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 Yours
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My plaques is better than yours
My tracks is better than yours
You can have one but I have to charge
We can start with the hits on my arm I already got the bomb
Now all I need is my first LP to go gold
Then I will have the qualm, I-I-I-I'm
Bought my mom a purse now she Louis Vuitton Mom
Still might throw on a little low arm they want me to stop go on go on
They don't want me to shop and me spending that hard
Oh my God is that a black card?
I turned around and replied why yes,
But I prefer the term African-American Express
La La La La La Off MTV
La La La La La When you gonna go out with Me
Brains, power and muscle like Dame, Puffy and Russell
Your boy back on his hustle, don't know you don't discuss you
Every rapper want to know when they can get to work
Every stylist want to know where they can get the shirts
Everybody ripping my style like the shit that hurts
But they don't give me my credit that's the shit that hurts
There's something I might say, There's something I might play
A beat I might make might make they life change
And save their whole deal, Their wrist is on chill
They house is on hill, You could be Lauren Hill
See y'all write songs to keep the lights on
I'ma go in Def Jam and turn the brights on
Man I'm just sayin
When I wanted to rap y'all thought I was just playin
Now you just prayin
You was a vic in high school now you a thug
Better step in the name of love
Before you giving pain a hug
Needing dope is like pain to drugs
Or aiming slugs til the game unplugged
Like a scoreboard with vice and warlords
Hot merchandise prices they want more for it
You was pink as ice single need to think it twice
Over the bitch and you came out like freaks in the night
Freed your mind at a cheaper price on the street trying to seek advice
I'm on point like I speak to dice
Took the underground at a steeper heights
May real niggaz see the light got fat girls eating right
Ha ha we in this bitch
It's Common and Kanye y'all niggaz know what time it is
Chi-Town motherfuckers DJ Ferris Heavy Hitters What Up?
Mike Love What Up? DJ Enuff
Foreal(Pharrell) That's my favorite producer by the way
That's why I had to rap on this 'cause
His tracks is Better Than Yours
My tracks is Better Than Yours
Just Blaze tracks is Better Than Yours
You can have one but we all gonna
Chargeaw
Plain Pat What Up? Big John What Up? John Mnop(Monopoly) What Up?
Don. see What Up? J.B. What Up? GLC What Up? Bang What Up? Yeah
Really Doe
What Up?
Arrowstar What Up? Yeah!
Oh did I mention the new head of my management Benny Madina
Yo G, Hop we taxin these niggaz right now Plain Pat What Up?
That's all
In Kanye West's song Better Than Yours, the rapper is boasting about his success and talent. He starts off by stating that his raps, plaques, and tracks are all superior to his competitors. He then goes on to describe his rise to fame, saying that he already has hits under his belt and only needs his first LP (album) to go gold to further solidify his success.
Kanye also refers to himself as the "Louis Vuitton Don," indicating his taste for luxury items. He speaks about his acquired wealth and ability to spend large sums of money, even declaring that he uses an African-American Express black card instead of a regular American Express card. Kanye notes that many people attempt to emulate his style without giving him proper credit, and that he has the power to change people's lives with his music.
Throughout the song, Kanye's lyrics are filled with metaphors and wordplay, showcasing his intricate rhyme schemes and clever word choices. In the end, Kanye lists off several people and their positions in the music industry, further emphasizing his status as a successful and respected artist.
Line by Line Meaning
My raps is better than yours
I am confident in the superiority of my rapping skills compared to anyone else's
My plaques is better than yours
I have achieved more commercial success in my music career than you have
My tracks is better than yours
The quality of the music I produce is better than that of anyone else
You can have one but I have to charge
If you want to use one of my tracks or collaborate with me, you'll have to pay me for my services
We can start with the hits on my arm I already got the bomb
I have achieved significant success in my music career, as evidenced by the tattoos on my arms
Now all I need is my first LP to go gold
I am striving for even more success, as measured by the sales of my first full-length album
Then I will have the qualm, I-I-I-I'm
When I achieve that level of success, I will have the confidence to take on anyone in the music industry
I'm Kan the Louis Vuitton Don
I have reached a level of wealth and success where I can afford luxury items from top brands like Louis Vuitton
Bought my mom a purse now she Louis Vuitton Mom
I am now able to provide material comfort to my family members, as evidenced by the fact that I bought my mom a designer purse
Still might throw on a little low arm they want me to stop go on go on
Despite my success, some people still criticize me and want me to stop making music
They don't want me to shop and me spending that hard
Some people are critical of my spending habits, as I tend to spend a lot on material items
Oh my God is that a black card?
My wealth is such that I am able to acquire a prestigious credit card
I turned around and replied why yes,
I confirm that I have a black card
But I prefer the term African-American Express
I am proud of my African American heritage even as I enjoy the trappings of wealth and success
Brains, power and muscle like Dame, Puffy and Russell
I admire successful music industry figures like Damon Dash, Sean Combs, and Russell Simmons for their entrepreneurial spirit and ability to build successful brands
Your boy back on his hustle, don't know you don't discuss you
I am focused on working hard to achieve continued success and don't have time for negative people or distractions
Every rapper want to know when they can get to work
Other rappers are eager to collaborate with me
Every stylist want to know where they can get the shirts
Even fashion industry professionals want to associate themselves with me and my brand
Everybody ripping my style like the shit that hurts
It frustrates me when other people copy my unique style and sound
But they don't give me my credit that's the shit that hurts
It's even more frustrating when other people don't acknowledge my contributions or give me proper credit
There's something I might say, There's something I might play
I am always looking for new ways to express myself creatively
A beat I might make might make they life change
I believe that my music has the power to inspire people and make a positive impact on their lives
And save their whole deal, Their wrist is on chill, They house is on hill, You could be Lauren Hill
My music has the power to change people's lives and improve their financial and social situations, like how Lauren Hill achieved success and financial stability through her music career
See y'all write songs to keep the lights on
Other musicians may make music simply to make a living and pay their bills
I'ma go in Def Jam and turn the brights on
I am confident that my music will be so successful that it will invigorate the entire record label Def Jam
Man I'm just sayin
This is just a statement of fact
When I wanted to rap y'all thought I was just playin
At one point in time, some people didn't believe in my talent or ability to succeed in music
Now you just prayin
Now that I've achieved success, some people pray for my downfall or are jealous of my accomplishments
You was a vic in high school now you a thug
Some people who were victims or passive in high school become aggressive or violent later in life
Better step in the name of love
They should focus on love and positivity rather than violence or aggression
Before you giving pain a hug
Choosing to live a life of violence or pain will only lead to more negative outcomes
Needing dope is like pain to drugs
Relying on drugs is like allowing yourself to be consumed by pain and negativity
Or aiming slugs til the game unplugged
Participating in violence or crime can lead to dire consequences and the end of your success or happiness
Like a scoreboard with vice and warlords
These negative actions are like keeping score in a game of destruction, adding up losses and negative consequences
Hot merchandise prices they want more for it
Some people are willing to exploit others to turn a profit or sell items at inflated prices
You was pink as ice single need to think it twice
Some people make hasty decisions and should consider their actions and their consequences more carefully
Over the bitch and you came out like freaks in the night
Some people let relationships or lust override their common sense and make them act recklessly
Freed your mind at a cheaper price on the street trying to seek advice
Some people look for cheap or easy solutions to their problems rather than seeking true wisdom or guidance
I'm on point like I speak to dice
I am extremely focused and calculated like someone gambling and rolling dice
Took the underground at a steeper heights
I have been able to elevate my music career even by taking underground or alternative routes to success
May real niggaz see the light got fat girls eating right
I hope that I can inspire and motivate people in a positive way, even beyond music, like helping overweight women live healthier lifestyles
Ha ha we in this bitch
I am confident and proud to be present in this moment
It's Common and Kanye y'all niggaz know what time it is
Both Common and I are talented and established musicians, so you know this is going to be a great collaboration
Chi-Town motherfuckers DJ Ferris Heavy Hitters What Up?
We are from Chicago and want to show love and respect to DJ Ferris and the other DJs who have supported us and helped us succeed
Mike Love What Up? DJ Enuff
Shout out to Mike Love and DJ Enuff, two other DJs we appreciate
Foreal(Pharrell) That's my favorite producer by the way
Pharrell is one of my favorite producers and I am excited to have the opportunity to work with one of his tracks
Just Blaze tracks is Better Than Yours
Just Blaze is another talented producer whose tracks I believe are superior to anyone else's
You can have one but we all gonna Chargeaw
We may be willing to let other people use our tracks, but they will still have to pay us for our services and talent
Plain Pat What Up? Big John What Up? John Mnop(Monopoly) What Up?
Shout out to some of the business people who have helped us achieve success
Don. see What Up? J.B. What Up? GLC What Up? Bang What Up? Yeah
More shout outs to our friends and colleagues in the music industry
Really Doe What Up? Arrowstar What Up? Yeah!
One last round of shout outs to show love and appreciation
Oh did I mention the new head of my management Benny Madina
I have recently hired someone new to manage my career
Yo G, Hop we taxin these niggaz right now Plain Pat What Up?
We are working very hard and making a lot of money right now thanks to our talents and business savvy
That's all
That's the end of the song
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MacBack123
this is straight ballin
@xiscaw
STR8 BALLIN!!!!!!
@ujan-pd6tz
50 sentz bettr and gangzta!!!!!11!!!!!!
@malcolmduncan7615
Don’t H8
@ochiai3
str8 ballin brooooooo !!!!!!!!! h who the heck is skate and king car dash??? lol :DDDD
@flameisw
Forgis on the jeep
@imyourpapi1445
Imagine if he randomly just puts this on one of his concerts lol
@d9zirable
the guy that screams and starts singing along loudly? yeah that's xxkanyewestfan
@TearingUser935
A real XXKANYEWESTFAN69 moment. Can’t wait for Kanye in Space
@a777elia
relatable