Early-on cool might take some nowhere fast, but Kanye West is like that one kid who maintained the same peak levels of popularity from middle school and into adulthood -- basically, that guy in the yearbook who smirks for his photo and is wearing a Givenchy suit at the 20-year high school reunion. Need more proof? Take a look at this video above of The Baby Yeezus himself rapping at Fat Beats all the way back in 1996. It's pretty spectacular stuff. And, below, we bring you some of the best lines from the grown-up god's riveting interview with Zach Baron for GQ's August issue. Drake might've been wrong when he said nothing was the same.
Kanye requires "me time" with all of his new clothes: "I hope we don't see no paparazzi today, because I'm still getting acquainted with these jogging pants I threw on. Like, 'That's not my statement!'"
On whether he feels people who make fun of him are trying to "de-fang" him: "I don't have fangs. I'm a porcupine. I'm a blowfish. Like, I'm a-what's the fish that blows up? I'm a blowfish."
When Baron asks him how he feels about certain photos of him that have gone viral: "My feelings don't matter anymore."
Kanye West is Walt Disney, while Carine Roitfeld is both Kanye West and Walt Disney: "Carine Roitfeld is the Walt Disney of what Tumblr is today. She is the Kanye West of what Tumblr is today."
Kanye West picked your shoes for you: "Listen to what I'm saying -- me, as Kanye West: I guarantee you, I'm more than 50 percent responsible for every men's shoe that they sell. Me, the singular person. More than 50 percent responsible for every Balenciaga shoe they sell."
How to Win at Life: "In order to win at life, you need some Kim K skills, period."
A resounding 'Kanye's life is dope and he does dope shit:' "I don't like walking around with people thinking I'm doing uncool shit, because there's nothing I'm doing that's uncool."