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.
The Truth
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I did this beat in '96 and ah
Is it the because my beats the nicest?
Got me chargin' niggas Dr evil prices
("One billion dollars")
Niggas will sell their soul to
Go platinum and gold
Gold and kept my soul
Drop an album full of soul
Sold twelve times gold
That's six-plat, man, that's a sick plaque
(Do the math) man, don't forget that
That at the top is where
You feel the loneliness
Like grabbin' fake titties, I swear
I feel the phoniest
'Cause I'm from a city where you
Never know who your homies is
'Cause everybody want your spot No
ID told me this
Oh, I seen homies get sheisty on me quick
Wooo! Just imagine if I only spit
But I do beats, too
That's the American dream
Stack to make sure my
Shawties inherit some things
A couple real estate investments
Got niggas sayin', "There's the Kennedys!"
But oh, yes, it's the Westses
Brand new Roc-A-Fella, most fresh-to-death is
Definitely Kanye, peace to Sportie LA
(Okay, yeah, ugh)
That keep my shoe game early
Like the grave shift (Uh, huh)
Plus keep my closet cooped up
Like a slave ship (Woo)
How you gon' look at me and
Say I ain't made shit?
Just look at my outfit, I got all the basics
(Look) air Force, check! Rolex, check!
Call Gee and Hop, did you get the check?
(Fifty thousand) roc-a-Fella piece, check
Don't forget the neck
Is it the money on deck that keeps
On the honeys on the dick?
Now, that ain't really rhyme
But I ain't really tryin'
(I don't give a fuck, nigga) last 9
11, I was poor on the Ave
'Til I pluraled my math, now it's Porsche 911
And I'm floorin' the gas
Got a lot of problems
Money's one that I not have
Date ballplayers' wives, that divorced
And got half, shiiiiiit
(Oooh! Haha) i figure they deserve somethin'
For all them hours
And that be the realest shit
That I never wrote
(Really spoke something on that shit)
Only book I ever read I could
Have wrote 48 Laws Of Power (What)
Me, Gee and Hop, uh huh, the game's ours
(What)
Seems like I got more brain off my fake chain
Than my real one, 'cause on the real, son
If a girl think you broke
She just wanna fuck and smoke
If you paid, then she's
Thinkin' bout her children, feel him?
(True)
Prolly not though, unless you got dough
You know what I mean?
You will think the grass greener
When you finally get green
I told Regina, "You ain't been in a Medina"
(Quit lying) yeah, I seen you grabbin' on
My balls like Serena (Uh, huh)
Yeah, y'all the invisible ho
You ain't never seen her
Mhm, she must stay around your grandma crib
Right next door to where the in laws live
I brought a man from the fifth
Floor all in y'all crib haha
Remember niggas back at school
They didn't have no girl at school
So they be like, "I got a girl
She just stay by my grandma's crib" Hahaha
Yo, Dame, where the fuck you find me? Hahaha
In the song "The Truth," Kanye West reflects on his journey to success and the challenges he has faced along the way. He begins by emphasizing the quality of his beats, suggesting that they are the reason behind his success and the high prices he can command. He contrasts this with other artists who are willing to sacrifice their artistic integrity to achieve commercial success. Kanye, on the other hand, takes pride in maintaining his soul and integrity while achieving great success with albums that showcase his artistic vision.
Kanye acknowledges the loneliness that often comes with being at the top of the music industry, comparing it to the feeling of grabbing fake breasts. He highlights the challenges of trusting others in his hometown, where it can be difficult to distinguish true friends from those who are seeking personal gain. He recalls advice from No ID, a mentor figure, who warned him about the fickleness of the industry.
Despite these challenges, Kanye celebrates his accomplishments. He mentions his real estate investments and references the Kennedys, suggesting that he has reached a level of wealth and status comparable to the influential political family. He proudly claims his association with Roc-A-Fella Records and acknowledges Sportie LA for keeping him up to date with the latest in footwear fashion.
Kanye also touches upon societal judgments based on material possessions and wealth. He questions those who underestimate his success, sarcastically pointing out that his outfit alone proves otherwise. He mentions the attention he receives from women who are interested in his wealth, indicating the shallowness of some relationships. Kanye also reflects on his early struggles and marvels at his current wealth, symbolized by his Porsche 911.
Through his lyrics, Kanye reveals his introspective and self-aware nature. He acknowledges that the lyrics he creates can be controversial and not always perfectly crafted, but he remains authentic to himself. He mentions reading Robert Greene's book "The 48 Laws of Power" and showcases his confidence in his abilities alongside his collaborators, Gee and Hop.
Overall, "The Truth" portrays Kanye West's journey to success and the challenges he faces as a prominent figure in the music industry. It showcases his pride in maintaining his artistic integrity while celebrating his achievements.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo, it's Kanye To The
Introducing myself as Kanye West
I did this beat in '96 and ah
Explaining that I created this beat in 1996
Is it the because my beats the nicest?
Wondering if people appreciate my beats because they are the best
Got me chargin' niggas Dr evil prices
Charging exorbitant prices like a supervillain
Niggas will sell their soul to
People are willing to give up their integrity in order to
Go platinum and gold
Achieve commercial success
I'm cold 'cause I got the
I'm indifferent to others because I possess
Gold and kept my soul
Success while maintaining my authenticity
Drop an album full of soul
Releasing an album with deep emotional expression
Sold twelve times gold
Selling millions of records
That's six-plat, man, that's a sick plaque
Achieving six times platinum certification, which is an impressive milestone
(Do the math) man, don't forget that
Emphasizing the significance of the achievement
That at the top is where
At the peak of success is where
You feel the loneliness
One can experience isolation and loneliness
Like grabbin' fake titties, I swear
Similar to touching fake breasts, it feels disingenuous
I feel the phoniest
I feel like a fraud
'Cause I'm from a city where you
Because I come from a city where you
Never know who your homies is
Can't trust anyone, especially your friends
'Cause everybody want your spot No
Because everyone wants to take your place
ID told me this
No ID, a mentor figure, advised me about this
Oh, I seen homies get sheisty on me quick
I've witnessed friends betray me without hesitation
Wooo! Just imagine if I only spit
Imagine the impact if I only focused on rapping
But I do beats, too
However, I also produce beats
That's the American dream
This ability to pursue different passions is the essence of the American dream
Stack to make sure my
Accumulate wealth to secure the future
Shawties inherit some things
For my loved ones to inherit wealth and assets
A couple real estate investments
Investing in properties to diversify my portfolio
Got niggas sayin', "There's the Kennedys!"
My success is so significant, people compare me to the Kennedy family
But oh, yes, it's the Westses
However, it's all about the West family
Brand new Roc-A-Fella, most fresh-to-death is
Proudly representing the new Roc-A-Fella era
Definitely Kanye, peace to Sportie LA
Without a doubt, I am Kanye West, and I acknowledge Sportie LA for their support
(Okay, yeah, ugh)
Just affirming and expressing approval
That keep my shoe game early
That helps me stay ahead in the sneaker game
Like the grave shift (Uh, huh)
Similar to working overnight, I work hard on my shoe collection
Plus keep my closet cooped up
I keep my wardrobe confined and exclusive
Like a slave ship (Woo)
Similar to slaves being confined on a ship, my clothes are stored tightly
How you gon' look at me and
How can you judge me and
Say I ain't made shit?
Claim that I haven't accomplished anything?
Just look at my outfit, I got all the basics
Just glance at my attire, I have all the essential elements
(Look) air Force, check! Rolex, check!
Pointing out that I have the iconic Air Force sneakers and a Rolex watch
Call Gee and Hop, did you get the check?
Asking my associates Gee and Hop if they received payment
(Fifty thousand) roc-a-Fella piece, check
Confirming that I have a Roc-A-Fella chain worth fifty thousand dollars
Don't forget the neck
Don't overlook the importance of the necklace
Is it the money on deck that keeps
Is it my wealth that attracts
On the honeys on the dick?
Women to show interest in me?
Now, that ain't really rhyme
That doesn't really rhyme
But I ain't really tryin'
But I'm not really making an effort
(I don't give a fuck, nigga) last 9
(I don't care, man) in the last year
11, I was poor on the Ave
I was financially struggling in my neighborhood
'Til I pluraled my math, now it's Porsche 911
Until I multiplied my wealth, now I drive a Porsche 911
And I'm floorin' the gas
And I'm accelerating at high speed
Got a lot of problems
I have many issues
Money's one that I not have
Lack of money is one of them
Date ballplayers' wives, that divorced
I date wives of professional athletes who have gone through divorce
And got half, shiiiiiit
And received a large portion of their wealth, damn
(Oooh! Haha) i figure they deserve somethin'
(Oooh! Haha) I believe they deserve compensation
For all them hours
For all the time and effort
And that be the realest shit
And that is the most genuine thing
That I never wrote
That I have never expressed before
(Really spoke something on that shit)
(I'm really putting something out there with that)
Only book I ever read I could
The only book I read that I could
Have wrote 48 Laws Of Power (What)
Have written a book similar to 'The 48 Laws of Power'
Me, Gee and Hop, uh huh, the game's ours
Me, Gee, and Hop, we dominate the game
(What)
(What)
Seems like I got more brain off my fake chain
It appears that I gain more wisdom from my imitation necklace
Than my real one, 'cause on the real, son
Than my genuine one, because honestly
If a girl think you broke
If a woman thinks you're financially struggling
She just wanna fuck and smoke
She's only interested in casual sex and drugs
If you paid, then she's
But if you're wealthy, then she's
Thinkin' bout her children, feel him?
Thoughtful about her offspring, you understand?
(True)
(That's true)
Prolly not though, unless you got dough
Most likely not, unless you have money
You know what I mean?
Do you understand what I'm saying?
You will think the grass greener
One may think that another situation is more favorable
When you finally get green
When you finally achieve financial success
I told Regina, "You ain't been in a Medina"
I told a woman named Regina that she has never been to a luxurious place
(Quit lying) yeah, I seen you grabbin' on
(Stop lying) yeah, I saw you touching
My balls like Serena (Uh, huh)
My testicles like Serena Williams (a tennis player)
Yeah, y'all the invisible ho
Yeah, you all are the unseen prostitutes
You ain't never seen her
You've never really seen someone like her
Mhm, she must stay around your grandma crib
Hmm, she probably stays near your grandmother's residence
Right next door to where the in laws live
In close proximity to the residence of your in-laws
I brought a man from the fifth
I brought an associate from the fifth floor
Floor all in y'all crib haha
Causing mayhem in your home, haha
Remember niggas back at school
Recalling the guys from school
They didn't have no girl at school
They didn't have any girlfriends back then
So they be like, "I got a girl
So they used to say, 'I have a girlfriend'
She just stay by my grandma's crib" Hahaha
But she just stays at my grandma's house" Hahaha
Yo, Dame, where the fuck you find me? Hahaha
Yo, Dame, where the hell did you discover me? Hahaha
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lessieallen2170
They want to normalize cutting off your finances when you speak out against the agenda. Similar to the Paypal situation. It's normalizing more control.
@VORZERO
Like the protesters in Canada.
@stephenscott1788
Facts💯 this why they promoted lgbtq, the feminist movement, blm and climate change throughout the years. Whenever you speak out, they will just say it’s antiemetic,racist,homophobic or some form of toxic masculinity. This they’re way to dismiss truth as misinformation or hate speech and find a way to punish ppl.
@Sassy78
Social Credit System = Mark of the b£@$t He’s completely & demonically controlled! Everything done in the dark will come to light.
@graciekattan6618
What paypal situation?
@hushdominos2635
Kanye did say in the interview that the music has no god in it.
Kanye is actually right about taking the man out of the home .
Those are some crucial points he made.
Those points actually goes against their agenda.
@annproduction
There is gonna be a new religion, named NEW AGE , Chrislam etc. There will be great deception , using Jesus name to bring people to hell. They will expose the lies cause Satan doesn't care if people believe in him or not, he wants people to hate God, that's all. They will give 9truths and 1 lie that will put you in a dark place of rabbit holes and you will lose yourself. No matter what people (and who) saying something. Only prayer and being humble can save us.
@brainpenn2949
Hush you are right
@brainpenn2949
Are u one of da 12 Council like me you know what iam Talkin about we talk chin yang Facebook or Instagram
@Matt-zp1jn
Kanye is controlled opposition, the “good cop” side or right hand that is going against the “bad cop” side or left hand of the Elites & Corporate interests as a rebel, as a sheep in wolfs clothing that the upper elites are using to portray Ye as a saviour type for the everyday disenfranchised person or black man of the culture who is trying to stand against the elites, music industry, corporations etc. They want him to play the good cop role to now show that the “good side” or other team is winning for once, just like with Trump, an Kanye supported him too. It is like a big drama play for the world of 2 teams against each other on Monday night Football etc, the old guard of corrupt mouth pieces for the elites, like the clintons, bushes, obama, etc who were more on the bad cop side of satanism, verses the other side of good cop luciferianism (light bringing, illumination, Occultic Gnosticism). Both sides serve Evil and both are controlled to play the opposing sides, you just pick a side you support etc and cheer them on thinking your side won, when it is actually the Elites who won yet again. This decade will “vanquish” evil and crimes against humanity, in favour of hippy earth globalist agendas like carbon emissions, global warming, peta, free sex, lowered ages of consent, hedonism, end of marriage, family (the village or community will take over more), decentralized things to promote more globalist (thesis/antithesis/synthesis), syncretism and joining together more and more. Wealth and prosperity for everyone so the bread & circus entertainment an materialistic consumerism can continue to profit the corporations etc.