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.
Gorgeous Ft. Kid Cudi Raekwon
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can feel it slowly drifting away from me
I'm on the edge, so why you playing? I'm saying
I will never ever let you live this down, down, down
Not for nothing I've foreseen it, I dreamed it
I can feel it slowly drifting away from me
No more chances if you blow this, you bogus
Penitentiary chances, the devil dances
And eventually answers to the call of Autumn
All of them fallin' for the love of ballin'
Got caught with thirty rocks, the cop look like Alec Baldwin
Inter-century anthems based off inner-city tantrums
Based off the way we was branded
Face it, Jerome get more time than Brandon
And at the airport they check all through my bag and
Tell me that it's random
But we stay winning, this week has been a bad massage
I need a happy ending and a new beginning
And a new fitted and some job opportunities that's lucrative
This the real world, homie, school finished
They done stole your dreams, you'ont know who did it
I treat the cash the way the government treats AIDS
I won't be satisfied 'til all my niggas get it, get it?
Ain't no question if I want it, I need it
I can feel it slowly drifting away from me
I'm on the edge, so why you playing? I'm saying
I will never ever let you live this down, down, down
Is hip hop, just a euphemism for a new religion?
The soul music for the slaves that the youth is missing
But this is more than just my road to redemption
Malcolm West had the whole nation standing at attention
As long as I'm in Polos smilin' they think they got me
But they'd try to crack me if they ever see a black me
I thought I chose a field where they couldn't sack me
If a nigga ain't shootin' a jump shot, running a track meet
But this pimp is, at the top of Mount Olympus
Ready for the world's game, this is my Olympics
We make 'em say ho 'cause the game's so pimpish
Choke a South Park writer with a fishstick
I insisted to get up offa this dick
And these drugs, niggas can't resist it
Remind me when they tried to have Ali enlisted
If I ever wasn't the greatest, nigga, I must have missed it
Ain't no question if I want it, I need it
I can feel it slowly drifting away from me
I'm on the edge, so why you playing? I'm saying
I will never ever let you live this down, down, down
I need more drinks and less lights
And that American Apparel girl in just tights
She told the director she tryna get in a school
He said, "Take them glasses off and get in the pool"
It's been a while since I watched the tube
'Cause like a Crip said
"I got way too many blues for any more bad news"
I was looking at my resume, feeling real fresh today
They rewrite history, I don't believe in yesterday
And what's a black Beatle anyway, a fucking roach?
I guess that's why they got me sitting in fucking coach
My guy said I need a different approach
'Cause people is looking at me like I'm sniffing coke
It's not funny anymore try different jokes
Tell 'em hug and kiss my ass, x and o
And kiss the ring while they at it
Do my thing while I got it
Play strings for the dramatic
Ending of that wack shit
Act like I ain't had a belt in two classes
I ain't got it I'm coming after whoever who has it
I'm coming after whoever, who has it?
You blowing up, that's good, fantastic
That y'all, it's like that y'all
I don't really give a fuck about it at all
'Cause the same people that tried to black ball me
Forgot about two things, my black balls
Ain't no question if I want it, I need it
I can feel it slowly drifting away from me
I'm on the edge, so why you playing? I'm saying
I will never ever let you live this down, down, down
Aye yo
I done copped Timbs, that's lived in lenses
Kid, Armani suits, fresh fruits, Bally boots and Benzes
Counting up, smoking, one cuff
Live as a red Jag', a Louis bag, grabbing a blunt, fuck it
Steam about a hundred and one L's
Kites off the jails, buying sweats, running up in Stetson
Nigga hat game was special
It matched every black pair of Nike's
Throwing dice for decimals
The older head, bolder head, would train a soldier head
Make sure he right in the field, not a soldier dead
That meant code red, bent off the black skunk
The black Dutch, back of the old shed
If you can't live, you dying
You give or buy in
Keep it real or keep it moving, keep grinding
Keep shining, to every young man, this is a plan
Learn from others like your brothers Rae and Kanye
Not for nothing I've foreseen it, I dreamed it
I can feel it slowly drifting away from me
No more chances if you blow this, you bogus
I will never ever let you live this down, down, down
The lyrics of "Gorgeous" by Kanye West are full of meaning and depth. The first verse talks about the struggle of keeping hold of something you desire and the fear of it slipping away. The second verse describes the inflexible nature of our legal system that makes no room for mistakes, both subtle and serious. The third verse talks about the commercialization and aggrandizement of Hip Hop and how it has taken on the role of a new religion, embodying the struggles faced by black people in America. The final verse touches upon the desire to achieve greatness and perfection while continuing to be a part of the black community that is often underrepresented and oppressed.
The verses of this song take on a variety of themes, but the underlying message stays consistent – the world, especially for Black people, can be a harsh and unforgiving place; and, for somebody like Kanye West, success can be both a way out and a way in. Some of the commonly explored themes in this song are power, race, religion, and the music industry. Kanye’s message is explicit – he wants success for himself and his community but not at the cost of losing himself or his roots.
Line by Line Meaning
Ain't no question if I want it, I need it
I am determined to attain my goal.
I can feel it slowly drifting away from me
I am afraid that my aspirations are slipping out of my grasp.
I'm on the edge, so why you playing? I'm saying
I am on the brink of success and I cannot afford any setbacks.
I will never ever let you live this down, down, down
I won't forget when you let me down.
Not for nothing I've foreseen it, I dreamed it
I foresee and dream about my success.
No more chances if you blow this, you bogus
I won't forgive any more mistakes, you're fake.
Penitentiary chances, the devil dances
The risks I take might result in imprisonment, the devil seduces me.
And eventually answers to the call of Autumn
Eventually, the devil pays for its sins.
All of them fallin' for the love of ballin'
Many people are chasing money and sacrificing their values for it.
Got caught with thirty rocks, the cop look like Alec Baldwin
I got caught with drugs, the cop looked like a famous actor.
Inter-century anthems based off inner-city tantrums
Hip hop songs were born out of the frustrations of city life.
Based off the way we was branded
Hip hop lyrics are based on how we were perceived.
Face it, Jerome get more time than Brandon
Black people are more likely to receive longer sentences than white people for the same crime.
And at the airport they check all through my bag and, tell me that it's random
I am racially profiled at the airport and they use the excuse of a random search.
But we stay winning, this week has been a bad massage
Despite challenges, I am still successful, but this week has been difficult.
I need a happy ending and a new beginning, and a new fitted and some job opportunities that's lucrative
I want to change my circumstances and find new job prospects with higher pay.
This the real world, homie, school finished
Life is tough now, school has ended.
They done stole your dreams, you'ont know who did it
People have taken away your aspirations and you don't know who is responsible.
I treat the cash the way the government treats AIDS
I manage my money the same way the government neglects and mistreats those with AIDS.
I won't be satisfied 'til all my niggas get it, get it?
I won't be happy until all of my friends and associates succeed.
Is hip hop, just a euphemism for a new religion?
Is hip hop culture beginning to replace traditional religion?
The soul music for the slaves that the youth is missing
Hip hop is the spiritual and emotional music for young people who feel lost.
But this is more than just my road to redemption
My journey to success means more than personal redemption, it inspires others.
Malcolm West had the whole nation standing at attention
My name is linked to a famous advocate for black empowerment which garners respect.
As long as I'm in Polos smilin' they think they got me
People underestimate me when they see me dresssed in casual clothes like a polo shirt.
But they'd try to crack me if they ever see a black me
If people saw my true black skin color, they might try to attack me.
I thought I chose a field where they couldn't sack me
I thought hip hop was a profession where I wouldn't suffer setbacks or job loss.
If a nigga ain't shootin' a jump shot, running a track meet
If black people aren't in athletics, their value is overlooked.
But this pimp is, at the top of Mount Olympus
I am the pimp who has reached the top and is considered a god.
Ready for the world's game, this is my Olympics
I'm prepared to win the world's attention and this is my time to shine.
We make 'em say ho 'cause the game's so pimpish
Rap lyrics sometimes use derogatory language because that's what sells.
Choke a South Park writer with a fishstick
A reference to a joke on South Park that went viral, but with a violent twist.
I insisted to get up offa this dick
I demanded that people stop copying my style.
And these drugs, niggas can't resist it
People are addicted to drugs and it's hard to quit.
Remind me when they tried to have Ali enlisted
A reminiscence of how they tried to force famous boxer Muhammad Ali to join the military.
If I ever wasn't the greatest, nigga, I must have missed it
If I wasn't already the best in hip hop, then I wouldn't understand why.
I need more drinks and less lights
I need to better cope with my anxieties with alcohol instead of harsh lights.
And that American Apparel girl in just tights
A girl in my vision wearing just leggings from American Apparel.
She told the director she tryna get in a school
She told the director that she wants to enroll in school.
He said, 'Take them glasses off and get in the pool'
The director told her to remove her glasses and jump into the pool.
It's been a while since I watched the tube
It's been a long time since I paid attention to television.
'Cause like a Crip said / 'I got way too many blues for any more bad news'
I don't want to hear any more bad news, I already have too many problems.
I was looking at my resume, feeling real fresh today
Today, I felt particularly accomplished while reviewing my resume.
They rewrite history, I don't believe in yesterday
People manipulate the facts of history, but I don't believe it or live in the past.
And what's a black Beatle anyway, a fucking roach?
A black Beatle is possibly the band, The Beatles, reduced to an insect, or at worst, a racist insult.
I guess that's why they got me sitting in fucking coach
I'm not given the respect I deserve and forced to sit in a seat in coach class.
My guy said I need a different approach / 'Cause people is looking at me like I'm sniffing coke
My friend suggests that I need to change my image because some people think I am using drugs.
It's not funny anymore try different jokes
The current jokes are getting old and stale, it's time for something different.
Tell 'em hug and kiss my ass, x and o
I will have no dealings with those people anymore.
And kiss the ring while they at it
They need to kiss my ring and bow down to me.
Do my thing while I got it
I will continue to pursue my goals while I still have the opportunity.
Play strings for the dramatic
I will use music to build drama in my work.
Ending of that wack shit
The conclusion of the uninspired garbage that's being produced now.
Act like I ain't had a belt in two classes
People pretend like I am not of high social class even though I have owned designer belts since I was young.
I ain't got it I'm coming after whoever who has it
I do not have as much wealth as I desire and so I will strive to acquire it.
You blowing up, that's good, fantastic / That y'all, it's like that y'all
I'm happy for your success, that's how it is now.
I don't really give a fuck about it at all / 'Cause the same people that tried to black ball me / Forgot about two things, my black balls
I don't care if people stop supporting me, because they overlook my talent and the struggles I've faced as a black man.
Aye yo, I done copped Timbs, that's lived in lenses
I bought Timberland boots and sunglasses.
Kid, Armani suits, fresh fruits, Bally boots and Benzes
I have nice clothing like Armani suits, eat healthy fresh fruit, buy expensive Bally boots and drive a Mercedes Benz.
Counting up, smoking, one cuff / Live as a red Jag', a Louis bag, grabbing a blunt, fuck it
I am smoking marijuana while counting my money, wearing luxury items and holding a cigar or blunt.
Steam about a hundred and one L's / Kites off the jails, buying sweats, running up in Stetson
I've been communicating with inmates by mail, buying clothing like sweatpants or overalls, and wearing Stetson hats while jogging.
Nigga hat game was special / It matched every black pair of Nike's / Throwing dice for decimals
My hat always matched my black Nike shoes and I used to play dice games for money.
The older head, bolder head, would train a soldier head / Make sure he right in the field, not a soldier dead
Older mentors would help prepare a young man to survive in the streets.
That meant code red, bent off the black skunk / The black Dutch, back of the old shed
A code red situation meant smoking potent marijuana and hiding in the back of an old shed to avoid getting caught.
If you can't live, you dying / You give or buy in / Keep it real or keep it moving, keep grinding / Keep shining, to every young man, this is a plan / Learn from others like your brothers Rae and Kanye
If you can't live a good life, then you might as well just die. You can either give up or work hard and be authentic. Keep grinding and shining. Learn from rappers like Raekwon and Kanye West.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Corey Todd Woods, Ernest Dion Wilson, Gene Clark, Jim Mcguinn, Kanye Omari West, Malik Yusef El Shabazz Jones, Mike Dean, Roger James Mcguinn, Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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