It all started with this announcement on Twitter...
One hurried click to KanyeWest.comand, after sharing this info on GWHH, I jetted from the office to meet a few friends at Wrigley Field and caught this iconic moment on video above.
And as I type this, I still can't get over the fact that I saw Kanye West premiere a new song on the side of Wrigley Field tonight (imposed over the likes of Starlin Castro, Anthony Rizzo, and Alfonso Soriano no less... meaning even more to this die hard Cubs fan).
Simply put, I've never seen anything like this. My instant reaction was: "I'll call you back," to my friend on the phone and then I proceeded to drop whatever I was doing to go see this. It was a "I have to be there or else I'm missing history" type moment. And when I was there, I felt that I was witnessing history even more. A diverse group of strangers all gathered under the Wrigley Field marquee, waiting 45 minutes passed the 9:50 start time to see two black vehicles pull up, unload a projector and speakers, press play, and then pack up and go to the next destination.
The song itself, "New Slaves", is the perfect record to accompany this spectacle and keep people talking. 'Ye lashes out at the system for its aim to control African-Americans and celebrities as the "New Slaves". His rhymes are analytical of society and draw from personal experience ("Ya'll throwin' contracts at me, you know that n****s can't read", for example) to exhibit the racism he personally feels and sees. His delivery and lyrics become progressively intense and defiant, and some of the one-liners (certainly 'Ye's most vulgar language and the "Hampton" bars to conclude) are eye-raising and chuckle-inducing to even the casual passerby. I look forward to listening to "New Slaves" even more when 'Ye drops the album, and perhaps performs it tomorrow night on Saturday Night Live.
I have to also commend Mr. West and his DONDA team for executing such a brilliant experience. Creating a spectacle like this is almost always an amazing social experiment. And, as you can see, in a little over an hour, people flocked to Wrigley Field just by 'Ye's influence on social media and the ensuing word of mouth. Later screenings of "New Slaves" even blocked off streets in the city. Amazing. I can't say enough about the creativity behind this. I can say I'll never forget this night.
UPDATE: Here are some more photos from our journey around the city tonight!
Panorama at Wrigley Field by Sgt. Tibs
Panorama at 6 Corners in Wicker Park by @heath_michaels
Dude taking the escalator during the 6 Corners Projection by @WhoDough
"New Slaves" @ Millennium Park, downtown by @heath_michaels
This weekend at Cubs Convention, the team announced a $300 million dollar renovation plan for the Friendly Confines at Wrigley Field. The five-year plan will bring the amenities for fans and players to 21st-century standards.
This is great news for any Cubs fan and anyone who appreciates the iconic landmark of Wrigley Field. After rumors for years that they would build another Wrigley Field, it looks like that won't be an option anymore after the Ricketts family funds the five-year renovation (that will also not be under construction during the seasons, so that won't be an issue either).
I've been privileged to work at Wrigley as... fun fact!... a seat vendor back in my high school days. Going to the ballpark everyday never got old - it truly is a magical feeling in Wrigley and I couldn't be happier that they're putting in the investment to renovate a stadium that means just as much to others so that future generations can enjoy the Friendly Confines as well. Take a look at all 20 of the concept illustrations in the slideshow above (creating illustrations like these was one of my favorite things in architecture school), and, as with most any Cubs news I may post from time to time here on Gowhere, shoutout to Papa Tibs for passing this along (via Bleed Cubbie Blue).
