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.
Big Brother
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Uh
My big brother was B.I.G.'s brother
Used to be Dame and Biggs' brother
Who was Hip-Hop brother, who was No I.D. friend
No I.D. my mentor, now let the story begin
Picture us in the mall, coppin' Iceberg then yell out, "Jigga"
Yeah, that's what we'll yell out, yell out
You know the name do I gotta spell out or tell 'bout
J-A-Y, and 'Ye so shy
That he won't even step to his idol to say hi
Standin' there like a mime and let the chance pass by
Back of my mind, "He could change your life
With all these beats I did, at least let him hear it
At least you can brag to ya friends back at the gig"
But he got me out my mama crib
Then he help me get my mama a crib
Big brother was B.I.G.'s brother
Used to be Dame and Biggs' brother
Who was Hip-Hop brother, who was No I.D. friend
No I.D. my mentor, now let the story begin, begin
Let the story begin (story begin)
If you feel the way I feel, why don't you wave your hands?
Fresh off the plane, I'm off to Baseline
Nothin' handed out, I'm 'bout to take mine
'Round the same time of that Blueprint 1
And these beats in my pocket was that blueprint for him
I'd play my little songs in that old back room
He'd bob his head and say, "Damn, oh, that's you?"
But by The Black Album, I was blackin' out
Party at S.O.B.'s and we had packed the crowd
Big brother got a show up in Madison Square
And I'm like, "Yeah, yeah, we gon' be there," but
Not only did I not get a chance to spit it
Carline told me I could buy two tickets
I guess big brother was thinkin' a little different
And kept little brother at bay, at a distance
But everything that I felt was more bogus
Only made me more focused, only wrote more potent
Only thing I wanna know is why I get looked over
I guess I'll understand when I get more older
Big brother saw me at the bottom of the totem
Now I'm on the top and everybody on the scrotum
My big brother was B.I.G.'s brother
Used to be Dame and Biggs' brother
Who was Hip-Hop brother, who was No I.D. friend
No I.D. my mentor, now let the story begin, begin
Let the story begin
If you feel the way I feel why don't you wave your hands?
Have you ever walked in the shadow of a giant?
Not only a client, the Presidito, hola, Hovito
The game gettin' foul so here's a free throw
I was always on the other side of the peephole
Then I dropped "Jesus Walks" now I'm on the steeple
And we know "New Jack City" got to keep my brother
But to be number one I'ma beat my brother
On that "Diamonds (Remix)" I swore I spazzed
Then my big brother came through and kicked my ass
Sibling rivalry, only I could see
It was the pride in me that was drivin' me
At the Grammys I said, "I inspired me"
But my big brother who I always tried to be
When I kicked a flow it was like pick-and-roll
'Cause even if he gave me the rock, it's give-and-go
I guess Beanie's style was more of a slam dunk
And my shit was more like a finger roll
But I had them singles though
And them hoes at the show gonna mingle, yo, heh, y'all know
I told Jay I did a song with Coldplay
Next thing I know he got a song with Coldplay
Back in my mind I'm like, "Damn, no way"
Translate, español, "No way, José"
Then I went and told Jay Brown
Shoulda known that was gon' come back around
Shoulda talked to you like a man, shoulda told you first
But I told somebody else and that's what made shit worse
My big brother was B.I.G.'s brother
So here's a few words from ya kid brother
If you admire somebody you should go on 'head tell 'em
People never get the flowers while they can still smell 'em
A idol in my eyes, god of the game
Heart of the City, Roc-a-Fella chain
Never be the same, never be another
Number one, Young Hov, also my big brother
My big brother was B.I.G.'s brother
Used to be Dame and Biggs' brother
Who was Hip-Hop brother, who was No I.D. friend
No I.D., my mentor, and that's where the story ends
Toomp killed this shit
In Big Brother, Kanye West pays homage to Jay-Z, the man he describes as his mentor, big brother and one of the greatest rappers of all time. The song tells the story of Kanye’s rise to fame, from being an up-and-coming rapper to achieving success on his own terms. He expresses his admiration for Jay-Z's talent, and his gratitude for the ways in which Jay-Z has supported him over the years. However, the song also reflects the tensions and rivalries that exist in the music industry, as Kanye struggles with his own desires to surpass his mentor.
The song opens with a reference to "stadium status" - both Jay-Z and Kanye were known for selling out stadiums around the world. Kanye then goes on to describe his relationship with Jay-Z: "My big brother was Big's brother/Used to be Dame and Big's brother/Who was hip hop brother/Who was No I.D friend/No I.D my mentor". He describes how he met Jay-Z, and how he was initially star-struck, standing there "like a mime" and unable to speak to his idol. Despite this, he managed to get Jay-Z to listen to some of his beats, and was eventually signed to Jay-Z's record label.
The rest of the song is essentially a love letter to Jay-Z, with Kanye expressing his admiration for everything that Jay-Z has achieved. He reflects on their relationship and the ways in which it has changed over time, including the moments of tension and rivalry that have emerged between them. Overall, the song is a powerful expression of gratitude and respect, and a reminder of the ways in which even the biggest stars in the music industry need the support of those around them.
Line by Line Meaning
Stadium status
Acknowledging the grandiose and successful nature of his work
My big brother was Big's brother
Referring to Jay-Z as his mentor and acknowledging his close relationship with B.I.G.
Used to be Dame and Big's brother
Reminisces about his relationships with Damon Dash and Notorious B.I.G.
Who was hip hop brother
Recognizes Jay-Z as an important figure in the hip hop community
Who was No I.D friend
Mentions the connection between Jay-Z and No I.D., who is also Kanye's mentor
No I.D my mentor
Acknowledges No I.D. as his own musical influence and mentor
Now let the story begin
Introducing the theme of the song as Kanye's journey in the music industry
Its the hard knock life tour
Referring to his experience touring with Jay-Z in the early 2000s
Sell out, picture us in the mall
Reflecting on the commercial success of the duo and the lifestyle that came with it
Copin iceberg and yell out Jigga
Shouting out Jay-Z and referencing their expensive taste in clothing
You know the name, do gotta spell out or tell bout
Observing the fame that comes with their status as hip hop icons
J a y an Ye so shy
Admitting their quiet and reserved personalities
Now he won't even step to his idol to say hi
Reflecting on a missed opportunity to meet an idol
Standing there like a mime and let the chance pass by
Feeling regretful for not speaking up when given the chance
Back of my mind he could change your life
Believing that meeting Jay-Z could have a huge impact on his career
With all these beats I did at least let him hear it
Describing his willingness to share his music with Jay-Z
At least you could brag to your friends back at the gig
Acknowledging the excitement that would come from Jay-Z acknowledging his music
But he got me out my mama crib
Recognizing Jay-Z's role in his success as an artist
Then he help me get my mama a crib
Thanking Jay-Z for the opportunities and financial stability he has provided
Begin
Reiterating the start of his journey and career
If you feel the way I feel why don't you wave your hands
Encouraging the audience to participate and feel the same emotions
Fresh off the plane I'm off to Baseline
Discussing a trip to Jay-Z's studio in New York City
Nothing handed out, I'm about to take mine
Describing his determination to succeed on his own merit
Around the same time of that Blueprint 1
Referencing the release of Jay-Z's album as a point in time
And these beats in my pocket was that blueprint for him
Describing his role in producing music for Jay-Z's album
He would bob his head and say, damn, oh, that's you
Recalling Jay-Z's reaction to Kanye's music
But by The Black Album I was blacking out
Reflecting on his own success and recognition
Party at S.O.B's and we had packed the crowd
Remembering a time when he performed to a full house
Big brother got his show up in Madison Square
Referring to Jay-Z's performance in the famous New York City venue
But not only did I not get a chance to spit it
Regretting not having the opportunity to perform for Jay-Z at a particular time
Carleen told me I could buy two tickets
Denoting a missed opportunity to attend Jay-Z's show in a helpful manner
And kept little brother at bay, at a distance
Feeling like he was held back from opportunities due to his 'little brother' status
But everything I felt was more bogus
Believing that his negative feelings were unfounded
Only made me more focused, only wrote more potent
Describing how he channeled his emotions into creating better music
Only thing I wanna know is why I get looked over
Questioning why he is not given opportunities despite his success
I guess ill understand when I get more older
Reflecting on the idea that understanding will come with time
Big brother saw me at the bottom of the totem
Acknowledging Jay-Z's initial mentorship when Kanye was still an unknown
Now I'm at the top and everybody on the scrotum
Comparing current success to past hardships and unpopularity
Have you ever walked in the shadow of a giant
Reflecting on the difficulty of trying to succeed alongside a very successful person
Not only a client, the presidito, Hola Hovito
Referring to Jay-Z as a prominent figure in the rap game, using Spanish as a reference to his Puerto Rican heritage
The game getting foul, so here's a free throw
Acknowledging the changing nature of the music industry and his chance to succeed
I was always on the other side of the peep hole
Feeling like he was an outsider in the industry for a long time
Then I dropped Jesus Walks now I'm on a steep hole
Recognizing the impact of his hit song and subsequent rise to fame
New jack city gotta keep my brother
Acknowledging the need to stick together within the rap community
But to be number 1, I'm a beat my brother
Having the desire to become the best, even if it means surpassing Jay-Z's success
On that Diamonds remix I swore I'd spaz
Talking about his eagerness to work on the remix of the song 'Diamonds'
Then my big brother came through and kicked my ass
Surprised and humbled by Jay-Z's rap verse on the song
Sibling rivalry, only I could see
Acknowledging the competitive nature of their relationship
It was the pride in me that was driving me
Realizing that his desire to succeed was motivated by his own pride
At the Grammys I said I inspired me
Referring to a past Grammy Awards ceremony and his acceptance speech
But my big brother who I always tried to be
Recognizing that Jay-Z has always been his role model
When I kick a flow it was like, pick and roll
Comparing his style of rapping to a basketball play
'Cause even if he gave me the rock, its give and go
Allowing himself to be led by Jay-Z despite his competitive spirit
I guess Beanie's style was more of a slam dunk
Referring to fellow Roc-A-Fella rapper Beanie Sigel's more aggressive style of rapping
And my shit was more like a finger roll
Describing his own style of rapping as more smooth and effortless
But I had them singles though
Proud of his commercial success despite any stylistic differences
And them hoes at the show gonna mingle yo
Bringing attention to the groupies and fame that come with success
I told Jay I did a song with Cold Play
Informing Jay-Z about his collaboration with the band Coldplay
Next thing I know he got a song with Cold Play
Feeling like Jay-Z upstaged him by also working with Coldplay
Should of known that was gonna come back around
Realizing that he should have seen the consequences of his actions
Should of told you like a man, should of told you first
Feeling regretful for not being honest about his collaboration with Coldplay to Jay-Z
But I told somebody else and that's what made shit worse
Regretting telling someone else about his collaboration and causing drama
So here's a few words from your kid brother
Addressing Jay-Z directly and affectionately as his 'big brother'
If you admire somebody you should go ahead and tell um
Encouraging people to express admiration for others while they can
People never get the flowers while they could still smell um
Appreciating the importance of acknowledging someone's contributions while they are still alive
A idol in my eyes, God of the game
Referring to Jay-Z as a role model and legend in the music industry
Heart of the city, Rockafella chain
Describing Jay-Z's impact on hip hop and his successful label, Roc-A-Fella Records
Never be the same, never be another
Acknowledging the uniqueness and importance of Jay-Z's influence
Number 1 young Hov also my big brother
Praising Jay-Z as not only a mentor, but also a brother and friend
And that's where the story ends
Closing the song and the story of Kanye's relationship with Jay-Z
Don't kill this shit
Endnote that his relationship with Jay-Z is important and should not be ruined
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Aldrin Davis, Kanye West
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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