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.
Better Than I've Ever Been
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everyone's a killer, wow we bugging out
Since 86 showing the crowd what I'm about
And they still want to know when the album coming out
Ask the teenagers, OG's and Ask the kids
What they definition of Classic is
Timeless, cause age don't count in the booth
And your flow stays submerged in the fountain of youth
Everybody co-signing even non-believers
I came in the door, became one of y'alls leaders
In the fresh pair of Air Force One sneakers
Uptown we call 'em uppies when they on divas
Probably worn when KRS One teaches
Nas, made you look, before the haters
I bet you Kan had 'em on when he walked with Jesus
This is classic
Classic, better than I've ever been
Talent,
If it's classic it's gonna last forever than
I'm everywhere you never been and better than I ever been
Classic
Better than I've ever been
Can't buy this, super flyness, like a shyness, your highness
It's performing, look how long the line is
That's what happens when you make shit that's timeless
That's what happens these rappers is the pioneers
What do it take to be a legend like Nas is?
That's so novice, I'm so polished, I got a right to be a little bit snobbish
I did a little bit of college, semesters it took 2 like Rob Base
To let me figure out this wasn't my place, the beat slowed til you listened to my pace
Cause I be killing shit, but that's evident, and y'all feeling it, but I expected it
If it's classic it's gonna last forever than
I'm everywhere you never been and better than I ever been
Perseverance, see the fake hustler rapper to them it hurts to hear this
Oh you went platinum, yeah that's nice, now let me see you do the same thing twice
New times, 4 times, then been a couple of more times, please your amateur night is show time
It's one life to live so live it the best you can, the world could use one less man
Not enough air, not enough car factories to manufacture new vehicles sedans and vans
When they do make the whip you like ya chips ain't right,
By the time you could afford it the car ain't important
In the streets silent, it's just I and, cops keep firing in my environment
Leaving your slum when they drive home far from the hood brothers they eager to jump on
I like to be the wall that they post up on, I like to see them fall, guilty for doing wrong
I'm classic like the Air Ones, the Hustler shoe, that's what I'm accustomed to
How many y'all got criminal minded you you you y'all don't be blinded
Me I got no jewels on my neck, why, I don't need 'em I got your respect
KRS 1 20 years I rock I do it for JMJ and Scott LaRock, this hip hop
And we's a nation, don?t you want to hear more KRS on your radio station?
Instead of broadcasting how we smoking trees, on the radio we need to hear more local MC's
Where you at? Come on where you at? This is the difference between MC'ing and rap
Rappers spit rhymes that are mostly illegal, MC's spit rhymes to uplift they people
Peace, love, unity, and having fun, these are the lyrics of KRS One
The lyrics to the song Better Than I've Ever Been by Kanye West, Nas, and KRS-One are a reflection on the timeless nature of classic hip hop music. The artists discuss how age doesn't matter in the booth and how true talent lasts forever. They talk about how they are leaders in the hip hop community, and how they have persevered in the face of adversity. The lyrics also touch on issues within the hip hop community, such as the glorification of criminal behavior and the need for more local MCs to have a platform.
The song is notable for its collaboration between three of the most respected hip hop artists of all time: Kanye West, Nas, and KRS-One. Each artist brings their unique voice and perspective to the track, resulting in a powerful and thought-provoking record. The song was created to commemorate Nike's 25th anniversary of the Air Force One sneaker, hence the mention of the sneaker in the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Is y'all ready for Twenty-0-7, it's now another drought
Are you prepared for 2007, another period of musical scarcity?
Everyone's a killer, wow we bugging out
Everyone is trying too hard to be successful and it's causing chaos
Since 86 showing the crowd what I'm about
Since 1986, I have been demonstrating my musical abilities to the audience
And they still want to know when the album coming out
People are still curious about when my album release date is
Ask the teenagers, OG's and Ask the kids
Inquire the adolescents, old schoolers, and youth
What they definition of Classic is
What do they consider as a classic product?
Timeless, cause age don't count in the booth
Timeless as the artist's age does not have an impact on their capabilities
And your flow stays submerged in the fountain of youth
Your rap style remains fresh and exciting
And no doubt the truth I'm off the meters
Without a doubt, the reality is that my skills are exceptional
Everybody co-signing even non-believers
Everyone is expressing their admiration for me, even those who doubted me
I came in the door, became one of y'alls leaders
I entered the music industry and became a leader among my peers
In the fresh pair of Air Force One sneakers
Wearing new Air Force One sneakers
Uptown we call 'em uppies when they on divas
Referring to sneakers as uppies when wearing them with divas, meaning 'cool'
Probably worn when KRS One teaches
KRS One may wear them during his teachings
Nas, made you look, before the haters
Referencing Nas' song 'made you look' and addressing the critics
I bet you Kan had 'em on when he walked with Jesus
An imaginative remark suggesting Kanye West has always been cool
Classic, better than I've ever been
The product is classic and improved
Talent,
My talent
If it's classic it's gonna last forever than
If the product is classic, it will last forever
I'm everywhere you never been and better than I ever been
I have more experience than you can imagine and am better than ever before
Can't buy this, super flyness, like a shyness, your highness
The cool and unique aspects that make me extraordinary cannot be purchased
It's performing, look how long the line is
My performance is well-received; the line to buy my tickets is long
That's what happens when you make shit that's timeless
When you create a classic product, it has a lasting impact
That's what happens these rappers is the pioneers
These rappers are the originators
What do it take to be a legend like Nas is?
What qualities and actions make someone a legend like Nas?
That's so novice, I'm so polished, I got a right to be a little bit snobbish
Those rookie mistakes are basic errors; I have perfected my craft and have some level of arrogance
I did a little bit of college, semesters it took 2 like Rob Base
I attended college for a short period of time, for two semesters, as Rob Base did
To let me figure out this wasn't my place, the beat slowed til you listened to my pace
This journey led me to realize that college wasn't meant for me, and my flow is smooth and slow-paced
Cause I be killing shit, but that's evident, and y'all feeling it, but I expected it
I'm performing exceptionally, and it's clear to see. The people recognize it, but it's not a surprise
Perseverance, see the fake hustler rapper to them it hurts to hear this
Endurance through noise, the emcees who pretend to be hustlers cannot handle hearing the truth
Oh you went platinum, yeah that's nice, now let me see you do the same thing twice
Going platinum once is great, but can they replicate that success?
New times, 4 times, then been a couple of more times, please your amateur night is show time
New and 4 times, and a few more times after that; it's your turn as an amateur artist to perform
It's one life to live so live it the best you can, the world could use one less man
You only have one life, so strive to make it the best you can. The world would benefit from fewer men
Not enough air, not enough car factories to manufacture new vehicles sedans and vans
There is a shortage of air and vehicle manufacturing factories
When they do make the whip you like ya chips ain't right,
When the desired vehicle model is made, your financial situation may not be adequate
By the time you could afford it the car ain't important
By the time you can afford the vehicle, purchasing it isn't relevant anymore
In the streets silent, it's just I and, cops keep firing in my environment
In the street, there is silence- just me and the sound of police shooting in my vicinity
Leaving your slum when they drive home far from the hood brothers they eager to jump on
They leave the lower-class neighborhood and are ready to criticize their own when they arrive home
I like to be the wall that they post up on, I like to see them fall, guilty for doing wrong
I prefer to be the obstacle that they face, watching them fail and be guilty for their wrongdoing
I'm classic like the Air Ones, the Hustler shoe, that's what I'm accustomed to
I'm timeless like the Air Ones, the shoe for hustlers- that's what I'm used to
How many y'all got criminal minded you you you y'all don't be blinded
How many of you have criminal thoughts? Do not be misled
Me I got no jewels on my neck, why, I don't need 'em I got your respect
I don't have any jewelry around my neck, but that's irrelevant; I have people's admiration instead
KRS 1 20 years I rock I do it for JMJ and Scott LaRock, this hip hop
For 20 years, I have been making music in honor of JMJ and Scott LaRock, representing the hip hop culture
And we's a nation, don?t you want to hear more KRS on your radio station?
We are a country. Don't you desire to hear more of KRS on your radio?
Instead of broadcasting how we smoking trees, on the radio we need to hear more local MC's
Instead of discussing drug usage, the radio should promote more local emcees
Where you at? Come on where you at?
Where are you located?
This is the difference between MC'ing and rap
This is the contrasting factor between being an MC and rapping
Rappers spit rhymes that are mostly illegal, MC's spit rhymes to uplift they people
Rappers primarily use illegal rhymes, while MCs use them to empower individuals
Peace, love, unity, and having fun, these are the lyrics of KRS One
Peace, love, unity, and enjoyment are the words KRS One lives by
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BIDDU, CARL DOUGLAS, KANYE OMARI WEST, LAWRENCE KRSONE PARKER, NASIR JONES, WILLIAM GRIFFIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mistergee6729
Of course - we have Blastmaster KRS-One !!!
How many of y'all got Criminal Minded?
You! You! You! Y'all don't be blinded
Me, I got no jewels on my neck
Why?I don't need'em,l got your respect !!! (this verse is a nugget❤)
KRS-One, twenty-years I rock
I do it for JMJ and Scott La Rock
This hip-hop, and we's a nation
Don't you wanna hear more KRS-One on your
radio station?
Instead of broadcastin' how we smoke them
trees
On the radio we need to hear more local
emcees
Where you at? C'mon, where you at?
This is the difference between emceein' and
rap
Rappers spit rhymes that are mostly illegal
Emcees spit rhymes to uplift their people
Peace, Love, Unity, havin' fun
These are the lyrics of KRS-One!
@panamecitypanamecity5855
true hip-hop ain't dead.
This song represents what good rap should be: rythm and poetry.
Talent without cursing, classic beat, and artists spitting rhymes with meaning.
What a timeless classic!!
@crosbytimmons5955
"Hip-Hp is a lifestyle. Not a music" KRS-ONE The best ever.
@biglcorleone7289
Him nas kane and rakim my mount rushmore
@theronthomson8981
Knowledge reigns supreme over nearly everybody
@michaelryan4650
Rakim is a beast
@christophermiller7532
GOAT
@michaelryan4650
@Christopher Miller Facts.
@owenwu-pac5418
Nas and KRS are beasts too.
@joseacevedo1177
A moment of silent for all the skaters who don't know this track
@Zngperformance
Thrasher classics 🔥🔥🔥