I paid £2.50 for a latte this morning. Isn’t that a rip-off? Although I can’t imagine your buddy Kanye West thinking as much.

I guess whether it’s a rip off depends on how delicious it was. I have no idea if Kanye drinks coffee. That’s funny—I know so much about him but nothing about his coffee/tea preference.

It was more the culmination of my walk to Parkway. Which used to be full of indie record companies, but now it’s essentially one large fucking estate agent.

How did you research your recent book?

Listened to albums, watched videos, set up a google news alert and read about a million articles, read Donda West’s Raising Kanye, read his Glow in the Dark tour book, and a few other things I’m probably forgetting right now.

I saw his performance at Glastonbury Festival the other weekend. And I’m worried that your lyric biography has fed his ego.

Oh I’m jealous! I’ve never seen him in concert or in person or anything. I’m not sure he even knows about the book! But I hope that ego stays strong. I don’t know how anyone keeps it in the public eye.

In “Adventures” you talk about Katrina. Do you think that was Kanye’s most admirable moment (outside of his music)? Speaking out against Bush, I mean.

I hadn’t thought about it like that, but yes. It’s unusual because it came out of distress and tears and it surprised him and we usually think of admirable things as very planned and purposeful.

I take it fans of your book have been sending in their own Kanye haikus. Which have been your favourites so far?

No one has actually! All the haikus are from when I was publishing individual poems around the web. And the first few are just friends and family! Haha I like my friend Mark’s about how he went to Occupy Wall Street one day.

Kanye West, you have
Diamond teeth, and you came to
OWS. Awesome.
– Mark Berger

Is this us just chatting or is this an interview?