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.
Heavy Hitters
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[Kanye West]
Heavy hitters fo' life, heavy hitters fo' life
You rappers think I give a fuck about the way that they spit
Want to be on my album but don't want me on they shit
Everybody thought I was makin' a compilation
I was really makin' myself, they competition
Hoes from on TV so it's All-Star trains
Just picture man, no snitchin' man
Somethin' for the fiends fresh out the kitchen man
Last 9.11 I was poor on the ave
'Til I pulled out my map
Not it's course 9.11 and I'm floorin' the gas
Gotta lotta problems, but at least one that Annette have no more
Uh, well Dame look at how everybody changed
Tell Jay that I'm 'bout to change the game
Tell B.I.G. that we about to get paid
All my niggas about to have it made
This makes everything else sound played
Goddamn Kanye (Kanye) Kanye!
Now hold up
Ain't nobody messin' with me dog
Now you say it (ain't nobody messin' with you at all)
I told dude "You can't even rap on my interlude"
Now does that make me as rude as you?
(When the album comin' out?) Man the peoples is askin'
Why'all don't model Adidas, just stick with the fashion
Why'all already got do' so just spit for the passion
The way ya rhyme give me Tribe Called Quest flashbacks
And let's not even bring up the tracks man
Nope, nope, let's not do that man
You eatin' up the game like Pac-Man
He got the whole world shakin' just like crack fangs
[Chorus: Kanye West]
Heavy hitters fo' life, Roc-a-Fella is fo' life
Throw your diamonds up, throw your diamonds up
Throw your diamonds
Let the beat ride out for a minute
[GLC (Kanye West)]
Let's take it there, take it there man
It's not supposed to be...
(GLC where you at nigga?)
How many niggas you know put their life on the line and get signed
Did a few high crimes, almost got lifetime
After the sunshine you thinkin' it might count
How could I mic out, just look at my account
I used to work at the mall with nothin' at all
Seein' niggas that ball, that shit was depressin'
Keep my clothes in the cleaners, I hate with the pressin'
When I copied hounds it was my best investment
Dre got shot and it taught me a lesson
I'm stickin' niggas up and them rubbery masses
Mash like Batman minus the tight pants
Would hit your baby momma but her elbows is ashy
Fo' different blues, man your outfit is crashin'
You ain't got no muscles dude you weakling bastard
Man look at your haircut
Mm hmm, mm hmm, no, your hair sucks
How many niggas you know is really heavy hitters
'87 go getters, two hoes like John Ritter
Even did it on his crime picture and ye
And offers to sell and yell, uh
[Chorus: Kanye West]
In "Heavy Hitters," Kanye West is asserting his dominance over other rappers in the game, declaring himself a heavy hitter for life. He dismisses other artists who want to collaborate with him, suggesting that they're only interested in using him for his fame and success. He asserts that he's not making a compilation album, but rather focusing on his own music, seeing other rappers as his competition. Kanye also reflects on his tumultuous past and how he's risen from poverty to fame, alluding to the 9/11 tragedy as a turning point in his life.
The second verse of the song is performed by featured artist GLC, who continues the theme of establishing oneself as a "heavy hitter." GLC talks about the sacrifices he's made to get to where he is and reflects on his criminal past. He contrasts this with his success in the music industry and his motivations for making music. GLC also takes the opportunity to taunt other rappers, insulting their fashion sense and physical appearance while asserting his own superiority.
Overall, "Heavy Hitters" is a braggadocious track that solidifies Kanye's position as a force to be reckoned with in the rap industry. It showcases his lyrical prowess and his ability to dominate the microphone, while also suggesting that he's not afraid of competition.
Line by Line Meaning
Heavy hitters fo' life, heavy hitters fo' life
Kanye West and GLC are not just successful artists, they are also heavy hitters in the music industry and plan to stay that way.
You rappers think I give a fuck about the way that they spit
Kanye West does not care about the way other rappers rhyme and does not want them on his album if they won't collaborate with him.
Want to be on my album but don't want me on they shit
Other rappers want to be featured on Kanye's album, but they do not want to feature him on their own music.
Everybody thought I was makin' a compilation
Many people believed that Kanye West was making a collaborative album rather than a solo record.
I was really makin' myself, they competition
Kanye was really making a solo album and sees other rappers as his competition.
Fresh off the plane from the All-Star game
Kanye recently returned from the All-Star game, likely implying that he is on top of his game and a star himself.
Hoes from on TV so it's All-Star trains
Beautiful women from television are interested in Kanye, so it is like all-star treatment for him.
Just picture man, no snitchin' man
The listener should imagine a situation where nobody is snitching or betraying each other for their own benefit.
Somethin' for the fiends fresh out the kitchen man
Kanye is creating music that appeals to fans, like freshly made food that has just come out of the kitchen.
Last 9.11 I was poor on the ave
On September 11th of some previous year, Kanye was poverty-stricken and struggling in his neighborhood.
Til I pulled out my map
Kanye had to make a plan to get himself out of poverty and made it happen.
Not it's course 9.11 and I'm floorin' the gas
Now, he has overcome his previous hardship and is accelerating towards success.
Gotta lotta problems, but at least one that Annette have no more
Kanye has many issues he is addressing, but at least he has resolved one (presumably related to someone named Annette).
Well Dame look at how everybody changed
Kanye is reflecting on how people around him have changed as he has become wealthier and more famous.
Tell Jay that I'm 'bout to change the game
Kanye is telling Jay-Z that his music is going to change the industry and become very successful.
Tell B.I.G. that we about to get paid
Kanye is telling the late rapper The Notorious B.I.G. that they are going to make a lot of money.
All my niggas about to have it made
Kanye's friends and collaborators are also going to benefit financially from his success.
This makes everything else sound played
Kanye's music is so innovative and exciting that everything else on the radio sounds boring in comparison.
Now hold up
Kanye wants to interrupt the music momentarily to make a point.
Ain't nobody messin' with me dog
Kanye believes that no other rapper can compete with him or match his skills.
Now you say it (ain't nobody messin' with you at all)
Kanye wants the listener to agree with him and say that no one can mess with him.
I told dude 'You can't even rap on my interlude'
Kanye refused to let another rapper feature on his album's interlude because he did not think they were talented enough.
Now does that make me as rude as you?
Kanye is questioning if his refusal to collaborate with others makes him as rude as they are.
(When the album comin' out?) Man the peoples is askin'
Kanye's fans are eagerly anticipating the release date for his album.
Why'all don't model Adidas, just stick with the fashion
Someone is suggesting that Kanye should only work on fashion and stop making music to avoid diluting his brand.
Why'all already got do' so just spit for the passion
The suggestion continues - they believe that Kanye is already wealthy and should only create music for the love of the craft.
The way ya rhyme give me Tribe Called Quest flashbacks
Kanye's style of rapping reminds the listener of the legendary rap group A Tribe Called Quest.
And let's not even bring up the tracks man
Kanye's beats are so impressive that he does not even need to talk about them for the listener to understand how great they are.
You eatin' up the game like Pac-Man
Kanye is dominating the music industry, like the video game character Pac-Man eats up pellets.
He got the whole world shakin' just like crack fangs
Kanye is so successful that he is causing a stir in the whole music industry, like a person with drug addiction shakes their jaw.
How many niggas you know put their life on the line and get signed
Kanye risked his safety and well-being to pursue his career in music and ultimately became signed to a record label.
Did a few high crimes, almost got lifetime
Kanye admits to committing some crimes and nearly ending up in prison for life as a result.
After the sunshine you thinkin' it might count
Kanye believes that after experiencing some trying times, he deserves to enjoy the benefits of success.
How could I mic out, just look at my account
Kanye is saying that he can clearly afford high-quality equipment for recording music because he has a lot of money.
I used to work at the mall with nothin' at all
Before he became famous, Kanye had a job at a mall where he had no property, influence, or acclaim.
Seein' niggas that ball, that shit was depressin'
Observing wealthy and influential acquaintances made Kanye feel sad about his own financial and social status at the time.
Keep my clothes in the cleaners, I hate with the pressin'
Kanye likes to keep his clothes in the cleaners to keep them clean, but dislikes when they are pressed flat.
When I copied hounds it was my best investment
When Kanye invested in a pair of dog patterned clothing, it paid off well for him as an investment in his style and public image.
Dre got shot and it taught me a lesson
When the rapper Dr. Dre was shot, Kanye learned from the experience that the music industry is dangerous and not to be taken lightly.
I'm stickin' niggas up and them rubbery masses
Kanye is muscling his way through the music industry by taking advantage of other artists and making forceful changes to the status quo.
Mash like Batman minus the tight pants
Kanye is efficient and powerful, like the superhero Batman, but without the stereotypical tight pants he wears.
Would hit your baby momma but her elbows is ashy
Kanye would sleep with a woman's significant other, but will not if her elbows are dry and ashy, indicating poor hygiene.
Fo' different blues, man your outfit is crashin'
Someone's outfit has four different blues, which Kanye thinks is bad fashion and does not look good.
You ain't got no muscles dude you weakling bastard
Kanye is insulting somebody's physical strength and calling them weak.
Man look at your haircut
Kanye is criticizing somebody's hairstyle as not being fashionable or attractive.
Mm hmm, mm hmm, no, your hair sucks
Kanye's critique is confirmed with a dismissive sound and statement that the person's hair is ugly.
How many niggas you know is really heavy hitters
Kanye is asking how many people are truly successful in the industry and can be considered heavy hitters like he and GLC are.
'87 go getters, two hoes like John Ritter
People are industrious and motivated, just like famous actor John Ritter from the '80s TV show 'Three's Company,' who was popular with women.
Even did it on his crime picture and ye
John Ritter even had success in the movie 'Problem Child,' and Kanye expects to have success on his album.
And offers to sell and yell, uh
Kanye is shouting and rapping with confidence that he will be successful and can sell his music.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LEONARD HARRIS, KANYE WEST, KANYE OMARI WEST
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lordkingkassanovavii9583
Just so you know, your work isn't in vein. I've been trying to find a high quality version of this song since I was a kid. Fun fact, this song was also the B side on the all falls down cassette (single) and I know the guy who the mix engineering on this song. We actually met because of this song. I did some research, then found out he went to Berklee. I applied to Berklee, got a scholarship, and the rest is history. He ended up being a legend in the music industry years later. His name is Ken Lewis. This song is the reason I made that valuable connection and changed my life. Ill stop here, this. comment is getting long lol. appreciate this upload and the effort to encode it in Flac.
@crooshal
Good story. 👍👍
@dirtmcgirt24
Did you enjoy Jeen Yuhs?
@PimpDaddyFresh
Probably the coolest YouTube comment I've ever run across. Hope all is well
@Luke_Fesperman
*vain
@caresecapton
It's weird; I thought that this song was from Graduation
@crooshal
I KNEW I WASNT CRAZY. I heard this version YEARS AGO on the radio
@jcwstly
This song is one of my favourites out of the entire College Dropout, should’ve been released internationally but you take what you can get
@hampter9551
Fun Fact it was released in the United States but on the Bonus Cd that came with The College Dropout Video Anthology
@caresecapton
:(