Kanye Back to Kanye

With Kanye's new interview with Vanity Fair

L.R. You also have an entirely new, elegant look; you told me you thought that the traditional hip-hop look was tired.

K.W. Yeah, people always dress like they’re headed to the gym.

L.R. Why did you have permanent diamonds drilled into your bottom teeth?

K.W. I just like diamond teeth and I didn’t feel like having to take them out all the time.

L.R: Looking back on last year’s MTV Awards, when you interrupted Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech—you said Beyoncé was robbed, and a lot of us agreed with you. How do you feel about it now?

K.W: Well, it was very punk rock and revolutionary and idealistic and very angry in a way. But the timing was in poor taste. And the other two things I’ve learned since then are humility and empathy—to be empathetic to other people’s feelings. To care about how much this must mean to someone else, and not to think that my ideals or my righteousness are more important than someone else’s feelings.

L.R. You’ve had a tough time since the death of your mother, in 2007. Even though you’re always in recording studios, this past year you retreated from the spotlight. How are you these days?

K.W. Extremely happy. And you know … people obviously know I lost my mother, and it was shocking. On one hand, I never really dealt with the loss, but in not dealing with the loss, I also didn’t completely deal with the responsibilities that my mother used to take. She was such an amazing, well-rounded person, and I was a spoiled brat.

He even plays basketball with his diamond teeth in!