Banksy Talks YouTube Crying, Kanye West, and Artistic Bravery With Run The Jewels

The notoriously anti-interview artist made another rare exception for Run The Jewels, sitting down with Killer Mike & El-P for some thoughts on brave art.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Banksy and Run The Jewels, two of the creative forces responsible for 2015 definitely being a great time to be alive, have finally exchanged some enlightening words in the name of Dismaland. Dismaland, of course, is Banksy's typically brilliant bemusement park aimed at subverting Disneyland with a decidedly Banksian message of "theme parks should have bigger themes."

Earlier this week, Banksy gave a rare interview to the Guardian surrounding Dismaland's opening. "I think a museum is a bad place to look at art," the artist said of his Dismaland intentions. "The worst context for art is other art." Thankfully, Banksy's willingness to give the Guardian some instaquotes was not a one-off anomaly. On Saturday, the British publication unveiled a Banksy v Run The Jewels interview that's admittedly succinct but definitely still required reading.

On YouTube-inspired crying:

Banksy: The clip of your speech at Ferguson after the verdict [when the jury decided not to charge officer Darren Wilson for the death of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown] made me cry. When did you last cry watching YouTube?

On Kanye West's status as the world's greatest rock star:

Banksy: When Kanye came to the UK recently, he played on a dairy farm and declared himself the greatest rock star in the world. Does he have any competition for that?

The trio also spoke on the need for bravery in truly revolutionary art, citing Mister Totem, Chris Hobe, Mad Clout, and others as personal favorites. "The bravest artists I’ve ever known have always been graf artists," says El-P. "Risking your life and your freedom is no joke."

 

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