Kanye West’s life and career are getting the documentary treatment from Netflix in a three-part series titled Jeen-Yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy. The behind-the-scenes documentary, which is set to premiere on Feb. 16, is “an intimate and revealing portrait of Kanye’s experience” that will focus on his early days in music, failed 2020 presidential bid, and image today as a businessman and artist. Though West was involved in the making of the documentary, codirectors Coodie Simmons and Chike Ozah had final cut over it, and now West is demanding that control be transferred over to him.
“I’m going to say this kindly for the last time. I must get final edit and approval on this doc before it releases on Netflix,” he wrote in a statement shared on Instagram. “Open the edit room immediately so I can be in charge of my own image. Thank you in advance.”
According to Variety, the outlet was surprised to learn West allowed the documentary’s codirectors to have final cut since he’s known to be meticulous about controlling his own image. “I said, ‘Dude, you have to trust me.’ And he did, 100%,” Simmons told Variety. “Mind you, when his team and the business-people have gotten involved, they’re of course going to have their say. But I needed to tell this story. It’s not about making Kanye likable or not. The footage doesn’t lie. What makes the film special is that it’s not something definitive; it’s his journey through my vision.”
Jeen-Yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy is set to debut at the Sundance Film Festival on Jan. 23 before it arrives on Netflix next month.
