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.
I Need Too Know
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
to do whatever, down
to get it poppin', down
to get topless, ohh
I need to know
if you about cuttin'
or you about frontin'
baby i need to know
Man i spent my last eight checkses on a necklace
so i better get some sex for this, shieeeet
she want to sip up on the krisy krys like it Christy-mas
and i'm saint nicholas, i got her and her sister in
that white benz, dike twins
i ain't gonna lie they only fives but together they're tens
and would i do em again? hmmm (hmmm)
it's like old folks pissin' cuz it all depends
and it's no coke sniffin' just juice and jin
grey goose to get you loose
they hit the nigga producin'
the track that got you movin'
this track got you movin'
so crazy you don't know what you doin'
you been tellin them jokes
and it's not a rumor, I like a girl with a sense of humor
to give me a head til it aching, it's not a tumor
so let me know what's going down before i pay for this room cuz
*CHORUS* (2x)
I need to know, down
to do whatever, down
to get it poppin', down
to get topless, ohh
I need to know
if you about cuttin'
or if you about frontin'
baby i need to know
Man if you got it you got it
and if you don't then you probably won't
since your nigga callin' mighty gant
i never hit a lady but my game might abuse em
vamboosh just to tell em that our jimmy choosin
take em back to confuse em
so she don't know if she coming or going
cuz mami after i'm cumming i'm going
back to the show just frontin' and blowin'
jury stuntin' and glowin'
it's like something i'm knowin'
and i been known to have a hoe or two
cuz my diamond's yellow like a smoker tooth
i tell them step into the vocal booth
roll a joint, smoke a few
after that i'm poking you
after that it's over boo
baby grab your coat and pweeooom
*CHORUS* (2x)
I need to know, down
to do whatever, down
to get it poppin', down
to get topless, ohh
I need to know
if you about cuttin'
or if you about frontin'
baby i need to know
Now there's three different levels to relationships
balling it at the club with em
talking and getting affectionate
leaving and having sex with em
kicking em out tricking no models, dimes and rats
now i don't get into that, i kick that habbit
i just keep em impressed, let em
seat em in lex never
eat em unless that fucking cat looks fresh
i gotta a line in my pocket
i'm lying, i gotta nine in my pants
and baby i'm just dying for a chance
who ready to fuck? you ready to fuck?
oh fo shizzers, said she ready to cut
and then she grabbed my scissors
she prolly look good but what's scary to me
henney makes hoes look like halle berry to me
*CHORUS* (2x)
I need to know, down
to do whatever, down
to get it poppin', down
to get topless, ohh
I need to know
if you about cuttin'
or if you about frontin'
baby i need to know
In Kanye West's song "I Need to Know," the lyrics portray a hedonistic and sexually charged narrative. The singer is expressing his desire to know if a potential partner is willing to engage in various activities and experiences. The repetition of the phrase "I need to know" emphasizes the singer's urgency and impatience.
The lyrics also highlight the materialistic nature of the singer, referencing how he spent his money on a necklace and expects sexual favors in return. The line "she want to sip up on the krisy krys like it Christy-mas" suggests that the woman desires expensive champagne, equating it to a special occasion like Christmas. The singer boasts about his ability to attract multiple women, even if they are not conventionally attractive individually, suggesting that their combined attractiveness makes them desirable.
Throughout the song, the singer adopts a casual and confident attitude towards relationships, describing encounters that are solely based on physical pleasure. He mentions the transient nature of these encounters, as he moves on after his desire has been fulfilled. Ultimately, the song portrays a shallow and hedonistic perspective on relationships and sex.
Line by Line Meaning
I need to know, you down
I want to know if you are willing to go along with whatever I ask or suggest.
to do whatever, down
I want to know if you are open to doing anything without hesitation.
to get it poppin', down
I want to know if you are ready to have a great time and go all out.
to get topless, ohh
I want to know if you are comfortable enough to take off your clothes.
if you about cuttin'
I want to know if you are genuinely interested in engaging in real and meaningful experiences.
or you about frontin'
I want to know if you are only pretending or putting up a false act.
baby I need to know
I really want to understand your intentions and what you are willing to do.
Man I spent my last eight checkses on a necklace
I have used up all my money to buy an expensive necklace.
so I better get some sex for this, shieeeet
I expect to receive sexual favors in return for my extravagant purchase.
she want to sip up on the krisy krys like it Christy-mas
She wants to drink expensive champagne like it's Christmas.
and I'm saint nicholas, I got her and her sister in
I am like Santa Claus, bringing her and her sister into a luxurious lifestyle.
that white benz, dike twins
We are driving around in a white Mercedes-Benz with two attractive women.
I ain't gonna lie they only fives but together they're tens
Individually, the women may not be super attractive, but when seen as a pair, they are considered very attractive.
and would I do em again? hmmm (hmmm)
And would I have a sexual encounter with them again? Hmm.
it's like old folks pissin' cuz it all depends
The outcome is uncertain, just like how the speed at which old people urinate varies.
and it's no coke sniffin' just juice and jin
We are not consuming cocaine, only drinking fruit juice and gin.
grey goose to get you loose
We are drinking Grey Goose vodka to help us relax and have a good time.
they hit the nigga producin'
They enjoy the music produced by the person they are with.
the track that got you movin'
The song that is currently playing is making you dance or move your body.
so crazy you don't know what you doin'
The music is so energetic and enjoyable that you are completely caught up in the moment and unaware of your actions.
you been tellin them jokes
You have been entertaining others with your sense of humor.
and it's not a rumor, I like a girl with a sense of humor
It's true, I genuinely appreciate a woman who can make me laugh and have a good sense of humor.
to give me a head til it aching, it's not a tumor
To perform oral sex on me until it causes pleasurable pain, not a medical condition.
so let me know what's going down before I pay for this room cuz
Inform me of your intentions and what activities we will engage in before I pay for the hotel room because of it.
Man if you got it you got it
If you have the ability or resources, then you possess them.
and if you don't then you probably won't
If you do not have the necessary means, then it is unlikely that you will acquire them.
since your nigga callin' mighty gant
As your partner is being referred to as 'mighty gant,'
I never hit a lady but my game might abuse em
I do not physically harm women, but my charm and manipulative skills might emotionally affect them.
vamboosh just to tell em that our jimmy choosin
I quickly disappear from their presence just to inform others that I am wearing expensive Jimmy Choo shoes.
take em back to confuse em
I bring them back to my place to create confusion or uncertainty in their minds.
so she don't know if she coming or going
I want her to feel uncertain about her intentions and whether she wants to stay or leave.
cuz mami after I'm cumming I'm going
Because after I reach orgasm, I will leave.
back to the show just frontin' and blowin'
I will return to the public eye, pretending and showing off my success.
jury stuntin' and glowin'
I will display my expensive jewelry and impress others with its brilliance.
it's like something I'm knowin'
It feels familiar, like I am certain about this lifestyle and behavior.
and I been known to have a hoe or two
I have a reputation for being involved with multiple promiscuous women.
cuz my diamond's yellow like a smoker tooth
Because my diamonds are yellow, just like the teeth of a regular smoker.
I tell them step into the vocal booth
I ask them to come into the recording studio and engage in sexual activity.
roll a joint, smoke a few
We will roll and smoke marijuana together.
after that I'm poking you
Once we have finished smoking, I will engage in sexual intercourse with you.
after that it's over boo
After our sexual encounter, our relationship will come to an end, and I will no longer continue pursuing you.
baby grab your coat and pweeooom
Darling, quickly gather your belongings and leave.
Now there's three different levels to relationships
Let me explain that there are three distinct stages or aspects of a romantic connection.
balling it at the club with em
The first level involves having a great time, dancing, and enjoying oneself at the club with romantic partners.
talking and getting affectionate
The second level entails engaging in conversations and displaying affection towards each other.
leaving and having sex with em
The third level is about parting ways and engaging in sexual activity with the romantic partners.
kicking em out tricking no models, dimes and rats
I am not interested in keeping or providing financial support to stunningly beautiful women, average-looking attractive women, or unattractive women.
now I don't get into that, I kick that habit
I do not involve myself in such practices anymore, and I have abandoned that lifestyle.
I just keep em impressed, let em
I prefer to impress the women I am with and allow them to appreciate and admire me.
seat em in lex never
I always provide them with a luxurious Lexus car to sit in.
eat em unless that fucking cat looks fresh
I do not perform oral sex on them unless their intimate area is clean and well-groomed.
I gotta a line in my pocket
I have a pick-up line or smooth talk that I can use to attract women.
I'm lying, I gotta nine in my pants
I am joking, but in reality, I have a concealed weapon in my pants.
and baby I'm just dying for a chance
I am desperately longing for an opportunity to prove myself or have a romantic encounter with you.
who ready to fuck? you ready to fuck?
Who is ready to engage in sexual activity? Are you ready to engage in sexual activity?
oh fo shizzers, said she ready to cut
Oh, for sure, she confirmed that she is ready to have sex.
and then she grabbed my scissors
And then she forcefully took off my pants or underwear.
she prolly look good but what's scary to me
She probably appears attractive, but what concerns me is...
henney makes hoes look like halle berry to me
The influence of Hennessy liquor can make promiscuous women seem as appealing as the famous actress Halle Berry to me.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
fpalillero 7
this song is for people who know they're toxic and don't wanna hurt a person with a good heart
jc
Nice
i`
yea
Ali Armenta
Indeed
Matylda
literally
Fxckurhate_jaz
Real
The Frame
This line: " I'm so gifted at finding what I don't like the most" got me.
Ludovica Di virgilio
@oh don’t Mind me età j
Fxckurhate_jaz
Stg
Erika Hernandez
I do this, I don't know why. I nit pick at men i date , if anything looks ugly or not attractive. I eventually leave. Im Trying not to be so shallow.