Kanye West inspires me due to his fearlessness to speak his mind in the face of adversity and criticism. By continuously reinventing himself, he has shown his flaws outright for the world to either accept or deny him. A man whose voice resonates with the minds that strive to change the culture.

How does one begin to define one of our generation’s most transcendent and controversial human beings? Kanye West is a full­fledged artist whose vision is similar to that of Steve Jobs. West’s overbearing confidence sometimes comes off as egotistical, but his confidence should be embraced. He epitomizes the idea that you don’t have to be controlled by others’ perceptions of yourself and what society tells you to be.

From a young age, his mother instilled in him the idea that he could be anything, and he truly took it to heart. From aspiring to be a video game designer to producing music, he was never satisfied with being complacent in one field.

In an era of gangster rap, a young African American Chicago artist wearing a pink polo and a Louis Vuitton backpack altered the sound of music. Nobody saw it coming, but his ability to rap with humility opened the dam for a wave of sensitive artists that followed suit.

West describes his music as the codes of self-­esteem, which connects with creatives of any age. His fearlessness towards failure is admiring beyond words. So many people claim to never have followed their dreams because of the slightest chance that they wouldn’t come true, and rather than face humiliation, they do nothing; they remain stagnant. West has said that “It’s about the ability to fail out loud. Cause guess what? It adds to your story, also.”

Overcoming societal exile, West brought about timeless art that will stand for generations. He has garnered 21 Grammys and revolutionized the sneaker game when no one believed in him. West once said, “I wasn’t born to be liked, I came here to make a difference.” And he has done just that.

West has harnessed all of the negativity given to him by society and beams positive energy through his art. Through all adversity, he’s considered himself the “sacrifice” for other creatives to be able to do what they do and no longer have to suffer through what he did. Elon Musk considers him a critical thinker who engages in, questions and pushes boundaries in pop culture.

As creators, it is our duty to channel inspiration through different types of art forms for the world to see. We are consistently shunned for trying to be a bright color in a black and white reality.

West is a true innovator, entrepreneur, visionary and hands down the most influential person in my generation—even if he’s only that to me.

I aspire to meet him, absorb his influence and be exactly what he is for the next generation.