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.
Stand Up
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now, blaze that!
(Stand up!) (uh) (stand up!) (yeah)
(Stand up!) (uh) (stand up!) (uh)
[Chorus: Ludacris + Shawnna]
When I move you move (just like that?)
When I move you move (just like that?)
Hell yeah!, hey DJ bring that back!
(When I move you move) just like that?
(When I move you move) just like that?
(When I move you move) just like that?
(Hell yeah!, hey DJ bring that back!)
[Ludacris]
How you ain't gone FUCK?, bitch I'm me
I'm the GOD DAMN reason you in V.I.P
CEO, you don't have to see ID
I'm young, wild, and strapped like Chi-Ali
BLAOW, we ain't got nothing to worry about
Whoop ass, let security carry them out
Watch out for the medallion my diamonds are wreckless
It feels like a MIDGET is hanging from my necklace
I pulled up with a million trucks
Looking, smelling, feeling like a million bucks, ahh!
Pass the bottles, the heat is on
We in the huddle all smoking that Cheech & Chong
What's wrong?!, the club and the moon is full
And I'm looking for a THICK, young lady to pull
One sure shot way to get them out of them pants
Take note to the brand new dance
Like this
[Chorus: Ludacris + Shawnna]
[Ludacris]
Go on with your big ass, let me see something
Tell your little friend he can quit mean mugging
I'm lit and I don't care what no one thinks
But where the FUCK is the waitress at with my drinks?!
My people outside and they can't get in
We gone rush the back door & break them in
The owner already pissed cause we sort of late
But our time and our clothes got to coordinate
Most girls looking right, some looking a mess
That's why they spilling drinks all over your dress
But Louis Vuitton bras all over your breasts
Got me wanting to put hickies all over your chest
Ahh!, come on we gone party tonight
Y'all use mouth to mouth bring the party to life
Don't be scared, show another part of your life
The more drinks in your system, the harder the fight!
[Chorus: Ludacris + Shawnna]
[Ludacris]
Stand up! stand up!
Stand up! stand up!
[Kanye West]
Now, uh, me and Luda wasn't good at computers
So we dropped out of school cause we tried to fuck the tutor
Her ex man drove a Mercury Cougar
I hit him with this maneuver he just couldn't recooper
We got vouchers to stand on these couches
James Brown couldn't tell me, "get down!"
We got foreign cars and houses
We got porno stars and spouses
You trying to stab one like Jack The Ripper
Trying to get two like Jack "The Tripper"
My nigga Tony been locked for a minute
He come home from the street he gone want those strippers
And I'm a big tipper I don't even be tripping
This my first real rolex it don't even be ticking
This my first pair of earrings I can wear in the shower
Without 'em clouding up in a half an hour
So that basically mean my paper getting mean
Four G's in a paper denim jeans
The pink rocks Red Hot like Anthony Kiedis
To see this Jesus the sweetest of detest
We FIRE, y'all RETIRE
All ugly people please!, be quiet!
Hovah get a beat from me in a minute
He heard "Just to Get By" and I was rehired
I got a track right now that could save Mya
It ain't a song, it's a video called Dave Meyers
Y'all drop 20 G's on the Sprewell rims
I give that money to another to get some real spins
Chorus
Stand up! (uh) stand up! (yeah)
Stand up! (uh) stand up! (uh)
Stand up! (just like that?)
Stand up! (just like that?)
Stand up! stand up!
The lyrics to Kanye West's song "Stand Up" featuring Jay‐Z are filled with confidence, swagger, and a party anthem vibe. The song celebrates their success and fame, asserting their dominance and power in the industry. Ludacris kicks off the track with his energetic flow, emphasizing his status as the reason why others are in the VIP section. He boasts about being young, wild, and strapped like Chi-Ali, and his diamonds are so flashy that they feel like a midget hanging from his necklace.
As the song progresses, Ludacris continues to exude his charisma and charm, enticing thick young ladies and reveling in the club atmosphere. He encourages people to let loose, have fun, and party hard. The chorus, performed by Ludacris and Shawnna, emphasizes the contagious energy and movement on the dance floor, with the DJ bringing the song back to keep the party going.
Towards the end, Kanye West jumps in with his signature flow and clever wordplay. He references his past, dropping out of school to pursue his dreams and his disregard for authority figures. He brags about his wealth and success, mentioning luxury cars, houses, and connections with porn stars and celebrities. He also mentions his friend Tony, who has been incarcerated and is eager to experience the nightlife again.
Overall, "Stand Up" is an anthem that celebrates success, fame, and living life to the fullest. The lyrics project a sense of confidence, dominance, and extravagance, capturing the essence of the party lifestyle associated with the music industry.
Line by Line Meaning
Now, blaze that!
Now, light up a joint!
(Stand up!) (uh) (stand up!) (yeah)
(Raise your hands!) (yeah) (get up!) (yeah)
(When I move you move) just like that?
When I start dancing, you start dancing too, exactly like that?
Hell yeah!, hey DJ bring that back!
Hell yeah!, hey DJ play that song again!
How you ain't gone FUCK?, bitch I'm me
How can you resist sleeping with me? I'm myself, I'm unique
I'm the GOD DAMN reason you in V.I.P
I'm the main reason why you have VIP access
CEO, you don't have to see ID
I'm the CEO, I don't need to show identification
I'm young, wild, and strapped like Chi-Ali
I'm young, crazy, and armed, just like Chi-Ali
BLAOW, we ain't got nothing to worry about
BLAOW, we don't have any worries or concerns
Whoop ass, let security carry them out
Beat them up, and let security kick them out
Watch out for the medallion my diamonds are wreckless
Beware of my medallion, my diamonds are shining excessively
It feels like a MIDGET is hanging from my necklace
It feels like a small person is hanging from my necklace
I pulled up with a million trucks
I arrived with a large entourage of vehicles
Looking, smelling, feeling like a million bucks, ahh!
Looking, smelling, and feeling extremely confident and successful
Pass the bottles, the heat is on
Pass the bottles of alcohol, the party atmosphere is intense
We in the huddle all smoking that Cheech & Chong
We are gathered in a tight group, smoking marijuana like Cheech & Chong
What's wrong?!, the club and the moon is full
What's the problem?!, the club is packed and the moon is bright
And I'm looking for a THICK, young lady to pull
And I'm searching for a curvaceous, young woman to take with me
One sure shot way to get them out of them pants
One guaranteed way to get them to remove their pants
Take note to the brand new dance
Pay attention to the new dance move
Go on with your big ass, let me see something
Continue flaunting your large posterior, let me have a look
Tell your little friend he can quit mean mugging
Inform your small companion that he can stop looking angry
I'm lit and I don't care what no one thinks
I'm intoxicated and I don't care about anyone's opinion
But where the FUCK is the waitress at with my drinks?!
But where the hell is the waitress with my drinks?!
My people outside and they can't get in
My friends are outside and they're unable to enter
We gone rush the back door & break them in
We are going to quickly approach the back door and force our entry
The owner already pissed cause we sort of late
The owner is already angry because we're somewhat late
But our time and our clothes got to coordinate
But our schedule and our outfits need to match
Most girls looking right, some looking a mess
Most girls are attractive, but some look disheveled
That's why they spilling drinks all over your dress
That's why they're accidentally spilling drinks on your dress
But Louis Vuitton bras all over your breasts
But you're wearing Louis Vuitton bras on your breasts
Got me wanting to put hickies all over your chest
It makes me want to leave love bites all over your chest
Ahh!, come on we gone party tonight
Ahh!, come on, we're going to have a great party tonight
Y'all use mouth to mouth bring the party to life
You guys use your voices to liven up the party atmosphere
Don't be scared, show another part of your life
Don't be afraid, reveal another aspect of your life
The more drinks in your system, the harder the fight!
The more alcohol you consume, the more intense the party will be!
Now, uh, me and Luda wasn't good at computers
Now, uh, me and Luda were not proficient in using computers
So we dropped out of school cause we tried to fuck the tutor
So we left school because we attempted to have sexual relations with the tutor
Her ex man drove a Mercury Cougar
Her ex-boyfriend used to drive a Mercury Cougar car
I hit him with this maneuver he just couldn't recooper
I used a clever tactic against him, and he couldn't recover from it
We got vouchers to stand on these couches
We have permission to stand on these sofas
James Brown couldn't tell me, 'get down!'
Even James Brown couldn't convince me to sit down!
We got foreign cars and houses
We own cars and houses from foreign countries
We got porno stars and spouses
We have adult film stars as our partners
You trying to stab one like Jack The Ripper
You're attempting to seduce one of them aggressively, just like Jack The Ripper
Trying to get two like Jack 'The Tripper'
Trying to get two (women) like Jack 'The Tripper'
My nigga Tony been locked for a minute
My friend Tony has been incarcerated for a while
He come home from the street he gone want those strippers
When he is released, he will want to visit those strip clubs
And I'm a big tipper I don't even be tripping
And I'm a generous tipper, I don't even hesitate
This my first real rolex it don't even be ticking
This is my first genuine Rolex watch, it doesn't even tick
This my first pair of earrings I can wear in the shower
These are my first pair of earrings that I can wear while showering
Without 'em clouding up in a half an hour
Without them becoming foggy or misty within thirty minutes
So that basically mean my paper getting mean
So that basically means my money is increasing significantly
Four G's in a paper denim jeans
Four thousand dollars in my paper denim jeans
The pink rocks Red Hot like Anthony Kiedis
The pink diamonds shine brightly like Anthony Kiedis of Red Hot Chili Peppers
To see this Jesus the sweetest of detest
To see me is a combination of admiration and dislike
We FIRE, y'all RETIRE
We are hot and successful, while you all are retiring from the game
All ugly people please!, be quiet!
All unattractive individuals, please be silent!
Hovah get a beat from me in a minute
Jay-Z will receive a beat from me very soon
He heard 'Just to Get By' and I was rehired
He heard my song 'Just to Get By' and I was hired again
I got a track right now that could save Mya
I currently have a song that could revive Mya's career
It ain't a song, it's a video called Dave Meyers
It's not just a song, it's a music video directed by Dave Meyers
Y'all drop 20 G's on the Sprewell rims
You all spend twenty thousand dollars on the Sprewell rims
I give that money to another to get some real spins
I give that money to someone else to invest and make more profit
Stand up! (uh) stand up! (yeah)
Get on your feet! (yeah) rise up! (uh)
Stand up! stand up!
Get on your feet! rise up!
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jay G
Of course his flow works with the beat... HE MADE THE BEAT haha
NOVEMBeR SHOWeRS
Shaun Whit he really did make this beat tho.
Sum Solution
He made this heat for Luda? That makes Kanye part ATL
Chipo Mumbi
Timbaland made this beat. Check the fade to black series when jayz was in the studio with timbo and passed on it for the dirt off your shoulder beat.
jounieh
Chipo Mumbi that was ”the potion” this is ”stand up”, two different songs, both by Luda though
Rashad Hutchins
I applaud the man Kanye. You're not supposed to progress through life and still be talking about the same things you were when you were broke. That man has transcended a level of success, cultural awareness and executive privilege the likes of which we couldn't even dream about. (Let alone lie about in our MOST superficial rhymes.) While I don't always understand his perspective, I applaud his progression and support him.
Jaedon Harris
Rashad Hutchins I agree
Kev’s Uploads
💯💯💯
Mike Watts
Came here to read how people used to feel about Ye...
Victor E. Muñoz
totally agree!