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.
Apologize
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So her chance of having a husband just minimize
That's why a lot of girls claim they ain't into guys
And mess with other girls part time to improvise
I knew she wouldn't vibe
No I seen her inner eyes
But I'm like any other guy trying to get in her thighs
She telling me about how black people should enterprise
That I rented yesterday and gotta have in by 5
With the gas fully filled up like I didn't drive
Told her I had a girl, nah fuck it I didn't lie
Told her this rap game is alright. I'm just getting by.
She had a lil weed and we get a lil high
And I'm looking in her eyes and I'm loving her vibe
Told me back in 95' she fell in love with the tribe
Boo back in 92' I was just like you
Please don't be confused by the ice and jewels
I'm like any other nigga buy ice to stay cool
Like any other nigga that claim they hate school
And think yeah Free's banging but she's no Rachel
We ball til we fall
Hit the mall
After we
Hit don't call
We fill your lives
With nothing but lies
And I would like to
Apologize
But you can't stand right here
And tell me everything is going to be alright
'Cause until the day a real man stands up
I'm going to have to improvise
Was it something I did wrong?
Yeah I know I'm wrong
She's at home alone and I'm always gone
Hate it when she mad but more when she passive
Now she on the internet looking for classes
Out of state though, man that hurt yo
But I got work though, and I'm at work yo
And she don't call a lot
And when she do she pouring out her heart
You never listen to me then the call drop hmmm
And I promised her everything
Told her when I get a deal I'll get her a wedding ring
But when I got my deal I was back in the ring
Fighting my urges, strip club splurges
Never had money so I feel like a virgin
And I'm trying to break the bank's cherry
Trying to see can I afford Canaries, with a Ferrari, and a dinner date with Halle Berry?
When from 50 g's to fifteen hundred in a week
Now I'm trying to call..one ring...two rings...seven rings...eight rings
Her mother picked up the phone
Like she in school and she don't stay here no more
I guess there's more good women than men percentage wise
So her chance of having a husband just minimize
I guess that's why she says she ain't into guys
And focus on school full-time to improvise
We ball til we fall
Hit the mall
After we
Hit don't call
We fill your lives
With nothing but lies
And I would like to
Apologize
No no, you can't stand right here
And tell me everything is gonna be alright
Cause until that real man stands up
I'm going to have to improvise
I'm going to have to improvise
I'm going to have to improvise
Kanye West's song "Apologize" is a deep exploration of the complexities of relationships, gender roles, and societal expectations. The lyrics speak about the challenges faced by men and women in their pursuit of happiness, and the various ways in which they are expected to conform to specific social norms. In the first verse, Kanye talks about the scarcity of good men, and how this affects women's chances of finding a suitable partner. He also highlights the fact that some women explore their sexuality with other women, indicating their frustration or dissatisfaction with their relationships with men. Kanye talks about his attempt to approach a woman, but she is not receptive and speaks more about Black people's business enterprise. The rapper then talks about his lifestyle and how he's like any other guy trying to hook up with a woman.
In the second verse, Kanye discusses the challenges he's facing in his relationship, stating he's aware he's wrong and always gone. The rapper talks about how his girlfriend is seeking classes out of state, that hurt him, but he's still at work. He expresses how she poured her heart out on the phone, but he didn't give her his complete attention; he was doing something else when she called. Kanye then talks about how hard he's working to make it in the music industry and how he promised her a wedding ring once he got his deal. But now he's making money, and he's struggling to balance his urge to splurge with his responsibility as her boyfriend. He then ends with the same sentiment as the first verse, about how it's hard for some women to find good men.
Line by Line Meaning
There must be more good women than men percentage wise
The chances of finding a husband for a woman are slim due to the unequal ratio of good women to men
So her chance of having a husband just minimize
The limited number of good men to choose from makes it difficult for women to find a husband
That's why a lot of girls claim they ain't into guys
Some women claim to be homosexual so they don't have to deal with the limited choices of good men
And mess with other girls part time to improvise
Some women experiment with other women to fulfill their needs while they wait for the right man
I knew she wouldn't vibe
Kanye West knew that he and the woman he was talking to weren't compatible
No I seen her inner eyes
He saw beyond her physical appearance and realized their personalities didn't match
But I'm like any other guy trying to get in her thighs
Despite knowing that they weren't a good match, Kanye still wanted to have sex with her
She telling me about how black people should enterprise
The woman was discussing the importance of black entrepreneurship
And I'm like, if you don't get your ass in this ride from enterprise
Kanye was making a crude joke by connecting what the woman said to a commercial car rental agency
That I rented yesterday and gotta have in by 5
Kanye had rented a car that he needed to return soon
Told her I had a girl, nah fuck it I didn't lie
Kanye lied to the woman about having a girlfriend
Told her this rap game is alright. I'm just getting by.
Kanye told the woman that he was only making it in the rap industry by being mediocre
She had a lil weed and we get a lil high
Kanye and the woman smoked marijuana together
And I'm looking in her eyes and I'm loving her vibe
Despite their differences, Kanye was still attracted to the woman's energy
Told me back in 95' she fell in love with the tribe
The woman told Kanye that she fell in love with a rap group called A Tribe Called Quest in 1995
Boo back in 92' I was just like you
Kanye related to the woman's love for A Tribe Called Quest because he was also a fan in 1992
Please don't be confused by the ice and jewels
Kanye warned the woman not to be deceived by his wealth and material possessions
I'm like any other nigga buy ice to stay cool
Despite his warning, Kanye admitted that he still buys expensive jewelry to stay cool
Like any other nigga that claim they hate school
Kanye also admitted that he was like other men who claim to hate school
And think yeah Free's banging but she's no Rachel
Kanye expressed his preference for Rachel over Free, two women on a television show called 106 & Park
We ball til we fall
Kanye and his friends spend money recklessly
Hit the mall
They go shopping often
After we
After they spend money and go shopping
Hit don't call
They do not answer phone calls from people who ask for money
We fill your lives
Kanye and his friends fill their lives with material possessions
With nothing but lies
They live a false lifestyle that is not sustainable
And I would like to
Kanye apologizes for his actions
Apologize
He wants to make amends for the harm he has caused
But you can't stand right here
Despite his apology, Kanye believes that the problems facing him and the woman he hurt cannot be solved instantly
And tell me everything is going to be alright
He does not want to make empty promises and mislead the woman he hurt
'Cause until the day a real man stands up
Kanye believes that solving his problems require more than just an apology
I'm going to have to improvise
He thinks that he needs to find a new way to deal with his personal issues
Was it something I did wrong?
Kanye realizes that he has hurt someone he cares about
Yeah I know I'm wrong
He admits that he is at fault
She's at home alone and I'm always gone
Kanye's girlfriend is alone at home while he is constantly away working on his rap career
Hate it when she mad but more when she passive
Kanye dislikes when his girlfriend is angry, but he hates it more when she suppresses her emotions
Now she on the internet looking for classes
Kanye's girlfriend is trying to improve herself by looking for classes online
Out of state though, man that hurt yo
The fact that his girlfriend has to travel out of state to take classes pains Kanye
But I got work though, and I'm at work yo
Despite his girlfriend's needs, Kanye is busy at work
And she don't call a lot
Kanye's girlfriend doesn't call him often
And when she do she pouring out her heart
When she does call, she talks to Kanye about her feelings
You never listen to me then the call drop hmmm
Kanye sometimes loses phone calls with his girlfriend, which frustrates her
And I promised her everything
Kanye made promises to his girlfriend that he was unable to keep
Told her when I get a deal I'll get her a wedding ring
Kanye promised to marry his girlfriend when he made it big in rap
But when I got my deal I was back in the ring
After Kanye got his record deal, he went back into an unhealthy cycle of drug abuse and partying
Fighting my urges, strip club splurges
Kanye struggled with temptation, often spending money at strip clubs
Never had money so I feel like a virgin
Kanye was not used to having so much money that he didn't know how to spend it wisely, making him feel inexperienced
And I'm trying to break the bank's cherry
Kanye was trying to spend all his money and go broke
Trying to see can I afford Canaries, with a Ferrari, and a dinner date with Halle Berry?
Kanye was spending recklessly on expensive jewelry, luxury cars, and even fantasizing about taking famous women out on dates
When from 50 g's to fifteen hundred in a week
Despite the success of his rap career, Kanye's financial situation still fluctuated drastically
Now I'm trying to call..one ring...two rings...seven rings...eight rings
Kanye realizes that he has neglected his girlfriend's needs and is now trying to reach out to her
Her mother picked up the phone
Kanye was unable to reach his girlfriend, so her mother answered the phone instead
Like she in school and she don't stay here no more
Kanye's girlfriend moved away for school and is no longer living at her old address
I guess there's more good women than men percentage wise
Kanye realizes that the shortage of good men makes it difficult for women like his girlfriend to have fulfilling relationships
So her chance of having a husband just minimize
The limited options of good men make it less likely for Kanye's girlfriend to find a husband
I guess that's why she says she ain't into guys
Kanye's girlfriend told him that she isn't interested in men, possibly as a coping mechanism for her loneliness
And focus on school full-time to improvise
To cope with her loneliness and lack of options, Kanye's girlfriend is focusing on her education and improving herself
I'm going to have to improvise
Kanye is still struggling with his problems and hasn't yet found a way to solve them
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@matthewcapuno3461
Lyrics:
There must be more good women than men percentage wise
So her chance of having a husband just minimize
That's why a lot of girls claim they ain't into guys
And mess with other girls part time to improvise
I knew she wouldn't vibe
No I seen her inner eyes
But I'm like any other guy trying to get in her thighs
She telling me about how black people should enterprise
And I'm like, if you don't get your ass in this ride from enterprise
That I rented yesterday and gotta have in by 5
With the gas fully filled up like I didn't drive
Told her I had a girl, nah fuck it I didn't lie
Told her this rap game is alright. I'm just getting by.
She had a lil weed and we get a lil high
And I'm looking in her eyes and I'm loving her vibe
Told me back in 95' she fell in love with the tribe
Boo back in 92' I was just like you
Please don't be confused by the ice and jewels
I'm like any other nigga buy ice to stay cool
Like any other nigga that claim they hate school
And think yeah Free's banging but she's no Rachel
We ball til we fall
Hit the mall
After we
Hit don't call
We fill your lives
With nothing but lies
And I would like to
Apologize
But you can't stand right here
And tell me everything is going to be alright
'Cause until the day a real man stands up
I'm going to have to improvise
Was it something I did wrong?
Yeah I know I'm wrong
She's at home alone and I'm always gone
Hate it when she mad but more when she passive
Now she on the internet looking for classes
Out of state though, man that hurt yo
But I got work though, and I'm at work yo
And she don't call a lot
And when she do she pouring out her heart
You never listen to me then the call drop hmmm
And I promised her everything
Told her when I get a deal I'll get her a wedding ring
But when I got my deal I was back in the ring
Fighting my urges, strip club splurges
Never had money so I feel like a virgin
And I'm trying to break the bank's cherry
Trying to see can I afford Canaries, with a Ferrari, and a dinner date with Halle Berry?
When from 50 g's to fifteen hundred in a week
Now I'm trying to call..one ring...two rings...seven rings...eight rings
Her mother picked up the phone
Like she in school and she don't stay here no more
I guess there's more good women than men percentage wise
So her chance of having a husband just minimize
I guess that's why she says she ain't into guys
And focus on school full-time to improvise
We ball til we fall
Hit the mall
After we
Hit don't call
We fill your lives
With nothing but lies
And I would like to
Apologize
No no, you can't stand right here
And tell me everything is gonna be alright
Cause until that real man stands up
I'm going to have to improvise
I'm going to have to improvise
I'm going to have to improvise
@dannyrodriguez2365
The beat was so good that Tyler, Rocky and J.Cole had to hop on it
@user-sc7ik7fp9g
J cole??
@dannyrodriguez2365
@@user-sc7ik7fp9g https://youtu.be/Fd67yYltqfY
@slimeballslatty
cole? wat track?
@bigwilly1964
@@slimeballslatty Knock Knock off of the warmup. It's a really good mixtape imo if u haven't heard it.
@slimeballslatty
@@bigwilly1964 shiii say less 👀 props hamie
@soonerfan0161
This is such a hidden gem
@papastoppa657
YEAH It is!!!👍👍
@LuckyLefty92
The Good, The Bad, The Ugly too
@wendall406
Knew about Kanye in ‘02, took me 19 years to discover this BANGER!