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 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
Its the hard knock life tour
Sell out, picture us in the mall
Copin iceberg and yell out Jigga
Yea that's what we would yell out, yell out
You know the name, do gotta spell out or tell bout
J a y an Ye so shy
Now he won't even step to his idol to say hi
Standing 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 could brag to your 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 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, now let the story begin
Let the 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
Nothing handed out, I'm about to take mine
Around the same time of that Blueprint 1
And these beats in my pocket was that blueprint for him
I'd play my little song in that old back room
He would bob his head and say, damn, oh, that's you
But by The Black Album I was blacking out
Party at S.O.B's and we had packed the crowd
Big brother got his show up in Madison Square
And I'm like yea, yea we gonna be there
But not only did I not get a chance to spit it
Carleen told me I could buy two tickets
I guess big brother was thinking a little different
And kept little brother at bay, at a distance
But everything 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 ill understand when I get more older
Big brother saw me at the bottom of the totem
Now I'm at the top and everybody on the scrotum
My big Brother was Big's brother
Used to be Dame and Big's brother
Who was hip hops brother
Who was No I.D's 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 getting foul, so here's a free throw
I was always on the other side of the peep hole
Then I dropped Jesus Walks now I'm on a steep hole
And we know
New jack city gotta keep my brother
But to be number 1, I'm a beat my brother
On that Diamonds remix I swore I'd spaz
Then my big brother came through and kicked my ass
Sibling rivalry, only I could see
It was the pride in me that was driving me
At the Grammys I said I inspired me
But my big brother who I always tried to be
When I kick a flow it was like, pick and roll
'Cause even if he gave me the rock, its give and go
I guess Beanies 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
Y'all know
I told Jay I did a song with Cold Play
Next thing I know he got a song with Cold Play
Back in my mind I'm like damn, no way
Translate español
No way Jose
Then I went and told J Brown
Should of known that was gonna come back around
Should of told you like a man, should of told you first
But I told somebody else and that's what made shit worse
My big brother was Big's brother
So here's a few words from your kid brother
If you admire somebody you should go ahead and tell um
People never get the flowers while they could still smell um
A idol in my eyes, God of the game
Heart of the city, Rockafella chain
Never be the same, never be another
Number 1 young Hov also my big brother
My big Brother was Bigs brother
Used to be Dame and Bigs Brother
Who was hip hops brother
Who was No I.D's friend
No I.D my mentor, and that's where the story ends
Don't kill this shit
The song "Big Brother" by Kanye West is an introspective reflection on his relationship with Jay-Z, who he refers to as his "big brother." The song starts with a reference to stadium status, which sets a stage for the prominence and weight of the subject matter. West reflects on how he started as Biggie Smalls' brother, then became Dame and Big's brother in the era of Roc-A-Fella Records. He then talks about how No I.D., his mentor, played a significant role in his career development. West claims that he and Jay-Z used to shout each other's names out while shopping, and he was inspired by him to become a better rapper.
West then talks about the first time he ever met Jay-Z. He says that he was too shy to introduce himself, and regretted not seizing the opportunity. This missed chance of meeting him in person prompted him to reach out and offer to play music for him. Jay-Z eventually listened to West's beats and helped him get his footing in the music industry.
As the song continues, West talks about how he always felt he was in Jay-Z's shadow, a "little brother," always trying to prove himself as a worthy peer. However, as time went on, he began to gain success and fame, ultimately achieving the same level of success as Jay-Z himself. West speaks on this growing rift between the two of them, and how it feels to be on the other side of the peephole, looking in at someone you admire rather than being admired yourself.
The final verse sees West praising Jay-Z and expressing his admiration for him, reflecting on how the two of them have impacted each other's careers. The song as a whole is a poignant reflection on the evolution of any complex and dynamic relationship, and West's emotional investment makes it a powerful anthem for anyone trying to make a name for themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Stadium status, uh
Kanye is at the top of his game and performing at stadium venues.
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, now let the story begin
Kanye West had several inspirations and mentors who helped him along the way, including his brother who was affiliated with other key players in the hip-hop scene. No I.D. became his friend and mentor, helping him shape his career.
Its the hard knock life tour, sell out, picture us in the mall, copin iceberg and yell out Jigga, yea that's what we would yell out, yell out.
Kanye reminisces about his early days on tour, performing to sold-out crowds and buying clothes at the mall while showing respect to Jay-Z, aka Jigga.
You know the name, do gotta spell out or tell bout, J a y an Ye so shy, now he won't even step to his idol to say hi, standing there like a mime and let the chance pass by, back of my mind he could change your life
Despite his success, Kanye still feels starstruck and shy around Jay-Z and wishes for the opportunity to get closer to his idol.
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, now let the story begin, let the story begin, if you feel the way I feel why don't you wave your hands
Kanye reflects on the many people who influenced his career, from family to industry insiders, and invites his fans to join in the celebration.
Fresh off the plane I'm off to Baseline, nothing handed out, I'm about to take mine, around the same time of that Blueprint 1, and these beats in my pocket was that blueprint for him
Kanye is determined to make a name for himself and brings his raw talent to Jay-Z's studio, hoping to impress him with his beats and lyrics.
But everything 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 ill understand when I get more older, Big brother saw me at the bottom of the totem, now I'm at the top and everybody on the scrotum
Kanye struggles to come to terms with why he was overlooked in the past, but uses that as motivation to become even more focused and produce more potent music. Now that he's at the top, everyone wants a piece of him.
Have you ever walked in the shadow of a giant, not only a client, the presidito, Hola Hovito, the game getting foul, so here's a free throw, I was always on the other side of the peep hole, then I dropped Jesus Walks now I'm on a steep hole
Kanye feels intimidated by Jay-Z and his success, but drops his hit track, Jesus Walks, putting him on a steep path to the top.
Sibling rivalry, only I could see, it was the pride in me that was driving me, at the Grammys I said I inspired me, but my big brother who I always tried to be, when I kick a flow it was like, pick and roll
Kanye acknowledges his competitive relationship with Jay-Z, noting that it's his own sense of pride that keeps pushing him forward. He also recognizes that he's always looked up to his big brother and his flow and delivery in hip-hop.
But I had them singles though, and them hoes at the show gonna mingle yo, y'all know, I told Jay I did a song with Cold Play, next thing I know he got a song with Cold Play, back in my mind I'm like damn, no way, translate español, no way Jose, then I went and told J Brown, should of known that was gonna come back around, should of told you like a man, should of told you first, but I told somebody else and that's what made shit worse
Kanye tries to assert his own success and popularity, noting that he has had successful singles, and that girls at his concerts flock to him. He also admits to acting childishly when he learned that Jay-Z had collaborated with Coldplay, feeling like his opportunity was taken away. He realizes that he should have communicated better about the situation instead of gossiping.
My big brother was Big's brother, so here's a few words from your kid brother, if you admire somebody you should go ahead and tell um, people never get the flowers while they could still smell um
Kanye speaks directly to Jay-Z, calling him his big brother and offering words of admiration and respect. He reminds his audience to show appreciation for those they admire while they can still appreciate it.
A idol in my eyes, God of the game, heart of the city, Rockafella chain, never be the same, never be another, number 1 young Hov also my big brother
Kanye continues to praise Jay-Z and regards him as a true idol of the game, noting his influence and impact on hip-hop culture. He also emphasizes that Jay-Z remains his big brother and mentor.
My big Brother was Bigs brother, used to be Dame and Bigs Brother, who was hip hops brother, who was No I.D's friend, No I.D my mentor, and that's where the story ends
Kanye concludes the song by reflecting on the many mentors and inspirations that have helped shape his career. He acknowledges that No I.D. played a particularly important role in his success, and sings that this is where the story ends.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: JEREMY PETER NOLAN DAVIS, MERVYN GOLDSWORTHY, PETER STEWART JUPP, JAMES MITCHELL KIRKPATRICK, STEPHEN MARK OVERLAND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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