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.
Don't Look Down
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fly like an eagle, whatever you do
Don't look down, it's an impossible view
Spread your wings, aerial
Head to the sky, wings raised and
She's about to fly and take her place in
Out there in the stars when she leaves the ground
But ain't no going back, this is how it must be
He told her she'll be burned alive, she just told him "trust me"
If funerals are beautiful, this ugly
Knowing that, he told her you wouldn't leave me if you loved me
And he knows that, because he knows her
Hard to hide his feelings, as it engulfs her
Now she's a bright blaze, light rays
A shooting out, a phoenix on fire burning up the nightscape
So let's hear it for our heroine
Applaud as her spirit just flies into the never-end
One closed chapter, it opens up another part
So this is more like the end, question mark
Don't look down, it's an impossible view
Fly like an eagle, whatever you do
Don't look down, it's an impossible view
Spread your wings, aerial
Don't let me hold you back, I only hold you back
We're on a dead-end street, this block has got a cul-de-sac
So fly baby, my baby so high
Sometimes it's so hard to say bye
We made it from the alley straight up to the valley
We pulled up to the valet, we'll teach our daughter ballet
We'll raise us a Beyonce, maybe she'll be a Halle
You would've been the best mom, I would have been the best 'Ye
You see it all in my veins, like varicose
I know that's very gross but we getting very close
To our end, though I killed most with a pen
Soon as this flow end, I'mma let Mos begin
Don't look down, it's an impossible view
Fly like an eagle, whatever you do
Don't look down, it's an impossible view
Spread your wings, aerial
How could you do it, how could you do it
Okay now baby here we go, we go, no baby, me go
You got my heart, baby this what it beat for
I give it all, walk as far as my feet go
What you mean "me go", why can't it be "we go"?
What happens when people turn to tears (huh?)
Dreams turn to memories and weeks turn to years, huh?
Standing in the same spot for a couple of weeks
Give me my feelings back, wish love came with a couple receipts
Man, our vacation was coming next week
Girl, I swear you was a trip, let's make it a couples' retreat
How could my girl do this to me
Woke up to a note saying "the world did this to me"
Now I'm testing, one-two, reporting live from the rubble
Drinking all I can so I can turn to fire when I hug you
One, two, three, four, five models on the double
Give me head all at once, look like they lying in a huddle
But it's not even half the feeling as hearing your "Seans, you know I love you"
Shedding tears everyday, and I'm tired of lying in these puddles
I ask why sometimes, like a fucking vowel
Been hitting trees everyday, like a fucking owl
Trying to get high enough to cut the clouds
Of the phoenix sun to Nash it out, I mean ash it out
So I could see you smile
I know you can see me now
Don't look down, it's an impossible view
Fly like an eagle, whatever you do
Don't look down, it's an impossible view
Spread your wings, aerial
The song "Don't Look Down" by Kanye West is about taking risks and moving forward. In the first verse, West tells the listener not to be scared and to embrace new challenges. The song speaks to the idea of flying high and spreading your wings, while acknowledging that there will be obstacles along the way. West references a broken heart and the fear of being burned alive, but encourages the listener to trust themselves despite the potential risks.
In the second verse, West reflects on a past relationship and what could have been. He acknowledges the love he had for his partner and imagines the life they could have built together. However, he ultimately realizes that their paths have diverged, and he is left to move forward alone. The song ends on a hopeful note, with West attempting to reconcile the past and find closure.
Overall, "Don't Look Down" is a song about embracing change and taking risks, even when it feels impossible. West's lyrics suggest that it is better to move forward than to stay stuck in the past.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't look down, it's an impossible view
Don't lose hope or faith because it's difficult to see a way out of this situation
Fly like an eagle, whatever you do
Be bold and courageous like an eagle, no matter what comes your way
Spread your wings, aerial
Take flight and soar high, reach for the stars
Head to the sky, wings raised and
Reach for the heavens with your wings open wide
She's about to fly and take her place in
She's ready to take on the world and fulfill her potential
Out there in the stars when she leaves the ground
When she takes off, she'll experience new and distant things
She'll see a broken heart, if she turns around
If she looks back, she'll remember past hurt and heartbreak
But ain't no going back, this is how it must be
There's no turning back now, this is the path she must take
He told her she'll be burned alive, she just told him "trust me"
He warned her about the dangers of the journey, but she remains confident
If funerals are beautiful, this ugly
The current situation may be difficult or painful, but it could lead to something beautiful in the end
Knowing that, he told her you wouldn't leave me if you loved me
Despite his insecurities, he tries to convince her to stay because of their love
And he knows that, because he knows her
He understands her character and personality well enough to know how she feels
Hard to hide his feelings, as it engulfs her
He struggles to keep his emotions in check as he sees her start to flourish
Now she's a bright blaze, light rays
She's shining brightly and radiating positive energy
A shooting out, a phoenix on fire burning up the nightscape
She's like a phoenix, rising from the ashes and leaving a trail of light and beauty wherever she goes
So let's hear it for our heroine
Let's celebrate her for her courage and determination
Applaud as her spirit just flies into the never-end
Praise her as she continues on her journey, entering into the unknown
One closed chapter, it opens up another part
One chapter of her life may be over, but it will lead to new beginnings
So this is more like the end, question mark
It's uncertain what the future holds, but this is the end of one chapter
Don't let me hold you back, I only hold you back
Don't let him prevent you from moving forward, as he is aware he's becoming a hindrance
We're on a dead-end street, this block has got a cul-de-sac
Our current situation is a dead end with no hope of progress
So fly baby, my baby so high
Go forth and accomplish your desires boldly and without hesitation
Sometimes it's so hard to say bye
Leaving is difficult when there is a deep emotional connection
We made it from the alley straight up to the valley
We've come far, from a humble beginning to a lofty achievement
We pulled up to the valet, we'll teach our daughter ballet
We've succeeded in life to the point we have luxuries, and we can provide for our children
We'll raise us a Beyonce, maybe she'll be a Halle
We aspire to have talented and successful children, and the world may recognize them as such
You would've been the best mom, I would have been the best 'Ye
He regrets not being able to create a family with her and seeing the potential in their relationship and love
You see it all in my veins, like varicose
Our emotional connection runs so deep that it's tangible and visible, pervades our bodies
I know that's very gross but we getting very close
We're approaching a level of closeness that's difficult to handle
To our end, though I killed most with a pen
Despite some major losses and his talent with writing, the end is still near
Soon as this flow end, I'mma let Mos begin
When he finishes his final performance, another artist will take over the spotlight
How could you do it, how could you do it
He's struggling to come to terms with what happened between them
Okay now baby here we go, we go, no baby, me go
He's preparing to move on, but struggling with letting go of the past
You got my heart, baby this what it beat for
She holds the key to his heart, and it beats for her
I give it all, walk as far as my feet go
He would do anything for her, and is willing to travel any distance for her
What you mean "me go", why can't it be "we go"?
He doesn't want to let go of their relationship and would prefer to work towards a future together
What happens when people turn to tears (huh?)
He questions the inevitability of falling apart and the impact it has on both parties
Dreams turn to memories and weeks turn to years, huh?
Time passes by quickly, turning once-fresh dreams into distant memories and quickly moving years
Standing in the same spot for a couple of weeks
He's stuck in a rut, not knowing where to go or what to do
Give me my feelings back, wish love came with a couple receipts
He wants to understand where he went wrong, and desires a way to quantify or make sense of their love
Man, our vacation was coming next week
He's nostalgic about simpler times in their relationship
Girl, I swear you was a trip, let's make it a couples' retreat
He reminisces about the fun times they had together, and wants to experience those moments again
How could my girl do this to me
He's confused and hurt by her actions
Woke up to a note saying "the world did this to me"
She has left him, and he is struggling to come to terms with the reason why
Now I'm testing, one-two, reporting live from the rubble
He's starting to cope with the aftermath of the breakup, and is ready to start rebuilding
Drinking all I can so I can turn to fire when I hug you
He's building up emotional strength through alcohol to avoid being vulnerable in front of her
One, two, three, four, five models on the double
He's indulging in materialistic temptations to distract himself from the breakup
Give me head all at once, look like they lying in a huddle
He's seeking physical pleasure from multiple women, and indulging in promiscuity
But it's not even half the feeling as hearing your "Seans, you know I love you"
Despite trying to forget her, he's still in love with her and can't let go
Shedding tears everyday, and I'm tired of lying in these puddles
He's exhausted from crying and being emotionally vulnerable
I ask why sometimes, like a fucking vowel
He's questioning the rationale behind their breakup regularly and doesn't understand the reason for it.
Been hitting trees everyday, like a fucking owl
He's using marijuana daily as a coping mechanism
Trying to get high enough to cut the clouds
He's attempting to escape reality and enter a dreamlike state of euphoria
Of the phoenix sun to Nash it out, I mean ash it out
He's referencing a mythical bird to express the level of emotional pain he's experiencing
So I could see you smile
Despite all of the pain, he still longs for her happiness
I know you can see me now
He hopes she's able to witness his growth and healing process
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@davidhardy5670
What a time in music.
Lupe and Mos Def on a track together. MBDTF era Kanye was something else...
@thetitostream
Why can't it be we go