You've heard him speak too, huh? I watched him in a "debate" with Ward Connerly on C-Span a few years back. They were debating affirmative action, and after Connerly finished his usual intelligent remarks concerning the matter, West spoke. I should say rambled and dissembled because it was difficult to make sense out of anything he said. But he got a rapturous applause from the audience who were probably as confused about what he said as I was.
I think even fellow academicians have questioned his priorities, as he is far more interested in going on book tours, tv appearances, and his fledgling movie career (he was in one of those “Matrix” movies).