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.
Plastic
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let it bang uh uh uh yeah hey uh
I ain't tryin' to stress my wealth
But sometimes I gotta American Express myself
When the pastor asked me why I'm flashy
Well, sometimes I gotta bless myself
I see you shining, shining like a mirror ball
Never hear of y'all?
You local retard, I'm the king of the world
So the king of your city by default
Niggas pullin' out cash in wads
My pants kinda tight, only fit, a credit card
But please don't get to spazzin' on 'em
Really Doe got a different type
Of plastic on him
And all my niggas, is big tippers
Why? A little rain never hurt no strippers
And it ain't like I can't get along with you
But I need you to get
Along while I get richer
Speakin' of richer you talkin' bout prior
Let's talk about now and the
Future which I am
All star ah, Super Bowl shuffle
Suicide door ah, big world tour ah
I am the menorah of this new era
And uh, you are?, dawg, whatever
Got to excuse the cockiness
But only an asshole can give
You this much shit
Don't make me swipe my card
Nigga quit playin' before I swipe my card
I know you star, stuntin' for these broads
Nigga don't make me swipe my card
Peep the ice game
What the fuck? Are you a retard?
Nigga quit playin' before I swipe my card
Nigga don't make me swipe my card
It's no fair he's not
No nigga bring the thunder
Make your account look like
Social security numbers
I fast yesterday, now you feel my hunger
Why you grillin' the Hummer?
Can it be yours, you wonder
I'm on top and you're so far under
Dodgin piranha's swimmin' with them fish
Chicken, Salmon, yeah my favorite dish
Mess the kitchen up and I don't
Have to touch a dish
I suggest you disperse, take a guest list
Henny, Remy, bottles of Cris
Miss, do you know who in this bitch?
Handle that, I swung my wrist
Look my name up, find me in the Ritz
That's cause I'm stuntin' with more labels
Than cars on All Star Weekend
Awe baby we ballin'
Glasses over here are kinda low don't stall
Don't make me swipe my card
Nigga quit playin' before I swipe my card
I know you star, stuntin' for these broads
Nigga don't make me swipe my card
Peep the ice game
What the fuck? Are you a retard?
Nigga quit playin' before I swipe my card
Nigga don't make me swipe my card
Man, just so you niggas don't get it confused
I ain't talkin' about lean cards either
It's got to have one of
These logos: American Express, Master, visa
The lyrics to Kanye West's song "Plastic" explore themes of materialism, wealth, and status. The opening lines, "Bang let it bang yeah, Let it bang uh uh uh yeah hey uh," set the energetic and boastful tone of the song. Kanye expresses his desire to flaunt his wealth and success, using American Express as a symbol of his extravagance.
He addresses the criticism he receives, especially from the church community, for his flashy lifestyle. Kanye defends himself by asserting that sometimes he needs to "bless" himself and show off his riches. He contrasts his global fame with those who are unknown abroad, referring to them as local and inferior. Kanye sees himself as the king of both the world and his city.
Throughout the lyrics, Kanye displays his arrogance and confidence, stating that only an "asshole" like himself can deliver such a controversial message. He references his generosity, being a big tipper, and dismisses the idea that rain can harm strippers. Kanye's ego shines through as he claims to be the center of attention and success in the present and future, leaving behind his past accomplishments.
The chorus emphasizes Kanye's power and authority. He warns others not to provoke him, using his card-swiping ability as a metaphor for dispensing his wealth or even as a threat. He questions the intelligence of those who challenge him and asserts his dominance.
Overall, "Plastic" reflects Kanye West's self-assured attitude and obsession with wealth and status. The lyrics showcase his extravagant lifestyle and unapologetic demeanor.
Line by Line Meaning
Bang let it bang yeah
Expressing a desire for a bold and impactful sound
Let it bang uh uh uh yeah hey uh
Reiterating the desire for a powerful and attention-grabbing sound
I ain't tryin' to stress my wealth
Not intending to focus too much on material possessions
But sometimes I gotta American Express myself
At times, I need to use my wealth to express myself and my status
When the pastor asked me why I'm flashy
Explaining the reason behind being extravagant when questioned by authority figures
Well, sometimes I gotta bless myself
Occasionally, I need to appreciate and reward myself
I see you shining, shining like a mirror ball
Observing someone else's attention-seeking behavior and excessive display of wealth
Why when we're abroad we don't never hear of y'all?
Questioning why these individuals are not recognized or known outside their local surroundings
You local retard, I'm the king of the world
Asserting dominance and superiority over others who are limited to their local area
So the king of your city by default
Automatically becoming the ruler or most influential person in their city due to their success
Niggas pullin' out cash in wads
Witnessing people flaunting large amounts of money
My pants kinda tight, only fit, a credit card
Admitting to not carrying physical cash but relying on credit cards for transactions
But please don't get to spazzin' on 'em
Requesting not to overreact or become angry with others
Really Doe got a different type of plastic on him
Referring to someone named Really Doe who possesses a unique and exceptional level of wealth
And all my niggas, is big tippers
Stating that all of their associates generously tip service workers
Why? A little rain never hurt no strippers
Justifying the act of spending money on adult entertainment and emphasizing that it doesn't negatively affect the performers
And it ain't like I can't get along with you
Indicating the ability to maintain friendly relations with others
But I need you to get
However, I require you to understand
Along while I get richer
Supportive of their endeavors to achieve greater wealth
Speakin' of richer you talkin' bout prior
Transitioning to discussing past achievements and comparing them to the present
Let's talk about now and the future which I am
Shifting the focus to the present and future, asserting their current success and dominance
All star ah, Super Bowl shuffle
Comparing themselves to top athletes and using sports-related metaphors to describe their high status
Suicide door ah, big world tour ah
Highlighting their extravagant lifestyle, luxurious car, and extensive international travels
I am the menorah of this new era
Positioning themselves as a symbol of illumination and leadership in this modern age
And uh, you are?, dawg, whatever
Dismissing and disregarding the significance of others' opinions or standing
Got to excuse the cockiness
Acknowledging their boastful nature
But only an asshole can give you this much shit
Asserting that their level of success and influence allows them to be critical and influential
Don't make me swipe my card
Warning others not to provoke a reaction that would result in them using their credit card for extravagant spending
Nigga quit playin' before I swipe my card
Requesting others to stop joking or playing around before they take serious action
I know you star, stuntin' for these broads
Acknowledging that others may also seek attention and impress women
Peep the ice game
Take note of the ostentatious display of expensive jewelry
What the fuck? Are you a retard?
Expressing disbelief and questioning intelligence when confronted with ignorance
It's no fair he's not
Unfairly comparing oneself to others who don't possess the same level of success
No nigga bring the thunder
Challenging others to bring their best efforts and compete on a higher level
Make your account look like social security numbers
Promoting the idea of amassing significant wealth to the point where bank account numbers resemble social security numbers
I fast yesterday, now you feel my hunger
Having previously restrained from indulging in excess, now others can witness their desire for success
Why you grillin' the Hummer?
Questioning why someone is showing jealousy or animosity towards their luxury vehicle
Can it be yours, you wonder
Causing others to question whether they could ever achieve similar levels of success
I'm on top and you're so far under
Asserting their superior position and the significant gap that exists between them and others
Dodgin piranha's swimmin' with them fish
Navigating through dangerous situations and associating with unreliable characters
Chicken, Salmon, yeah my favorite dish
Metaphorically representing different types of people they associate with, with chicken representing the unreliable and salmon representing more dependable individuals
Mess the kitchen up and I don't have to touch a dish
Causing chaos and disruption without having to take responsibility for the consequences
I suggest you disperse, take a guest list
Advising others to leave or form a more exclusive group
Henny, Remy, bottles of Cris
Listing luxurious alcoholic beverages that they enjoy
Miss, do you know who in this bitch?
Challenging someone to recognize and acknowledge their significant presence
Handle that, I swung my wrist
Taking control of the situation and showing off their extravagant gestures and movements
Look my name up, find me in the Ritz
Encouraging others to research and discover their luxurious lifestyle and presence in high-end establishments
That's cause I'm stuntin' with more labels
Explaining that their success and influence stems from their affiliation with various prestigious brands or companies
Than cars on All Star Weekend
Highlighting the abundance of luxury cars associated with high-profile events like the All Star Weekend
Awe baby we ballin'
Expressing excitement and satisfaction about their extravagant and luxurious lifestyle
Glasses over here are kinda low don't stall
Drawing attention to expensive sunglasses worn and emphasizing the need to maintain their status and reputation
Man, just so you niggas don't get it confused
Clarifying their intentions and ensuring that others understand their message properly
I ain't talkin' about lean cards either
Making it clear that they are not referring to credit cards used for drug consumption
It's got to have one of these logos: American Express, Master, visa
Explaining that the credit card they are referring to must bear one of these specific logos
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
eshia'janell
He never been the same since his mother died 🙏🏽
Kgwitthetea Kisha Green
Yea I’m wondering did someone in his camp recommend the doctor so sad
Black Tinkerbell
No one is after losing a mother. He is not special. I lost mine in Sept. I'm still the same person just 1000 times sadder.
Blue _The Husky
Disgusting from jump, guess his mother kept him in check.
Bee Kind
My hip replacement doctor sent me for all sorts of evaluations and tests before he performed my surgery. 🙏🏽
Sybil Gause
He was so well grounded with his Mother.
Shani
I understand why people are blaming the doctor, but it seems like her death was inevitable the way you tell the story. She didn't happen upon a bad doctor. She was looking for a bad doctor. She was told no; not without clearance and then went to another doctor who would do the surgery without requiring clearance. If the second doctor asked for clearance, she would have gone elsewhere. The moral of the story is: sometimes rejection is a good thing.
Ellen h
Was going to say exactly this. Figured I couldn't be the only one that saw it. The doctor is fully responsible for HIS decisions, but someone that is shopping for a 'yes' man in a doctor is asking for trouble. And sadly often finds it.
Michele Ashley
As a doctor, you need to make sure your patient is fit for surgery. Her death being inevitable is WHY her doctor is at fault. They did three surgeries at once which is not always recommended and they did it on a woman that another surgeon already refused to perform on because she was NOT MEDICALLY FIT.
JC
Yes, but also no, just because this is true doesn’t mean the second doctor isn’t to blame. He still is a a bad doctor for saying yes when they clearly should have said no.