Even before all the controversy surrounding Kanye West went down, it seemed like the rapper was bound to be the subject of a documentary someday. Well, that day has come, following a turbulent year, and an ever-changing career, Ye is getting a documentary made about him. This upcoming BBC doc is being made by the investigative journalist who fronted the Britney Spears’ documentary Battle for Britney, which detailed the years of her conservatorship and its eventual end.
We Need to Talk about Kanye (working title) will be created by the BAFTA-winning investigative journalist Mobeen Azhar. Deadline announced the news, noting that Azhar is starting his investigation at an interesting time for the rapper-turned-entrepreneur's life, considering it will be produced during Ye’s 2024 presidential campaign and after the controversy surrounding his anti-Semitic comments.
Along with the documentary, there will be an eight-part podcast called The Kanye Story. According to the article, this format of doc and podcast is one the BBC has used before for a story about Shamima Begum, a British teen who went to Syria to join ISIS, and then got her citizenship revoked after trying to return to the UK.
So, it appears this combination of the journalist who covered Spears and a format that helped tell a complex story will work well for the BBC as they attempt to tell the complicated tale of Kanye West.
There’s no shortage of stories for Azhar to look into based on the last year alone. Following Kim Kardashian filing for divorce from Ye, West has made many controversial headlines. The divorce, his anti-Semitic comments and more have led to lots of controversy and discourse around the rapper.
Following all Ye’s controversy, specifically in regard to his anti-Semitic comments, he’s had many deals pulled. His partnership with the Gap ended, and Adidas put their deal with the rapper under review after the Yeezy owner wore a “White Lives Matter” shirt to Paris Fashion Week. The news didn't stop there, as his Instagram account has also been restricted for anti-Semitic comments.
In more recent news, West got married to Bianca Censori in a surprise wedding, and allegedly Kardashian didn’t know it was happening. Ye’s new wife is a longtime Yeezy employee, and apparently, the reality star hated her.
So, there is no shortage of stories when it comes to Kanye West, especially if you look back at the last year. Previewing the future, there seems to be a presidential campaign on the horizon, his situation with Kardashian is still being worked out, and he’s a newlywed. So, not only will he likely continue to make headlines, there will also be a lot the documentarian has to work with while putting this all together.
The documentary We Need to Talk About Kanye will air on BBC Two once it’s finished. Be sure to stay tuned to the 2023 TV schedule for news about when the doc will premiere, and keep up with CinemaBlend for all the latest news on Kanye West.
