”Jeen-Yuhs” Episode 1

Coodie Simmons’ bet on Kanye West finally pays off after 20 years with Jeen-Yuhs

By: Griffin Jacobs

Coodie Simmons struck gold when he began documenting the career of a young Chicago beatmaker in the late 1990s. Twenty years in the making, audiences can finally see into a story of one of the most interesting and polarizing pop culture figures of the 21st century.

“Jeen-Yuhs” is segmented into three episodes, each representing a different era. “Act i: VISION” shows the least known but perhaps most insightful era of West’s career. “VISION” shows West as a young and hungry producer trying to make a rap career out of his beat-making. Despite previewing some of the legendary rhymes from songs like “All Falls Down” and “Family Business” and being known for being the mind behind Jay-Z’s “Blueprint,” West struggles to be taken seriously by a major label. 

Despite some problems with its pacing and a little too much narrative intervention from Simmons, “VISION” shows a captivating story for both those who are obsessed with West and those who only know him from his antics. For superfans, this episode shows the origins of many bars on West’s first album, displays the beautifully wholesome relationship between him and his mother Donda, and makes West’s success feel much sweeter in hindsight. For passive observers, this episode shows West’s arrogance as a necessary part of his genius and explains how West feels like he’s deserved the voice he’s gained after so much hardship and doubt.