KANYE WEST BLOGS ABOUT 2010 RETURN: Rapper places himself among Maya Angelou, Gil Scott Heron and Nina Simone.

      "I'm so happy being back in the studio making new music," he writes, before comparing his dedication to that of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. He also cites Maya Angelou, Gil Scott Heron and Nina Simone as artistic icons who paved the way for his creative expression.

      Below is his full, unedited, all-caps posting:

FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR THEIR CONSTANT LOVE AND SUPPORT OVER THESE PAST 6 YEARS!  I'M SO HAPPY TO BE BACK IN THE STUDIO MAKING NEW MUSIC.  I WILL BRING YOU THE BEST I HAVE TO OFFER WITH THE SAME DEDICATION THAT KOBE HAS ON THE COURT.  IT'S FUNNY HOW SO MANY RAPPERS GET WORSE AS THEIR CAREERS STRETCH OUT BUT TRUE POETS GET BETTER.  WE WILL FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF MAYA ANGELOU, GILL SCOTT HERRON AND NINA SIMONE. THEIR WORK IMPROVED WITH TIME.  THEY DOCUMENTED WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN CULTURE.  THAT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS THE MODERN DAY ARTISTS AND POETS, TO ACCURATELY REPRESENT WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW, SO WHEN THE POWERS THAT BE TRY TO REWRITE  HISTORY  YOU CAN ALWAYS LOOK AT OUR WORKS AND FIND TRUTH AND SINCERITY IN A WORLD OF PROCESSED INFORMATION. ...