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.
Runaway Love
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
JB
Yo, Ye, what up?
Raekwon
You got stacks like the International House of Pancakes
All alone, ready to phone me in your handshakes
Palms is wet, a don's regret
It just happened I was floating, you seen the Captain?
Blinked at me then I threw him my thinking cap
Take her, then we could slide to Jamaica
Shop for like a year or two, stop in Diego
It's obvious I want to see who your mami is
We just friends so she can't Clyde/Bonnie this
Fly walls, dining in fly halls
Come to the master suite, leave every piece in the master hall
All my money tied in knots
Stand over there, that's why I make it happen on blocks
Brazil cut sweater, patent leather
Playing the field, trying to outslick Baretta
You see, my baby up and hit the road
Where she's going? That's what nobody knows
I need to find her before another man does
I wouldn't want him to steal my love
I'm just trying to be cool, cool, cool
Gotta be cool
What you expect me to do?
I'm just trying to find, find, find
This sweet love of mine
I'm running out of time
Where is my runaway love?
Searching low and high
Know that I'm not letting up
I'd give it all up for us
But it'll never be enough
I won't stop until I find my runaway love
Last name West and my teeth diamonds
She said, "yo what's your occupation, crazy rhyming?"
Listen to Wu-Tang, trying suits on
Accoutrements is Grey Poupon
Stunting in a high top Louis's, shorts is the Coogis
Open up the door when you take her to the movies
When you meet the parents, you tell De Niro
Her boyfriend's a zero, she need to cut the weirdo
Next show they gotta up the zeros
Nobody's rocking like this 16 years old
The hard drums and the Wally's something that caught me
I'm telling you what Wu-Tang taught me
The young youth, rocking the gold tooth
Pull up in a drop top, old school bumping "Cash Rules"
No question we the reason why the summer's blazing
Let's say, "you looking good fly colored asian!"
Raw I give it to you, no trivia
She used to roll with my G-Unit like Olivia
Until she caught me getting numbers and hugs
I guess that's the day she became a runaway love
This sweet love of mine
I'm running out of time
Where is my runaway love?
Searching low and high
Know that I'm not letting up
I'd give it all up for us
But it'll never be enough
I won't stop until I find my runaway love
Why can't I find you, love of mine?
When you're standing in front of my face
Oh why, I must be blind
How did I let you get away?
Leave it up to the most high, sitting in a ghost fly
Chilling with two of my brothers, we both live
On deck grabbing em' on set
This is how we roll in the business, she a go I'm a go get
Take that queen or shorty up
We can live it up every month baby girl, just call me up
Waking up resting in cold sweats
Thinking of this bitch, the videotapes, even the stress
My mind is a terrible thing to waste
No love lost, I know I'm going crazy I can't floss
Me, my lady left my homies it's all baloney
Just like rocking the old Pony's
So when I'm chilling, I'm just lost no more feeling
I need my honey in my life get that feel me
Take your time, readjust and ya you shine
My runaway love didn't mind, come on
I'm running out of time
Where is my runaway love?
Searching low and high
Know that I'm not letting up
I'd give it all up for us
But it'll never be enough
I won't stop until I find my runaway love
I'm running out of time
Where is my runaway love?
Searching low and high
Know that I'm not letting up
I'd give it all up for us
But it'll never be enough
I won't stop until I find my runaway love
The song "Runaway Love" by Kanye West, Justin Bieber, and Raekwon is a powerful narrative about a young man desperately searching for his lost love. The lyrics start with Raekwon describing Ye's immense fortune, with stacks of money like the International House of Pancakes. He goes on to describe himself as sitting idly by while his love interest moves on, regretting not chasing after her. Ye comes in with a flashy verse, boasting about his diamond teeth and love for Wu-Tang. He mentions Olivia from G-Unit before transitioning back to the chorus sung by Bieber.
The chorus, which speaks of running out of time to find one's runaway love, is repeated throughout the song, conveying a sense of urgency in the young man's search. The second verse comes from Raekwon, who talks about chilling with his brothers and trying to move on from lost love. Despite the bravado in his verse, it becomes clear that he is also struggling with the pain of heartbreak.
Overall, the song is a poignant portrayal of the pain of lost love, with each artist contributing their unique perspective to the narrative.
Line by Line Meaning
You got stacks like the International House of Pancakes
You have a lot of money.
All alone, ready to phone me in your handshakes
You are lonely and looking for someone to talk to.
Palms is wet, a don's regret
You are sweating and feeling regretful about something.
Never to walk miles for love; I sit in the starter's deck
You don't want to go through a lot of trouble for love; you prefer an easy start.
It just happened I was floating, you seen the Captain?
Something unexpected happened and you wonder if others noticed.
Blinked at me then I threw him my thinking cap
Someone gave you a confused look, so you tried to explain yourself.
Take her, then we could slide to Jamaica
If you could find a girlfriend, you would take her on a fun vacation.
Shop for like a year or two, stop in Diego
You want to go on an extended shopping trip and then visit San Diego for a bit.
It's obvious I want to see who your mami is
You are curious to know who someone's mother is.
We just friends so she can't Clyde/Bonnie this
You are friends with someone but don't want a romantic relationship.
Fly walls, dining in fly halls
You enjoy fancy places and experiences.
Come to the master suite, leave every piece in the master hall
You want to show someone your luxurious bedroom and leave all their belongings in the hallway.
All my money tied in knots
You are struggling with money and finances.
Stand over there, that's why I make it happen on blocks
You take pride in your success and accomplishments.
Brazil cut sweater, patent leather
You are stylish and like to wear high-end fashion.
Playing the field, trying to outslick Baretta
You are trying to go after many romantic prospects and be better than others who are doing the same.
You see, my baby up and hit the road
Your partner left suddenly and went somewhere unknown.
Where she's going? That's what nobody knows
You are unsure where your partner went and have no way of finding out.
I need to find her before another man does
You worry that someone else will find and take your partner.
I wouldn't want him to steal my love
You don't want anyone to take away your partner from you.
I'm just trying to be cool, cool, cool
You are trying to stay calm and collected even though you are deeply worried.
Gotta be cool
You need to stay level-headed in this situation.
What you expect me to do?
You are unsure what to do in this situation.
I'm just trying to find, find, find
You are determined to find your partner.
This sweet love of mine
You cherish and value your relationship with your partner.
I'm running out of time
You feel like you are in a race to find your partner before it's too late.
Searching low and high
You are searching everywhere for your partner.
Know that I'm not letting up
You refuse to give up on finding your partner.
I'd give it all up for us
You are willing to make sacrifices for your relationship.
But it'll never be enough
You feel like no matter what you do, it won't be enough.
I won't stop until I find my runaway love
You are determined to keep searching until you find your partner.
Last name West and my teeth diamonds
You are wealthy and like to show it off.
Listen to Wu-Tang, trying suits on
You enjoy listening to Wu-Tang Clan and trying on clothes at the same time.
Accoutrements is Grey Poupon
You have a preference for fancy and luxurious things.
Stunting in a high top Louis's, shorts is the Coogis
You like to wear expensive shoes and a popular brand of shorts.
Open up the door when you take her to the movies
You believe in being a gentleman and opening doors for women.
When you meet the parents, you tell De Niro
You want to make the best impression when meeting your partner's parents.
Her boyfriend's a zero, she need to cut the weirdo
You think your partner's ex-boyfriend was a loser and she needs to move on from him.
Next show they gotta up the zeros
You are confident in your ability to succeed and make more money in the future.
Nobody's rocking like this 16 years old
You are proud to be young and successful.
The hard drums and the Wally's something that caught me
You are a fan of the strong drums and the Wu-Tang Clan member's shoes.
I'm telling you what Wu-Tang taught me
You have learned life lessons from the Wu-Tang Clan's music and teachings.
The young youth, rocking the gold tooth
You are young and have a gold tooth, which is trendy and cool.
Pull up in a drop top, old school bumping "Cash Rules"
You like to drive an old, classic car while listening to Wu-Tang Clan's "Cash Rules".
No question we the reason why the summer's blazing
You believe that you and your music are responsible for making the summer hot and awesome.
Let's say, "you looking good fly colored asian!"
You are complimenting a good-looking Asian person.
Raw I give it to you, no trivia
You are honest and straightforward when speaking.
She used to roll with my G-Unit like Olivia
Your partner used to associate with your group of friends named G-Unit, and a singer named Olivia once worked with the group.
Until she caught me getting numbers and hugs
Your partner found out that you were cheating on her by getting other people's phone numbers and hugging them.
I guess that's the day she became a runaway love
Your partner left you on the day she found out about your infidelity, becoming a runaway love.
Why can't I find you, love of mine?
You are looking for your partner and questioning why you can't seem to locate them.
When you're standing in front of my face
You feel like your partner is so close, yet so far away.
Oh why, I must be blind
You are blaming yourself for not being able to see the solution to finding your partner.
Leave it up to the most high, sitting in a ghost fly
You are leaving your search for your partner up to a higher power and relaxing in a fancy car.
Chilling with two of my brothers, we both live
You are hanging out with two close friends.
On deck grabbing em' on set
You are networking and meeting new people in your profession.
This is how we roll in the business, she a go I'm a go get
You are explaining how people in your profession network and pursue their goals.
Take that queen or shorty up
You are encouraging someone to take a woman out or pursue a romantic prospect.
We can live it up every month baby girl, just call me up
You are offering to go out and enjoy life with a woman if she wants to spend time together.
Waking up resting in cold sweats
You are waking up feeling anxious and afraid.
Thinking of this bitch, the videotapes, even the stress
You are upset and stressed about a situation involving someone else and video evidence.
My mind is a terrible thing to waste
You feel like your thoughts and emotions are being wasted and not kept under control.
No love lost, I know I'm going crazy I can't floss
You acknowledge that you are becoming unstable and not able to show off like you once did.
Me, my lady left my homies it's all baloney
You lost your partner and your friends are not helpful or supportive.
Just like rocking the old Pony's
You are making a comparison to wearing old shoes that are no longer cool.
So when I'm chilling, I'm just lost no more feeling
You are feeling numb and lost when you try to relax.
I need my honey in my life get that feel me
You miss your partner and want them back in your life.
Take your time, readjust and ya you shine
You advise someone to take their time and make adjustments, and they will eventually succeed.
My runaway love didn't mind, come on
You are urging someone to come with you and not worry about anything else, just like you did with your runaway love.
Lyrics © null
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-qd6im2hp2e
We don’t appreciate the fact that every song Ye put out in 2010 was FLAMES
@kungfubrandon6886
Every song is still flames
@delusionalwalter4016
Ikr
@OHALLohall
there literally was not one bad ye song at this time. holy fuck
@yovannydominguez2860
and then on top of that , drop FLAMES for shoes back in 2016. Kanye is in a category of it's own.
@davidmendoza2006
Goat fr🐐🙏🏽
@sammyg6188
Jbs vocals on this is insane
@reallyrell2701
Insane 🤯✅
@tallguytv6272
🔥
@ObsessiveChick99
This is proof that Kanye can make anything amazing. Flawless genius.