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.
Addiction
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everything they told me not to is exactly what I would
Man I tried to stop man I tried the best I could
But (you make me smile)
What's your addiction? Is it money? Is it girls? Is it weed?
I've been afflicted by not one, not two, but all three
She's got the same thing, about me, but more, about us
Just let me peek now, I mean damn, I'm so curious
She's got a lover, so the lies, and the lust, is a rush
Time's of the essence, I need, you to be, spontaneous
Roll up the doja, Henny and Coca-Cola, then I'm coming over
'Cause it's never over
Why everything that's supposed to bad make me feel so good?
Everything they told me not to is exactly what I would
Man I tried to stop man I tried the best I could
But (you make me smile)
I see the emotion in your eyes, that you, try not to show
We get the closest when you high, or you drunk, or you blow
So I pour the potion, so we could both get high, as we could go
Then I'll get the lotion, and do something to me, when your thighs is exposed
There's no turning back now, I mean I don't mean to impose
Not now but right now, I need you to undress, and then pose
I'm into that now, catch a vibe, when the doors, get closed
Roll up the doja, Henny and Coca-Cola, and I keep coming over
'Cause its never over
Why everything that's supposed to bad make me feel so good?
Everything they told me not to is exactly what I would
Man I tried to stop man I tried the best I could
But (you make me smile)
Why everything that's supposed to bad make me feel so good?
Everything they told me not to is exactly what I would
Man I tried to stop man I tried the best I could
But (you make me smile)
(You make me smile with my heart)
I just wanted to ask you
Just wanted to, um (baby)
Let me, how would I put this, um (baby, baby, baby)
Let's say all your friends (baby, baby, baby)
Remember the one? (baby, baby, baby)
You said if you ever she would be the one (baby, baby, baby)
Ok, ok, ok (you make me smile with my heart)
Well, I was thinking, hypothetically
I mean don't take this seriously
Don't take me, I mean just
Uh, not credibly
I feel that incredibly
I mean let's set it baby
Ah, just let it be
I mean you huntin' me(You make me smile with my heart)
I mean you her and me
Maybe, baby, baby?
Baby? Baby?
You know I was just kidding
Unless you gon' do it
(You make me smile)
The lyrics of Kanye West’s song “Addiction” speak about the internal conflict of a person who is struggling with addiction. The song opens with the lines “Why everything that's supposed to bad make me feel so good? Everything they told me not to is exactly what I would.” Here, the singer acknowledges that he is aware that his addiction is harmful but finds himself inexorably drawn to it. He then goes on to ask the listener if their addiction is money, girls or weed. The singer seems to suggest that he is battling addictions to all three of them.
The song also expresses a complicated relationship between the singer and his partner. The singer acknowledges that his partner is addicted to him in some way, just as he is addicted to his vices. He talks about how they get closer when they indulge in their addiction but does not judge her for it. The song has a raw, confessional quality that deals with the complexity of addiction and how it affects relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Why everything that's supposed to bad make me feel so good?
Kanye is questioning why he finds things that are considered 'bad' to be so enjoyable and pleasurable.
Everything they told me not to is exactly what I would
Kanye is indicating that he often goes against the advice he has been given and does things his own way.
Man I tried to stop man I tried the best I could
Kanye has recognized that he has tried, but failed, to stop engaging in his addictive behaviors.
But (you make me smile)
Despite the difficulties Kanye faces with addiction, being with this person makes him happy and brings a smile to his face.
What's your addiction? Is it money? Is it girls? Is it weed?
Kanye is inquiring about someone else's addictions and what they may be struggling with.
I've been afflicted by not one, not two, but all three
Kanye is admitting that he struggles with all three of these addictive behaviors.
She's got the same thing, about me, but more, about us
This person he is with has a similar addictive personality, but it is more about the two of them being addicted to each other.
She's coming over, so I guess, that means, I'm her drugs
The idea of this person coming over is like a drug to Kanye, and he uses her arrival as a way to feel good and fulfilled.
Just let me peek now, I mean damn, I'm so curious
Kanye wants to explore and experiment with this person, feeding into his addiction and curiosity.
She's got a lover, so the lies, and the lust, is a rush
Kanye acknowledges that the idea of cheating with this person is exciting, and the secrecy and adrenaline create a rush of lust and desire.
Time's of the essence, I need, you to be, spontaneous
Kanye desires spontaneity in order to satisfy his addictive personality and get a thrill from the situation.
Roll up the doja, Henny and Coca-Cola, then I'm coming over
Kanye describes getting high and drinking with this person as a prelude to coming over and indulging in their addictive behavior.
'Cause it's never over
Kanye recognizes that this addictive cycle can be never-ending, and he is caught up in the addiction and craving for more.
I see the emotion in your eyes, that you, try not to show
Kanye is getting a sense of the addictive behaviors the other person is struggling with, even if they are trying to hide it.
We get the closest when you high, or you drunk, or you blow
Kanye recognizes that the two of them feel closest and share their deepest connection when they are indulging in addictive behaviors.
So I pour the potion, so we could both get high, as we could go
Kanye describes indulging in substance abuse as a way to heighten and prolong the high they are feeling together.
Then I'll get the lotion, and do something to me, when your thighs is exposed
Kanye is describing how sexually charged these addictive situations can become when he is with this other person.
There's no turning back now, I mean I don't mean to impose
Kanye is admitting that he is deep into his addictive behaviors and there is no going back now.
Not now but right now, I need you to undress, and then pose
Kanye is trying to get the other person to participate in a sexual act together as a way to continue indulging in their addictive behaviors.
I'm into that now, catch a vibe, when the doors, get closed
Kanye describes how being in closed quarters and in secret makes the addictive behavior feel more thrilling and exciting.
You make me smile
This person makes Kanye happy despite the struggles he is facing with addiction and addiction-related behavior.
I just wanted to ask you
Kanye is presenting a hypothetical question to the other person.
Just wanted to, um (baby)
Kanye is trying to navigate a sensitive topic that he wants to address with this person.
Let me, how would I put this, um (baby, baby, baby)
Kanye is trying to find the right words to say what he wants to say.
Let's say all your friends (baby, baby, baby)
Kanye poses a hypothetical situation involving this person's friends to try and bring up a sensitive topic.
Remember the one? (baby, baby, baby)
Kanye is trying to reference a past situation or relationship.
You said if you ever she would be the one (baby, baby, baby)
Kanye is referencing something that was said in the past about a certain person.
Ok, ok, ok (you make me smile with my heart)
Kanye is trying to reassure the other person that he does care for them and he is not trying to hurt them.
Well, I was thinking, hypothetically
Kanye is trying to present a hypothetical situation to the other person.
I mean don't take this seriously
Kanye is trying to present the hypothetical idea in a casual way as to not freak out the other person.
Don't take me, I mean just
Kanye is trying to make sure the other person does not take offense to what he is saying.
Uh, not credibly
Kanye is indicating that he recognizes he may not be coming across credibly in what he is saying.
I feel that incredibly
Kanye is indicating that he has strong feelings towards this other person.
I mean let's set it baby
Kanye is trying to take the conversation to the next level and get the other person to consider his idea more seriously.
Ah, just let it be
Kanye is indicating that he is willing to drop the topic if the other person does not want to engage in what he is proposing.
I mean you huntin' me
Kanye is describing the addictive and obsessive nature of their relationship and how it goes both ways.
I mean you her and me
Kanye is proposing a hypothetical situation where all three of them engage in addictive behavior together.
Maybe, baby, baby?
Kanye is still trying to gauge the other person's interest level in his idea and is unsure if they would be on board.
Baby? Baby?
Kanye is trying to get the other person's attention and see if they are willing to explore his idea further.
You know I was just kidding
Kanye is trying to backtrack and make it seem like he was not being serious about his idea.
Unless you gon' do it
Kanye is indicating that he is open to exploring his idea further if the other person is willing to try it too.
(You make me smile)
Despite the sensitive topic and hypothetical situation Kanye is proposing, this person still brings a smile to his face and makes him happy.
Lyrics © TuneCore Inc., BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers, Kanye West, Kanye Omari West
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Artix
Why everything that's supposed to bad make me feel so good?
Everything they told me not to is exactly what I would
Man I tried to stop man I tried the best I could
But (You make me smile)
What's your addiction? Is it money? Is it girls? Is it weed?
I've been afflicted by not one, not two, but all three
She's got the same thing, about me, but more, about us
She's coming over, so I guess, that means, I'm her drugs
Just let me peek now, I mean damn, I'm so curious
She's got a lover, so the lies, and the lust, is a rush
Time's of the essence, I need, you to be, spontaneous
Roll up the doja, Henny and Coca-Cola, then I'm coming over
'Cause it's never over
Why everything that's supposed to bad make me feel so good?
Everything they told me not to is exactly what I would
Man I tried to stop man I tried the best I could
But (You make me smile)
I see the emotion in your eyes, that you, try not to show
We get the closest when you high, or you drunk, or you blow
So I pour the potion, so we could both get high, as we could go
Then I'll get the lotion, and do something to me, when your thighs is exposed
There's no turning back now, I mean I don't mean to impose
Not now but right now, I need you to undress, and then pose
I'm into that now, catch a vibe, when the doors, get closed
Roll up the doja, Henny and Coca-Cola, and I keep coming over
'Cause its never over
Why everything that's supposed to bad make me feel so good?
Everything they told me not to is exactly what I would
Man I tried to stop man I tried the best I could
But (You make me smile)
Why everything that's supposed to bad make me feel so good?
Everything they told me not to is exactly what I would
Man I tried to stop man I tried the best I could
But (You make me smile)
I just wanted to ask you
Just wanted to, um (baby)
Let me, how would I put this, um (baby, baby, baby)
Let's say all your friends (baby, baby, baby)
Remember the one? (baby, baby, baby)
You said if you ever she would be the one (baby, baby, baby)
Ok, ok, ok (you make me smile with my heart)
Well, I was thinking, hypothetically
I mean don't take this seriously
Don't take me, I mean just
Uh, not credibly
I feel that incredibly
I mean let's set it baby
Ah, just let it be
I mean you huntin' me(You make me smile with my heart)
I mean you her and me
Maybe, baby, baby?
Baby? Baby?
You know I was just kidding
Unless you gon' do it
Kieran S
Does anyone else think this is easily one of Ye's best songs? I absolutely adore it
A Ok
I say this about almost every ye song
Nezu -
No
ToasterTarts
It's on what I think is his best album too
Jenkem Butt-Hash
It is his best song
Reid Reynolds
It’s his best album for sure
Manny
Saying you want the old Kanye back is like telling Snoop Dogg to rap about violence and guns again, or Eminem about drugs, or Jay-Z about selling drugs. This part of Kanye's life ended with Graduation and now he's making music that he feels at the time he makes it. We would never have the car if we never improved upon the wheel
Dno 82
The problem is Kanye hasn't improved he's got worse and worse over the years
PWBTone2010
@spizzy. don't we all lol
spizzy.
@PWBTone2010 I miss the old kanye fr