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.
He Got Everything
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Damn, here we go again.
Oh oh ohoo.
Common passed on this beat, I made it to a jam,
now everything I'm not, made me everything I am.
Damn, here we go again.
People talkin shit, but when the shit hit the fan
I never be picture-perfect-Beyonce
Be light as Albi or black as Chauncey
Remember him from Blackstreet
He was as black as the street was
I'll never be laid back as his beat was
I never could see why people'll reach a
Fake-ass facad they couldn't keep up
Why'see how I creeped up?
Why'see how I played a big role in Chicago like Queen Latifah?
I never rock a mink coat in the winter time like Killa Cam
Or rock some mink boots in the summertime like will.i.am
Let me know if you feel it man
Cause everything I'm not, made me everything I am
Damn, here we go again.
Everybody sayin' what's not for him
Everything I'm not, made me everything I am
Damn, here we go again.
People talk shit, but when shit hits the fan
Everything I'm not, made me everything I am
and I'm back to tear it up
Haters, start your engines
I hear 'em gearin' up
People talk so much shit about me at barbershops
They forget to get their haircut
Okay fair enough, the streets is flarin' up
Cause they want gun-talk, or I don't wear enough
Baggy clothes, Reebok's, or A-di-dos
Can I add that he do spaz out at his shows
So say goodbye to the NAACP award
Goodbye to the In-di-a Arie award
They'd rather give me the nigga-please award
But I'll just take the I-got-alotta-cheese award
damn, here we go again.
Everything I'm not, made me everything I am
Damn, here we go again.
People talk shit, but when shit hits the fan
Everything I'm not, made me everything I am
I know that people wouldn't usually rap this
But I got the facts to back this
Just last year, Chicago had over 600 caskets
Man, killin's some wack shit
Oh, I forgot, 'cept for when nigga's is rappin'
Do you know what it feel like when people is passin'?
He got changed over his chains, a block off Ashlamd
I need to talk to somebody, pastor
The church want time, so I can't afford to pay
The slip on the door, cause I can't afford to stay
My 15 seconds up, but I got more to say
That's enough Mr. West, please no more today
damn, here we go again.
Everybody sayin' what's not for him
Everything I'm not, made me everything I am
Damn, here we go again.
People talk shit, but when shit hits the fan
Everything I'm not, made me everything I am
The song "Everything I Got" by Kanye West feat. Termanology is a reflection of Kanye's life experiences and how he has embraced his flaws and imperfections to become who he is today. The opening lines "Damn, here we go again" set the tone for the song, with Kanye acknowledging that he's heard all the criticisms and negativity before. However, he is determined to rise above it and show the world that his imperfections have made him the person he is today. He repeats the phrase "Everything I'm not, made me everything I am" as a way of highlighting that he has embraced his flaws and turned them into strengths.
Throughout the song, Kanye compares himself to other famous artists like Beyonce, Albi, Blackstreet, Killa Cam, and will.i.am, highlighting the ways in which he is different from them. He acknowledges that he will never be like these artists and that is okay because he has become successful by being true to himself. Kanye also references the violence and crime that plagues the city of Chicago, painting a picture of the harsh realities of life in his hometown.
The overall message of the song is one of positivity and self-acceptance. Kanye encourages his listeners to embrace their flaws and use them to become better versions of themselves. The song's catchy beat and Kanye's confident delivery make it an uplifting anthem that is sure to inspire listeners to embrace their imperfections.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh oh ohoo.
Starting the song off with an expressive and upbeat melody.
Damn, here we go again.
Acknowledging the repetition of a cycle or pattern.
Common passed on this beat, I made it to a jam,
Giving credit to a missed opportunity and turning it into something great.
now everything I'm not, made me everything I am.
Embracing his flaws and recognizing that they have shaped who he is.
People talkin shit, but when the shit hit the fan
Noticing how people are quick to criticize but can't handle problems when they arise.
I never be picture-perfect-Beyonce
Acknowledging that he will never be flawless like Beyoncé.
Be light as Albi or black as Chauncey
Recognizing that he will never fit into a specific racial box or stereotype.
Remember him from Blackstreet
Referencing a R&B group from the 90s called Blackstreet.
He was as black as the street was
Describing Chauncey's dark skin color similar to the black pavement on a street.
I'll never be laid back as his beat was
Admitting that he will never be as relaxed as someone else.
I never could see why people'll reach a
Not understanding why people pretend to be someone they're not.
Fake-ass facad they couldn't keep up
Indicating that this fake persona is unsustainable and not genuine.
Why'see how I creeped up?
Asking why people did not notice or underestimated his success and growth.
Why'see how I played a big role in Chicago like Queen Latifah?
Comparing his relevance and influence to Queen Latifah's role in Chicago's music and entertainment scene.
I never rock a mink coat in the winter time like Killa Cam
Acknowledging that he will never embrace certain fashion trends like rapper Cam'ron's mink coat.
Or rock some mink boots in the summertime like will.i.am
Pointing out that he also would not wear certain fashion choices made by will.i.am.
Let me know if you feel it man
Asking if the audience can relate to his message or experiences.
Cause everything I'm not, made me everything I am
Repeating the chorus to emphasize the theme of embracing one's flaws and accepting who you are.
and I'm back to tear it up
Asserting that he is still relevant and a force to be reckoned with in the music industry.
Haters, start your engines
Encouraging his detractors to continue their criticism, as it only fuels his motivation to succeed.
I hear 'em gearin' up
Noticing the growing momentum of his haters.
People talk so much shit about me at barbershops
Acknowledging that his name is a common topic of negative conversation at barbershops.
They forget to get their haircut
Suggesting that his haters are so focused on him that they neglect their personal hygiene.
Okay fair enough, the streets is flarin' up
Accepting that there is criticism and backlash from the streets or general public.
Cause they want gun-talk, or I don't wear enough
Explaining that there are expectations and stereotypes about his image and content in music.
Baggy clothes, Reebok's, or A-di-dos
Listing certain fashion trends that he is not interested in following.
Can I add that he do spaz out at his shows
Pointing out that he has been criticized for his behavior and actions during performances.
So say goodbye to the NAACP award
Referencing how he was not recognized or awarded by the NAACP, despite his contributions to music and activism.
Goodbye to the In-di-a Arie award
Referring to how he was not given an award from singer India Arie, who he has collaborated with in the past.
They'd rather give me the nigga-please award
Recognizing that he is often not taken seriously or respected in certain circles, and instead mocked or dismissed.
But I'll just take the I-got-alotta-cheese award
Sarcastically accepting that he has plenty of money and success as a consolation prize instead of recognition or respect.
I know that people wouldn't usually rap this
Acknowledging that his message or topics may not be typical in rap music.
But I got the facts to back this
Believing that his message is truthful and rooted in reality.
Just last year, Chicago had over 600 caskets
Highlighting the violence and crime in his hometown of Chicago.
Man, killin's some wack shit
Describing the act of killing or violence as uncool or bad.
Oh, I forgot, 'cept for when nigga's is rappin'
Remembering that some rappers glorify and promote violence in their music.
Do you know what it feel like when people is passin'?
Expressing the emotional toll of people dying in his community.
He got changed over his chains, a block off Ashlamd
Referencing a specific incident where someone was killed for their jewelry on a street close to Ashland Avenue.
I need to talk to somebody, pastor
Expressing a need for spiritual guidance or counseling.
The church want time, so I can't afford to pay
Indicating that he needs help, but cannot afford the fees for guidance or counseling services.
The slip on the door, cause I can't afford to stay
Explaining that he is in financial hardship and cannot afford to keep his residence or pay rent.
My 15 seconds up, but I got more to say
Feeling a sense of urgency to speak out and express his thoughts, despite not being in the current spotlight or trend in music.
That's enough Mr. West, please no more today
Sarcastically ending the song by acknowledging how people may want him to be quiet or stop speaking out, but refusing to be silenced or censored.
Damn, here we go again.
Repeating the chorus one last time to emphasize the theme of embracing one's flaws and accepting who you are.
Everybody sayin' what's not for him
Noticing how people are quick to criticize and judge others.
Everything I'm not, made me everything I am
Repeating the message that his flaws and experiences have shaped who he is and made him successful.
People talk shit, but when shit hits the fan
Noticing how people are quick to criticize but cannot handle problems when they arise.
Everything I'm not, made me everything I am
Repeating the message to end the song on a strong note.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@pico2722
still cant believe the synths are actually cudis hums, absolute masterpiece
@jdn5794
No it isn’t, he’s just humming over the synths
@sipho9539
@@jdn5794 he's right...they are Cudi's synths.
@jdn5794
@@sipho9539 bro u clearly don’t know what you’re talking about so I’m not gonna argue 😂😂
@ogsar
it's actually from Spectrasonics' Heart of Asia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ox4BEfCYrc8
@andrewp9827
Nah its not
https://youtu.be/Kapkc5O6W9k
Go to 2:54:23
@_M3WTW0_
“Racks on racks on racks, maybachs on bachs on bachs on bachs on bachs” Till this day that is one of my favorite Kanye lyrics😂😂.
@soberasagofer6501
WHO IN THAT?
@GUNZANDBUTTER
@@soberasagofer6501 Oh shit…Its just blacks on blacks on blacks…
@sickfoo5506
Hunnid stacks, how you get it?
Nigga layin raps on tracks