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.
Heartless
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The coldest story ever told
Somewhere far along this road
He lost his soul to a woman so heartless (heartless)
How could you be so heartless? (Heartless)
Oh, how could you be so heartless?
How could you be so cold as the winter wind when it breeze, yo?
You know need to watch the way you talkin' to me, yo
I mean after all the things that we've been through
I mean after all the things we got into
Ayo, I know of some things that you ain't told me
Ayo, I did some things but that's the old me
And now you wanna get me back and you gon' show me
So you walk around like you don't know me
You got a new friend, well I got homies
But in the end it's still so lonely
In the night, I hear 'em talk
The coldest story ever told
Somewhere far along this road
He lost his soul to a woman so heartless (heartless)
How could you be so heartless? (Heartless)
Oh, how could you be so heartless?
How could you be so Dr.Evil?
You bringin' out a side of me that I don't know
I decided we weren't gon' speak so
Why we up three A.M. On the phone?
Why do she be so mad at me for?
Homie, I don't know, she's hot and cold
I won't stop, I won't mess my groove up
'Cause I already know how this thing go
You run and tell your friends that you're leaving me (hey)
They say that they don't see what you see in me (hey)
You wait a couple months then you gon' see (hey)
You'll never find nobody better than me
In the night, I hear 'em talk
The coldest story ever told
Somewhere far along this road
He lost his soul to a woman so heartless (heartless)
How could you be so heartless? (Heartless)
Oh, how could you be so heartless?
Talk and talk and talk and talk
Baby, let's just knock it off
They don't know what we been through
They don't know 'bout me and you
So I got something new to see
And you just gon' keep hatin' me
And we just gon' be enemies
I know you can't believe
I could just leave it wrong
And you can't make it right
I'm gon' take off tonight
Into the night
In the night, I hear 'em talk
The coldest story ever told
Somewhere far along this road
He lost his soul to a woman so heartless (heartless)
How could you be so heartless? (Heartless)
Oh, how could you be so heartless?
On and on and on and on and on and
And on and on and on, ohh
Ohh, ohh, ohh, whoa, oh
"Heartless" by Kanye West is a song that captures the emotions of someone that has been hurt by a past lover. In the lyrics, Kanye talks about how he lost his loved one to a woman who is so heartless that she stole his soul. He wonders how someone could be so cold and indifferent to his feelings. He goes on to talk about the arguments they have had, how they have been through so much, and how they used to be so close. But somewhere along the way, things changed, and he lost her to her own selfish desires. Kanye also mentions how she is still trying to come back to him, but it is too late, as he is too hurt and has moved on from their relationship. The song ends with Kanye telling her that they are just going to be enemies from now on, and he is going to take off into the night.
The lyrics of "Heartless" explore the relatable theme of heartbreak and betrayal, and the struggles that come with moving on from a toxic relationship. The emotion that Kanye brings to the song is palpable and adds to the overall impact of the lyrics. The song reached the top of the charts when it was released in 2009, and it continues to be a fan favorite.
Line by Line Meaning
In the night, I hear 'em talk
The singer can hear people gossiping about him at night
The coldest story ever told
This is the most emotionally devastating story
Somewhere far along this road
At some point in his life, he took a wrong turn
He lost his soul to a woman so heartless (heartless)
He became a completely different person when he loved this cold-hearted woman
How could you be so heartless? (Heartless)
The artist is questioning how someone could be so cruel
Oh, how could you be so heartless?
This is a rhetorical question that emphasizes the singer's pain
How could you be so cold as the winter wind when it breeze, yo?
The singer is asking how someone can be so cold and unfeeling
Just remember that you talkin' to me though
The artist is reminding the person talking to him who he is
You know need to watch the way you talkin' to me, yo
The person speaking to the artist needs to be more respectful
I mean after all the things that we've been through
The artist and the person speaking to him share a history
I mean after all the things we got into
They have done some wild things together
Ayo, I know of some things that you ain't told me
The artist knows that the person speaking to him is keeping secrets
Ayo, I did some things but that's the old me
The singer has changed and grown up
And now you wanna get me back and you gon' show me
The person speaking to the singer wants revenge
So you walk around like you don't know me
The person speaking to the singer is pretending not to remember who he is
You got a new friend, well I got homies
The artist has friends who have his back
But in the end it's still so lonely
Even with his friends, the artist still feels alone
How could you be so Dr.Evil?
The singer is comparing the person he is talking to with the villain from 'Austin Powers'
You bringin' out a side of me that I don't know
The person the singer is talking to is bringing out a darker side of him
I decided we weren't gon' speak so
The artist chose not to talk to the person he is speaking to anymore
Why we up three A.M. On the phone?
The artist is wondering why they are talking on the phone at this hour
Why do she be so mad at me for?
The artist is confused about why the woman he loved is so angry with him
Homie, I don't know, she's hot and cold
The singer doesn't understand why the woman he loved is so unpredictable
I won't stop, I won't mess my groove up
The artist refuses to let the woman he loved upset him
'Cause I already know how this thing go
The singer has been through this before with the woman he loved
You run and tell your friends that you're leaving me (hey)
The singer's ex-girlfriend is telling her friends that she's breaking up with him
They say that they don't see what you see in me (hey)
The singer's ex-girlfriend's friends don't understand why she loved him
You wait a couple months then you gon' see (hey)
The artist's ex-girlfriend will regret leaving him when she is alone for a while
You'll never find nobody better than me
The artist is saying that his ex-girlfriend won't find someone as good as him.
Baby, let's just knock it off
The singer wants the person he is talking to stop arguing with him
They don't know what we been through
Others don't know the shared history that the singer and the person he is speaking to have
They don't know 'bout me and you
Others aren't aware of the deep romantical relationship between the artist and the person he is speaking to
So I got something new to see
The artist is moving on with something new in his life
And you just gon' keep hatin' me
The person speaking to the artist will continue to hate him
And we just gon' be enemies
The singer and the person speaking to him will not be friends anymore
I know you can't believe
The artist knows the person he is speaking to is finding it hard to believe him
I could just leave it wrong
The singer could just leave the situation unresolved
And you can't make it right
The person speaking to the singer won't be able to fix the problem
I'm gon' take off tonight
The singer is leaving the situation behind tonight
On and on and on and on and on and
The artist is emphasizing how this situation never seems to end
And on and on and on, ohh
The artist is emphasizing how the arguing continues
Ohh, ohh, ohh, whoa, oh
The singer is expressing his dissatisfaction with the situation
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Malik Yusef El Shabbaz Jones, Kanye Omari West, Ernest Dion Wilson, Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi, Benjamin Hudson McIldowie, Jeffrey Nath Bhasker
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@foskiaz
straight from the 'Go Kanye
Chop up the soul Kanye, set on his goals Kanye
I hate the new Kanye, the bad mood Kanye
The always rude Kanye, spaz in the news Kanye
I miss the sweet Kanye, chop up the beats Kanye
I gotta to say at that time I'd like to meet Kanye
See I invented Kanye, it wasn't any Kanyes
And now I look and look around and there's so many Kanyes
I used to love Kanye, I used to love Kanye
I even had the pink polo, I thought I was Kanye
What if Kanye made a song about Kanye
Called "I Miss The Old Kanye, " man that would be so Kanye
That's all it was Kanye, we still love Kanye
And I love you like Kanye loves Kanye
@vannchansenany10d32
“You wait a couple months then you gon see you’ll never find nobody better than me” LMAO THIS AGED WAYYY TOO WELL
@b.ooogs_dad9164
@ArkAngel are doomed to repeat it
@soybotzhen4044
Stg
@aiden8834
Bro manifested that shit🤣
@essme2878
@@b.ooogs_dad9164 beautiful catch 😂
@randomreally5782
@@aiden8834 bro what that manifesting mean and thank you
@JasdeepSinghBindra
After 10 years, this song is finally relatable.
@demonetized1400
Ikr
@itighnesinha2508
IKR
@jeylike8988
Ikr