An Open Letter to Kanye West

Mr. West,

I am very saddened to learn that you are $53 million dollars in personal debt, but I believe I can help you get back on firm financial footing once again.  I am an established lawyer in Fort Lauderdale, FL who helps people who for whatever reason find themselves financially overextended.  I have represented thousands of people and successfully put them back on track to being able to prudently handle their finances. This being said, please pardon the blunt tone that follows.

First off, not Mark Zuckerberg, nor any other billionaires (aside from Jay-Z) will invest in your ventures and get you out of this massive hole that you’ve dug.  At best, you would have investors throwing paid opportunities at you to be on Celebrity Apprentice or some other reality TV show.  That clearly is not what you need and will not get you out of this tremendous debt, which most likely took you years to create.  You need a plan, and a list of everyone that you owe money to. Then you need to sit down and figure out whether it’s time to file bankruptcy, or if these obligations can be negotiated down to a manageable number.  This will depend on a multitude of factors, including assets, income, type of debt, and so on.  I am not licensed in your state, but have close colleagues that would gladly pro hac vice me into California to help. I would handle your case on a pro bono basis.  Once we get you through this, your name will go on the long list of artists who dealt with debt issues but, most importantly, you will be relieved of this overwhelming debt.  However, I don’t believe that this will fix the root of the problem.

Here is the real issue Mr. West, or Kanye if I may.  You offend EVERYONE, without apology.  You probably have offended me in some way in the past, but I believe you are one of the most brilliant minds in the music industry, past or present.  However, when you use misogynistic and homophobic words, and even dismiss the impact of racism, it is very hard to defend your artistry.  I try to separate the artist from the individual, as many geniuses had their personal issues (Michael Jackson, Elvis, etc.). But without having some humility while offending everybody, you alienate yourself from potential assistance, and set up an audience who will not only refuse to help, but who will applaud your downfall.

I hope you will reach out to me.  My office website is www.VanHornLawGroup.com.  Everything we discuss will be confidential and I will begin diligently working to get you through this so you can go back to doing what you do best: making dope beats.

In closing, keep in mind that at one point your “money was thinner than Sean Paul’s goatee hair,” and you built yourself into “a fly Malcolm X, by (buy) any jeans necessary.”

We can do it again.  The next step is yours.

Sincerely,

Chad T. Van Horn, Esq.