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 Canโt Be Life, a track from Jay-Zโs The Dynasty: Roc La Familia. West said he sped up the drum beat of Dr. Dreโs Xxplosive to use as a replacement for his drums on This Canโt 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 Olโ Dirty Bastard were some of his all-time favorites. Said Kanye West: โWu-Tang? Me and my friends talk about this all the timeโฆ 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.โ
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 Beyoncรฉ 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 Beyoncรฉ 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. Kanyeโs 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 Kanyeโs 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 Gravโs 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, Camโron, Paul Wall, Common, Mobb Deep, Jermaine Dupri, Scarface, The Game, Alicia Keys, Janet Jackson and John Legend among others. He also โghost-producedโ for his once mentor Deric Angelettie according to his song Last Call and the credits of Nasโ 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 partnershipsโincluding his collaborations with Adidas, Gap, and Balenciagaโafter making antisemitic statements.
Make Me Better Freestyle
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wait 'til I get my money right
I had a dream I could buy my way to heaven
When I awoke I spent that on a necklace
I told God I'd be back in a second
Man, it's so hard not to act reckless
To whom much is given, much is tested
I feel the pressure, under more scrutiny
And what'd I do? Act more stupidly
Bought more jewelry, More Louis V.
My mama couldn't get through to me
The drama, people suing me
I'm on T.V. talking like it's just you and me
I'm just saying how I feel man
I ain't one of the Cosby's, I ain't go to Hillman
I guess the money should've changed them
I guess I should've forgot where I came from
La la la la
Wait 'til I get my money right
La la la la
Then you can't tell me nothing right?
Excuse me, is you saying something?
Uh, uh, you can't tell me nothing
You can't tell me nothing
Uh, uh, you can't tell me nothing
Let up the suicide doors
This is my life homie, you decide yours
I know that Jesus died for us
But I couldn't tell you who decide wars
So I parallel double-parked that motherfucker sideways
Old folks talking 'bout back in my day
But homie, this is my day
Class started two hours ago, oh, am I late?
No I already graduated
And you can live through anything if Magic made it
They say I talk with so much emphasis
Ooh, they so sensitive
Don't ever fix your lips like collagen
Then say something where you gon end up apolog'in
Let me know if it's a problem then
A'ight man, holla then
La la la la
Wait 'til I get my money right
La la la la
Then you can't tell me nothing right?
Excuse me, is you saying something?
Uh, uh, you can't tell me nothing
You can't tell me nothing
Uh, uh, you can't tell me nothing
Let the champagne splash
Let that man get cash, let that man get past
You don't need to stop to get gas
If he can move through the rumors, he can drive off fumes
Cause how he move in a room full of No's?
How he stay faithful in a room full of hoes?
Must be the pharoahs, he in tune with his soul
So when he buried in a tomb full of gold
Treasure, what's you pleasure?
Life is a, uh, depending how you dress her
So if the devil wear prada, Adam, Eve wear nada
I'm in between, but way more fresher
But way less effort, cause when you try hard
That's when you die hard
Ya'll homies lookin' like "Why God?"
When they reminisce over you, my God
La la la la
Wait 'til I get my money right
La la la la
Then you can't tell me nothing right?
Excuse me, is you saying something?
Uh, uh, you can't tell me nothing
You can't tell me nothing
Uh, uh, you can't tell me nothing
La la la la
Wait 'til I get my money right
La la la la
Then you can't tell me nothing right?
The lyrics of Kanye Westโs โCanโt Tell Me Nothingโ reflect the rapperโs journey from growing up with humble beginnings to finding success in the music industry. The opening lines โWait โtil I get my money rightโ demonstrate his determination to achieve financial prosperity. He then reflects on how he once believed he could โbuy [his] way to heavenโ but realizes his materialistic tendencies were misplaced. He acknowledges the pressure of fame and success, but remains steadfast in his pursuit of wealth and fame.
Throughout the song, West challenges societal norms and expectations. He questions who decides wars and illustrates his ability to navigate through rumors and negativity as he pursues success. He concludes with a reflection on how he dresses and the importance of finding balance in oneโs desires and efforts.
Overall, the songโs lyrics showcase Westโs defiance and perseverance in pursuing his dreams despite the challenges he faced along the way.
Line by Line Meaning
Wait 'til I get my money right
I won't listen to anyone until I have enough money to prove them wrong
I had a dream I could buy my way to heaven
I believed that money could solve all my problems and bring me happiness
When I awoke I spent that on a necklace
I wasted all my money on material possessions and lost sight of what truly mattered
I told God I'd be back in a second
I made promises to improve myself but failed to keep them
Man, it's so hard not to act reckless
It's difficult for me to control my behavior and make responsible choices
To whom much is given, much is tested
When you have more, you are expected to do more and face greater challenges
Get arrested, guess until he get the message
I've made mistakes and faced consequences, but I'm still learning from them
I feel the pressure, under more scrutiny
I'm constantly under the public eye and judgment, which adds to my stress and anxiety
And what'd I do? Act more stupidly
Instead of learning from my mistakes, I kept making more and repeating the same patterns
Bought more jewelry, More Louis V.
I continued to spend my money on superficial things to prove my wealth and status
My mama couldn't get through to me
Even my loved ones couldn't convince me to change my ways
The drama, people suing me
I've faced legal troubles and been the subject of gossip and criticism
I'm on T.V. talking like it's just you and me
I talk openly in interviews despite knowing that it will be broadcast to a large audience
I'm just saying how I feel man
I'm expressing my honest emotions and opinions, regardless of how others may perceive them
I ain't one of the Cosby's, I ain't go to Hillman
I didn't have the same opportunities or background as the characters in popular TV shows
I guess the money should've changed them
I expected my success to influence others in a positive way, but it didn't
I guess I should've forgot where I came from
I lost sight of my roots and the values that made me who I am
Then you can't tell me nothing right?
Once I have enough money and success, I believe that no one can criticize or stop me
Let up the suicide doors
I'm driving an expensive car with flashy features that symbolize my wealth and status
This is my life homie, you decide yours
I'm in control of my own life and the choices I make, and others have to make their own decisions
I know that Jesus died for us
I have religious beliefs and acknowledge the sacrifices of Jesus Christ
But I couldn't tell you who decide wars
I don't know who is really responsible for conflicts and violence in the world
So I parallel double-parked that motherfucker sideways
I parked my car in a flashy, attention-grabbing way as a symbol of my wealth and status
Old folks talking 'bout back in my day
Some people criticize my behavior and actions as being disrespectful or different from what they were used to in the past
Class started two hours ago, oh, am I late?
I'm joking about my lack of punctuality and responsibility, which may be seen as disrespectful or unprofessional
No I already graduated
I've already achieved success and don't need to conform to traditional expectations
And you can live through anything if Magic made it
Even when faced with adversity, one can overcome it and succeed with determination and strength
They say I talk with so much emphasis
Others criticize my communication style and how I express myself
Ooh, they so sensitive
People are easily offended and take things too personally
Don't ever fix your lips like collagen
Don't say things you don't mean, or that are just artificial and fake
Then say something where you gon end up apolog'in
If you say something hurtful or false, you'll ultimately have to apologize for it
Let me know if it's a problem then
If someone has an issue with me, they should speak up and express their concerns
Let the champagne splash
I'm celebrating my success and enjoying the luxuries that come with it
Let that man get cash, let that man get past
Let others achieve success and move forward without judgement or interference
You don't need to stop to get gas
I have enough resources and momentum to keep going without taking breaks or slowing down
If he can move through the rumors, he can drive off fumes
If someone can overcome false rumors and criticism, they can continue to succeed even when resources are scarce
Cause how he move in a room full of No's?
I'm successful because I have the skill and confidence to handle rejection and adversity
How he stay faithful in a room full of hoes?
I have remained true to my beliefs and values despite being surrounded by temptation
Must be the pharoahs, he in tune with his soul
My inner strength and spirituality have helped me achieve success and overcome obstacles
So when he buried in a tomb full of gold
Even when I die, I will be remembered for my wealth and success
Treasure, what's you pleasure?
What do you value and want to achieve in life?
Life is a, uh, depending how you dress her
Your perception and experience of life depends on your attitude and how you approach it
So if the devil wear prada, Adam, Eve wear nada
If evil can disguise itself as something good and tempting, then real goodness and purity has no need for material possessions
I'm in between, but way more fresher
I don't conform to traditional standards, but I have my own unique and fresh style
But way less effort, cause when you try hard
When you're true to yourself and don't try too hard to impress others, you appear more effortless and authentic
That's when you die hard
If you try too hard to be something you're not, or live up to unrealistic expectations, you risk losing your true self and purpose
Ya'll homies lookin' like "Why God?"
Others may not understand why I do what I do, or why I've achieved success while they haven't
When they reminisce over you, my God
When I'm gone, people will remember me and my impact on the world
Lyrics ยฉ Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Spirit Music Group, Anthem Entertainment
Written by: JOHN JACKSON, JOHN DAVID JACKSON, TIMOTHY Z MOSLEY, SHAFFER SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@waedjradi
La, la, la-la
Wait 'til I get my money right
La, la, la-la
Then you can't tell me nothing, right?
Excuse me? Was you saying something?
Uh uh, you can't tell me nothing!
... you can't tell me nothing!
Uh uh, you can't tell me nothing!
@gmailazerty
If Kanye was at my church I would show up every fucking Sunday
@taylortaylor123
Why are you guys swearing in this comment section? I don't understand why, if God his your spirit you wouldn't be using words like that
@Spurge7
@Taylor Taylor as a non religious person whats wrong with swearing if youre religious
@nihhartated7879
Hell..Im not a Christian but id show up everyday
@OjukwuIsaac
I feel the same way; but Jesus is my motivation to go to church. Although I like Kanye West; I encourage you to appreciate how good Jesus is to you; I encourage you to value His words more than money, jewelry, and celebrities; and, how He died, resurrected, and rose on the 3rd day. When you do that you're not going to want to miss church.
@rosebenson8676
Me too
@Buriburi-mon
โI donโt need a grammyโ
@cas8612
"has 24"
@Hungersforbuger
๋ถ๋ฆฌ๋ถ๋ฆฌ๋ชฌ๊ฒ์ด์ผใ ใ
@akkuXD3
I mean Kanye literally peed on a Grammy.