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.
Dear Summer
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Or you don't trust yourself
Either you don't trust me
Or you don't trust yourself (mm, yeah)
Either you don't trust me
Or you don't trust yourself
Either way, what do I say 'cause you know night and day, we can't trust nobody else
When you say you would
Baby, why you say you could, if you can't?
Ooh, no
Ooh, no, no
Trust nobody else
5:30, the car missing
No texts back or calls missin', I feel like we all victims
Doc's is gettin' long
Drunk texting, I should not do Patrón
I hop on the phone, turn the music up, got in my zone
Drunk texting, I should probably sue Patrón
Had to do wrong, order to do you right
You gotta go through in order to give advice
It's the price of the litty nights, I know the liquor hittin'
Why when somebody break your heart it help fix your vision?
If you fall in love with a demon or a diva
Pray your soulmate got a soul when you meet her
The crystal ball couldn't tell me if they'll leave again
Problems too extra large to share with a medium
We fight not for flesh and blood on this level
And devil's advocate is advocatin' for the devil
And love is all draining and stop, it's all fatal
We used to be secretive, but now it's all blatant
It's all just lost, ain't it?
Watching it all cave in
We're the topic of conversation
5:30, the car missing
No texting, just call missin'
We fighting, you won't listen
You right, we both trippin'
It's game time, matter of fact, it's Ye time
The past year been a strange time
Visitations on FaceTime
And who gon' break whose heart first? Always just breaks mine
Looking for blessings that God'll hand me
I'm tryna just raise the family, somebody should raise the nanny
I'm tryna leave you alone but that last text was courtesy of Patrón
5:30, the car missin'
Is this what you call disses?
That did it, like last prison
That did it, for our last visit
That did it, woah, oh that did it
That gets it, uh, that did it
Mad with it, uh, mad with it
Everybody want too much of us
Everybody except for us
Tryna ride what's left us
Tryna ride what's left us
Everything they said it was
Everything they fed it was
I know that I bet it was
Forget it does
5:30, the car missin'
Is this what you call disses?
5:30, the car missin'
I can't take it, I can't take it
You a fake bitch
You don't really love Ye, go listen to Drake, bitch
Go listen to Lil' Baby, go listen to Future, bitch
What it tape bitch, think about your future, bitch
And I hope your baby daddy was a fugitive
You don't love Ye, you love Moneybagg Yo
You don't love Ye, and I don't love hoes
You don't love Ye, what it bad for?
Money mad for
You a fake bitch
You don't really love Ye, go listen to Drake, bitch
Go listen to Lil' Baby, go listen to Future, bitch
What it tape bitch, think about your future, bitch
And I hope your baby daddy was a fugitive
(His last words were untrue)
This last text 'cause Patron
Did I say something wrong?
No heartbreak, I break through)
And I won't make you mine
Just 'cause you can't stand to be yours
Just tell me what you need, baby girl, I'll sail your seas
Just meet me at the shore
I ain't even mad
But I want you, I can't deny it
You got the driver? Forget about the mileage
And we could try it just for right now
In the song "Dear Summer" by Kanye West, he explores themes of trust, heartbreak, and the complexities of relationships. The recurring line "Either you don't trust me or you don't trust yourself" suggests a lack of trust between the singer and their partner. This lack of trust creates confusion and uncertainty in the relationship, as they question what to say or do when they can't trust anyone else. It implies that there may have been instances of betrayal or dishonesty, leading to this breakdown in trust.
The lyrics further delve into the singer's emotional state, illustrating a sense of vulnerability and longing. They describe feeling like victims, with unanswered texts and calls, and resorting to drunk texting as a coping mechanism. The reference to Patrón highlights their attempt to drown their sorrows and possibly make regrettable decisions. They acknowledge that sometimes one has to go through pain and mistakes in order to gain wisdom and provide advice.
The song also touches upon the paradoxical nature of love. The singer questions why falling in love with someone can both break their heart and provide them with clarity. It contemplates whether their soulmate will have a soul and implies doubts about the future of their relationship. The mention of a crystal ball and medium alludes to seeking answers or guidance, suggesting the depth of their confusion and the magnitude of their problems.
The lyrics further emphasize the difficulties within the relationship. There is a sense of constant fighting and a lack of communication. The singer expresses frustration with their partner's lack of listening and acknowledges that they are both at fault. They mention it being "game time," implying that the relationship has reached a critical point where one must make a move. The reference to FaceTime visits indicates a long-distance or strained relationship.
Kanye West also includes some confrontational lyrics, where he accuses his partner of not truly loving him and suggests they listen to other artists like Drake, Lil' Baby, and Future instead. This moment reveals his feelings of betrayal and his assumption that his partner is only interested in him for his fame or money.
In the latter part of the song, there is a shift in tone. The singer contemplates the complications of their relationship and acknowledges that they can't make their partner be with them just because they can't stand to be alone. The mention of sailing the seas and meeting at the shore suggests a longing for connection and a willingness to make things work, even if just for the present moment.
Overall, "Dear Summer" is a complex song that explores themes of trust, heartbreak, and the challenges of maintaining a relationship. It delves into the emotional turmoil and vulnerability experienced by the singer, ultimately expressing a desire for understanding, clarity, and genuine love.
Line by Line Meaning
Either you don't trust me
You may have doubts about my trustworthiness
Or you don't trust yourself
Or perhaps you lack confidence in your own judgment
Either way, what do I say 'cause you know night and day, we can't trust nobody else
Regardless, we rely on each other because we can't trust anyone else
When you say you would
When you make promises
Like you say you would
Just as you say you will
Baby, why you say you could, if you can't?
Why do you say you are capable if you cannot follow through?
5:30, the car missing
At 5:30, the car is gone
No texts back or calls missin', I feel like we all victims
No responses to messages or missed phone calls, it seems like we are all suffering
Doc's is gettin' long
The doctor's appointments are becoming lengthy
Drunk texting, I should not do Patrón
Under the influence, I should refrain from sending intoxicated text messages
I hop on the phone, turn the music up, got in my zone
I hop on the phone, increase the volume of the music, and enter a state of focus
Had to do wrong, order to do you right
I had to make mistakes to eventually treat you properly
You gotta go through in order to give advice
One must experience certain hardships to offer guidance
It's the price of the litty nights, I know the liquor hittin'
These wild party nights come at a cost, and I understand the effects of alcohol
Why when somebody break your heart it help fix your vision?
Why does heartbreak provide clarity and improve perception?
If you fall in love with a demon or a diva
When you become infatuated with someone deceitful or self-absorbed
Pray your soulmate got a soul when you meet her
Hope that your destined partner possesses genuine qualities
The crystal ball couldn't tell me if they'll leave again
Even a fortune teller cannot predict if they will depart once more
Problems too extra large to share with a medium
The issues are too significant to discuss with a psychic
We fight not for flesh and blood on this level
Our arguments go beyond superficial matters
And devil's advocate is advocatin' for the devil
Someone posing as a critical thinker is actually promoting malicious intentions
And love is all draining and stop, it's all fatal
Love is exhausting and ultimately leads to pain
We used to be secretive, but now it's all blatant
We used to keep our actions private, but now everything is obvious
It's all just lost, ain't it?
Everything seems to be irreversibly gone, doesn't it?
Watching it all cave in
Observing the complete collapse of everything
We're the topic of conversation
Our situation becomes the subject of discussion
You a fake bitch
You're inauthentic
You don't really love Ye, go listen to Drake, bitch
You don't truly love me, go listen to Drake instead
Go listen to Lil' Baby, go listen to Future, bitch
Listen to Lil' Baby and Future instead of me
What it tape bitch, think about your future, bitch
Consider your future, reflect upon it
And I hope your baby daddy was a fugitive
I wish your child's father was a criminal on the run
This last text 'cause Patron
I sent this final message while under the influence of Patrón
Did I say something wrong?
Did I utter something offensive?
No heartbreak, I break through)
I won't let heartbreak define me, I will overcome it
And I won't make you mine
I won't force you to be mine
Just 'cause you can't stand to be yours
Simply because you dislike being alone
Just tell me what you need, baby girl, I'll sail your seas
Communicate your desires, I will cater to them
Just meet me at the shore
Just join me at the shore, where we can connect
I ain't even mad
I'm not even angry
But I want you, I can't deny it
However, I still desire you, I can't suppress it
You got the driver? Forget about the mileage
You have someone chauffeuring you? Don't worry about the distance traveled
And we could try it just for right now
We can attempt a relationship only for the present moment
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Kanye West, Jayceon Taylor, Evan Peter Mast, Maxie Lee Ryles III, BoogzDaBeast
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MrMAITRAY
Nobody knows whats my heart be feeling. I fill the void with feeling a strangers validating my strokes as I keep fucking. Nobody knows what's my heart be feeling. I fill the spot for you when you when you gone, with somebody who'd repeat all the hurt you have caused.
Ugly repetition. Hate it when I like to abuse myself like that.
Form a petition against myself. Free this, free that, nah man, free myself from my honey trap. Voices got me chained to the honey trap. Voices got me in a feedback loop from hell. They tell me seek comfort over progress, money ain't no object, keep scrolling through the comments, Nobody cares when I wept, when I'm on your phone, you talk to people who don't want you like that.
"If you fall in love with the demon or a diva"
Choose the demon cause the diva's gon put you up for some Adidas.
She never need you. And you know that.
5:30 in the am, playing kanye, slow jams, missing on your Mrs, sipping patron, you see the reason?
Car's missing cause its burning on the bridges that drive you Ye crazy.
But the music still bussin.
@robertnegrette172
5:30 the car missin..
no text back
or call misses
i feel like we all victims
dons just geting long..
drunk textin i should not do patron.
i hop on the phone
turn the music up
got in my zone
drunk textin i should probably sue patron.
had to do wrong
order to do you right,
you gotta go through it
order to give advice.
its the price of litty nights
i know the liquor hittin
why would somebody break your heart,
and help fix your vision?
if you fall in love
with a demon or a diva,
pray your soulmate
got a soul when you meet her.
the crystal ball couldnt tell me if they would leave again
problems too extra large
to share with a medium.
we fight now for flesh and blood on this level,
and devils advocate is advocating for the devil.
and love is all draining and
STOP
its all fated
we used to be secretive
but now its all blatant
its all just lost aint it?
watchin it all cave in...
we the topic of conversation....
5:30 the car missin...
no textin just call missin...
we fight and you wont listen..
you right we both trippin..
@justiceminter7826
I love how we all can see this track evolve. Reminds me of donda era. Ye I pray for you. Merry Christmas I hope you see this.
@alfycyriac4095
You act like the donda era isn’t still happening / wasn’t recent lol it’s literally his latest album
@henrygobblesag1815
@@alfycyriac4095 lmaooooo
@carsongxd
He not seeing this lil bro
@Ayman9513
This is literally donda era right now
@TC-bt7bc
Donda the person not the album lil bro @@alfycyriac4095
@nikolasthalmann799
when ye is mumbling and is just kinda filling the space with his voice its like the greatest instrument ever. Its bringing such a great feeling across. I think thats a reason why those unreleased things are going off so hard
@Karl671
Agreed
@bidoofftw
Agreed
@chunkycrusader
Slurping so hard