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.
Paid The Price
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And then you came back
I think you brought it back together
Now I know
There is no (there is no)
Way (there's no there is no way)
That I can go on without you baby
Yeah, yeah, uh, uh, uh
Me and do or die got maneuvers
Cold pimp tactics all in one package
Hollerin' at a chick that could of been a actress
Right now her back is layin' on my mattress
Why your team pissed like urine
Only rock things made for a king
Tell me tell me it was the lv
Bigger that the jeans of the
Rap floor green
That's how I gotcha
So I you want a role model to call like patra
Quit hollerin' at them losers
And get with this shit that
Got his own business an entrepreneur
Off the block now
Shit got the pipe down
Industry niggas I just got bomb
Track from kanye west pass the bomb aye
Kick the doors down like desert storm
Where's the millions
I'm the chameleon
Transformatin', rock a show like god
Drivin' for status
Big my apparatus
You gotta now I'm getting all that dough
Hotter than your shit
Bullshit, got a full clip
Think I'm a punk then get your back broke slow
I'm the shiznick down to my diznick
Lyrics so hot enough for frozen snow
Feel of the bomb again and get fucked the he say she say
He say she say I ain't gon make it
The throne is my mine
Chi-town where's the crown
From the days of Capone, nigga
You know we gon take it
I wanna vint vivian and own my own block
Print my check like johnny walker scott
Damn if you do or you don't you move over
Save some room for the black casanova
Ladies and gentlemen
You is tunin' in to do or die (thank you) kanye west
Chi-town finest, world clap your hands for us one time
It's the world premiere, you don't understand though
Man we got the plan, we gon put it in your hands like this
It ain't nothing happenin' you know what I'm sayin'?
We make it happen, bullshit ain't nothing joe, chi-town finest
You know how it go, come on, come on
Uh, come on, come on
This the last time you see my like this here stuntin'
16,5 & 3 ain't that somethin'?
As long as we makin the paper the hoes comin'
Suppose I get behind the mic and flow somethin'
Kanye show the chain ladies expose something
With a hummer h2 with the benz there's no frontin'
With some ice you can skate on
Now I got no weight on
It's gettin to the point when the ballas try hate on
Proticops I stayed on
And made a lot of hot songs
Do you think I'm a P.I.M.P
In a sl5 halle berry colors scoop me
Groupies and gucci you know you can't exclude me
Ladies get around be like "he's so cool g"
No I'm not booshie just eric and young stoopie
The black hugh heffner
Tell me tell me lord can you hear me?
Sometimes I walk these streets and get weary
Most of the times I can't let these niggas get near me
With this hatred, jealousy, and envy
I went to church and they said you had a remedy
A remedy to set me free and take away my enemies
So I pray to the day when I get to see
All the faces that put me down up in the industry
So from the street to the club
It's ya boy show me love
We gotta keep it gangstas that's how we gettin love
Never fall for the love of the dough
Stay true, straight to the facts and the game to show
The lyrics to Kanye West's song "Paid The Price" reflect the artist's journey of personal growth and redemption, with references to love, success, and overcoming obstacles. The opening lines suggest that the singer's world was falling apart until someone (presumably a love interest) came back into their life and helped put it back together. The lyrics emphasize the dependence on this person, stating that there is no way the singer can go on without them.
The following verses touch on themes of success and power, with Kanye West showcasing his confidence and swagger. He mentions his collaborations with other artists, his ability to attract women, and his financial achievements. These lines highlight Kanye's self-assuredness and desire to be seen as a king in the rap industry.
Towards the end of the song, Kanye reflects on his journey and the challenges he faces within the music industry. He speaks of his weariness and the negativity he encounters, but also finds solace and hope in his faith. He prays for deliverance from his enemies and expresses the desire to rise above the critics and doubters.
Overall, "Paid The Price" is a reflection on personal growth, the power of love, and the pursuit of success in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
My world came to an end
I experienced a major loss or setback in my life
And then you came back
But then you came back into my life
I think you brought it back together
I believe you played a crucial role in bringing my world back together
Now I know
And now I realize
There is no (there is no)
There is no
Way (there's no there is no way)
Possibility or option
That I can go on without you baby
That I can continue living without you, my love
Yeah, history in the makin, do or die
This moment is monumental and crucial, with everything at stake
Me and do or die got maneuvers
Together with the do or die mentality, we have strategic plans
Cold pimp tactics all in one package
We possess various cunning strategies and skills
Hollerin' at a chick that could of been a actress
Engaging with a woman who has the potential to be a famous actress
Right now her back is layin' on my mattress
Currently, she is lying on my bed
Why your team pissed like urine
Why is your team angry like urine?
Only rock things made for a king
We exclusively wear luxury items fit for royalty
Tell me tell me it was the lv
Confirm if it was the Louis Vuitton brand
Bigger that the jeans of the
Bigger than the pockets of those
Rap floor green
Wealth acquired through rap music
That's how I gotcha
That's how I won you over
So I you want a role model to call like patra
If you want someone to look up to, someone like Queen Patra
Quit hollerin' at them losers
Stop chasing after unworthy individuals
And get with this shit that
And join me in this successful lifestyle that
Got his own business an entrepreneur
Has his own business, an ambitious and innovative individual
Off the block now
No longer involved in street activities
Shit got the pipe down
The situation has calmed down and become controlled
Industry niggas I just got bomb
I just received a great track from industry artists
Track from kanye west pass the bomb aye
A track produced by Kanye West, pass it to me
Kick the doors down like desert storm
Entering forcefully and boldly, like a military operation in the desert
Where's the millions
Where is the large sum of money I should be earning?
I'm the chameleon
I can adapt and blend in any environment
Transformatin', rock a show like god
Transforming and creating an amazing performance, like a god
Drivin' for status
Working hard to gain recognition and success
Big my apparatus
Increasing the scale and impact of my work
You gotta now I'm getting all that dough
You must know that I'm earning a significant amount of money
Hotter than your shit
More popular and successful than your work
Bullshit, got a full clip
Don't believe it, I'm fully prepared and armed
Think I'm a punk then get your back broke slow
If you underestimate me, be prepared to face severe consequences
I'm the shiznick down to my diznick
I'm the best and most impressive, even down to the smallest detail
Lyrics so hot enough for frozen snow
My lyrics are so captivating and impressive, they can even melt frozen snow
Feel of the bomb again and get fucked the he say she say
Experience the impact of my explosive talent and ignore gossip and rumors
He say she say I ain't gon make it
People spreading doubts and saying I won't succeed
The throne is my mine
I am destined to be the ruler and the best in the game
Chi-town where's the crown
In Chicago, where is the symbol of power and authority?
From the days of Capone, nigga
Referring to the past era of gangsters in Chicago
You know we gon take it
You know we will seize the opportunity and claim it
I wanna vint vivian and own my own block
I aspire to have wealth and power, to own my own neighborhood
Print my check like johnny walker scott
To have massive financial success, like a famous business tycoon
Damn if you do or you don't you move over
Regardless of your actions, you better make way for me
Save some room for the black casanova
Leave some space for the charming and charismatic black man
Ladies and gentlemen
Addressing the audience respectfully
You is tunin' in to do or die (thank you) kanye west
Thank you for tuning in to the collaboration between Do or Die and Kanye West
Chi-town finest, world clap your hands for us one time
Acknowledging that Chicago produces the best talents, requesting applause from the global audience
It's the world premiere, you don't understand though
This is the first time this song is being released worldwide, you might not fully comprehend its significance
Man we got the plan, we gon put it in your hands like this
We have a clear strategy and we will present it to you like this
It ain't nothing happenin' you know what I'm sayin'?
There's nothing interesting or exciting happening, do you understand what I'm trying to convey?
We make it happen, bullshit ain't nothing joe, chi-town finest
We are the ones who make things happen, don't believe any rumors or distractions, we are the best from Chicago
You know how it go, come on, come on
You understand the process and the expected behavior, let's move forward
This the last time you see my like this here stuntin'
This will be the final time you witness me showing off like this
16,5 & 3 ain't that somethin'?
Having 16, 5, and 3 is quite impressive, don't you think?
As long as we makin the paper the hoes comin'
As long as we're making money, the women will be attracted to us
Suppose I get behind the mic and flow somethin'
Imagine me delivering a powerful and captivating performance on the microphone
Kanye show the chain ladies expose something
Kanye, display your expensive jewelry and attract the attention of women
With a hummer h2 with the benz there's no frontin'
Riding in a Hummer H2 along with a Mercedes-Benz, displaying wealth without pretending
With some ice you can skate on
Wearing expensive jewelry that can be compared to an ice rink
Now I got no weight on
Now I don't have any burdens or worries
It's gettin to the point when the ballas try hate on
It's reaching a stage where successful individuals are starting to envy and criticize
Proticops I stayed on
I successfully avoided any legal troubles or entanglements
And made a lot of hot songs
And created numerous popular and successful songs
Do you think I'm a P.I.M.P
Do you consider me to be a pimp?
In a sl5 halle berry colors scoop me
Driving in a luxury SL5 car, similar to Halle Berry's appearance, attract me
Groupies and gucci you know you can't exclude me
Groupies and expensive Gucci products, you can't ignore my presence
Ladies get around be like "he's so cool g"
Women gather around and comment, 'he is so cool'
No I'm not booshie just eric and young stoopie
No, I'm not arrogant, just Eric and Young Stoopie
The black hugh heffner
I am the African-American version of Hugh Hefner
Tell me tell me lord can you hear me?
I pray and ask the Lord if He can hear me
Sometimes I walk these streets and get weary
At times, I feel tired and exhausted walking these streets
Most of the times I can't let these niggas get near me
Most of the time, I can't allow these people to get close to me
With this hatred, jealousy, and envy
Because they carry negative emotions such as hatred, jealousy, and envy
I went to church and they said you had a remedy
I attended church and they told me that you have a solution
A remedy to set me free and take away my enemies
A solution that will liberate me and remove my enemies from my life
So I pray to the day when I get to see
I pray for the day when I will have the opportunity to see
All the faces that put me down up in the industry
All the people who criticized and underestimated me in the music industry
So from the street to the club
From the streets to the nightclub
It's ya boy show me love
Support and show love to me, your boy
We gotta keep it gangstas that's how we gettin love
We need to maintain our authentic and tough image, that's how we earn respect and love
Never fall for the love of the dough
Never prioritize money over everything else
Stay true, straight to the facts and the game to show
Remain loyal and committed, focusing on delivering the truth and showcasing talent
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ROUND, SMITH, TROUTMAN, WEST
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
D J
[Verse One: Kanye West]
Yeah, history in the makin, Do or Die
Yeah, yeah, uh, uh, uh
Me and Do or Die got maneuvers
Cold pimp tactics all in one package
Hollerin' at a chick that could of been a actress
Right now her back is layin' on my mattress
Why your team pissed like urine
Only rock things made for a king
Tell me tell me it was the LV
Bigger that the jeans of the
Rap floor green
That's how I gotcha
So I you want a role model to call like Patra
Quit hollerin' at them losers
And get with this shit that
Got his own business an entrepreneur
Devante Porter
Those perfectly placed drums compliments the sample so well kanye is a genius
The Rav3n
Can't just put any snare or kick with any sample
ThiefofBaghdad
lmao that's the game fam
Always watching
his sound selection is unmacted
Sparks
always was
NickTheBullsFan
Kanye not using this beat for himself or Jay is a tragedy
Hero_Reborn
💯 💯 💯
Dean Zirolli
He’s literally on the song
Hero_Reborn
@Dean Zirolli and they ruined it lmao
EsTa
Ever making a return nick?