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.
Everyone Nose
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Would you like some (like some)?
Ha, You know you got a right to do whatever you like to
Don C, we got the right one
That right one in the club always the flyest
Always got her hands the highest
She stopped drinking diet Coke
She on that coke diet
That girl is so wired
I know she so tired, but, ooh, she on fire
Hundred dollar bills, look at you, look at you
A hundred dollar bills, this ain't new, this ain't new
From that Paris Lindsay, Britney, Mary-Kate and Whitney
People say that they clean, motherfucker, don't bullshit me
All the girls standing in the line for the bathroom
All the girls standing in the line for the bathroom
All the girls standing in the (all the girls standing in the)
All the girls standing in the line for the bathroom
You left your nigga home
You said you at your sister's
You and your girlfriends' wrong
You in here taking pictures
You ain't gotta tell us
You spending daddy's cash
Your girlfriend's jealous, you got the fattest ass
One down to pee, one trying to leave
It's hot as fuck but you just dying to ski
It's clear as black and white like a fat panda
Your brain is Magic City
Your nose is Atlanta
I said, "Think about your future, you can't do that tomorrow"
But you don't hear a word, you see that SLR
You like, "Hey, Pharrell, I ain't trying to kill your mood
But I can do the Star Trak sign, see, killa dude"
All the girls standing in the line for the bathroom
All the girls standing in the line for the bathroom (on fire)
All the girls standing in the (all the girls standing in the)
All the girls standing in the line for the bathroom
Now she got high hopes, just to say hi to us
She want the high life, she like them higher-ups
She know we high rollin', she know it's high stakes
That's why she high speedin' out on that highway
She say she high maintenance, she say she high fashion
She say she high priced, I think she high cappin'
She had her high heels, I had my high tops
Sippin' a Hi-C, eatin' on Hydrox
I asked her, "How it feel up on this high rise?"
She said, "This high score," this was the highlight
She got her hiPod bumpin' her hiTunes (higher)
This higher education, welcome to high school
All the girls standing in the line for the bathroom
All the girls standing in the line for the bathroom (on fire)
All the girls standing in the (all the girls standing in the)
All the girls standing in the line (yeah) for the bathroom
Like I got a crown made of powder
Everybody knows who the king of the coke flow be
All I hear is, "Oh, key," every line is, "Oh, key"
All you rappers okey-dokey
Nigga, you don't paint pictures, I paint Murakamis on you niggas
And Daimer Speedy Bag, bitches
Buy and sell, I can accommodate your clientele
Shamu weight, motherfucker, brace your scales
P to the usha, with a name like that, what you look for?
More or less like P with the hookup
Hit me on the bat phone if you want it cooked up, ride with me
As I'm switchin' lane to lane
In my Play Cloths as I'm grippin' grain
In a hail of bullets how I write my name
Whether soft or hard, motherfucker, 'caine is 'caine
All the girls standing in the line for the bathroom
All the girls standing in the line for the bathroom
All the girls standing in the (all the girls standing in the)
All the girls standing in the line for the bathroom
All the girls standing in the line for the bathroom
All the girls standing in the line for the bathroom (on fire)
All the girls standing in the (all the girls standing in the)
All the girls standing in the
In "Line For Line," Kanye West explores themes of excess, materialism, and the party culture. The song depicts a scene where women are waiting in line for the bathroom at a club, highlighting their lavish lifestyle and hedonistic behavior. Kanye questions their motivations and choices, implying that they are living for temporary pleasures rather than thinking about their futures. He also touches on drug use, referencing cocaine and the impact it has on the girls in the bathroom line. Throughout the song, Kanye contrasts the superficiality and glamour with the harsh reality of substance abuse and the consequences it can have.
The lyrics also contain references to specific celebrities, such as Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears, Mary-Kate Olsen, and Whitney Houston. These references serve as symbols of the party culture and public scrutiny faced by famous individuals. Kanye suggests that despite their public image of cleanliness, they are not as virtuous as they appear, emphasizing the hypocrisy and deception that can exist in society.
Overall, "Line For Line" can be seen as a critique of excessive materialism, the pursuit of temporary pleasure, and the destructive consequences that can come from it.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, do you have any black inside you?
Do you possess any understanding or awareness of the struggles faced by black individuals?
Would you like some (like some)?
Are you interested in gaining such understanding?
Ha, You know you got a right to do whatever you like to
You are aware that you have the freedom to pursue your desires and make your own choices
Don C, we got the right one
Don C, we have found the perfect person
That right one in the club always the flyest
That individual in the club is always the most stylish and attractive
Always got her hands the highest
Always raising her hands in excitement or celebration
She stopped drinking diet Coke
She stopped adhering to societal standards of beauty or behavior
She on that coke diet
She is indulging in the consumption of cocaine
She bat, she bat her eyelids
She is flirting or seducing using her eyelashes
That girl is so wired
That girl is under the influence of drugs or highly energetic
I know she so tired, but, ooh, she on fire
I acknowledge that she is exhausted, but she is also extremely passionate or electrifying
Hundred dollar bills, look at you, look at you
There are numerous hundred dollar bills in your possession, observe them
A hundred dollar bills, this ain't new, this ain't new
Having a significant amount of hundred dollar bills is not surprising or uncommon for you
From that Paris Lindsay, Britney, Mary-Kate and Whitney
Similar to Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears, Mary-Kate Olsen, and Whitney Houston
People say that they clean, motherfucker, don't bullshit me
People claim that they are innocent or free from faults, but I won't be deceived
You left your nigga home
You abandoned your partner or significant other at home
You said you at your sister's
You claimed to be at your sister's place
You and your girlfriends' wrong
You and your female friends are mistaken or misguided
You in here taking pictures
You are present in this location, capturing photographs
You ain't gotta tell us
You are not obligated to explain yourself to us
You spending daddy's cash
You are using your father's money for expenses
Your girlfriend's jealous, you got the fattest ass
Your girlfriend is envious because you have the most attractive buttocks
One down to pee, one trying to leave
One person is using the restroom while another person is attempting to exit it
It's hot as fuck but you just dying to ski
Despite the extremely high temperature, you have an intense desire to engage in skiing
It's clear as black and white like a fat panda
The situation or issue is evident or obvious, just like the contrasting colors of a large panda
Your brain is Magic City
Your mind resembles Magic City, a strip club known for its extravagant performances
Your nose is Atlanta
You have a preference for cocaine, which is commonly associated with Atlanta
I said, 'Think about your future, you can't do that tomorrow'
I advised you to consider your future plans, emphasizing the importance of doing so in the present
But you don't hear a word, you see that SLR
However, you are not paying attention to my advice as you are focused on your luxury car (SLR)
You like, 'Hey, Pharrell, I ain't trying to kill your mood
You express that you have no intention of ruining Pharrell's positive vibe or enthusiasm
But I can do the Star Trak sign, see, killa dude'
Instead, you boast about being able to replicate the Star Trak sign, indicating your prowess or skills
Now she got high hopes, just to say hi to us
She now possesses ambitious aspirations, simply to greet or interact with us
She want the high life, she like them higher-ups
She desires a luxurious lifestyle and is attracted to individuals in influential positions
She know we high rollin', she know it's high stakes
She is aware that we engage in lavish spending and face significant risks
That's why she high speedin' out on that highway
This is why she is driving at a high speed on the highway
She say she high maintenance, she say she high fashion
She claims to require excessive attention and possess a sophisticated sense of style
She say she high priced, I think she high cappin'
She asserts that she has a high value, but I am skeptical of her claims
She had her high heels, I had my high tops
She wore high-heeled shoes while I sported high-top sneakers
Sippin' a Hi-C, eatin' on Hydrox
Drinking Hi-C fruit beverage and snacking on Hydrox cookies
I asked her, 'How it feel up on this high rise?'
I inquired about her experience of being in this luxurious and elevated environment
She said, 'This high score,' this was the highlight
She responded that being in this position offered a great achievement or moment of excitement
She got her hiPod bumpin' her hiTunes
She has her iPod playing her favorite high-energy songs
This higher education, welcome to high school
This represents a more elevated form of knowledge or learning, comparable to a higher level of education
Like I got a crown made of powder
Similar to having a crown made of cocaine, symbolizing dominance or control in the drug world
Everybody knows who the king of the coke flow be
Everyone is aware of my influence and expertise in creating rap lyrics related to cocaine
All I hear is, 'Oh, key,' every line is, 'Oh, key'
I constantly receive praise, with everyone acknowledging the substance and quality of my lyrics
All you rappers okey-dokey
All other rappers are simply mediocre or average
Nigga, you don't paint pictures, I paint Murakamis on you niggas
You don't create vivid imagery with your lyrics, unlike me who portrays artwork inspired by Takashi Murakami on you
And Daimer Speedy Bag, bitches
Furthermore, I possess a luxurious Daimer Speedy Bag, emphasizing my wealth and style
Buy and sell, I can accommodate your clientele
I can facilitate the buying and selling of drugs, catering to your customers
Shamu weight, motherfucker, brace your scales
I have an immense weight or quantity of drugs, prompting you to prepare your weighing scales
P to the usha, with a name like that, what you look for?
Referring to Usher by using a play on words, asking what one expects from someone with a name like that
More or less like P with the hookup
Similar to me (Kanye West) and my connections in the drug world
Hit me on the bat phone if you want it cooked up, ride with me
Contact me through a secret communication channel if you desire drugs, and join me in my endeavors
As I'm switchin' lane to lane
While continuously changing lanes while driving
In my Play Cloths as I'm grippin' grain
Wearing Play Cloths clothing while gripping the steering wheel firmly
In a hail of bullets how I write my name
Similar to being targeted by a flurry of gunshots, I write my name with incredible speed and intensity
Whether soft or hard, motherfucker, 'caine is 'caine
Regardless of its form (powder or crack), cocaine remains the same potent substance
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Wasalu Jaco, Chad Hugo, Kanye Omari West, Pharrell L. Williams, Terrence Le Varr Thornton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@K.B.Williams
High hopes
Say Hi to us
High life
Higher ups
High Rollin
High skates
High speeding
Highway
High maintenance
High fashion
High priced
High cappin
High heels
High tops
Hi-C
Hydrox
Hiya feel
High rise
High score
Highlight
hi-Pod
hi-Tunes
Higher education
High school
Bruh...
@MekoBlu
All of these geniuses in one song.... This whole year was a vibe
@cypherx666x
🔥🔥🔥
@NEONOIRERA
You would like this song 🤣
@derricknguyen3265
0
@DJ5o5a
Star track riding music.
@loicratcliff8563
What year was it?
@paulevans6066
Lupe said “capping” before it ever became a meme
@TheNixon333
"Cap" has been used when referring to lying in black culture since the early 90s
@khairt1731
@@TheNixon333no it has not, since "the early".
This is a new phrase invented in the last decade.
@LT-tw8ns
The way Lupe manages to say high in every sentence whew