When it comes to the upcoming Netflix documentary Jeen-Yuhs, Kanye West wants to make sure he’s in control of how it portrays him.
The rapper, producer, and fashion designer made his intentions clear through a recent social media post in which he demanded to have the final edit of the documentary ahead of its Sundance premiere.
Kanye’s remarks come not long after he commented about how he wanted to change the narrative of how some fathers in America are portrayed and how his daughter viewed him.
The documentary’s co-directors have also weighed in on how the final presentation will be.
Kanye West demands final edit for Jeen-Yuhs doc
Based on a social media post, it seems Kanye West wants to make sure Jeen-Yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy is presenting him favorably and not showing anything he doesn’t want others to see.
In an Instagram post the rapper shared on Friday, he told everyone he was “going to say this kindly for the last time.”
“I must get final edit and approval on this doc before it releases on Netflix,” Ye said, adding, “Open the edit room immediately so I can be in charge of my own image. Thank you in advance.”
West’s comments in his Instagram post come less than a week after his viral video in which he spoke about the Kardashians refusing to give him the address to his daughter Chicago’s birthday party.
While he eventually got into the party location thanks to friend Travis Scott, Kanye’s rant included comments about his image and the image of other fathers in America.
“I’m just not playing. I’m taking control of my narrative this year,” West said in the video he recorded of himself, mentioning he didn’t want his daughter to have a bad image of him for missing her birthday.
He then shifted to speaking about fathers in America and how they are taken out of their homes.
“They take so many fathers just throughout America. They’ve been taking the fathers out of their homes purposely. So I’m speaking up. I’m using my voice to say this ain’t going to keep happening. This narrative is not going to happen,” he said in his video.
What is the Netflix doc Jeen-Yuhs?
Last year, Billboard reported that a documentary focused on the life of rapper Kanye West was sold to Netflix for $30 million. At the time of that report, the project was untitled. It’s now known that it’ll be called Jeen-Yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy and will be released in three parts on Netflix starting February 16.
Based on the report, the documentary will cover Kanye’s early days in Chicago up to his mother Donda West’s passing and his 2020 presidential campaign. It’ll reportedly feature “never-before-seen archival footage” of Kanye and is “21 years in the making.”
Clarence “Coodie” Simmons and Chike Ozah, aka Coodie and Chike, are the directors behind the project. The duo directed the music videos for Kanye’s debut hit, Through the Wire, which debuted in August 2003, and his hit song, Jesus Walks, in 2004. Their friendship with Kanye over the 21 years is also part of the basis of the Jeen-Yuhs documentary.
In an interview with Variety this past week, the directors said West is listed as a producer on the project but was not given the final cut. However, Coodie commented that West gave “100 percent” trust in them making the documentary.
“I needed to tell this story. It’s not about making Kanye likable or not. The footage doesn’t lie. What makes the film special is that it’s not something definitive; it’s his journey through my vision,” Coodie said
A teaser trailer for the Netflix doc via YouTube video (below) features some of the recorded footage from years ago. A few cameos pop up in the trailer in the way of Ye’s friends Jay-Z and Pharrell Williams.
Directors comment about final cut of Jeen-Yuhs
The Jeen-Yuhs documentary will premiere this Sunday at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival ahead of its Netflix release. While West may not have had the final edit, Coodie and Chike commented in an Indiewire exclusive on Friday that Ye’s camp saw it already and may have shown him a specific part of it.
“His team has seen it and I believe they showed him something. But I’m not certain. I haven’t had a conversation with Kanye about it,” Coodie said at Indiewire Studio.
They went on to say they’ll present the story as it’s intended to be shown.
“We have to be true to the story. We can’t sugarcoat nothing. Everybody is going to have their own opinion,” he added.
“I would hope he appreciates everything, because we’re just showing real life. We’re not making anything up, we didn’t write it. Anything that he did that he might cringe on, is what was done,” Coodie said.
Jeen-Yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy premieres on Netflix on February 16, 2022.