News 

DDF: Young Kanye West was determined to make a name for himself by any means necessary. One of the ways was through MTV’s You Hear It First. Kanye knew if he was featured on MTV, it would make the world know he was not only a producer but a great rapper. The documentary shows Kanye finally getting his shot. Coodie was able to be a part of the experience. MTV requested he work on the set using his footage of Kanye. 

Nay to Coodie: When they used your footage for MTV’s You Hear It First, what was that like for you?

Coodie: That was exciting, you know, that they even asked to use it. Everybody has dreams and MTV was super huge at that time. For us even being in the halls and walking, and then that [happens], thank God for that. Yasmine originally took me in and I met Chike at MTV so that was a magical moment, but it just let me know that I was on the right track. Me and Chike, we joined forces and then we did Through the Wire and we stayed together, you know, and moved in faith together.

DDF: The film revisits Kanye’s moment of betrayal by one of his mentors, Dug Infinite, who dissed Kanye on the radio following his success with “Izzo (H.O.V.A.).” Kanye confronts his old mentor about the diss, and they are able to talk things out before West makes a trip to see his mother. 

Donda 

DDF: When West’s mother, Donda West, is on screen, you see she is Kanye’s anchor and haven. The setting is calm, the walls of insecurity are down, and we get the vulnerability of Kanye West. A beautiful moment is when Donda recited one of Kanye’s old raps that she loved and almost did it without messing up. That showed how much she loved her son and how much she believed in him. Donda’s nurturing spirit and charisma were so effective that she inspired Coodie to be the best he could be and visit his family. The episode ends with Kanye finally getting his record deal with Roc-A-Fella Records and his near-fatal accident. 

Reflections on jeen-yuhs

Nay: What was something that was difficult about this doc for you guys? 

Coodie: First, is understanding that Kanye was dealing with mental health. I always thought it was a part of the show, you know, that they were doing that for publicity or whatever, to sell records or whatever the case, when he would go on rants. Then to find out that he was really dealing with something, which is understandable by him losing his mom who was so precious to him and was guiding him throughout this whole journey. When they get to the point of success, he loses that anchor. 

You know that right there hurt me tremendously when she made her transition. Then I understood after my father made this transition as well as my grandmother, that we don’t die. Our spirits live forever. That right there helped me to understand that I didn’t lose my pops. We didn’t lose Donda. We gained them, they are here with us, their spirits are with us. Chike didn’t lose his pops, his pops is with us. When we did the Stephon Marbury documentary, A Kid From Coney Island, we knew all of our fathers were up there huddling up like, yo, okay, this is what we going to do. We’re gonna have them do this and that. That’s the same with this film.

Nay: What are you hoping people get out of jeen-yuhs?

Coodie: When you trust in God, that trust would really help you to not have fear to move in your passion and move in your genius. When you understand that the creator that created everything, then the universe created you, you start to understand that the creator is with you at all times and is navigating you through. It’s like how Kanye says, Jesus walks with me, you will move with confidence and with no fear. We know that’s one message that will come out of this to the dreamers. 

Chike: And apply yourself. Like really, if you’re in a tough position in life where you just feel like you’re not really doing what you’re passionate about doing and if you’re not doing it because of fear, watch this film to see that it’s possible. It’s all the way possible. You know what I mean? It’s a hundred percent going to happen if you believe in it. 

If you allow God to navigate you through this journey and have faith and trust and actually embrace the adversities that you’re going to go through because they’re going to come. The only way around it is to just embrace it, see them as blessings, and learn from them. They’re going to make you stronger. That’s where your character is going to be built and that’s what’s gonna make you amazing. Hopefully, this can become a tool and device that people can use.

For those who are already moving in their passion, hopefully, it’s just continued affirmation that they are. That’s what it is for us! Editing this [film] is like the ultimate dose of inspiration to walk into every day. Then you just leave the editing room charged.

Nay to Chike & Coodie:  Trust this as confirmation. That’s exactly what I got from watching it. I was sitting there and I was like, YES. You guys nailed it. I felt like it was insightful to watch somebody literally go from the bottom up to where they are now being a billionaire. Seeing what you captured just from that first episode was amazing. It was really beautiful.

DDF: Coodie and Chike did a phenomenal job putting together this docuseries. Giving the audience a look at Kanye’s humble beginnings and struggle, the series is inspiring and relays a very powerful message. It also features cameos from hip hop legends, celebrities, early stages of his hits, and a few events in the archived footage. I have to be honest, the moments between Kanye and his mother were most touching. Although some may still have their opposing opinions of Kanye, jeen-yuhs humanizes him and shows respect for his craft. The series is worth watching and will be a discussion piece on social media. 

Watch the current 3 episodes of jeen-yuhs on Netflix.

After watching Episode 3 of jeen-yuhs, both Dapper Dr. Feel and NayMarie are confident in standing by their opinions.