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.
Pretty Girl Rock
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Uh uh I can do the pretty girl rock rock rock
Do the pretty girl rock rock rock
Now what's your name)
My name is Keri, I'm so very
Fly, oh my, it's a lil' bit scary
Boys wanna marry, looking at my derri-
Pretty as a picture, sweeter than a swisher
Mad 'cause I'm cuter than the girl that's witchya
I don't gotta talk about it, baby you can see it
But if you want, I'll be happy to repeat it
My name is Keri, I'm so very
Fly, oh my, it's a lil' bit scary
Boys wanna marry, looking at my derri-
Ere, you can stare but if you touch it I'ma bury
Pretty as a picture, sweeter than a swisher
Mad 'cause I'm cuter than the girl that's witchya
I can talk about it 'cause I know that I'm pretty
And if you know it too, then ladies sing it with me
All eyes on me when I walk in
No question that this girl's a ten
Don't hate me 'cause I'm beautiful
Don't hate me 'cause I'm beautiful
My walk, my talk, the way I dress
It's not my fault so please don't trip
Don't hate me 'cause I'm beautiful
Don't hate me 'cause I'm beautiful
For the nigga they love to hate
But all the bad model girls they love to date
You need to check my swag and get up to date
Check check check my swag and get up to date
'Cause when we cut, I'm razorbladin'
I'm so Lazer, I'm so Major
I'm so Flava, I'm so Flava, baby I should have a clock on
Why you get ya, get ya, get ya pretty girl rock on
For all my girls from Atlanta down to Stockholm
And they looking like what the hell you got on
What you mean baby girl, I got homes
Different cribs, new whips
And I'm feelin' fly, fly like a G6
Fly, my swag hit on ladies unknowingly
Please to meet you, it's a pleasure knowing me
Back when I was poor I used to pull em with my poetry
Tick that yes or no for me, I guarantee she go with me
But the only thing I need to know right now
What a pretty girl like you doing in this part of town
With a city girl swag and a country girl smile
I mean you demoralizing bitches with your style
Wow, well how about now
My jewelery so blow, my girls so wow
I mean, I mean my swag so loud
I guess that's the reason all the concerts so ow
Hey! now do the pretty girl rock rock rock rock rock
Do the pretty girl rock rock rock rock rock
Do the pretty girl rock rock rock
All my ladies do the pretty girl rock rock rock
Do the pretty girl rock rock rock
Do the pretty girl rock rock rock
Do the pretty girl rock
(Now where you at)
If you're lookin' for me you can catch me
Cameras flashin', Daddy's turned his head as soon as I passed him
Girls think I'm conceited 'cause I know I'm attractive
Don't worry about what I think why don't you ask him
Get yourself together don't hate, never do it
Jealousy is the ugliest trait, don't ever do it
I can talk about it 'cause I know that I'm pretty
And if you know it too then ladies sing it with me
All eyes on me when I walk in
No question that this girl's a ten
Don't hate me 'cause I'm beautiful
Don't hate me 'cause I'm beautiful
My walk, my talk, the way I dress
It's not my fault so please don't trip
Don't hate me 'cause I'm beautiful
Don't hate me 'cause I'm beautiful
All eyes on me when I walk in
No question that this girl's a ten
Don't hate me 'cause I'm beautiful
Don't hate me 'cause I'm beautiful
My walk, my talk, the way I dress
It's not my fault so please don't trip
Don't hate me 'cause I'm beautiful
Don't hate me 'cause I'm beautiful
The lyrics of "Pretty Girl Rock" by Kanye West Feat. Keri Hilson celebrate the beauty of the singer, Keri Hilson, who describes herself as "so very fly" and "pretty as a picture." She acknowledges that boys want to marry her and that other girls may be jealous of her attractiveness. However, she also embraces her confidence and encourages other women to join her in celebrating their beauty. The chorus repeats the phrase "All eyes on me when I walk in / No question that this girl's a ten / Don't hate me 'cause I'm beautiful."
The lyrics suggest that Keri's confidence comes from her appearance, but the song also carries a message of empowerment. Keri encourages women to embrace their beauty and not let others bring them down with jealousy. Even when she says "if you touch it, I'mma bury," she is claiming ownership of her appearance and setting boundaries.
Overall, "Pretty Girl Rock" is a catchy, upbeat song that celebrates self-love and confidence in one's appearance.
Line by Line Meaning
My name is Keri, I'm so very
I am Keri, and I am extremely confident and self-assured.
Fly, oh my, it's a lil' bit scary
I am so fabulous that it can be intimidating to others.
Boys wanna marry, looking at my derri-
Men often lust after me just by seeing my attractive physique.
Ere, you can stare but if you touch it I'mma bury
While you can admire my body from afar, I will not tolerate any unwanted physical contact.
Pretty as a picture, sweeter than a swisher
I am as beautiful as a picture and as sweet as a Swisher - a type of flavored cigar.
Mad 'cause I'm cuter than the girl that's witchya
You might be upset that I am more attractive than your current partner.
I don't gotta talk about it, baby you can see it
I do not have to brag about my beauty since it is obvious upon seeing me.
But if you want, I'll be happy to repeat it
However, if you need reassurance, I am willing to confirm my stunning appearance.
All eyes on me when I walk in
Everyone in the room stares at me when I make my grand entrance.
No question that this girl's a ten
It's unquestionable that I am a perfect ten in terms of attractiveness.
Don't hate me 'cause I'm beautiful
Please do not show animosity towards me simply because I am beautiful.
My walk, my talk, the way I dress
The way I present myself through my style, mannerisms, and speech is unique and confident.
It's not my fault so please don't trip
My attractiveness is not something I can control or should be punished for, so please do not hold it against me.
For the nigga they love to hate
I am speaking to the men who get hate from others out of jealousy or spite.
But all the bad model girls they love to date
These men also enjoy dating 'bad' or rebellious model-type women.
You need to check my swag and get up to date
You should pay attention to my style and demeanor to keep current with trends.
Check check check my swag and get up to date
Repeated for emphasis, please make a note of my style and update yours accordingly.
'Cause when we cut, I'm razorbladin'
I become even sharper and more confident when I am at my most stylish.
I'm so Lazer, I'm so Major
I am a shining presence, full of energy and importance.
I'm so Flava, I'm so Flava, baby I should have a clock on
I have a unique flavor and uniqueness that should be timed and monitored by a clock like any iconic figure.
Why you get ya, get ya, get ya pretty girl rock on
I encourage all women to embrace their beauty and be confident in themselves.
For all my girls from Atlanta down to Stockholm
I address women from different places and encourage them all to share in this confidence and movement.
And they looking like what the hell you got on
People might be curious or confused by my unique style choices.
What you mean baby girl, I got homes
I have multiple houses and traveled many places, so my style is a reflection of my experiences.
Different cribs, new whips
I have a wide variety of luxurious cars and homes.
And I'm feelin' fly, fly like a G6
I feel amazing and stylish, like the aircraft the G6.
Fly, my swag hit on ladies unknowingly
My confidence and style attracts women without them even realizing it.
Please to meet you, it's a pleasure knowing me
Nice to meet you, it's a pleasure for you to be acquainted with someone as amazing as me.
Back when I was poor I used to pull em with my poetry
Before I was wealthy, I used my creativity and talent to woo women.
Tick that yes or no for me, I guarantee she go with me
I used to ask women to check 'yes' or 'no' when I would ask them out, confident that they would choose 'yes'.
But the only thing I need to know right now
The only thing that is important to me in this moment is knowing why such a pretty girl is in this specific part of town.
What a pretty girl like you doing in this part of town
I am curious as to why such a beautiful woman would be in this area specifically.
With a city girl swag and a country girl smile
You have a mix of urban and rural characteristics in your style and expression.
I mean you demoralizing bitches with your style
Your style is so amazing that it is bringing down other less-confident women.
Wow, well how about now
I am amazed by you and want to know more.
My jewelery so blow, my girls so wow
My jewelry is so shiny and impressive, as are the women I surround myself with.
I mean, I mean my swag so loud
I have so much confidence and style that it makes a noticeable impact when I enter a room.
I guess that's the reason all the concerts so ow
My confidence and style can be felt throughout a concert or event and contributes to it being successful and memorable.
If you're lookin' for me you can catch me
If you need to find me, I am easily accessible and noticeable.
Cameras flashin', Daddy's turned his head as soon as I passed him
People are constantly taking pictures of me, and even men who are not interested are turning to look at me as I pass.
Girls think I'm conceited 'cause I know I'm attractive
Some women might think I have a big ego because I am aware of my beauty and confidence.
Don't worry about what I think why don't you ask him
Instead of worrying about my confidence, ask the men I attract why they are drawn to me.
Get yourself together don't hate, never do it
It is important to maintain your own confidence and never hate on another person just because they are confident and attractive.
Jealousy is the ugliest trait, don't ever do it
Jealousy is an unattractive and hurtful quality to possess, and it is important to avoid it at all costs.
All eyes on me when I walk in
I am a commanding presence that attracts attention when I enter a room.
No question that this girl's a ten
My beauty and confidence are clearly evident and impossible to ignore.
Don't hate me 'cause I'm beautiful
I should not be subject to animosity or negativity just because I am attractive and confident.
My walk, my talk, the way I dress
My style and demeanor are unique and instantly recognizable as my own.
It's not my fault so please don't trip
I should not be punished or judged for my natural beauty and confidence.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Shaffer Smith, Charles T. Harmon, Kanye Omari West, Ralph Macdonald, William Salter, Bill Withers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Christian kohler
Great song, Kayne really went hard here. Very catchy, well produced, nice vocals Keri definitely came with it too.
Jameel Uqdah
Kanye has the best rap verses for such songs
Curran Robinson
01 Black Eyed Peas - Boom Boom Pow
02 Jamie Foxx - Blame it
03 Wale - Flower Bomb
04 Meek Mill - I'ma Boss
05 UGK - Still Ridin Dirty
06 Pimp C - Wut Up
07 Bun B - On To The Next Year
08 T.I. - Spend It
09 Busta Rhymes - Don't Believe Em
10 LIL WAYNE - Lollipop
11 Ludacris - My Chick Bad
12 PIXIE Lott - Turn It Up
13 Taio Cruz - Break Your Heart
14 Kelly CLARKSON - My Life With Suck Without You
15 Jay-Z - Run This Town
16 FERGIE - Party PEOPLE
17 Britney Spears - Circus
18 DJ Drama - Oh My Remix
Amanda Valdez
this vid has been up for 12 yrs n theres only 8 comments no way ☠️
Leela Debris
Love @1:26 sounds like hawks from mha
Galvatron over 9000
Who ?
Marveen
What ?
Amanda Valdez
i dont hear it 😭
Himnandini Enterprise
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