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.

School Spirit
Kanye West Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

School spirit-

Alpha, step
Omega, step
Kappa, step
Sigma, step
Gangstas walk
Pimps gon' talk

Ooh, hecky nah, that boy is raw
AKA, step
Delta, step
S.G. Rho, step
Zeta, step
Gangstas walk
Pimps gon' talk
Ooh, hecky nah, that boy is raw

I'ma get on this TV, mama
I'ma, I'ma put ish down
I'ma make sure these light-skinned-
Never, ever, never come back in style
Told 'em I finished school and I started my own business
They say, "Oh you graduated?" No, I decided I was finished
Chasing y'all dreams and what you got planned
Now I spit it so hot, you got tanned
Back to school and I hate it there, I hate it there
Everything I want, I gotta wait a year, I wait a year
This- graduated at the top of our class
I went to Cheesecake, he was a waiter there

Alpha, step
Omega, step
Kappa, step
Sigma, step
Gangstas walk
Pimps gon' talk
Ooh, hecky nah, that boy is raw
AKA, step
Delta, step
S.G. Rho, step
Zeta, step
Gangstas walk
Pimps gon' talk
Ooh, hecky nah, that boy (uh) is raw

I got a Jones like Norah for your sorrow
Bring more of them girls I've seen in the Aurora
Tammy, Becky, and Laura, or a Shirley
I'm trying to hit it early, like I'm in a hurry
See, that's how dude became the young Pootie Tang, tippy tow
Roc-A-Fella chain, yeah, that's my rapper style
Rosary piece, yeah, that's my Catholic style
Red and white 1's, yeah, that's my Kappa style
And I ain't even pledge
Crack my head on the steering wheel and I ain't even dead
If I could go through all that and still be breathing
Bend over, I'm here for a reason

Alpha, step
Omega, step
Kappa, step
Sigma, step
Gangstas walk
Pimps gon' talk
Ooh, hecky nah, that boy is raw
AKA, step
Delta, step
S.G. Rho, step
Zeta, step
Gangstas walk
Pimps gon' talk
Ooh, hecky nah, that boy is raw

Feel a woo coming on, cuz
I feel a woo coming on, cuz
(Woo)
There it was
I feel some woos coming on, cuz
A couple woos coming on, cuz
(Woo, woo)
There they was

I feel a woo coming on, cuz
I feel a woo coming on, cuz
(Woo)
There it was
I feel some woos coming on, cuz
A couple woos coming on, cuz

(Woo, woo)
There they was

Overall Meaning

In "School Spirit", Kanye West seems to express his frustration with traditional education and society's expectations of success. He establishes the structure of the song with a marching band beat, mimicking the rhythm of step routines, popular in Greek fraternities and sororities.

The first verse talks about fraternity and sorority steps, which are performed during step dances in Greek organizations. Kanye suggests that even though these are important, they are not what defines someone's abilities or intellect. He then continues to talk about his own personal journey and success. Despite being told that he needed to go back to school, he chose to start his own business right after dropping out. He also references his own unique style and how it sets him apart from others.

The chorus talks about how he still can't escape the pressures of school because he still has to wait a year for things he wants to happen, and he still has to deal with people who judge him for not having graduated. He then reinforces his determination to succeed and his desire to be recognized for his talents.

Overall, "School Spirit" is a clever play on expectations of conformity and the struggle of individuality in society within the world of education.

Line by Line Meaning

Alpha, step
Starting with the Alpha fraternity's step dance move. This song is all about different fraternity steps.

Omega, step
Next up, Omega fraternity's step dance move.

Kappa, step
Now we move on to Kappa fraternity's step dance move.

Sigma, step
Finally, it's Sigma fraternity's turn for their step dance move.

Gangstas walk
While the fraternities are showcasing their moves, the gangstas walk up and down in their own style.

Pimps gon' talk
Likewise, the 'pimps' are having their own conversations while watching the fraternities and gangstas.

Ooh, hecky nah, that boy is raw
People are awed by Kanye West's talent, saying 'ooh' and 'hecky nah' (slang for 'heck no'), and calling him 'raw.'

AKA, step
Kanye switches his focus to the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority's step dance move.

Delta, step
Now he's highlighting the Delta Sigma Theta sorority's step dance move.

S.G. Rho, step
Now he's showcasing Sigma Gamma Rho sorority's step dance move.

Zeta, step
Last but not least, he's featuring the Zeta Phi Beta sorority's step dance move.

I'ma get on this TV, mama
Kanye's telling his mom that he's going to make it big and get on TV.

I'ma, I'ma put ish down
He's saying he's going to put his music out into the world and make a name for himself.

I'ma make sure these light-skinned-
He's going to make sure that people with lighter skin tones aren't in style and only dark-skinned people are.

Never, ever, never come back in style
He wants his style to be dominant forever and not let any other style come back to take over.

Told 'em I finished school and I started my own business
Kanye's telling people that he's already graduated and started his own music business.

They say, "Oh you graduated?" No, I decided I was finished
People are surprised that he doesn't have a degree, but he's saying he doesn't need one because he's already finished with education.

Chasing y'all dreams and what you got planned
He's saying that he's not going to chase other people's dreams and will do what he thinks is right for himself.

Now I spit it so hot, you got tanned
He's now saying that he's gotten so good at rapping that people who listen to him feel 'tanned' or hot because of how fire his music is.

Back to school and I hate it there, I hate it there
He's not a fan of school and he really hates being there even though he's already graduated.

Everything I want, I gotta wait a year, I wait a year
He's saying he's so successful now that if he wants anything, he no longer has to wait as long, now only a year.

This- graduated at the top of our class
Kanye's referencing himself and his friends from high school who graduated with honors.

I went to Cheesecake, he was a waiter there
Kanye ran into an old classmate while he was at a Cheesecake Factory restaurant and saw that this person was working there as a waiter.

I got a Jones like Norah for your sorrow
He has a strong desire (a 'Jones') for someone's pain or sadness like Norah Jones sings about.

Bring more of them girls I've seen in the Aurora
He's asking for more girls who look like ones he's seen in the Aurora (a nightclub or party scene).

Tammy, Becky, and Laura, or a Shirley
He's rattling off the names of girls he's interested in and mentions the possibility of a girl named Shirley as well.

I'm trying to hit it early, like I'm in a hurry
He wants to get with these girls early, almost like he's in a rush to do so.

See, that's how dude became the young Pootie Tang, tippy tow
Kanye's referencing how a person can become a ladies' man like the character Pootie Tang from the movie of the same name, and how smooth and sly he was ('tippy tow').

Roc-A-Fella chain, yeah, that's my rapper style
He's talking about his Roc-A-Fella chain, a signature piece of jewelry for his record label, and how it's now associated with his personal style as a rapper.

Rosary piece, yeah, that's my Catholic style
He's also talking about his rosary as a representation of his Catholic faith, and how it's also associated with his style.

Red and white 1's, yeah, that's my Kappa style
He's referring to his red and white Jordans (sneakers) as part of his personal style, and how it's associated with Kappa fraternity's colors.

And I ain't even pledge
He didn't actually pledge to any fraternity or sorority, but he still has his own personal style associated with their colors and symbols.

Crack my head on the steering wheel and I ain't even dead
He's been in a car accident and hit his head on the steering wheel, but he's lucky to be alive and have survived it.

If I could go through all that and still be breathing
He's emphasizing how grateful he is to be alive and still breathing after the car accident.

Bend over, I'm here for a reason
He's using a sexually suggestive line to tell someone to bend over because he has a purpose for being there.

Feel a woo coming on, cuz
Kanye feels like he's about to do something cool or revolutionary, indicated by the use of the word 'woo.'

There it was
He was successful in whatever it was he was trying to do- the 'woo' came true.

I feel some woos coming on, cuz
Kanye is feeling multiple 'woos' coming on.

A couple woos coming on, cuz
There are only a couple more 'woos' to come.

There they was
Those 'woos' came true as well.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Aretha Franklin, Kanye Omari West

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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