Should We Be Worried About Kanye West’s Twitter “Rants”?

16 February 2016, 16:15 | Updated: 8 May 2017, 17:09

It's all fun and games until it isn't.

Kanye West has barely been out of the headlines, well, ever. 

But in the last few weeks, the artist and self-professed genius has been exhibiting some alarming behaviour, mainly over Twitter. 

Over the last few months, and especially the last few weeks, Kanye has become almost dependent on Twitter, using the platform to vent his thoughts, frustrations and, at times, bizarre opinions. 

This isn't a new phenomenon. Celebrities, artists and everyday folk have been using (and sometimes misusing) Twitter since it's inception. It's a place for immediate creativity and gratification, a space where people can feel validated and often victimised. However, something seems 'off' about the manic manner of Kanye's tweeting. 

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Of course, it's poor taste to make assumptions about the mental health of a person, irregardless of their celebrity status. But while news outlets and social media users turn Kanye's words and responses into hastags, memes and internet babble, we wonder whether anyone has taken a moment to stop and ask: is Kanye West ok? 

Aside from the his lingering grief over the death of his late mother, Kanye has voiced controversial opinions about Bill Cosby, made claims that he's $53 million in debt, publicly lashed out at Wiz Khalifa, Amber Rose and Taylor Swift (again), mocked up a fake Rolling Stone cover, asked Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg for $1 billion, claimed his latest album The Life of Pablo which he released on Tidal isn't actually finished, chastised "white" media and stated that he'll never release the new album on Apple. All of this is mixed in with comments about his greatness, godliness and artistry. 

All of this comes as his long-time collaborator, Rhymefest, makes claims that Kanye "needs help, in the form of counseling[sic]". 

Fame, celebrity and being in the public eye is a demanding job and can most definitely be antagonistic to any personal stuff that people have going on. The problem is, being in a position such as Kanye's, is there anyone around him who is willing help him manage the everyday stresses that his job and 'celebrity' brings. Or, as it has been reported, is he surrounded by "yes men" and users, clinging to his every word and waiting for him to crack? 

Obviously, we'll probably never know exactly what's going on. But should we really be ridiculing or indulging behaviour that might be more complex than it initially appears?