Ye (born Kanye Omari West on June 8, 1977, in Atlanta, Georgia), profession… Read Full Bio ↴Ye (born Kanye Omari West on June 8, 1977, in Atlanta, Georgia), professionally known as Kanye West, is a Grammy award-winning American rapper, producer, singer, author, director, performance artist and fashion designer.

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.

Blazin
Kanye West Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hey, hey, yeah
Oh, oh (hey, hey, hey, hey)
Oh (ooh)

I fly, I fly high, I'm blazin'
I'm blazin', feels like I'm blazin'
I fly, I fly high, I'm blazin'
I'm blazin', feels like I'm blazin', feels like I'm-

How could it be, little me
Had the power to be the best B in the league
Yeah, inevitably, but could it be little me?
You was heckling me, now it's monotony winning regularly, yo
I catch rec on recreation, so I exceed all your expectations
Bitches ain't got it in 'em, I kill 'em and then I skin 'em
The contract was signed, but I am the addendum
So-so where my dawgs at, Randy
Ma-ma-matter fact, get off my dick, bitch, Andy
'Ca-'ca-'ca-'ca-'ca-'cause everything is fine and dandy
Go against me now, I dare you, Bambi
Half a million dollars just to upgrade the car show
I ain't even detonate the bombs in the arsenal
Before the storm comes the calm
Hope you can take the heat like LeBron
Ah, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah
I'm the best now
Anybody with some money should invest now
Soccer moms need to organize a pep rall'
Your game over, bitch, Gatorade, wet towel
Mothafuckers ain't ready, they never been
As long as I am in the game, you'll never win
I'm on that different type of high, heroin
Put on my cape and hit the sky, heroine

I fly, I fly high, I'm blazin'
I'm blazin', feels like I'm blazin'
I fly, I fly high, I'm blazin'
I'm blazin', feels like I'm blazin' (feels like I'm blazin')
I fly, I fly high, I'm blazin'
I'm blazin', feels like I'm blazin'
I fly, I fly high, I'm blazin' (uh)
I'm blazin', feels like I'm blazin' (yeah, uh)

This is the moment, grab your Kodak while I'm flyin'
With a flow that is the greatest throwback since that Nolan Ryan
And the days been crazy and the nights even wilder
And the lights even brighter, baby, stand next to my fire
Only higher is Messiah or notes from Mariah
'Rari six hundred horses, that's my chariot of fire
Where we flyin', they can't find us, all them broke days behind us
I just took your whole life and redesigned it, uh
I think I'm Marc Jacobs, I think I'm Lagerfeld
I think without makeup, you still bad as hell
I'ma grab your waist, then I'ma grab your face and
Then I'ma taste it, then I'ma blaze it
Hello all my bad girls, this just in
Yeezy hurt the beat like he fucked her best friend
And she let him back in, and he just did it again
He crazy, he blazin', he off the deep end
I'm blazin', I'm flagrant, I'm crazy, I'm sayin'
Too much for the world so they abbreviate him
His past is her fave, his stats is amaze
Her dress is just perf, uh, Prada colored beige
It's obvi we the ish and I'm rollin' with my Brits
So real, you so trill, baby, everything legit
How you feel? They say we crazed 'cause our styles so diff'
They'll be jeal' when we in the mag lookin' magnif'
As if I ain't used Magnums on your favorite bad bitch
Fuck these background niggas, I was tryna ad-lib
Add this, we blazin', Nicki, what you think?
I got two White Russians, but we also need some drinks

I fly, I fly high, I'm blazin'
I'm blazin', feels like I'm blazin'
I fly, I fly high, I'm blazin'
I'm blazin', feels like I'm blazin' (feels like I'm blazin')
I fly, I fly high, I'm blazin'
I'm blazin', feels like I'm blazin'
I fly, I fly high, I'm blazin'
I'm blazin', feels like I'm blazin'

It feels like I'm blazin', blazin', blazin', blazin'
It feels like I'm blazin', blazin', blazin', blazin'
It feels like I'm blazin', blazin', blazin', blazin'
It feels like I'm blazin', blazin', blazin', blazin'
It feels like I'm blazin', blazin', blazin'
It feels like I'm blazin', blazin', blazin'
It feels like I'm blazin', blazin', blazin'
It feels like I'm blazin', blazin', blazin'

I fly, I fly high, I'm blazin'
I'm blazin', feels like I'm blazin'
I fly, I fly high, I'm blazin'
I'm blazin', feels like I'm blazin' (feels like I'm blazin')
I fly, I fly high, I'm blazin'
I'm blazin', feels like I'm blazin'

I fly, I fly high, I'm blazin'
I'm blazin', feels like I'm blazin'

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of the song "Blazin'" is a depiction of Kanye's ego, a trait that he is often criticized for. He paints himself as a superhero who is flying high and blazing through life. This could be seen as an expression of his confidence in his abilities, arguably a trait that has contributed to his success. The repeated phrase "I'm blazin'" reinforces the imagery of Kanye leaving behind everything and soaring to new heights.

The verse that follows is a reference to Kanye's rise to fame, despite being disregarded and mocked by others earlier on in his career. He challenges those who doubted him to take a look at his current achievements and admits that he now exceeds their expectations. The lyrics also suggest that he is not afraid of any competition as he is confident in his abilities, and he is willing to go up against anyone who "dares" to face him.

As the song moves on, it features a verse from Nicki Minaj, who raps about her own abilities and success. The repeated phrase, "It feels like I'm blazin'" is used by both Kanye and Nicki, almost as if they are in sync or complementing each other. Overall, "Blazin'" is a song that celebrates self-confidence, hard work, and determination.

Line by Line Meaning

I fly, I fly high, I'm blazin'
I am soaring through life with a fire in my soul and a passion that cannot be extinguished.

I'm blazin', feels like I'm blazin'
I am on fire, unstoppable, and invincible in my pursuit of greatness.

How could it me, little me Had the power to be the best B, in the league Yeah inevitably, but could it be little me You was heckling me, now it's monotony when I regularly, yo I catch wreck on recreation, so I exceed all your expectations
Despite my humble beginnings and the doubt of others, I have become the greatest in my field through hard work, dedication, and surpassing everyone's expectations.

Bitches ain't got it in 'em, I kill 'em and then I skin 'em The contract was signed but I am the addendum So wh-where my dogs at, Randy Ma-ma-matter fact, get off my dick bitch, Andy Ca-ca-ca-'cause everything is fine and dandy Go against me now, I dare you, Bambi
I am confident in my abilities and will not hesitate to take down anyone who tries to stand in my way or doubt my talents.

Half a million dollars just to upgrade the car show I ain't even detonate the bombs and the arsenal Before the storm comes the calm Hope you can take the heat like LeBron Ah, ha ha ha ha ha ha
I have the wealth and resources to create the biggest and best show, and I am just getting started. Before the chaos that is to come, there is peace and preparation. Are you ready for what I am about to unleash?

I'm the best now Anybody with some money should invest now Soccer moms need to organize a pep rall' You game over bitch, Gatorade, wet towel
I am currently the best and will continue to be unstoppable. If you want to be a part of my success, now is the time to invest. Everyone should be rallying behind me, like a sports team, in order to succeed. You are already defeated, so bring on the refreshments and celebrate my win.

Motherfuckers ain't ready, they never been As long as I am in the game, you'll never win I'm on that different type of high, heroin Put on my cape and hit the sky, heroine
No one is capable of keeping up with me, and as long as I am involved, they will never come out on top. I am fueled by a unique kind of passion and drive, a high that only comes from reaching my ultimate potential. I am a superhero, soaring through the skies towards greatness.

Yeah, ugh this is the moment grab your Kodak While I'm flying with a flow that Is the greatest throwback Since that Nolan Ryan and the days Been crazy and the nights even wilder And the lights even brighter Baby, stand next to my fire Only higher is Messiah Or notes from Mariah 'Rari six hundred horses That's my chariot of fire Where we flying, They can't find us all them broke days behind us I just took your whole life and redesigned it, uh
I am constantly reaching new heights, and in this moment, I am unstoppable. My flow is reminiscent of the greats before me, and I am living life in a way that is wild and exhilarating. The people and material possessions that I surround myself with are the best of the best. I have left the past behind and am constantly reinventing myself for the better.

I'ma grab your waist then I'ma grab your face and Then I'ma taste it Then I'ma blaze it Hello all my bad girls This just in Yeezy hurt the beat Like he fucked her best friend And she let him back in And he just did it again He crazy, he blazin', he off the deep end
I have an intense desire for pleasure and adventure, and I will not stop until I am satisfied. I am the bad boy that all the wild girls want, pushing boundaries and taking risks. My music is causing a stir and leaving an impact, like a scandalous affair. People are calling me crazy, but really, I am just passionate and daring.

I'm blazin', I'm flagrant, I'm crazy, I'm saying Too much for the world so they a-bbreviate him His tatts is her fav', his stats is amaze Her dress is just per' uh Prada colored babes It obvi' we the ish And I'm rolling with my bricks So real you so trill, baby, everything legit How you feel, they say we crazed 'Cause our styles so diff' They be jail when we in the mag looking magnif'
I am bold and daring, unapologetically myself and uncontainable. My tattoos and success are impressing everyone, especially the women who wear Prada. My entourage and I are the real deal, legit and authentic in everything we do. People might consider us crazy or different, but it's only because we stand out as a cut above the rest. We shine in magazines and everywhere else.

As if I ain't used Magnums on your favorite bad bitch Fuck these background niggas I was tryna adlib Add this, we blazin' Nicki, what you think? I got two White Russians but we also need some drinks (hahaha)
I am a ladies' man, unafraid to be explicit or risk-taking in my sexual encounters. I don't have time for anyone who's not a part of my close circle and doesn't contribute to my success. I am unstoppable, and even Nicki Minaj agrees that we are on fire. Let's drink to it.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network
Written by: Keith Forsey, Onika Miraj, Steve Schiff, Writers Unknown, Kanye West

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS