Billy Corgan Wonders If Kanye West Took Inspiration From His Approach to Fame

Billy Corgan believes Kanye West may have taken a page out of his playbook when it comes to navigating fame, courting controversy, and challenging the public’s perception of artistry. During an appearance on Popcast this week, host Jon Caramanica asked the Smashing Pumpkins frontman about the similarities between himself and West, particularly regarding how they’ve both approached their careers. Find Smashing Pumpkins Tickets “I hear a lot of Kanye in you,” Caramanica remarked, prompting Corgan to respond, “Isn’t it the other way around? Didn’t I come first?” The singer and guitarist then shared, “When we were making Mellon Collie [and the Infinite Sadness], Kanye was literally working one block down the street at the Gap.” Although Corgan said he didn’t know West at the time, he remembered hearing about the rapper’s ascent in Chicago and recognizing something familiar in his approach to celebrity. “When I first saw his game, I thought … was he influenced by the way I did this shit?” Corgan said. “Because it was the same game. Pick fights, do crazy shit.” The 59-year-old musician characterized their shared approach as a “cognitive dissonance game,” wherein deliberately provocative ...