The long awaited and much anticipated teaser of the ’video painting’ for Kanye’s single Power has arrived. Taking inspiration from the frescos in Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, the visuals attempt to illustrate a grand empire on the brink of collapse no thanks to its own excess, decadence and corruption. Now, if you want to go even further with the old world references, we can talk about the Sword of Damocles hanging precariously in the background. (I knew listening in english lit would pay off one day…) The story of course being that Damocles, a fourth century courtier of sorts, was given a taste of what it was like to rule for a day by the tyrant Dionisus. He loved the power so much  that he didn’t to give it back when his 24 hours were up. That is until he looked up and saw a sword, the sword, hanging by a single horsehair over his head. Both the sword and the frescos are pretty solid embodiments of the song, illustrating the percariousness of fame and power. It’s almost foreboding… Love him or hate him, Kanye’s got some interesting ways to tell a story. The full yet to be titled album is due out on November 23, 2010.