West began making beats and rapping in the early 90s in his hometown of Chicago, Illinois, when he formed the rap group Go Getters with Chicago natives GLC and Really Doe. He later gained nationwide popularity through his work in New York, where he began producing tracks for artists such as Jay-Z, Twista, Mase, Talib Kweli and Alicia Keys.
West's style of production often utilizes pitched-up vocal samples, usually from soul songs, with his drums and instruments. The first major label song he produced was The Truth by Beanie Sigel, and his first major release featuring his trademark vocal sampling style was This Can’t Be Life, a track from Jay-Z’s The Dynasty: Roc La Familia. West said he sped up the drum beat of Dr. Dre’s Xxplosive to use as a replacement for his drums on This Can’t Be Life.
West has said that Wu-Tang Clan producer RZA influenced him in his style, and has said on numerous occasions that Wu-Tang rappers Ghostface Killah and Ol’ Dirty Bastard were some of his all-time favorites. Said Kanye West: “Wu-Tang? Me and my friends talk about this all the time… We think Wu-Tang had one of the biggest impacts as far as a movement. From slang to style of dress, skits, the samples. Similar to the [production] style I use, RZA has been doing that.”
In 2004 (after being pushed aside by many record companies who felt he wasn't a marketable hip-hop artist), he managed to release his debut solo album, The College Dropout on Roc-A-Fella Records. The album received critical acclaim, including 10 Grammy nominations and the awards for Album of the Year and Best Rap Album, as well as defining the style for which West would become known: "wordplay" and heavy sampling of the 70s soul and RnB tracks.
Not content to rest on his laurels, West invested two million dollars and hired a string orchestra to help with his latest effort, Late Registration (2005). West collaborated with Jon Brion to help develop the sound of the album, despite his lack of experience in hip hop production. The album received widespread acclaim like its predecessor and again claimed the Best Rap Album award at the Grammys.
West was no stranger to controversy, such as storming out at the 2004 American Music Awards after not receiving Best New Artist, but just days after the release of his second studio album, West began embroiled in a major controversy after going off-script during Hurricane Katrina broadcast, proclaiming "George Bush doesn't care about black people", which Bush claimed was "one the most disgusting moments of my presidency". In January 2006, West posed on the cover of Rolling Stone wearing a crown of thorns, once again attracting controversy.
For his third release, West was keen to produce songs that could be used more effectively when performing in arenas. For Graduation, the third and ultimately final entry into his 'Dropout Bear' series, West drew musical inspiration from The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash. In the lead up to the album he became involved in a friendly rivalry with 50 Cent over which of the two artists' upcoming albums would sell more, as they were both released on the same day. West ultimately sold 957,000 copies in the first week of release, outselling Curtis by a large margin. The albums lead single "Stronger" sampled Daft Punk, and was West's third number one on Billboard 200. Many proclaim West's 'victory' over 50 Cent to be the 'death' of gangster rap as the dominant hip hop subgenre.
Following the death of his mother, Donda West, and the end of his engagement to long term partner Alexis Phifer, West abandoned his initial plan to release a fourth album entitled Good Ass Job, and shocked his fans by releasing 808s and Heartbreak, which was full of autotune singing, extensive use of the TR-808 drum machine, themes of love, loss and loneliness and very little rapping. It received slightly more mixed reviews than his previous efforts, but many critics cite 808s and Heartbreak as the catalyst for a new wave of rappers, most prominently Drake, due to its themes which were uncommon in mainstream hip-hop.
West's grief seemed to lead to a spiral out of control which culminated in him storming on stage at the 2009 VMAs to interrupt Taylor Swift's award acceptance speech to proclaim that Beyoncé deserved the award instead, in a move that is infamous in pop culture and was vilified by the entire world in the aftermath. West disappeared from the public eye following this, and his upcoming tour with Lady Gaga was cancelled. The disgraced West, who was described as a 'jackass' by President Obama, seemed to have much work to do to return to the his former glory, but he was about to embark on what some critics consider to be the best run of his career.
West holed up in Hawaii for a few months and worked tirelessly to produce what many consider to be his magnum opus. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, West's fifth studio album, was released in November 2010 to rave reviews from critics, which solidified his comeback. In stark contrast to his previous effort, which featured a minimalist sound, Dark Fantasy adopts a maximalist philosophy and deals with themes of celebrity and excess. The record included the international hit All of the Lights, and Billboard hits Power, Monster, and Runaway, the latter of which accompanied a 35-minute film of the same name. During this time, West initiated the free music program G.O.O.D. Fridays through his website, offering a free download of previously unreleased songs each Friday of the week, a portion of which were included on the album. Dark Fantasy went on to go platinum in the United States, but its omission as a contender for Album of the Year at the 54th Grammy Awards was viewed as a "snub" by several media outlets.
Following a headlining set at Coachella 2011 that was described by The Hollywood Reporter as "one of greatest hip-hop sets of all time," West released the collaborative album Watch the Throne with Jay-Z. By employing a sales strategy that released the album digitally weeks before its physical counterpart, Watch the Throne became one of the few major label albums in the Internet age to avoid a leak. Niggas in Paris became the record's highest charting single, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2012, West released the compilation album Cruel Summer, a collection of tracks by artists from West's record label GOOD Music. Cruel Summer produced four singles, two of which charted within the top twenty of the Hot 100: Mercy and Clique. West also directed a film of the same name that premiered at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival in custom pyramid-shaped screening pavilion featuring seven screens.
Sessions for West's sixth solo effort begin to take shape in early 2013 in his own personal loft's living room at a Paris hotel. Determined to "undermine the commercial," he once again brought together close collaborators and attempted to incorporate Chicago drill, dancehall, acid house, and industrial music. Primarily inspired by architecture, West's perfectionist tendencies led him to contact producer Rick Rubin fifteen days shy of its due date to strip down the record's sound in favor of a more minimalist approach. Initial promotion of his sixth album included worldwide video projections of the album's music and live television performances.
Yeezus, West's sixth album, was released June 18, 2013 to rave reviews from critics. It became the rapper's sixth consecutive number one debut. Def Jam issued "Black Skinhead" to radio in July 2013 as the album's lead single. On September 6, 2013, Kanye West announced he would be headlining his first solo tour in five years, to support Yeezus, with fellow American rapper Kendrick Lamar, accompanying him along the way.
In November 2013, West stated that he was working on and recording his next studio album. The album was to be produced by Rick Rubin and Q-Tip.. Kanye released a single entitled "Only One", on December 31, 2014 featuring Paul McCartney, as well as collaborating with McCartney on the Rihanna track " FourFiveSeconds", released in January 2015. West appeared on the SNL 40th Anniversary Special on February 15th 2015 to debut a new song Wolves, featuring Sia Furler and Vic Mensa. Another single, entitled "All Day" was released on March 2, 2015, again featuring McCartney as well as Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom. In June of the same year, Kanye headlined the Glastonbury Festival in the UK, which garnered much outrage including a petition with 135,000 signatures against his appearance, leading to West declaring he was "the greatest living rock star on the planet" towards the end of his set, and the performance receiving a mixed reaction among fans and critics, due to its controversy. In September 2015, West performed {album artist kanye west]808s and Heartbreak in its entirety at the Hollywood Bowl over two nights, which received rave reviews a featured a 60 person orchestra, guests such as Kid Cudi and Mr Hudson, and over 70 dancers. West released "Facts" at the turn of the new year.
West had originally stated that his upcoming album would be called 'So Help Me God' before changing the title to 'SWISH' and announcing that it would be released on February 11th. In January 2016 he released "Real Friends" and "No More Parties in LA", featuring Kendrick Lamar. As well as renaming the album once again to "Waves", West became involved in several twitter controversies in the lead up to the album, including with rapper Wiz Khalifa after he suggested that West had stolen the idea of the wave from other artists and seemingly dissed Kim Kardashian, which later turned out to be a misunderstanding over the use of "KK". West again changed the name of the album just days before it's release, this time to "{album artist=kanye west]The Life of Pablo", and debuted it at Madison Square Garden on February 11, but delayed it's release for a few days. On February 14, West released the album are a performance on SNL. West initially claimed the album was to be a Tidal exclusive, but it was later released on other streaming platforms, although it is yet to receive a physical release. West continued to tinker with the mixing and production of the album even after it was released, and it was updated several times, including the final song "Saint Pablo" in June 2016. West had also made public his plans to release an album in the summer of 2016, entitled "Turbo Grafx 16", based on the 1990s games console, which never surfaced, although he did release a single thought to be from the upcoming G.O.O.D. Music album "Cruel Winter", called Champions. In the same month, a video for "Famous" was released, including nude wax figures of celebrities such as West, Kim Kardashian, Taylor Swift, Donald Trump, Chris Brown, Rihanna, Bill Cosby and George W. Bush.
In August 2016, West embarked on the ambitious Saint Pablo Tour, which included a mobile stage suspended from the ceiling. After the violent robbery of Kim's jewellery in Paris in October, West had to end a show early and postpone shows following it. In the following performances, West cancelled shows early and went on long winded rants against fellow artists such as Jay Z and Beyoncé among others, as well as making controversial political statements including implying his support for Donald Trump. On November 21st 2016, West cancelled the rest of the tour and was hospitalised due to sleep deprivation and extreme dehydration. Following this, West disappeared from social media, and only resurfaced 11 months later with a series of tweets which included many philosophical thoughts and the announcements two albums in June 2018, a solo album which would include 7 tracks on June 1, and a collaboration with Kid Cudi to be released on June 8.
On August 29th, 2021, Kanye released his 10th highly anticipated studio release Donda via GOOD Music and Def Jam Recordings after a series of three listening parties.
Personal life:
West was born in Atlanta, Georgia. When he was three years old (as mentioned in Hey Mama) his parents divorced, and he moved with his mother to Chicago, Illinois. His father, Ray West, was a former Black Panther; one of the first black photojournalists at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution; and is now a Christian counselor. Kanye’s late mother, Dr. Donda West, worked as a Professor of English at Clark Atlanta University, and the Chair of the English Department at Chicago State University before retiring to serve as Kanye’s manager. He was later raised in an upper middle class background, attending Polaris High School in suburban Oak Lawn, Illinois after living in Chicago.
After attending The American Academy of Art, a Chicago art school, West attended Chicago State University but eventually dropped out due to poor grades and to continue working on his music career. While attending school, West produced for local artists, including on rapper Grav’s debut album Down to Earth. He later gained fame by producing hit singles for major hip hop/R&B artists, including Jay-Z, Talib Kweli, Cam’ron, Paul Wall, Common, Mobb Deep, Jermaine Dupri, Scarface, The Game, Alicia Keys, Janet Jackson and John Legend among others. He also “ghost-produced” for his once mentor Deric Angelettie according to his song Last Call and the credits of Nas’ Poppa Was a Playa.
West was married to Kim Kardashian. Together they had four children: daughters named North (*2013) and Chicago (*2018); and sons named Saint (*2015) and Psalm (*2019). In 2021, Kardashian filed for divorce.
In 2020, West launched an unsuccessful independent presidential campaign that primarily advocated for a consistent life ethic. In 2022, he faced backlash and lost a number of sponsors and partnerships—including his collaborations with Adidas, Gap, and Balenciaga—after making antisemitic statements.
Stronger
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Makes us harder, better, faster, stronger
N-n-now that that don't kill me
Can only make us stronger
I need you to hurry up now
'Cause I can't wait much longer
I know I got to be right now
'Cause I can't get much wronger
Man, I've been waiting all night now
That's how long I been on ya
(Work it harder, make it better)
(Do it faster, makes us stronger)
I need you right now
(More than ever, hour after hour, work)
I need you right now
Let's get lost tonight
You could be my black Kate Moss tonight
Play secretary, I'm the boss tonight
And you don't give a fuck what they all say, right?
Awesome, the Christian in Christian Dior
Damn, they don't make 'em like this anymore
I ask, 'cause I'm not sure
Do anybody make real shit anymore?
Bow in the presence of greatness
'Cause right now thou hast forsaken us
You should be honored by my lateness
That I would even show up to this fake shit
So go ahead, go nuts, go apeshit
'Specially in my Pastelle, on my Bape shit
Act like you can't tell who made this
New Gospel, homie, take six and take this, haters
N-n-now that that don't kill me
Can only make us stronger
I need you to hurry up now
'Cause I can't wait much longer
I know I got to be right now
'Cause I can't get much wronger
Man, I've been waiting all night now
That's how long I been on ya
(Work it harder, make it better)
(Do it faster, makes us stronger)
I need you right now
(More than ever, hour after hour, work)
I need you right now (me likey)
I don't know if you got a man or not
If you made plans or not
If God put me in your plans or not
I'm trippin', this drink got me sayin' a lot
But I know that God put you in front of me
So how the hell could you front on me?
It's a thousand yous, there's only one of me
I'm trippin', I'm caught up in the moment, right?
'Cause it's Louis Vuitton Don night
So we gonna do everything that Kan' like
Heard they'd do anything for a Klondike
Well, I'd do anything for a blonde dyke
And she'll do anything for the limelight
And we'll do anything when the time's right
Uh, baby you're makin' it (harder, better, faster, stronger)
N-n-now that that don't kill me (oh, oh)
Can only make us stronger (oh)
I need you to hurry up now (oh)
'Cause I can't wait much longer (oh)
I know I got to be right now (oh)
'Cause I can't get much wronger (oh)
Man I've been waiting all night now
That's how long I been on ya
(Work it harder, make it better)
(Do it faster, makes us stronger)
I need you right now
(More than ever, hour after hour)
(Work is never over) I need you right now
You know how long I've been on ya?
Since Prince was on Apollonia
Since O.J. had Isotoners
Don't act like I never told ya
Don't act like I (never) told ya, uh
Don't act like I (never) told ya
Don't act like I (never) told ya
Don't act like I (never) told ya
Uh, baby, you're makin' it (harder, better, faster, stronger)
N-n-now that that don't kill me
Can only make us stronger
I need you to hurry up now
'Cause I can't wait much longer
I know I got to be right now
'Cause I can't get much wronger
Man, I've been waiting all night now
That's how long I been on ya
(Work it harder, make it better)
(Do it faster, makes us stronger)
I need you right now
(More than ever, hour after hour)
(Work is never over) I need you right now
(Work it harder, make it better)
(Do it faster, makes us stronger)
I need you right now
(More than ever, hour after hour)
(Work is never over) I need you right now
You know how long I've been on ya?
Since Prince was on Apollonia
Since O.J. had Isotoners
Don't act like I never told ya
(Told ya, told ya, never told ya)
(Told ya, told ya, never told ya)
(Told ya, told ya, never told ya)
(Told ya, told ya, never told ya)
(Never over, never over)
(Never over, never over)
(Never over, never over)
(Never over)
(Harder, better, faster, stronger)
(Work it harder, make it better)
(Do it faster, makes us stronger)
(More than ever, hour after hour)
(Work is never over)
(Work it harder, make it better)
(Do it faster, makes us stronger)
(More than ever, hour after hour)
(Work is never over)
(Work it harder, make it better)
(Do it faster, makes us stronger)
(More than ever, hour after hour)
(Work is never over)
(Work it harder, make it better)
(Do it faster, makes us stronger)
(More than ever, hour after hour)
(Work is never over)
The song "Stronger" by Kanye West is a pulsating and uplifting track that blends electronic and hip-hop music. The lyrics revolve around the themes of perseverance and ambition, encouraging the listener to work harder, do better, and become stronger. The chorus repeats the lines "Work it, make it, do it, Makes us harder, better, faster, stronger," emphasizing the importance of effort and dedication to achieve success.
The first verse expresses a sense of urgency, as Kanye urges someone to hurry up and join him. He acknowledges that he can't afford to make mistakes and must get it right now. The second verse sees Kanye living the high life, asking someone to be his company for the night. The rap boasts about his wealth and status, suggesting that hard work has led him to this situation. The bridge of the song highlights Kanye's desire to be with someone, showcasing his willingness to do anything for love.
Overall, the song is not just about working harder, but also celebrating strength and resilience. The pulsating beats and Kanye's raps inspire the listener to overcome obstacles and strive for greatness.
Line by Line Meaning
Work it, make it, do it
By diligently working, making improvements to ourselves, and executing a plan, we can become stronger.
Makes us harder, better, faster, stronger
Hard work, improvement, and execution make us resilient, more capable, quicker, and stronger.
N-n-now that that don't kill me
Having survived a past challenge, I feel empowered and toughened.
Can only make me stronger
Each obstacle in our path provides an opportunity to overcome and grow.
I need you to hurry up now
Right now, I'm anticipating help or support to achieve my goals and need it quickly.
'Cause I can't wait much longer
I'm reaching my limit and can't endure this stress for much longer.
I know I got to be right now
This is a make or break situation, and I need to make sure I come on top.
'Cause I can't get much wronger
I can't afford to make any mistakes, or else it will cost me big time.
Man, I've been waiting all night now
I've been patiently awaiting a resolution to this situation for quite some time.
(Work it harder, make it better)
Through perseverance, constantly turning our efforts into better results, and pushing limits, we can progress.
(Do it faster, makes us stronger)
Quickly adapting and processing information helps us become stronger through agility and decision-making.
I need you right now
With urgency, I require your presence and your support to get through this difficult time.
(More than ever, hour after hour, work)
I'm willing to invest more time, energy, and work than ever before because this situation is vital to me.
Let's get lost tonight
Let's explore and have an adventure tonight.
You could be my black Kate Moss tonight
You're looking fabulous tonight like Kate Moss and could be my partner in navigating the night's experiences.
Play secretary, I'm the boss tonight
In this scenario, you can play the role of the secretary, and I'll be the boss making executive decisions.
And you don't give a fuck what they all say, right?
I appreciate your willingness to go along with my vision and disregard the opinions of others.
Awesome, the Christian in Christian Dior
This high-quality designer clothing by Christian Dior is awesome and should be worn proudly, even as a Christian.
Damn, they don't make 'em like this anymore
These high-end designer clothes used to be unique and difficult to obtain.
I ask, 'cause I'm not sure
I'm not completely sure of this fact, so I'm asking to confirm my suspicion.
Do anybody make real shit anymore?
Do manufacturers still produce real products of good quality and value?
Bow in the presence of greatness
Showing respect and acknowledgement to a powerful and influential figure.
'Cause right now thou hast forsaken us
Right now, you have left us hanging, alone without direction or help.
You should be honored by my lateness
I'm such a big deal and busy person that my joining of this meeting should be considered an honor by you.
That I would even show up to this fake shit
Despite my doubts about the authenticity of this situation, I'm still here to support it.
So go ahead, go nuts, go apeshit
Let your emotions run wild and enjoy yourself fully.
'Specially in my Pastelle, on my Bape shit
Particularly while wearing clothes from my own fashion label Pastelle and Japanese brand Bape.
Act like you can't tell who made this
You should recognize and acknowledge who created the clothes you're seeing
New Gospel, homie, take six and take this, haters
This music style is the New Gospel, a combination of religious and secular beliefs, and should be accepted; those who disagree should listen more carefully and take the message in.
I don't know if you got a man or not
I'm not sure if you're currently in a relationship or not.
If you made plans or not
I'm unsure if you have any plans that you need to attend to.
If God put me in your plans or not
I'm not sure if our meeting is part of God's plan or a coincidence.
I'm trippin', this drink got me sayin' a lot
I've had too much to drink and am feeling uninhibited, causing me to blurt out a lot of thoughts.
But I know that God put you in front of me
Despite my uncertainty, I believe this meeting is part of God's plan, bringing you into my life for a reason.
So how the hell could you front on me?
Given the series of events that have led us to meet, you couldn't possibly be deliberately ignoring or rejecting me.
It's a thousand yous, there's only one of me
There are many people who are like you, but no one is like me or has my unique qualities.
'Cause it's Louis Vuitton Don night
This night is a special occasion where I wear my best Louis Vuitton clothes.
So we gonna do everything that Kan' like
We're going to do everything that makes Kanye happy.
Heard they'd do anything for a Klondike
I heard people would do anything in return for a frozen Klondike Bar.
Well, I'd do anything for a blonde dyke
I'm so attracted to this blonde woman that I would do anything for her, even if she's a lesbian.
And she'll do anything for the limelight
This woman will do anything to achieve fame and be in the spotlight.
And we'll do anything when the time's right
We're ready to take any action once the timing is perfect, and we're fully prepared to execute.
Since Prince was on Apollonia
I have been waiting for a long time, since the 80s, and Prince dated Apollonia Kotero.
Since O.J. had Isotoners
I've been waiting for several years, since the O.J. Simpson trial, where he famously wore Isotoner gloves.
Don't act like I never told ya
I don't want you pretending like you didn't know about my feelings or intentions.
Uh, baby, you're makin' it (harder, better, faster, stronger)
Through an intimate connection and relationship, you make me tougher, more excellent, more agile, and more resilient.
(Told ya, told ya, never told ya)
I told you my true feelings before and never tried to hide them from you.
(Never over, never over)
The hard work and pursuit of excellence are never truly finished and will require never-ending dedication.
(Work is never over)
Our tireless pursuit of greatness continues, and there's always more work to be done.
(Harder, better, faster, stronger)
Our continued hard work and improvements make us more robust, more capable, more agile, and more resilient.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Downtown Music Publishing, Blanco Y Negro Publishing, S.L., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Edwin Birdsong, Guy Christo, Kanye West, Michael Dean, Thomas Bangalter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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