Ye (born Kanye Omari West on June 8, 1977, in Atlanta, Georgia), profession… Read Full Bio ↴Ye (born Kanye Omari West on June 8, 1977, in Atlanta, Georgia), professionally known as Kanye West, is a Grammy award-winning American rapper, producer, singer, author, director, performance artist and fashion designer.

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.

Punch Drunk Love
Kanye West Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Ay baby, am I crazy?
Or was you givin' me the eye?
You said maybe? (Yea) Well, you crazy
Because I know I'm too fly
Already know I'm too fly
Already know I'm too fly (You hype!)
Already know I'm too fly
Yeah, I know what you like

Right now I'm off the wine, wine, we can take our time, time
So much I want to punch spill the bump when we grind
My uh is in ya body, my uh is in ya mind
Check my dictionary, that ass is so divine
It slippery when it's wet girl, I can read the signs
I knock and I knock, uhh, can I come inside?
I knock and I knock, girl, can I come inside?
I feel like it's home when I'm in between ya thighs
It's the joy and the pain and the bites and the brain
What make it feel so good, that type of stuff you can't explain
I do, what I do, to do, to make it rain
You got the invite tonight and I'm so glad ya came
Cause you the type of danger we gain in yo
Mic check like the way I begin my show
Girl I come from chica' so in I 'go
Turn around, it's about to be a TKO

Ay baby, am I crazy?
Or was you givin' me the eye?
You said maybe? (Yea) Well, you crazy
Because I know I'm too fly
Already know I'm too fly
Already know I'm too fly (You hype!)
Already know I'm too fly
Yeah, I know what you like

Some call me Com (Com), some call me the Red (Red)
You can call me daddy, I'mma put ya to bed
An appetite for seduction and it gotta be fed
This sexual eruption gotcha hittin ya head
On the board and, knock, you screamin, "Oh Lord"
We exchange like students cause I study a broad
And listen to ya body and, low key party and
I keep pushin and pushin, you pump the vol-i-ume up
We the type to make lovin we up
We take a ride down south cause you need to re-up
Girl you call me Big Bank like I was savin it up
I'm the doctor, I can hold it 'til patience is up
Ah, ah, ah-ah - I make, I make I make it hot baby
Ah, ah-ah - I know, I know, I know ya spot baby
When we do it like we don't want it to end
It's three PM we gon' do it again

Ay baby, am I crazy?
Or was you givin' me the eye?
You said maybe? (Yea) Well, you crazy
Because I know I'm too fly
Already know I'm too fly
Already know I'm too fly (You hype!)
Already know I'm too fly
Yeah, I know what you like

C'mon girl, let's go
To distant lands unknown
We can fly on air
If love is every where for you and me

C'mon girl, let's go
To distant lands unknown
We can fly on air
If love is every where for you and me

Ay baby, am I crazy?
Or was you givin' me the eye?
You said maybe? (Yea) Well, you crazy
Because I know I'm too fly
Already know I'm too fly
Already know I'm too fly (You hype!)
Already know I'm too fly
Yeah, I know what you like

C'mon girl, let's go
To distant lands unknown

We can fly on air
If love is every where for you and me

Overall Meaning

In these lyrics, Kanye West is expressing his confidence and charm as he interacts with a woman who catches his eye. He questions whether he might be crazy or if the woman is truly showing interest in him. He acknowledges that he knows he is stylish and confident, and he understands what the woman likes.

He mentions being off wine, which suggests that he is not under the influence and can focus on enjoying the moment with the woman. He desires a physical connection with her, using a playful metaphor about wanting to "punch spill the bump when we grind." He expresses that his presence is both in her body and her mind, emphasizing his desire and the deep connection he wants to establish.

Kanye uses wordplay and clever references throughout the lyrics. He highlights the attractiveness of the woman's body, drawing a comparison to it being slippery when it's wet, referencing both physical stimulation and sexual desire. He repeatedly mentions knocking, symbolizing his persistence and determination to be invited into her life, both physically and emotionally. He expresses that being with her feels like home and wants to experience the pleasure, pain, intimacy, and intellectual connection that their relationship provides.

The lyrics also explore the sexual energy and satisfaction he experiences with the woman. He refers to himself as Com or Red, suggesting he possesses power and dominance, but also invites an intimate connection as a partner or father figure. He describes their passion as a sexual eruption, which metaphorically showcases the intensity and pleasure they share. Kanye mentions studying a broad (a play on the phrase "study abroad"), indicating his willingness to understand and satisfy her desires.

The chorus reiterates Kanye's self-assuredness and understanding of the woman's attraction to him. He calmly acknowledges that he knows he is too fly and aware of what she finds appealing. The repeated line, "already know I'm too fly," reinforces his confidence and charisma.

The last part of the song takes a lighter tone, as Kanye invites the woman to explore new and exciting experiences together. He uses the imagery of traveling to "distant lands unknown" and flying through the air as a metaphor for their journey of love and adventure. The lyrics reflect his belief that love can be found anywhere and that he wants to explore it with her.

Overall, "Punch Drunk Love" showcases Kanye West's self-assuredness, his desire for a deep connection, and his ability to navigate the complexities of love and desire with a mix of confidence and playfulness.

Line by Line Meaning

Ay baby, am I crazy?
Hey baby, am I out of my mind?

Or was you givin' me the eye?
Or were you checking me out?

You said maybe? (Yea) Well, you crazy
You said maybe? Well, you must be crazy

Because I know I'm too fly
Because I know I'm incredibly cool

Already know I'm too fly
I am already aware that I am too cool

Already know I'm too fly (You hype!)
Already know I'm too fly (You're excited!)

Already know I'm too fly
Already know I'm too fly

Yeah, I know what you like
Yeah, I know what you're into

Right now I'm off the wine, wine, we can take our time, time
In this moment, I'm not intoxicated, we can go slow

So much I want to punch spill the bump when we grind
There's so much I want to express when we're intimate

My uh is in ya body, my uh is in ya mind
My essence is connected to your body and mind

Check my dictionary, that ass is so divine
Pay attention, your attractive features are extraordinary

It slippery when it's wet girl, I can read the signs
Things can get intense when things get heated, I can tell

I knock and I knock, uhh, can I come inside?
I persistently seek your acceptance, can I be a part of your world?

I feel like it's home when I'm in between ya thighs
I feel a sense of belonging when I'm intimate with you

It's the joy and the pain and the bites and the brain
It's a mix of pleasure, pain, physical interaction and mental connection

What make it feel so good, that type of stuff you can't explain
What makes it so pleasurable, that kind of sensation that defies explanation

I do, what I do, to do, to make it rain
I do whatever is necessary to make things more exciting

You got the invite tonight and I'm so glad ya came
You received the invitation tonight and I'm thrilled that you accepted

Cause you the type of danger we gain in yo
Because you possess a kind of allure that we are attracted to

Mic check like the way I begin my show
Performing vocal checks like the way I start my performance

Girl I come from chica' so in I 'go
Girl, I come from a place of excitement, so I dive in

Turn around, it's about to be a TKO
Turn around, things are about to get intense and knockout-like

Some call me Com (Com), some call me the Red (Red)
Some call me Com, some call me the Red

You can call me daddy, I'mma put ya to bed
You can refer to me as daddy, I will make sure you're satisfied

An appetite for seduction and it gotta be fed
A strong desire for arousing feelings and it needs to be fulfilled

This sexual eruption gotcha hittin ya head
This intense sexual experience overwhelms your senses

On the board and, knock, you screamin, 'Oh Lord'
I'm in control and you're screaming in pleasure

We exchange like students cause I study a broad
We intimately communicate and learn from each other

And listen to ya body and, low key party and
And listen to your body and have a subtle celebration

I keep pushin and pushin, you pump the vol-i-ume up
I continue to strive for more while you increase the intensity

We the type to make lovin we up
We are the kind of couple that passionately expresses our love

We take a ride down south cause you need to re-up
We embark on a sensual journey because you desire more

Girl you call me Big Bank like I was savin it up
Girl, you refer to me as Big Bank as if I've been saving it all up

I'm the doctor, I can hold it 'til patience is up
I'm skilled and patient enough to hold back until the anticipation builds

Ah, ah, ah-ah - I make, I make I make it hot baby
Ah, ah, ah-ah - I make, I make it intense, baby

Ah, ah-ah - I know, I know, I know ya spot baby
Ah, ah-ah - I know, I know exactly what pleases you, baby

When we do it like we don't want it to end
When we engage intimately as if we never want it to stop

It's three PM we gon' do it again
It's three PM and we're going to engage again

C'mon girl, let's go
Come on, girl, let's go

To distant lands unknown
To unknown, faraway places

We can fly on air
We can experience a feeling of weightlessness

If love is every where for you and me
If love exists everywhere for you and me

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LONNIE RASHID LYNN, CHAD HUGO, KANYE OMARI WEST, PHARRELL L. WILLIAMS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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