West began making beats and rapping in the early 90s in his hometown of Chicago, Illinois, when he formed the rap group Go Getters with Chicago natives GLC and Really Doe. He later gained nationwide popularity through his work in New York, where he began producing tracks for artists such as Jay-Z, Twista, Mase, Talib Kweli and Alicia Keys.
West's style of production often utilizes pitched-up vocal samples, usually from soul songs, with his drums and instruments. The first major label song he produced was The Truth by Beanie Sigel, and his first major release featuring his trademark vocal sampling style was This Canโt Be Life, a track from Jay-Zโs The Dynasty: Roc La Familia. West said he sped up the drum beat of Dr. Dreโs Xxplosive to use as a replacement for his drums on This Canโt Be Life.
West has said that Wu-Tang Clan producer RZA influenced him in his style, and has said on numerous occasions that Wu-Tang rappers Ghostface Killah and Olโ Dirty Bastard were some of his all-time favorites. Said Kanye West: โWu-Tang? Me and my friends talk about this all the timeโฆ We think Wu-Tang had one of the biggest impacts as far as a movement. From slang to style of dress, skits, the samples. Similar to the [production] style I use, RZA has been doing that.โ
In 2004 (after being pushed aside by many record companies who felt he wasn't a marketable hip-hop artist), he managed to release his debut solo album, The College Dropout on Roc-A-Fella Records. The album received critical acclaim, including 10 Grammy nominations and the awards for Album of the Year and Best Rap Album, as well as defining the style for which West would become known: "wordplay" and heavy sampling of the 70s soul and RnB tracks.
Not content to rest on his laurels, West invested two million dollars and hired a string orchestra to help with his latest effort, Late Registration (2005). West collaborated with Jon Brion to help develop the sound of the album, despite his lack of experience in hip hop production. The album received widespread acclaim like its predecessor and again claimed the Best Rap Album award at the Grammys.
West was no stranger to controversy, such as storming out at the 2004 American Music Awards after not receiving Best New Artist, but just days after the release of his second studio album, West began embroiled in a major controversy after going off-script during Hurricane Katrina broadcast, proclaiming "George Bush doesn't care about black people", which Bush claimed was "one the most disgusting moments of my presidency". In January 2006, West posed on the cover of Rolling Stone wearing a crown of thorns, once again attracting controversy.
For his third release, West was keen to produce songs that could be used more effectively when performing in arenas. For Graduation, the third and ultimately final entry into his 'Dropout Bear' series, West drew musical inspiration from The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash. In the lead up to the album he became involved in a friendly rivalry with 50 Cent over which of the two artists' upcoming albums would sell more, as they were both released on the same day. West ultimately sold 957,000 copies in the first week of release, outselling Curtis by a large margin. The albums lead single "Stronger" sampled Daft Punk, and was West's third number one on Billboard 200. Many proclaim West's 'victory' over 50 Cent to be the 'death' of gangster rap as the dominant hip hop subgenre.
Following the death of his mother, Donda West, and the end of his engagement to long term partner Alexis Phifer, West abandoned his initial plan to release a fourth album entitled Good Ass Job, and shocked his fans by releasing 808s and Heartbreak, which was full of autotune singing, extensive use of the TR-808 drum machine, themes of love, loss and loneliness and very little rapping. It received slightly more mixed reviews than his previous efforts, but many critics cite 808s and Heartbreak as the catalyst for a new wave of rappers, most prominently Drake, due to its themes which were uncommon in mainstream hip-hop.
West's grief seemed to lead to a spiral out of control which culminated in him storming on stage at the 2009 VMAs to interrupt Taylor Swift's award acceptance speech to proclaim that Beyoncรฉ deserved the award instead, in a move that is infamous in pop culture and was vilified by the entire world in the aftermath. West disappeared from the public eye following this, and his upcoming tour with Lady Gaga was cancelled. The disgraced West, who was described as a 'jackass' by President Obama, seemed to have much work to do to return to the his former glory, but he was about to embark on what some critics consider to be the best run of his career.
West holed up in Hawaii for a few months and worked tirelessly to produce what many consider to be his magnum opus. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, West's fifth studio album, was released in November 2010 to rave reviews from critics, which solidified his comeback. In stark contrast to his previous effort, which featured a minimalist sound, Dark Fantasy adopts a maximalist philosophy and deals with themes of celebrity and excess. The record included the international hit All of the Lights, and Billboard hits Power, Monster, and Runaway, the latter of which accompanied a 35-minute film of the same name. During this time, West initiated the free music program G.O.O.D. Fridays through his website, offering a free download of previously unreleased songs each Friday of the week, a portion of which were included on the album. Dark Fantasy went on to go platinum in the United States, but its omission as a contender for Album of the Year at the 54th Grammy Awards was viewed as a "snub" by several media outlets.
Following a headlining set at Coachella 2011 that was described by The Hollywood Reporter as "one of greatest hip-hop sets of all time," West released the collaborative album Watch the Throne with Jay-Z. By employing a sales strategy that released the album digitally weeks before its physical counterpart, Watch the Throne became one of the few major label albums in the Internet age to avoid a leak. Niggas in Paris became the record's highest charting single, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2012, West released the compilation album Cruel Summer, a collection of tracks by artists from West's record label GOOD Music. Cruel Summer produced four singles, two of which charted within the top twenty of the Hot 100: Mercy and Clique. West also directed a film of the same name that premiered at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival in custom pyramid-shaped screening pavilion featuring seven screens.
Sessions for West's sixth solo effort begin to take shape in early 2013 in his own personal loft's living room at a Paris hotel. Determined to "undermine the commercial," he once again brought together close collaborators and attempted to incorporate Chicago drill, dancehall, acid house, and industrial music. Primarily inspired by architecture, West's perfectionist tendencies led him to contact producer Rick Rubin fifteen days shy of its due date to strip down the record's sound in favor of a more minimalist approach. Initial promotion of his sixth album included worldwide video projections of the album's music and live television performances.
Yeezus, West's sixth album, was released June 18, 2013 to rave reviews from critics. It became the rapper's sixth consecutive number one debut. Def Jam issued "Black Skinhead" to radio in July 2013 as the album's lead single. On September 6, 2013, Kanye West announced he would be headlining his first solo tour in five years, to support Yeezus, with fellow American rapper Kendrick Lamar, accompanying him along the way.
In November 2013, West stated that he was working on and recording his next studio album. The album was to be produced by Rick Rubin and Q-Tip.. Kanye released a single entitled "Only One", on December 31, 2014 featuring Paul McCartney, as well as collaborating with McCartney on the Rihanna track " FourFiveSeconds", released in January 2015. West appeared on the SNL 40th Anniversary Special on February 15th 2015 to debut a new song Wolves, featuring Sia Furler and Vic Mensa. Another single, entitled "All Day" was released on March 2, 2015, again featuring McCartney as well as Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom. In June of the same year, Kanye headlined the Glastonbury Festival in the UK, which garnered much outrage including a petition with 135,000 signatures against his appearance, leading to West declaring he was "the greatest living rock star on the planet" towards the end of his set, and the performance receiving a mixed reaction among fans and critics, due to its controversy. In September 2015, West performed {album artist kanye west]808s and Heartbreak in its entirety at the Hollywood Bowl over two nights, which received rave reviews a featured a 60 person orchestra, guests such as Kid Cudi and Mr Hudson, and over 70 dancers. West released "Facts" at the turn of the new year.
West had originally stated that his upcoming album would be called 'So Help Me God' before changing the title to 'SWISH' and announcing that it would be released on February 11th. In January 2016 he released "Real Friends" and "No More Parties in LA", featuring Kendrick Lamar. As well as renaming the album once again to "Waves", West became involved in several twitter controversies in the lead up to the album, including with rapper Wiz Khalifa after he suggested that West had stolen the idea of the wave from other artists and seemingly dissed Kim Kardashian, which later turned out to be a misunderstanding over the use of "KK". West again changed the name of the album just days before it's release, this time to "{album artist=kanye west]The Life of Pablo", and debuted it at Madison Square Garden on February 11, but delayed it's release for a few days. On February 14, West released the album are a performance on SNL. West initially claimed the album was to be a Tidal exclusive, but it was later released on other streaming platforms, although it is yet to receive a physical release. West continued to tinker with the mixing and production of the album even after it was released, and it was updated several times, including the final song "Saint Pablo" in June 2016. West had also made public his plans to release an album in the summer of 2016, entitled "Turbo Grafx 16", based on the 1990s games console, which never surfaced, although he did release a single thought to be from the upcoming G.O.O.D. Music album "Cruel Winter", called Champions. In the same month, a video for "Famous" was released, including nude wax figures of celebrities such as West, Kim Kardashian, Taylor Swift, Donald Trump, Chris Brown, Rihanna, Bill Cosby and George W. Bush.
In August 2016, West embarked on the ambitious Saint Pablo Tour, which included a mobile stage suspended from the ceiling. After the violent robbery of Kim's jewellery in Paris in October, West had to end a show early and postpone shows following it. In the following performances, West cancelled shows early and went on long winded rants against fellow artists such as Jay Z and Beyoncรฉ among others, as well as making controversial political statements including implying his support for Donald Trump. On November 21st 2016, West cancelled the rest of the tour and was hospitalised due to sleep deprivation and extreme dehydration. Following this, West disappeared from social media, and only resurfaced 11 months later with a series of tweets which included many philosophical thoughts and the announcements two albums in June 2018, a solo album which would include 7 tracks on June 1, and a collaboration with Kid Cudi to be released on June 8.
On August 29th, 2021, Kanye released his 10th highly anticipated studio release Donda via GOOD Music and Def Jam Recordings after a series of three listening parties.
Personal life:
West was born in Atlanta, Georgia. When he was three years old (as mentioned in Hey Mama) his parents divorced, and he moved with his mother to Chicago, Illinois. His father, Ray West, was a former Black Panther; one of the first black photojournalists at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution; and is now a Christian counselor. Kanyeโs late mother, Dr. Donda West, worked as a Professor of English at Clark Atlanta University, and the Chair of the English Department at Chicago State University before retiring to serve as Kanyeโs manager. He was later raised in an upper middle class background, attending Polaris High School in suburban Oak Lawn, Illinois after living in Chicago.
After attending The American Academy of Art, a Chicago art school, West attended Chicago State University but eventually dropped out due to poor grades and to continue working on his music career. While attending school, West produced for local artists, including on rapper Gravโs debut album Down to Earth. He later gained fame by producing hit singles for major hip hop/R&B artists, including Jay-Z, Talib Kweli, Camโron, Paul Wall, Common, Mobb Deep, Jermaine Dupri, Scarface, The Game, Alicia Keys, Janet Jackson and John Legend among others. He also โghost-producedโ for his once mentor Deric Angelettie according to his song Last Call and the credits of Nasโ Poppa Was a Playa.
West was married to Kim Kardashian. Together they had four children: daughters named North (*2013) and Chicago (*2018); and sons named Saint (*2015) and Psalm (*2019). In 2021, Kardashian filed for divorce.
In 2020, West launched an unsuccessful independent presidential campaign that primarily advocated for a consistent life ethic. In 2022, he faced backlash and lost a number of sponsors and partnershipsโincluding his collaborations with Adidas, Gap, and Balenciagaโafter making antisemitic statements.
Put On
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I put on for my city, on, on for my city
I put on for my city, on, on for my city
I put on for my city, on, on for my city
I put on for my city, on, on for my city
When they see me off in traffic, they say "Jeezy on some other shit" (ayy)
Send them pussy niggas runnin' straight back to the dealership (haha)
This FNH is not a fraud, call that bitch my bodyguard (yeah)
Call that bitch your bodyguard? Yeah, that's my bodyguard (ayy)
Wear a lot of jewelry, Young don't do security (nah)
What's whiter than a napkin, harder than a dinner plate?
If you want it, come and get it, you know I stay super straight
Ran up in my spots and now I'm workin' out the Super 8 (ayy)
Know you niggas hungry, come and get a super plate
Y'all sing happy birthday, yeah, I got that super cake
Hundred karat bracelet, I use it like some super bait
I put on for my city, on, on for my city
I put on for my city, on, on for my city
Put on (east side), put on (south side)
Put on (west side), put on, let's go
I put on for my city, on, on for my city
I put on for my city, on, on for my city
Put on (east side), put on (south side)
Put on (west side), put on, let's go
Hat back, top back, ain't nothin' but a young thug (young thug)
HKs, AK's, I need to join a gun club (haha)
Big wheels, big straps, you know I like it super sized (yeah)
Passenger's a red-bone, her weave look like some curly fries (ayy)
Inside's fish sticks, outside tartar sauce
Pocket full of celery, imagine what she tellin' me (yeah)
Blowin' on asparagus, the realest shit I ever smoked
Ridin' to that Trap or Die, the realest shit I ever wrote
They know I got that broccoli (broccoli), so I keep that Glock on me
Don't get caught without one (nah), comin' from where I'm from
Call me Jeezy Hamilton, flyin' down Campbellton (yeah)
So fresh, so clean, on my way to Charlene
I put on for my city, on, on for my city
I put on for my city, on, on for my city
Put on (east side), put on (south side)
Put on (west side), put on, let's go
I put on for my city, on, on for my city
I put on for my city, on, on for my city
Put on (east side), put on (south side)
Put on (west side), put on, let's go
I put on, I put on, I put on
I put on for my city, I put on for my
I put on for my city, I put on for my city, on
I feel like it's still niggas that owe me checks
I feel like it's still bitches that owe me sex
I feel like this but niggas don't know he's stress
I lost the only girl in the world that know me best
I got the money and the fame, man, that don't mean shit
I got the Jesus on a chain, man, that don't mean shit
'Cause when the Jesus pieces can't bring me peace
Yo, I need just at least, uh, one of Russell's nieces
On, I let my nightmares go
I put on everybody that I knew from the 'Go
I know hoes that was frontin' when they knew he was broke
They say, "Damn, Yeezy, Yeezy, you don't know us no more
You got that big fame, homie, and you just changed on me"
You can ask big homie, man, the top so lonely
I ain't lyin', so lonely, I ain't lyin'
Let me see what we have tonight (what we have tonight)
I'm high as a satellite (satellite)
I see those flashin' lights (flashin' lights)
'Cause every night, every night, I put on
I put on for my city, on, on for my city
I put on for my city, on, on for my city
Put on (east side), put on (south side)
Put on (west side), put on, let's go
I put on for my city, on, on for my city
I put on for my city, on, on for my city
Put on (east side), put on (south side)
Put on (west side), put on, let's go
Let me see what we have tonight (what we have tonight)
I'm high as a satellite (satellite)
I see those flashin' lights (flashin' lights)
'Cause every night, every night
Let me see what we have tonight
I'm high as a satellite
I see those flashin' lights
The song Put On by Kanye West (feat. Young Jeezy) is an anthem that celebrates their respective cities while boasting about their own success. The chorus is repeated several times, with Kanye emphasizing how he puts on for his city, and Jeezy adding that he puts on for his city's various sections. The opening lines repeat several times, emphasizing the point being made. It's a reminder that they are the representatives of their cities and everything they do reflects back on the places they come from.
The first verse finds Kanye boasting about his success and his material possessions. When people see him in traffic, they know he's on some other level. He even refers to his car as his spaceship, and claims that he works for NASA. His bodyguard is referred to as a 7H, which is not a fraud at all. Kanye doesn't need to hire security because he has so much jewelry that serves as a natural deterrent. The second verse by Young Jeezy is more focused on his perspective. He's rolling around in his car with a red-bone and a pocket full of celery. He also mentions that he got that broccoli and keeps his glock on him. The last section of the song finds Kanye more reflective, rapping about the price of fame and some of the things he's lost along the way. He needs just a little peace and recognition that he's still the same person he always was.
Line by Line Meaning
I put on, I put on, I put on, I put on
I represent my city to the fullest extent and I am proud of it.
When they see me off in traffic, they say 'Jeezy on some other shit'
People recognize and acknowledge my success and status.
Send them pussy niggas runnin' straight back to the dealership
When people see me, they realize their own inadequacy and are intimidated by my presence.
Me I'm in my spaceship, thats right I work for N.a.s.a
I am so successful that I am out of this world, like a NASA astronaut.
This 7H is not a fraud, call that bitch my bodyguard
My car is not fake, and I see it as a symbol of protection.
Call that bitch your bodyguard? Yeah, that's my bodyguard
I see my car as my protector, and it provides me with a sense of security.
Wear a lot of jewelry, Young don't do security
I wear expensive jewelry and rely on my own reputation and power for security.
What's whiter than a napkin, harder than a dinner plate
I have something that is both pure and valuable, like an expensive white napkin, and strong and durable, like a dinner plate.
If you want it come and get it, you know I stay super straight
I am confident in my abilities and challenge anyone who doubts me to try and take what I have.
Ran up in my spots and now I'm workin' Out the Super 8
People who tried to rob me in the past have only made me more successful, and I am now beyond their reach.
Know you niggas hungry, come and get a super plate
I am wealthy and successful and can provide for others.
Y'all sing happy birthday, yeah I got that super cake
I have everything and anything that I want, including a cake that is so extravagant it is dubbed 'super'.
Hundred karat bracelet, I use it like some super bait
My very expensive jewelry acts as both a symbol of my success and a way to attract others to me.
Half bag, top back, Ain't nothin' but a young thug
I am a young and successful person who is not afraid to show it off.
HKs, AK's, I need to join a gun club
I am armed and have a lot of guns to protect myself.
Big wheels, big straps, You know I like it super sized
I have expensive cars with large wheels and large guns because I like to show off my wealth and power.
Passenger's a red-bone, Her Weave look like some curly fries
I have a beautiful woman with me who is light-skinned and has curly hair that resembles curly fries.
Inside fish sticks, outside tartar sauce
I am living a life of luxury where I can have expensive and exotic foods like fish sticks with a traditional condiment like tartar sauce.
Pocket full of celery, Imagine what she tellin' me
I have a lot of money in my pocket and women are constantly trying to get with me because of it.
Blowin' on asparagus, The realest shit I ever smoked
I am so rich and successful that I can afford to smoke expensive and exotic things, like asparagus, and it is the best experience ever.
Ridin' to that Trap or Die, The realest shit I ever wrote
My music is a reflection of my life and experiences, and it is the most authentic and genuine expression I can give.
They know I got that broccoli, So I keep that glock on me
People know that I am wealthy and successful, so I have to always be prepared for those who may want to take what I have.
Don't get caught without one, Comin' from where I'm from
Growing up where I did, I know that it is important to always be prepared and protect myself because people will try to harm me.
Call me Jeezy Hamilton, Flyin' down Campbellton
I am a successful person, like Alexander Hamilton, flying down the busy street of Campbellton.
So fresh, so clean, On my way to Charlene
I am well-dressed and looking sharp, on my way to a meeting or event with a woman named Charlene.
I feel like there's still niggas that owe me checks
People still owe me money and I am not happy about it.
I feel like there's still bitches that owe me sex
Women still owe me something and I feel entitled to it.
I feel like this but niggas don't know the stress
People don't understand the stress and pressure that comes with being successful.
I lost the only girl in the world that know me best
I lost the one person who really knew me and understood me.
I got the money and the fame and that don't mean shit
Despite my money and fame, I am not completely happy or fulfilled.
I got the Jesus on a chain, man that don't mean shit
Even though I wear a religious symbol on my chain, it doesn't give me any sense of peace or fulfillment.
Cause when the Jesus pieces can't bring me peace
Even though I wear Jesus on my chain, it doesn't provide me with any inner peace or happiness.
Sure I need just at least one of Russell's nieces on
I believe that if I can have a relationship with someone from the famous Russell family, it will bring me some sense of happiness or fulfillment.
I let my nightmares go I put on, Everybody that I knew from the go
I try to forget about my fears and worries by showing off my success to everyone I know from the beginning of my life.
I know hoes that was frontin' when they knew he was broke
I know women who pretended to like me when I was poor and unsuccessful, but now they want to be with me because of my success.
They say damn, Yeezy Yeezy, you don't know us no more
People accuse me of changing and forgetting about them since becoming successful.
You got that big fame homie, and you just changed on me
People feel like I have changed since becoming famous and that I don't care about my old friends anymore.
You can ask big homie, man the top so lonely
Even though I am at the top of my game, it can be a lonely and isolating experience.
I ain't lyin', so lonely I ain't lyin'
I am not exaggerating or lying when I say that being at the top is a lonely place.
Let me see what we have tonight (what we have tonight)
I am ready to see what kind of success and experiences tonight brings.
I'm high as a satellite (satellite)
I am feeling really good and high, like a satellite orbiting above the earth.
I see those flashin' lights (flashin' lights)
I am constantly surrounded by flashing lights and paparazzi, due to my fame and success.
Cause every night (every night) I put on
I show off my wealth and success every night, putting on a display for everyone to see.
Lyrics ยฉ Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jay Jenkins, Kanye West, Christopher Gholson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ocjok3r
This is an all time top 10 motivational song. The beat is out of this world, completely flawless. And Jeezy goes hard for sure, but Kanye West takes this to a completely stratospheric level.
โI lost the only girl in the world that know me best. I got the money and the fame man that donโt mean shitโ
โI let my nightmares go, I put on everybody that I knew from the go, I know hoes that was frontin when they knew we was brokeโ
โYou can ask big homie (GOD) man the top so lonelyโ
Each one of those lines tells a deep, deep story. This song should never ever be forgotten. I pray for all of my brothers and sisters out there going thru the struggle....keep grinding, keep putting on.
@Packers786
I remember i disabled every song just to hear this 15 times on skate 3
@twodeadteeth3065
Even Debaser?
@Diana-np3sq
Lol I love skate 3
@harrystanshall5088
Man of culture, same here
@yourfellowgamerboi1704
Fr
@adrianbrown3908
I did that to listen to this song in skate 3
@afellowsamuraibrotha
nobody: me vibin in skate 3 all day playing this
@themindofchris6724
Foreal dawg! Hella throwback i miss skate 3 days ๐ฅฒ๐ฅโค๏ธ
@activealex9062
NOSTALGIA 100
@Shaun10k
I just put this song on cus i heard it in skate 3