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.
South Carolina
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can you hear me? yeah forever, ever
Forever, forever, no
Glorious, glory, glory, glory
Glory, glory, glory, glory
It feels good to be home and to all of you
I thank you so much for your support
And more importantly
For the work you continue to do
What do you want me to talk about?
Well, he said something that was
A little bit dangerous
He told me I could talk
About anything I wanted to
And you know, I am my son's mother
The man I described in the introduction
Is being so decidedly different my son
(When you're runnin' outta time and
You're not outta time)
And what made the project extra
Special to me is
I got a chance to share not only
What he has meant to me
But what he has meant to a generation
(Change the time)
As one writer said, we came from somewhere
Not just from the wombs of our mothers
And the seeds of our fathers
But from a long line of
Generations who came before us
Is the kingdom (Is the kingdom)
And the power (And the power)
And the glory (And the glory)
Forever? (Forever)
Is the kingdom (Is the kingdom)
And the power (And the power)
And the glory (And the glory)
Forever? (Forever)
Forever, yeah forever, yeah
Forever, forever, no, oh, yeah
Glorious, glory, glory, glory
What did I teach him? (Glory)
And why Kanye ain't scared?
I'd rather deal with the shame than
Take the weight of the lie
Every time we talk I just wait for the lies
Every time I get the food
I just wait for the flies
Look, just send your prayers up
They'll be waitin' in the skies
My, my, my, Miss American Pie
Was a hero after Katrina but
That levee went dry
Mom met my dad back in '75
Two years later, the chosen has arrived
Holy, Holy, Holy Father
Hold me in an ocean worth of Holy Water
And David's slingshot
Hope it throws you farther
You brought church to stadiums
Built for only soccer
When the world built on lies
The truth is a threat
Faith over the fortune
It kept you outta debt
It's snakes in money pit's that
You ain't found yet
Crooks behind the scene like
"He ain't drown yet?"
Rain bills from the ranch 'til
The whole town wet god's grace rains down
That's the holy fountain
Got twelve thousand acres full
Of holy mountains
See, you almost didn't make it
Who are you without Him?
Holy, Holy, Holy Father
Hold me in a ocean the size of Holy Water
Man, if plan A worked
You wouldn't know your daughter
For every tear you cried in South Carolina
Is the kingdom (Is the kingdom)
And the power (And the power)
And the glory (And the glory)
Forever? (Forever)
Is the kingdom (Is the kingdom)
And the power (And the power)
And the glory (And the glory)
Forever? (Forever)
The song "South Carolina" by Kanye West is a tribute to his late mother, Dr. Donda West. The song is from his album "Donda" which is an album dedicated to his mother's memory. The song is filled with emotional and spiritual lyrics, and it begins with Kanye welcoming his mother's spirit and thanking the audience for their support. He talks about his love for his son, and how he is different from him. He also speaks of the importance of his mother's role in his life and how she impacted him and a generation. The chorus consists of "Is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever?" which is a line adapted from the Lord's Prayer. Kanye has been vocal about his Christian faith and how it's influenced his music and life.
The second verse of the song is more personal as he discusses his struggles with shame and the weight of lies. He questions the government's actions during natural disasters and how they affect people's lives. He reflects on his parent's love story and how he's the result of their union. Kanye also mentions the importance of faith over fortune and how it's kept him out of debt. The verse ends as he thinks about his daughter and how things would be different if his plan A had worked.
The song ends with a repetition of the chorus, and it's clear that Kanye is expressing his faith and how it sustains him. The song is an emotional tribute to his mother, and it's clear that her legacy and love had a profound impact on his life.
Line by Line Meaning
Please welcome Dr donda West forever, ever
The singer is acknowledging and thanking the audience for their attendance and support of his late mother, Dr. Donda West, who he considers to be present forever.
Can you hear me? yeah forever, ever
The singer is confirming whether or not he is being heard by the audience, and again referencing his mother's everlasting presence.
Forever, forever, no
The singer is repeating the notion of eternal presence, with the emphasis on negation or opposition to traditional notions of time and finality.
Glorious, glory, glory, glory
The artist is repeating the theme of holiness and divinity, possibly in connection with his mother's role as a religious figure and educator.
It feels good to be home and to all of you
The artist is expressing gratitude and pleasure at being back in his home state and addressing a familiar audience.
I thank you so much for your support
The singer is thanking the audience for their continued support and appreciation of his work and his late mother's legacy.
For your support of me for so many years
The singer is acknowledging the audience's support of his career and the longevity of that support over the years.
And more importantly
For the work you continue to do
The artist is thanking the audience for their contributions to society and their efforts in furthering the causes that he and his mother believe in.
What do you want me to talk about?
The artist is inquiring about what the audience would like to hear him speak on or address in his performance.
Well, he said something that was
A little bit dangerous
The artist is referring to a person who gave him permission to speak about whatever he wanted, but warned that his thoughts or ideas might be controversial or risky.
He told me I could talk
About anything I wanted to
The singer is recounting a conversation where he was given complete freedom of speech to address any topic he desired.
And you know, I am my son's mother
The man I described in the introduction
Is being so decidedly different my son
The artist is referencing his own son and how his identity, beliefs, and ideas differ from his own and those of his late mother, who was previously introduced in the performance.
(When you're runnin' outta time and
You're not outta time)
The singer is offering a philosophical or existential statement about time, suggesting that even when one is running out of time, they may not truly be out of time yet.
And what made the project extra
Special to me is
I got a chance to share not only
What he has meant to me
But what he has meant to a generation
The singer is referencing a project he worked on that allowed him to share not only his personal connection to his son, but also the broader impact his son and his legacy have had on a generation of people.
(Change the time)
The singer is repeating the idea of altering or changing one's perception or experience of time.
As one writer said, we came from somewhere
Not just from the wombs of our mothers
And the seeds of our fathers
But from a long line of
Generations who came before us
The artist is quoting a writer who emphasizes the idea that human beings come from lineages that extend far beyond the immediate parents or family members, and pay homage to generations that have come before and helped shape our existence.
Is the kingdom (Is the kingdom)
And the power (And the power)
And the glory (And the glory)
Forever? (Forever)
The artist is repeating a phrase from Christian scripture that references a belief in God's perpetual reign over the universe.
Forever, yeah forever, yeah
Forever, forever, no, oh, yeah
Glorious, glory, glory, glory
The singer is again repeating several key phrases that conveys the themes of eternality and holiness.
What did I teach him? (Glory)
And why Kanye ain't scared?
The singer is asking a rhetorical question about what he imparted to his son and why he himself is not afraid to be controversial or voice his opinions.
I'd rather deal with the shame than
Take the weight of the lie
Every time we talk I just wait for the lies
Every time I get the food
I just wait for the flies
The artist is expressing a preference for dealing with negative consequences and emotions instead of concealing the truth or participating in deception, referenced through metaphors of food and insects.
Look, just send your prayers up
They'll be waitin' in the skies
My, my, my, Miss American Pie
Was a hero after Katrina but
That levee went dry
The artist is encouraging the audience to pray and have faith, while also referencing the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent failures of government response and infrastructure.
Mom met my dad back in '75
Two years later, the chosen has arrived
The artist is sharing personal information about his parents and the circumstances of his birth, which he suggests was fateful or destined.
Holy, Holy, Holy Father
Hold me in an ocean worth of Holy Water
And David's slingshot
Hope it throws you farther
The singer is addressing God in a prayer-like manner, requesting divine protection and strength, and referencing the biblical story of David and his slingshot, which he hopes will propel him further.
You brought church to stadiums
Built for only soccer
The artist is acknowledging his own success in bringing religious and spiritual themes to large public venues, which are typically reserved for sports events.
When the world built on lies
The truth is a threat
Faith over the fortune
It kept you outta debt
The singer is making a statement about how the world is often characterized by lies or deception, and suggesting that possessing faith instead of money or wealth can help keep one from falling into debt or other financial woes.
It's snakes in money pit's that
You ain't found yet
The singer is suggesting that there may still be hidden dangers or pitfalls associated with wealth, and that he himself may not yet have discovered or confronted them.
Crooks behind the scene like
"He ain't drown yet?"
The singer is referring to potential enemies or detractors who may be waiting for him to fail or suffer a setback, and questioning their motivations or integrity.
Rain bills from the ranch 'til
The whole town wet god's grace rains down
That's the holy fountain
Got twelve thousand acres full
Of holy mountains
The artist is making a reference to his own wealth and property (specifically, a ranch and mountains), which he suggests are blessed by God and are sources of spiritual rejuvenation and inspiration.
See, you almost didn't make it
Who are you without Him?
The artist is acknowledging his own vulnerabilities or obstacles, and noting that his status or identity might be very different without the influence of religion or a higher power.
Holy, Holy, Holy Father
Hold me in a ocean the size of Holy Water
Man, if plan A worked
You wouldn't know your daughter
For every tear you cried in South Carolina
The singer is addressing God once again, requesting strength and guidance in a religious context, and referencing the pain and suffering he has experienced (especially in South Carolina) and the potential for things to have turned out differently if not for divine intervention.
Is the kingdom (Is the kingdom)
And the power (And the power)
And the glory (And the glory)
Forever? (Forever)
The singer is again repeating a phrase from Christian scripture that references a belief in God's perpetual reign over the universe.
Is the kingdom (Is the kingdom)
And the power (And the power)
And the glory (And the glory)
Forever? (Forever)
The artist is once again repeating a phrase from Christian scripture that references a belief in God's perpetual reign over the universe.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Xelafi
I don't think people really realize how influential Kanye's music really is. You really gotta lock in when you listen to him🧡
The 11th Order
This is insane!
Arvaa Kuka
This should have been the album opening
david Friday
This song slaps
Jackson oneal
Holy shit this is amazing
Harmeen Gillard
All glory to God
Jesse Asiedu
Bro