Kanye West Holds Speech on Ambition & Haters at Los Angeles Trade Technical College

Last night, Kanye West returned to Los Angeles Trade Technical College last night to attend the Golden Thimble Fashion Show, which celebrates project work by fashion students. Since he once held a course at LATTC, it was only right that Kanye gave an inspiring eight-minute speech on ambition, creativity, striving for excellence and appropriate response to haters. Below, you can find some excerpts and watch the full poece above, courtesy of Complex.

It’s a tough world out there. You’ve got to prepare yourself for politics, bad bosses, hating employees and usually when you’re the absolute best, you get hated on the most. But never stop fighting, no matter what anyone says, no matter how they try to compromise your vision.

I empathize with anyone in this era who’s ever loved fashion. Usually, it’s not like loving the idea of being a lawyer or becoming a doctor. When kids tell their parents that they want to be a fashion designer, it’s usually not met with the same response as the traditional career choices. Even for me as a successful musician, in order to make the transition, it was really all but impossible. People always try to box you in for what they know you best for. The most successful artists are as close to as they were when they five years old, or four years old, or three years old, or when my daughter wakes up and decides to change her career seven times a day.