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.
Spread Your Wings
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Niggas soft as bread, niggas soft as bread
Stay off them blogs
They play with y'all thoughts
Made a way from my dawgs that
Ain't say what they saw only the brave
They want us locked in the cage
If you owe me money
Vacheron with my Ralph Lauren
How this bitch a full time leech
And still beg on the side?
Off the meds, can't get out of the bed
Paparazzi waitin' like that mall on
The Dawn of the Dead
I don't know you, my dawg
Step away from the bus
Know they want me to fall
But my balance is just
You weren't with me when them
Struggles and battles was tough
So I cut your head off 'fore I give you a cut
When they tell me I can't do it
It give me a rush
Ain't got this type of bank account
'less you 50 and up
They on my muhfuckin' dick
All this dirt they tryin' get
Go with whoever, I ain't got no pick
Come through just to get that flick
Get back, go down new 'Rari, slow down
Check the score, blow out
I'm a bull like the home town
Yeezys on, Yeezy bomber, wear my own designer
Name good, all my bridges open, go wherever
That's power
She came from the club tryna fuck, bitch
Get in the shower you a kid to me, boy
I prolly fucked your mama
Hunnid Ms, you did that? Baddest
Chick in the world, you hit that?
Took your bitch, you miss that?
All the fake buyers, bitch, get back
Yeah, get back, get back
Hunnid rounds, no kickback
Mansion party, lil' kickback
Champagne, gon' sip that get that, get back
Hunnid rounds, no kickback
Mansion party, lil' kickback
Fake vibes, we ain't with that
Look what they doin', look what they sayin'
"That nigga selfish, look at his mansion"
Thirty thousand square feet, secret rooms
Look at the plan
Look at the money, look at the bands
I get on my knees, I'm thankin' the man
He said he ain't like that nigga
I just seen him shakin' his hand
I'm shakin' my head, I'm shakin' my head
You like that Benz? They made it in France
But watch your hands, get back
Get back, get back
Hunnid rounds, no kickback
Mansion party, lil' kickback
Fake vibes, we ain't with that
Champagne, gon' sip that
Hunnid rounds, no kickback
All the fake vibes, I ain't with that
My life a mofo, spot like some UFO
Price tag upon your soul, you sold it
You gotta go
Trade my respect for some attention? Fuck no
Lookin' at these bitches bodies, girl
Y'all overdose why y'all overdose?
The lyrics of "Spread Your Wings" by Kanye West and JonJeffJonJon convey a sense of self-assurance and defiance in the face of skepticism and negativity. The opening lines, "Off the meds, off the head, Niggas soft as bread," suggest a dismissal of those who are not mentally strong and easily influenced by external factors. The artists urge listeners to stay away from blogs that manipulate thoughts and instead focus on their own path to success.
Kanye West and JonJeffJonJon also boast about their accomplishments and financial status, emphasizing the point that they don't need validation from others. They speak of overcoming struggles, cutting ties with those who didn't support them, and being unapologetically ambitious. The verse "When they tell me I can't do it, it give me a rush" highlights their determination to prove doubters wrong and enjoy the thrill of achieving what others deemed impossible.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the need to stay true to oneself and reject fake vibes and fake people. They celebrate their wealth and success while also acknowledging the importance of gratitude and humility.
Overall, "Spread Your Wings" encourages listeners to persevere, trust their own abilities, and rise above the negativity and skepticism that may surround them.
Line by Line Meaning
Off the meds, off the head
Not taking medication, not thinking straight
Niggas soft as bread, niggas soft as bread
Men are weak and easily manipulated
Stay off them blogs
Don't pay attention to gossip and rumors
They play with y'all thoughts
They manipulate and control your thinking
Made a way from my dawgs that
Succeeded despite the lack of support
Ain't say what they saw only the brave
Only the courageous speak the truth
They want us locked in the cage
They want to control and imprison us
If you owe me money
You should pay me without me reminding you
I shouldn't have to remind you to pay
You should be responsible and fulfill your obligations
Vacheron with my Ralph Lauren
Showing off expensive jewelry and clothing
How this bitch a full time leech
How can this person be a parasite all the time
And still beg on the side?
And still ask for favors and handouts
Off the meds, can't get out of the bed
Not medicated, feeling unmotivated
Paparazzi waitin' like that mall on The Dawn of the Dead
Paparazzi eagerly waiting to capture unfavorable moments
I don't know you, my dawg
I don't have a close relationship with you
Step away from the bus
Stay away from the spotlight
Know they want me to fall
They desire for my downfall
But my balance is just
But I have stability and control
You weren't with me when them struggles and battles was tough
You weren't there during difficult times
So I cut your head off 'fore I give you a cut
I will sever ties with you before you harm me
When they tell me I can't do it
When they doubt my abilities
It give me a rush
It excites and motivates me
Ain't got this type of bank account 'less you 50 and up
You need to be at least 50 years old to have this level of wealth
They on my muhfuckin' dick
They are obsessed with me
All this dirt they tryin' get
They are trying to find negative information about me
Go with whoever, I ain't got no pick
I am not selective, I don't have a preference
Come through just to get that flick
They come for a photo opportunity
Get back, go down new 'Rari, slow down
Step back, a new Ferrari is coming, reduce speed
Check the score, blow out
Examine the outcome, overwhelming victory
I'm a bull like the home town
I am determined and strong like a hometown hero
Yeezys on, Yeezy bomber, wear my own designer
Wearing my own brand and designer clothing
Name good, all my bridges open, go wherever
Having a good reputation, able to go wherever I want
That's power
That signifies influence and authority
She came from the club tryna fuck, bitch
She came from the club wanting to have sex
Get in the shower you a kid to me, boy
Take a shower, you are immature to me
I prolly fucked your mama
I probably had sexual relations with your mother
Hunnid Ms, you did that? Baddest
You earned millions, impressive achievement
Chick in the world, you hit that?
You had sexual relations with the most attractive woman
Took your bitch, you miss that?
I stole your girl, do you regret losing her?
Yeah, get back, get back
Yeah, step back, step back
Hunnid rounds, no kickback
One hundred rounds of ammunition, no recoil
Mansion party, lil' kickback
A party at a luxurious mansion, a small gathering
Champagne, gon' sip that get that, get back
I will drink champagne, get that and step back
All the fake vibes, I ain't with that
I don't want to be around fake people and energy
Look what they doin', look what they sayin'
Observe their actions and words
"That nigga selfish, look at his mansion"
"He is selfish, look at his extravagant home"
Thirty thousand square feet, secret rooms
A mansion with 30,000 square feet and hidden spaces
Look at the plan
Examine the strategy
Look at the money, look at the bands
Look at the wealth, look at the stacks of cash
I get on my knees, I'm thankin' the man
I express gratitude to a higher power
He said he ain't like that nigga
He said he doesn't like that person
I just seen him shakin' his hand
I just witnessed him shaking hands with that person
I'm shakin' my head, I'm shakin' my head
I am shaking my head in disbelief
You like that Benz? They made it in France
Do you like that Mercedes-Benz? It was manufactured in France
But watch your hands, get back
Be careful with your actions, step back
Hunnid rounds, no kickback
One hundred rounds of ammunition, no recoil
Mansion party, lil' kickback
A party at a luxurious mansion, a small gathering
Fake vibes, we ain't with that
We don't want to be around fake people and energy
Champagne, gon' sip that
I will drink champagne
Hunnid rounds, no kickback
One hundred rounds of ammunition, no recoil
All the fake vibes, I ain't with that
I don't want to be around fake people and energy
My life a mofo, spot like some UFO
My life is crazy, attracting attention like a UFO
Price tag upon your soul, you sold it
Your soul has a price, and you gave it up
You gotta go
You have to leave
Trade my respect for some attention? Fuck no
Exchange my respect for attention? Absolutely not
Lookin' at these bitches bodies, girl
Examining these women's bodies, girl
Y'all overdose why y'all overdose?
Why are you all obsessed with excessive indulgence?
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Isaiah Robles
Check link in description for offical yandhi Spread Your Wings from leaks.
Cockatoo
Thanks for including link to original! That's the one I was looking for. Can't get it out of my head.
YeetYeetSilverbeet
This ain't the original beat but it's still fire af
ty cronk
Hurts by lil aaron & lil soda boi
Agil Black
Better than the original though. They killed the mix. Grizzley ref was fire as fuck.
Ahmed Khraisat
Don’t ever take this down 🔥
moonflower
DUDE WHAT THE FUCK THIS IS AMAZING
LXNDON_
Why is the edit better than the actual song
bwaah 0_0
cuz ye is on it 🤷♀️
Halfwit Studios
Bro what beat is this actually because its fire