Ye (born Kanye Omari West on June 8, 1977, in Atlanta, Georgia), profession… Read Full Bio ↴Ye (born Kanye Omari West on June 8, 1977, in Atlanta, Georgia), professionally known as Kanye West, is a Grammy award-winning American rapper, producer, singer, author, director, performance artist and fashion designer.

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.

Facts
Kanye West Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Dirt and grime and filth inside
The story of my lifetime
Of cheating, stealing, never feeling
Pain of a brother, your dirty mother
Ha, ha, ha, look how far we are, are, are, are, are, are, are
(Perfect!)

Yeezy, Yeezy, Yeezy just jumped over Jumpman

Yeezy, Yeezy, Yeezy just jumped over Jumpman
(Yo!)

Yeezy, Yeezy, Yeezy, I feel so accomplished
I done talked a lot of shit but I just did the numbers
Herzog and Adidas, man you know they love it
If Nike ain't have Drizzy, man they wouldn't have nothin', woo!
If Nike ain't have Don C, man they wouldn't have nothin', ooh!
But I'm all for the family, tell 'em, "Get your money"
Yeezy, Yeezy, Yeezy, they line up for days
Nike out here bad, they can't give shit away
I stuck to my roots, I'm like Jimmy Fallon
I ain't dropped the album but the shoes went platinum (Woo!)
Every time I talk they say I'm too aggressive
I was out here spazzin', all y'all get the message?
On the field I'm over-reckless, on my Odell Beckham
2020, I'ma run the whole election, yah!
I've been trending years, y'all a couple days
Yeezy in the house and we just got appraised
Nike, Nike treat employees just like slaves
Gave LeBron a billi' not to run away (Yo!)
10 thousand dollar fur for Nori, I just copped it (Yo!)
Your baby daddy won't even take your daughter shoppin' (Yo!)
I done wore designers I won't wear again
Make 'em niggas famous, they get arrogant

Yeezy, Yeezy, Yeezy just jumped over Jumpman, ah!
Yeezy, Yeezy, Yeezy just jumped over Jumpman

Yeezy, Yeezy, Yeezy, this is pure luxury
I give 'em grey poupon on a DJ Mustard, ah!
If you ain't poppin' shit then why you rap for? Haaan?
Plus Kimoji just shut down the app store, ah!
And we made a million a minute, we made a million a minute
(We did)
Yeah, we made a million a minute, we made a million a minute, ah!
Do anybody feel bad for Bill Cosby?
Did he forget the names just like Steve Harvey? (Yo!)
Tell Adidas that we need a million in production (Yo!)
I done told y'all, all I needed was the infrastructure (Boom!)
Now we hottest in the streets, it ain't no discussion
James Harden, Swaggy P runnin' up the budget (Yoga flame!)
Keep the work at my baby mama's mama's house
I'm a jerk, you need to work, you need to call my spouse
Yeezy, Yeezy, take a picture with me on Rodeo
Yeezy, Yeezy, Yeezy, I might do my own hotel
Couches, couches, couches, couches, which one should I pick?
I need extra deep, I like my bitches extra thick (sonic boom!)
Every time I see the news, man it bring me home
Call up DJ Mano, shout out Twilite Tone
We just blessed to be alive, yeah ain't that the truth?
So let's celebrate the life of Timbuck2
Timbuck2, Timbuck2

Ha, ha, ha, look how far we are, are, are, are, are, are, are
(Perfect!)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Kanye West's song Facts address a number of topics, including Kanye's longstanding partnership with Adidas and his apparent disdain for Nike. The opening lines express a sense of resentment and struggle, as Kanye reflects on the challenges he's faced throughout his life. He describes "dirt and grime and filth inside," and goes on to mention "cheating, stealing, never feeling" and the pain of losing a brother.

The song then shifts to a celebration of Kanye's successes, particularly in the fashion world. He raps about jumping over the Jordan brand with Adidas, and boasts about the popularity of his Yeezy shoes. He also takes shots at Nike and its association with Drake and Don C, suggesting that they wouldn't have much if it weren't for their partnerships.

Throughout the song, Kanye's lyrics are brash, aggressive, and often boastful. He revels in his success and fame, highlighting the millions he's made and the power he wields. However, he also takes a moment to pay tribute to the late Chicago DJ Timbuck2, suggesting that despite his success, he hasn't entirely forgotten his roots.

Line by Line Meaning

Dirt and grime and filth inside
My life has been full of mistakes and poor decisions

The story of my lifetime
This is an account of all of the things I have experienced so far

Of cheating, stealing, never feeling
I have been dishonest and stolen things, but I have never truly felt good about it

Pain of a brother, your dirty mother
I have experienced the pain of a sibling and the mistakes of a parent

Ha, ha, ha, look how far we are, are, are, are, are, are, are
Despite all of this, I can laugh and acknowledge how much I have achieved

Yeezy, Yeezy, Yeezy just jumped over Jumpman
I am more successful than my competition, Nike's Jordan brand

Yeezy, Yeezy, Yeezy, I feel so accomplished
I feel fulfilled and satisfied with everything I have achieved

I done talked a lot of shit but I just did the numbers
I have spoken confidently about my success, but the numbers prove it to be true

Herzog and Adidas, man you know they love it
My collaborations with Herzog and Adidas have been successful and well-received

If Nike ain't have Drizzy, man they wouldn't have nothin', woo!
If Nike didn't have Drake, their shoes wouldn't be as popular

If Nike ain't have Don C, man they wouldn't have nothin', ooh!
If Nike didn't have Don C (a designer), their shoes wouldn't be successful

But I'm all for the family, tell 'em, 'Get your money'
I am supportive of my team and want them to make money as well

Yeezy, Yeezy, Yeezy, they line up for days
People are eager to buy and wear my shoes

Nike out here bad, they can't give shit away
Nike is struggling to sell their products

I stuck to my roots, I'm like Jimmy Fallon
I have remained true to myself and my vision, like how Jimmy Fallon hosts his show

I ain't dropped the album but the shoes went platinum (Woo!)
Even without releasing music, my shoe sales have been incredibly successful

Every time I talk they say I'm too aggressive
People criticize me for being too bold and assertive

I was out here spazzin', all y'all get the message?
I was making a point and trying to communicate something important

On the field I'm over-reckless, on my Odell Beckham
I am unpredictable and act boldly, like how Odell Beckham Jr. plays football

2020, I'ma run the whole election, yah!
I plan to run for president in 2020

I've been trending years, y'all a couple days
I have been relevant and popular for years, while others have only gained attention briefly

Yeezy in the house and we just got appraised
I am in the building and my presence alone adds value to the situation

Nike, Nike treat employees just like slaves
Nike mistreats their workers and treats them poorly

Gave LeBron a billi' not to run away (Yo!)
Nike paid LeBron James one billion dollars to stay with their brand

10 thousand dollar fur for Nori, I just copped it (Yo!)
I bought my daughter Nori a fur coat for $10,000

Your baby daddy won't even take your daughter shoppin' (Yo!)
Your child's father doesn't even take them shopping, but I buy expensive things for my daughter

I done wore designers I won't wear again
I have tried out different designers, but I have learned what I like and won't wear certain ones again

Make 'em niggas famous, they get arrogant
When I promote people and make them famous, they can become arrogant and entitled

Yeezy, Yeezy, Yeezy just jumped over Jumpman, ah!
I am surpassing Nike's Jordan brand and am more successful

Yeezy, Yeezy, Yeezy, this is pure luxury
My brand is all about high-end luxury

I give 'em grey poupon on a DJ Mustard, ah!
I give my fans the best, like serving them high-quality mustard on their sandwiches

If you ain't poppin' shit then why you rap for? Haaan?
If you aren't confident and bold, then why are you even rapping?

Plus Kimoji just shut down the app store, ah!
My Kimoji app was so popular that it caused the app store to temporarily shut down

And we made a million a minute, we made a million a minute (We did)
I and my team made a lot of money in a very short amount of time

Do anybody feel bad for Bill Cosby?
Does anyone still have sympathy for Bill Cosby after all his crimes?

Did he forget the names just like Steve Harvey? (Yo!)
Did Bill Cosby forget the names of his victims, like how Steve Harvey mispronounced names at the Miss Universe pageant?

Tell Adidas that we need a million in production (Yo!)
I am requesting Adidas to produce one million units of my product

I done told y'all, all I needed was the infrastructure (Boom!)
I have always believed that with the right support and resources, I can be successful

Now we hottest in the streets, it ain't no discussion
My brand and my team are the most popular and successful, and there's no argument about it

James Harden, Swaggy P runnin' up the budget (Yoga flame!)
James Harden and Nick 'Swaggy P' Young are spending a lot of money on our brand

Keep the work at my baby mama's mama's house
I store my work at my child's grandmother's house

I'm a jerk, you need to work, you need to call my spouse
I am difficult to work with, and if you need something you should ask my wife

Yeezy, Yeezy, take a picture with me on Rodeo
Come take a picture with me on Rodeo Drive, a high-end shopping district in Beverly Hills, California

Yeezy, Yeezy, Yeezy, I might do my own hotel
I am considering opening my own luxury hotel

Couches, couches, couches, couches, which one should I pick?
I have so many luxurious options for couches that I can't decide which one to choose

I need extra deep, I like my bitches extra thick (sonic boom!)
I prefer the couches to be extra deep, and I like my women to have curvier bodies

Every time I see the news, man it bring me home
Every time I watch the news, it reminds me of where I come from and what I've overcome

Call up DJ Mano, shout out Twilite Tone
I am giving a shoutout to my friends DJ Mano and Twilite Tone

We just blessed to be alive, yeah ain't that the truth?
We are lucky just to be alive and have the success we do

So let's celebrate the life of Timbuck2
Let's honor and commemorate the life of DJ Timbuck2, who passed away

Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB., BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Aubrey Graham, Cydel Young, Ernest Brown, Joshua Luellen, Kanye West, Leland Wayne, Nayvadius Wilburn, Nicholas Smith, Noah Goldstein

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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