Does America like Kanye West?

Meanwhile, a few of West’s other pointed opinions are relatively ignored. In August on MTV, West criticized the homophobia common in hip-hop, the black community and America, confessing his own past transgressions and vowing to change. Soon after the Katrina telethon, West appeared on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” where the gay host lauded his courage, but didn’t mention his historic denouncement of gay bashing just a few weeks earlier.

In an op-ed in hip-hop magazine “Vibe,” Maurice Jamal wrote about the lack of attention regarding West’s call to end homophobia, “We expect ‘The Wendy Williams Show’ and other urban radio outlets to talk about Kanye West, but the conversation never went any deeper.”

West uses “Diamonds from Sierra Leone” from “Late Registration” as a discourse on blood diamonds — diamonds mined in war regions, often by slave labor, and used to finance military and terrorist activities. This song pushes social consciousness beyond the ‘hood, exploring a topic new to rap despite the prevalence of diamonds as an essential hip-hop accessory. We’re more likely to hear about West’s penchant for preppy pink polo shirts than his outrage and regret over the prevalence of blood diamonds in the American market.

Jeff Christensen / AP Rap artist Kanye West looks up into the crowd during his performance at the "VH1 Hip Hop Honors" show in New York, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2005. The "VH1 Hip Hop Honors" will be televised Sept. 26 on the cable network. (AP Photo/Jeff Christensen)

West was somewhat of a polarizing figure even before the “incident.” The only child of a college professor and a former Black Panther turned Christian marriage counselor, West didn’t have the “Hustle & Flow” history associated with many hip-hop artists. His Chicago middle-class background may have held him back when it came to gaining respect and a record deal as a rapper. But his unparalleled beat-making skills made him a sought-after producer, creating a stream of hits for Jay-Z’s label, Roc-a-Fella.

After several rejections, Roc-a-Fella finally signed West as a rap artist. A near-fatal car accident delayed his debut, but when “The College Dropout” finally hit, it sold 441,000 copies its first week. The choppy, sampled beats were pure West production. His lyrics were witty, boasting and thoughtful, his flow more friendly than smooth.

For those paying attention before the telethon, the contradiction between West’s metaphorically big head and torn heart is no surprise. In his hit “Jesus Walks,” his lyrics move from religious ambivalence to acknowledging the human need for absolution. As he shows in “Diamonds from Sierra Leone,” his knowledge grows exponentially.

Back on the Internet, the chat rooms are still abuzz with West discussion. Those who agree with him, or those who would agree with any criticism of the current administration, sing his praises. Some who don’t listen to hip-hop claim they will now buy his CDs. Those who don’t agree, call it a publicity stunt, or believe his timing was inappropriate, argue. Either way, the focus is primarily on West, not the veracity of what he said. And of course, the racists are out in droves.

It’s not like West’s thoughts are all that novel. There’s plenty of water-cooler conversation about the racism and/or class-ism that may or may not be enshrined in the government’s planning and response to the Katrina crisis.

Generally, nobody needs to hear from celebrities about their causes. They solicit plenty of space for that already. No one needs to hear either Pat Robertson suggesting we kill foreign leaders, or Sean Penn rambling through an incoherent open letter about Iraq. There’s a reason these guys aren’t in think tanks, after all.

The thing about West, which seems largely ignored in favor of lighter fare regarding his unusual behavior, his bravery or blah blah ad nauseam, is that he touched on something. Whether by mistake or because of keen insight, he voiced something bubbling around in the collective unconscious. Something we might want to, oh I don’t know, talk about?

Helen Popkin lives in New York and is a regular contributor to MSNBC.com.

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