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.
Drop Dead Gorgeous
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Damn, that girl fine, that girl fine, that girl fine
Yo, yo, Kanye, yo turn it up, a little bit, whoo
Take notes while I take tokes to the marijuana smoke
One look and murder she wrote
She drop dead gorgeous, she drop dead
Yo, this is a Roc-a-Fella, St. Lunatics collaboration
Chi-Town and St. Louis
She said she ain't never seen Murphy Lee befo'
I called her back from an earlier beep
Fo' in the mornin' they be like "Nah, I wasn't sleep"
Convenient whore stay on top of convenient stores
Keep pictures of me in their Victoria Secret drawer
I keep somethin' hot on tour
Can ya, Kenyatta, make sure they know before what is really in store
See I adore the ones that call me Torhi, true story
I created 'hood rats so these new mice bore me
See I normally settle for sevens, but eights I can't wait
Nines be wantin' time and dimes be wantin' dates
So know I got elevens and twelves
With at least thirteen or fourteen reasons why they fine as hell
I hit 'em up like Blu Cantrell
Hehehehehehehehe hell, I remember when she smashed LaBelle
See most women kinda sneaky like a six-year old
Hey yo they always in the summer, somethin' wrong with their nails
Take notes while I take tokes to the marijuana smoke
One look and murder she wrote
She drop dead gorgeous, she drop dead
What's the point of havin' a girl that's drop dead
That you know don't like you?
She'll run over your head with a motorcycle
I mean the way you look is nice, but there's more to life boo
Cuz I could go to videos and get fo' just like you
I talked to your ex-boyfriend and took a census
But you don't read the cookbook, you just look at the pictures
Matter of fact, when's the last time you looked at the kitchen?
This is gettin' ridiculous, how you gettin' defensive?
Jimmy Choo, Frankie B., bitch you gettin' expensive
I know you fuckin' around, my sixth sense told me
That ain't no male friend that bought you the stereo
She said "He gay anyway, you don't know nothin' about Jamario"
Take notes while I take tokes to the marijuana smoke
One look and murder she wrote
She drop dead gorgeous, she drop dead
In Kanye West's song "Drop Dead Gorgeous," he describes his admiration for a woman's beauty but also questions the point of being with someone who doesn't care for him. He starts off by smoking marijuana and admiring this woman's looks, saying that she is drop dead gorgeous. Kanye references his collaboration with Roc-a-Fella and St. Lunatics and mentions that she hasn't seen the St. Lunatics' rapper, Murphy Lee, before.
As the song progresses, Kanye talks about being wary of women's intentions, stating that he knows there are some who are only after his money and fame. He mentions his previous experiences with "hood rats" and how he prefers women who are a "nine" or above. Additionally, Kanye calls out this woman for being too expensive and says that he knows she's cheating on him with a man who supposedly is gay. Kanye questions the woman's worth, asking when the last time she cooked or did anything useful was.
This song showcases Kanye's braggadocious and somewhat misogynistic side while simultaneously addressing his own insecurities and doubts about relationships. He touches on themes of beauty, wealth, and authenticity, which are all common themes in his music.
Line by Line Meaning
Take notes while I take tokes to the marijuana smoke
I'm smoking weed and you better pay attention because I'm about to drop some knowledge
One look and murder she wrote
This girl is so fine, she could kill someone with her looks
She drop dead gorgeous, she drop dead
She's stunningly beautiful that she can literally make people drop dead
Yo, this is a Roc-a-Fella, St. Lunatics collaboration
This is a joint effort between Kanye's record label and Nelly's group
Chi-Town and St. Louis
Chicago (Kanye's hometown) and St. Louis (Nelly's hometown)
She said she ain't never seen Murphy Lee befo'
The girl claims she's never seen Nelly's crew member Murphy Lee before
I called her back from an earlier beep
Kanye is returning a call from the girl
Fo' in the mornin' they be like "Nah, I wasn't sleep"
Kanye's pointing out that people lie about being asleep when he calls
Convenient whore stay on top of convenient stores
Kanye is referencing women who work at convenience stores and engage in sexual activity with him
Keep pictures of me in their Victoria Secret drawer
Kanye is so desirable to these women, they keep pictures of him in their lingerie drawers
I keep somethin' hot on tour
Kanye carries a gun with him on tour for protection
Can ya, Kenyatta, make sure they know before what is really in store
Kanye is asking his associate Kenyatta to make sure women know what they're getting into before they hook up with him
See I adore the ones that call me Torhi, true story
Kanye has a soft spot for women who call him by his childhood nickname, Torhi
I created 'hood rats so these new mice bore me
Kanye feels responsible for creating a trend of women who are from the same rough neighborhoods as him but is now uninterested in them
See I normally settle for sevens, but eights I can't wait
Kanye usually goes for average-looking women but is impatient for the more attractive ones
Nines be wantin' time and dimes be wantin' dates
Attractive women require more time and effort to woo, whereas less attractive women are eager to go on dates
So know I got elevens and twelves
Kanye now only goes for the most attractive women, who are ranked as elevens and twelves on the beauty scale
With at least thirteen or fourteen reasons why they fine as hell
These women have so many extraordinary features that Kanye can list more than a dozen reasons why they're stunning
I hit 'em up like Blu Cantrell
Kanye is implying that he sends flirty messages or calls to women like how the singer Blu Cantrell hit him up back in the day
Hehehehehehehehe hell, I remember when she smashed LaBelle
Kanye knows of a girl who had sexual relations with Patti LaBelle (who is old enough to be her grandmother) and finds it amusing
See most women kinda sneaky like a six-year old
Kanye distrusts women and thinks they're as deceptive as young children
Hey yo they always in the summer, somethin' wrong with their nails
Kanye criticizes women for having chipped or unmanicured nails in the summertime, which he thinks is a sign of poor hygiene
What's the point of havin' a girl that's drop dead
Kanye questions the purpose of being with a gorgeous girl who doesn't reciprocate his feelings
That you know don't like you?
Kanye feels that the girl is not into him
She'll run over your head with a motorcycle
Kanye predicts that the girl will treat him badly and possibly harm him in some way
I mean the way you look is nice, but there's more to life boo
Kanye thinks that the girl is too focused on her looks and not enough on other important aspects of life
Cuz I could go to videos and get fo' just like you
Kanye believes that he can easily find another girl who looks like her in music videos
I talked to your ex-boyfriend and took a census
Kanye is nosy and did some digging on the girl's past relationships
But you don't read the cookbook, you just look at the pictures
Kanye thinks that the girl is shallow and doesn't have depth or substance
Matter of fact, when's the last time you looked at the kitchen?
Kanye is berating the girl for neglecting domestic responsibilities such as cooking
This is gettin' ridiculous, how you gettin' defensive?
Kanye is exasperated that the girl is becoming defensive and not owning up to her faults
Jimmy Choo, Frankie B., bitch you gettin' expensive
Kanye accuses the girl of becoming materialistic and obsessed with luxury brands
I know you fuckin' around, my sixth sense told me
Kanye suspects that the girl is cheating on him and is relying on his intuition to confirm it
That ain't no male friend that bought you the stereo
Kanye is convinced that the person who gave the girl a stereo as a gift is not her platonic male friend but someone she's involved with romantically
She said "He gay anyway, you don't know nothin' about Jamario"
The girl dismisses Kanye's suspicion and insists that the guy who gave her the gift is gay and just a friend named Jamario
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Kanye West
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Delgato
Been bumping this for 20years
GasStation
We gettin old bro :/
BlaiseTV
Here after vlad
Kay Driver
Me too!!
Nate Rainey
🔥
Rated R
Me three
Retro Esso
Me tooo
Maine 904
Ok.
Saint Thomas
Kayne killed this. 🔥🥶🔥
Liam Spence
Loved the iceberg ❤