“Jeen-yuhs,” Netflix’s new documentary series about Kanye West’s incredible career, is full of jaw-dropping clips from the making of Kanye’s iconic first album, “The College Dropout.” There’s plenty of compelling behind-the-scenes footage for hip hop heads to dig into, but if there’s one scene in particular that’s sure to get them hyped, it’s the legendary meeting between Kanye and Gandalf, when the rapper invited the powerful wizard into the studio to improvise a skit about eating in college dining halls.
Whoa. What an extraordinary glimpse into hip hop history!
In the scene, which captures an early recording session for the album, industry heavyweights like Jay-Z, Pharrell, and Mos Def can be seen milling around the studio with Kanye, but if viewers look closely, they can see Gandalf quietly brushing his beard in the background while the others hash out their verses together, visibly tired from the long journey on foot from Minas Tirith. However, when a prior obligation causes Jamie Foxx to back out of recording a skit, Kanye suddenly finds himself needing someone else to step into the booth, at which point he manages to coax the Servant of the Secret Fire up to the mic.
“Man, Gandalf, why don’t you spit something?” Kanye asked, offering to hold the wizard’s pointy hat while Gandalf grabbed at the cascading folds of his enormous cloak and stepped into the recording booth. “Gandalf, a.k.a Mithrandir in the building!” cried Consequence from the back corner of the studio, making it clear that everyone present was at the edge of their seats waiting to hear what Old Greybeard would come up with. Gandalf seemed nervous at first and unsure what to talk about, but Kanye loosened him up by saying he could riff on anything he liked as long as it aligned with the album’s college theme, encouraging the wizard to immediately start going off on college cafeteria food.
“Ah, the dining hall! Weep not, Kanye, for this plastic drum of Apple Jacks is not your destiny,” Gandalf began while Jay-Z nodded his head vigorously in approval. “Enjoy the sight of these voluptuous co-eds at the pancake station now, but look to the future, and remain ever distrustful of those who seek to enroll you in a meal plan!”
“Foolish Sauron!” thundered Gandalf, prompting a giddy Pharrell to leap up and rush out of the room with excitement. “It is your evildoing that has forced Kanye to partake of the weirdly waxy apples and super old looking pasta salad in this caf—but his spirit will prevail!” Gandalf then tapped his thorny staff on the ground with an deafening bang, producing a flash of blinding light followed by a forceful shockwave that shattered the glass above the mixing board and left Twista violently convulsing on the studio floor.
As Gandalf continued freestyling, Kanye’s producer sensibilities kicked in as he masterfully incorporated a Luther Vandross sample that perfectly complemented the great wizard’s booming delivery, creating soundscape so hypnotic and otherworldly that hundreds of birds swarmed into the studio through an open window and enveloped the Grey Pilgrim head to toe. Finally, as the good-hearted wizard wrapped up and stepped away from the mic, Kanye cut the music and everyone sat in awe for several beats before erupting into cheers and rushing over to Gandalf to congratulate him. Yet with his work now done, Gandalf silently collected his hat, staff, and elven weaponry, then left the studio without a word to begin his long journey back to Middle-earth.
Wow!
What a truly amazing moment in hip hop history. We are so grateful that all of this was captured on film, because getting to see the behind-the-scenes of Kanye’s collaboration with Gandalf is beyond inspiring.
