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.
Drive Slow (featuring Paul Wall
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Drive slow homie, drive slow homie
You never know homie, might meet some hoes homie
You need to pump your brakes and drive slow homie
My homie Mali used to stay, 79th and May
One of my best friends from back in the day
Down the street from Calumet, a school full of stones
He nicknamed me K-Rock so they'd leave me alone
Bulls jacket with his hat broke way off
And walked around the mall with his radio face off
Plus he had the spinner from his Daytons in his hand
Keys in his hand, reason again to let you know he's the man
Back when we rocked Ellesses, he had dreams of Caprices
Drove by the teachers, even more by polices
How'd he get the cash? The day his father passed away
Left him with a lil' somethin', sixteen he was stuntin'
Al B. Sure nigga with the hair all wavy
Hit Lake Shore, girls go all crazy
Hit the freeway, go at least 'bout eighty
Boned so much that summer, even had him a baby
See back-back then-then if you had a car
You was the Chi-Town version of Baby
And I was just a virgin, a baby
One of the reasons I looked up to him crazy
I used to love to play my demo tape when the system yanked
Felt like I was almost signed when the shit got cranked
We'll take a Saturday and just circle the mall
They had they Lincolns and Auroras, we was hurtin' 'em all
With the girls a lotta flirtin' involved, but dawg
Fuck all that flirtin', I'm tryna get in some drawers, so
Put me on with these hoes, homie
He told me, "don't rush to get grown, drive slow, homie"
Drive slow homie (drive slow)
You never know, homie, about these hoes homie
You need to pump your brakes and drive slow, homie
What it do? I'm posted up in the parkin' lot, my trunk wavin'
The candy gloss is immaculate, it's simply amazin'
Them elbows pokin' wide on that candy 'Lac
Trunk open, screens on, neon's lit with fifth, relaxed
I'm on a mission for dime pieces and sexy ladies
Allow me to introduce you to my CL Mercedes
It's a star-studded event when I valet park
Open up my mouth and sunlight illuminates the dark
You see them fours crawlin', you see them screens fallin'
The disco ball in my mouth insinuates I'm ballin'
I'm leanin' on the switch, sittin' crooked in my slab
But I could still catch boppers if I drove a cab
A young Houston hard-hitter all about the scrilla
Ridin' somethin' candy coated, crawlin' like a caterpillar
I'm tippin' on them fours, I'm jammin' on that Screw
I'm lookin' for them hoes, baby, what it do? Drive slow homie
Turn your hazard lights on when you see them hoes (drive slow, homie)
If you ridin' around the city with nowhere to go (drive slow, homie)
Live today 'cause tomorrow, man, you never know
You never know, homie, might meet some hoes, homie
You need to pump your brakes and drive slow, homie
My car's like the movie, my car's like the crib
I got more TV's in here than where I live
And that don't make no sense, but, baby, I'm the shit
And everything I flip, you know it's somethin' serious
I got the custom grill, I got the Brabus rims
I got the baller genetics, baby, this evidence
You see a player flickin', and how you ain't convinced
That you should go on and kiss it, just a lil' bit (just a lil' bit)
I wear my custom kicks, I got my Jesus chain
My canaries is gleamin', through my angel wings
They see me, hoes actin like they seen a king
With that mean lean, smokin' on that finest Cali green
My woodgrain oak, I'm ridin' on Vogues
My cylinder quiet, like tip-toes
I sold O's, and this I know
When you see them hoes, lil' homie drive slow (drive slow)
Yeah
Boom, b-boom, b-boom-boom
Drive slow homie
Drive slow homie
You never know, homie, might meet some hoes, homie
You need to pump your brakes and drive slow, homie
Drive slow homie
"Drive Slow" is a song by Kanye West that was released as the fifth and final single from his second studio album, "Late Registration" in 2006. The laid-back track, produced by Kanye and co-produced by Jon Brion, features Chicago rapper GLC and R&B crooner Paul Wall. The song's lyrics paint a vivid picture of cruising slowly through the streets of Chicago, admiring the cars, girls, and scenery. At its core, the song is a commentary on the importance of taking life slowly and enjoying the moment rather than rushing towards adulthood and missing out on the simple pleasures.
In verse one, Kanye reminisces about his friend Marley, who used to live on 79th and May. Marley was the cool kid in the neighborhood, with a Bulls jacket and a spinner on his Dayton rims. He used to drive around Chicago with his keys in his hand, letting everyone know he was in charge. Marley taught Kanye about cars, fashion, and life. He told Kanye to take his time and enjoy being young and carefree while he still could.
In verse two, Paul Wall joins Kanye to rap about his candy-painted car, filled with TVs, neon lights, and a custom grill. Paul brags about his Brabus rims and his "baller genetics," declaring himself to be the "shit." He encourages listeners to take their time, enjoy the scenery, and keep their eyes peeled for potential love interests.
Overall, "Drive Slow" is a song about slowing down, enjoying the journey, and not rushing towards adulthood. It's a laid-back track that perfectly captures the carefree spirit of cruising and taking life one day at a time.
Here are ten interesting facts about Kanye West's "Drive Slow":
1- Rapper GLC, who features on the track, is a close friend of Kanye and has collaborated with him on many songs over the years.
2- "Drive Slow" samples the hook from "Wildflower" by the Canadian band, Skylark.
3- The single's artwork features a photograph of Kanye smiling, with a red background and the words "Drive Slow" written in neon letters.
4- The song was a moderate commercial success, peaking at #28 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
5- Kanye and GLC performed "Drive Slow" on the Late Show with David Letterman in 2006, backed by a live band.
6- The song was featured in the video game NBA Live 07 and the television show Entourage.
7- Kanye has said that "Drive Slow" was inspired by the 1979 film, The Warriors, which depicts a New York City gang trying to make their way back to their home turf.
8- Despite not being released as a single in the UK, "Drive Slow" was featured in the hit British TV show, Skins.
9- The song's music video features a cameo from radio personality DJ Premier, who plays a police officer.
10- "Drive Slow" has been covered by several artists over the years, including Chance the Rapper and Nef the Pharaoh.
Chords: Em, A, C, D.
Line by Line Meaning
Drive slow homie, drive slow homie
Take your time when driving, be cautious
You never know homie, might meet some hoes homie
Be prepared for unexpected encounters and opportunities
You need to pump your brakes and drive slow homie
Slow down, don't rush things
My homie Marley used to stay, 79th and May
My friend Marley used to live on 79th and May
One of my best friends from back in the day
Marley was one of my closest friends from the past
Down the street from Calumet, a school full of stones
Near Calumet High School, where there were a lot of drug dealers
He nicknamed me K-Rock so they'd leave me alone
He gave me a nickname to protect me from bullies
Bulls jacket with his hat broke way off
Marley wore a Chicago Bulls jacket with his hat tilted to the side
And walked around the mall with his radio face off
He would walk around the mall without a care in the world
Plus he had the spinner from his Daytons in his hand
He would show off the spinning rims on his car
Keys in his hand, reason again to let you know he's the man
Marley always had his keys ready to show off his car
Back when we rocked Ellesses, he had dreams of Caprices
We used to wear Ellesse clothing, and Marley dreamed of owning a Chevy Caprice
Drove by the teachers, even more by polices
Marley would drive recklessly and ignore authority figures
How'd he get the cash? The day his father passed away
Marley inherited money from his father's death
Left him with a lil' somethin', sixteen he was stuntin'
Marley was only 16 when he inherited the money and started flaunting his wealth
Al B. Sure nigga with the hair all wavy
Marley had a hairstyle similar to Al B. Sure's
Hit Lake Shore, girls go all crazy
When we drove down Lake Shore Drive, girls would go crazy for Marley
Hit the freeway, go at least 'bout eighty
On the freeway, Marley would drive at least 80 miles per hour
Boned so much that summer, even had him a baby
Marley had a lot of sexual encounters and even had a child
See back-back then-then if you had a car
Having a car back then was a big deal
You was the Chi-Town version of Baby
Having a car made you popular like Baby from Cash Money Records in New Orleans
And I was just a virgin, a baby
I was young and inexperienced compared to Marley
One of the reasons I looked up to him crazy
I admired Marley and looked up to him a lot
I used to love to play my demo tape when the system yanked
I would play my music loudly when the car sound system was cranked up
Felt like I was almost signed when the shit got cranked
I felt like a professional musician when the music was loud
We'll take a Saturday and just circle the mall
We would spend Saturdays driving around the mall
They had they Lincolns and Auroras, we was hurtin' 'em all
We would show off and outdo people who had nicer cars
With the girls a lotta flirtin' involved, but dawg
There was a lot of flirting with girls, but that wasn't our main focus
Fuck all that flirtin', I'm tryna get in some drawers, so
I'm not interested in flirting, I'm trying to have sex
Put me on with these hoes homie
Introduce me to some girls
He told me don't rush to get grown, drive slow homie
Marley advised me not to grow up too fast, but to take my time
What it do? I'm posted up in the parkin' lot, my trunk wavin'
I'm hanging out in the parking lot with my car's trunk open and music playing
The candy gloss is immaculate, it's simply amazin'
The car's paint job is perfect and impressive
Them elbows pokin' wide on that candy 'Lac
The car's wheels stick out and look impressive
Trunk open, screens on, neon's lit with fifth relaxed
The trunk is open, with screens and neon lights on, while I relax with a drink
I'm on a mission for dime pieces and sexy ladies
I'm looking for attractive women
Allow me to introduce you to my CL Mercedes
Let me show you my expensive Mercedes car
It's a star-studded event when I valet park
People notice me when I valet park my car
Open up my mouth and sunlight illuminates the dark
My diamond teeth shine so bright they light up the area
You see them fo's crawlin', you see them screens fallin'
You can see the impressive cars and screens around me
The disco ball in my mouth insinuates I'm ballin'
My diamond teeth look like a disco ball, showing off my wealth
I'm leanin' on the switch, sittin' crooked in my slab
I'm sitting in my car, reclined and looking cool
But I could still catch boppers if I drove a cab
Even if I didn't have an expensive car, I'd still attract women
A young Houston hardhitter all about the scrilla
I'm a young man from Houston who's all about making money
Ridin' somethin' candy coated, crawlin' like a caterpillar
My car has an impressive paint job and moves slowly like a caterpillar
I'm tippin' on them four's, I'm jammin' on that Screw
I have fancy rims on my car and I'm listening to DJ Screw
I'm lookin' for them hoes baby what it do, drive slow homie
I'm looking for women, but still need to be cautious while driving
Turn your hazard lights on when you see them hoes (drive slow homie)
Be careful when driving near women who catch your eye
If you ridin' around the city with nowhere to go (drive slow homie)
If you're driving aimlessly, take your time and be cautious
Live today cause tomorrow man, you never know
Enjoy life and make the most of the present, because you don't know what the future holds
My car's like the movie, my car's like the crib
My car is like a movie and my home combined
I got more TV's in here than where I live
My car has more TVs than my actual home
And that don't make no sense, but baby I'm the shit
It doesn't make sense, but my car is impressive and I'm confident
And everything I flip, you know it's somethin' serious
Everything I have is high quality and expensive
I got the custom grill, I got the Brabus rims
My car has expensive, custom features
I got the baller genetics baby it's evident
I come from a wealthy background and it's clear
You see a player flickin', and how you ain't convinced
I'm showing off and it's hard not to be impressed
That you should go on and kiss it, "Just a Lil' Bit" (just a lil' bit)
You might as well give in and show some affection
I got my custom kicks, I got my Jesus chain
I have expensive shoes and jewelry
My canaries is gleamin', through my angel wings
My diamond jewelry is shining and impressive
They see me, hoes actin like they seen a king
Women see me and act like they're in the presence of royalty
With that mean lean, smokin' on that finest Cali green
I have a tough attitude and I'm smoking high-quality marijuana from California
My woodgrain oak, I'm ridin' on Vogues
The interior of my car has an oak woodgrain look and I have expensive tires
My cylinder quiet, like tip-toes
My car's engine is quiet like someone walking on their tiptoes
I sold O's, and this I know
I used to sell drugs
When you see them hoes, lil' homie drive slow
When you encounter women, be careful and drive slowly
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Edwards Doug, Harris Leonard, Kanye West, Richardson Thomas, Slayton Paul, Trotter Warren
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
SabrinaOnlineFan96
on I Am a God (feat. God)
HURRY UP WITH MY DAMN CROISSANTS!
Peter
on Stronger
Killer mix
Lauri Des Marais
on Stronger
PoP
Lauri Des Marais
on Stronger
LdM Classical Technology BMI
Lauri Des Marais
on New Slaves
LdM Classical Technology BMI
Lauri Des Marais
on I Wonder
JJUSTICE
anna
on Gold Digger
can you hear it
emall
on Hurricane
lolollo
0806357559
on Jail
✳️#me
Ridwaan Ahmed
on Black Skinhead
Www.SongsPKFull.In