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.
They Say
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We say the facts and then, they lie
We comin' back for them
They might say but they don't know
(They say, they say)
They don't know
They say a nigga lost his mind
The thin line between love and hatred
I'm the black pill in the Matrix, the saturated life
They say life is what you make it
So I wait quick on a spaceship so I can take it
As high as the stakes get when paper get low
I be tellin' Derick, "Tell Cara get us a show"
Little Com, I make righteous bitches get low
The richest man ain't necessarily the nigga with dough
They say, "You ripped", "Wow", yeah, that's what they say
My niggas couldn't tell it was me, like Jamie in Ray
Paintin' a day, with focused crime, broads, and good wine
They say, "Dope is sour so it's homework and hood crimes"
I stood mine, for forever and a day, so goodbye
They never could say, tell 'em, J
They say, "What's happenin'?"
We say the facts and then, they lie
We comin' back for them
They might say but they don't know
(They say, they say)
They don't know
Ah, the sweet taste of victory
Go 'head and breath it in like antihistamine
I know they sayin', "Damn, Ye' snapped with this beat"
Fuck you expect? I've got a history
Groupie love now, gotta be them wheels
Haters back down, gotta be that steel
I know they can't wait 'til ya outta ya deal
Look how they did D'Angelo, ask him, "How do it feel?"
My best friends worry 'bout me
'Cause they know when you famous
And you had made cash the media aims at us and you be up so high
If you ever fall off, it feel like a plane crash
But God don't ever give me nothin' I can't handle
So please don't ever give me records I can't sample
So I could vacay where it ain't no channels
But it's quite okay for a gangsta to wear sandals
They say because of the fame and stardom
I'm somewhere in between the church and insane asylum
I guess it's messin' with my health then
And this verse so crazy when I finish
I'm just gon' check myself in
They (again) say, "What's happenin'?"
We say the facts and then (uh), they lie (ha)
We comin' back for them
They might say but they don't know
(They say, they say)
They don't know
They say, "Dude think he righteous"
I write just to free minds, from Stony to Rikers
Amongst the lifeless, in a world crazy as Mike is
On my paper, whether it's weed or Isis
They say life is a game, so I play hard
Writin' for my life 'cause I'm scared of a day job
They say "Sef kept the hood together"
I tell the young, "We can't play the hood forever"
Play my cards right, they say I went too left
They showed me strange love, like I was Mr. F
Played chess in this game of pawns and knights
Now I claim "King" like Don, or Frank White
They say my life is comparable to Christ
The way I sacrificed and resurrected twice
They say, "The crochet pants and the sweater was wack"
Seen "The Corner", now they say, "That nigga's back," uh
They say, "What's happenin'?"
We say the facts and then, they lie
We comin' back for them
They might say but they don't know
(They say, they say)
They don't know
Kanye West's "They Say" is a powerful song that explores the dynamic between fame and criticism. The opening lines, "They say what's happenin'? We say the facts, and if they lie, we comin' back for them" establish the theme of the song, which is that Kanye and his fellows are going to call out those who criticize them, no matter what. The lyrics then describe the perception that Kanye has lost his mind, but he argues that in reality, he has never lost his ability to write compelling rhymes. The song also touches on the idea that fame is a double-edged sword, as it can boost an artist's profile but also subject them to intense scrutiny and criticism.
One of the most interesting aspects of "They Say" is the way that Kanye mixes hard-hitting social commentary with personal statements. For example, he talks about the pressures of fame and the difficulties of retaining a sense of self, but also makes references to his friends and his personal stylistic choices. This creates a sense of intimacy between the artist and the listener, while also conveying a broader message about the state of fame in modern society.
Another interesting facet of "They Say" is the way that Kanye incorporates elements of different musical styles, from R&B to rock. The song is built around a driving beat and a hypnotic guitar riff, which create a sense of urgency and momentum. The lyrics are delivered with an intense energy that can be both compelling and unsettling, depending on the listener's perspective. Overall, "They Say" is a thought-provoking song that challenges listeners to confront their own assumptions about fame, criticism, and creative expression.
Line by Line Meaning
They say what's happenin'?
People ask me what's going on in my life
We say the facts and if, they lie
I tell the truth and call out others when they lie
We comin' back for them
I'll stand up for myself and my beliefs
They might say, but they don't know!
Others may talk about me, but they don't really understand me
They say a nigga lost his mind
People think I'm crazy or have gone insane
But in the scheme of things I never lost a rhyme
Despite what people say, I haven't lost my talent for rapping
The thin line between love and hatred
There's a difficult balance between love and hate
I'm the black pill in the matrix, the saturated life
I see through the illusions of society and celebrity culture, which has become overwhelming
They say life is what you make it
People say that you control your own destiny
So I wait quick on a spaceship so I can take it
I'm impatiently waiting for my opportunity to seize my destiny
As high as the stakes get when paper get low
Money is important and can be all-consuming when you don't have a lot
I be telling derick, "tell kara get us a show"
I'm working hard to get my music out there and get more exposure
Little com, I make righteous bitches get low
I'm able to influence people and make them humble themselves
The richest man ain't necessarily the nigga wit dough
Wealth doesn't always define success or worth
They say "you ripped" "wow" yea, that's what they say
People are complimenting my rapping skills
My niggas couldn't tell it was me, like jamie in ray
My friends didn't recognize me at first, like a movie character in disguise
Painting a day, wit focused crime, broads, and good wine
I'm living my life without holding back
They say "dope is sour so it's homework and hood crimes"
People criticize my music for glorifying 'hood' culture
I stood mine, for forever and a day so goodbye
I've stood up for myself and my beliefs and won't back down
The sweet taste of victory
The feeling of success is so satisfying
Go head and breath it in like antihistamine
Enjoy the feeling of success as if it's medicine for your soul
I know they saying "damn, yea snapped wit this beat!"
People are impressed with my talent for making music
Fuck you expect? I've got a history
Of course I'm good at this, I've got a lot of experience and practice
Groupie love now, gotta be them wheels!
People are attracted to me now that I'm famous and have money
Haters back down, gotta be that steel!
I'll defend myself and my success against those who try to bring me down
I know they cant wait till ya outta ya deal!
People are eager for me to get out of my record contract
My best friends worry bout me
My closest friends are concerned for my well-being
Cause they know when you famous/fame-ass
Being famous can be dangerous and challenging
And you had made cash the media aims at us and you be up so high
The media will target wealthy celebrities with negative press
If you ever fall off, it feel like a plane crash
Losing success can feel devastating
But god don't ever give me nothing I cant handle
I trust that I can handle anything that comes my way
So please don't ever give me records I cant sample
I am confident in my ability to make music with any type of sample or beat
So I could vacate where it ain't no channels
I want to escape to a place where there's no media or distractions
But it's quite ok for a gangsta to wear sandals
I don't care that my fashion choices don't fit the stereotypical 'gangsta' image
They say because of the fame and stardom
Some people believe that my fame has changed me
I'm somewhere in between the church and insane asylum
I am struggling to balance my spiritual life with the craziness of fame
I guess it's messing with my health then
The stress of fame may be affecting my physical and mental health
And this verse so crazy when I finish
My lyrics are wild and intense in this song
I'm just going check myself in, again
I may need to take a break from everything and seek help again
I write just to free minds, from stoney to rikers
I use my music to inspire and empower people from all walks of life
Amongst the lifeless, in a world crazy as mike is
I am trying to make a positive impact in a world full of negativity and chaos
On my paper, whether its weed or isis
I write my thoughts and ideas down on paper, whether it's about drugs or politics
They say "life is a game," so I play hard
People say you need to take risks and fight hard to succeed in life
Writing for my life cause I'm scared of a day job
I'm so passionate about music that I'm afraid of having to work a regular job instead
They say "sef kept the hood together"
People credit me with holding my neighborhood community together
I tell the young, "we can't play the hood forever"
I want to inspire others to leave the 'hood' and seek a better future
Play my cards right, they say I went to left
If I make the right choices in life, people will be surprised at how successful I can be
They showed me strange love, like I was mr. f
People have shown me attention and affection that I find strange and uncomfortable
Played chess in this game of, pawns and knights
I'm strategic and thoughtful in my approach to the music industry
Now I claim "king" like don, or frank white
I see myself as a successful and powerful figure in the music industry
They say my life is comparable to christ's
Some people believe that my struggles and sacrifices are similar to those of Jesus Christ
The way I sacrificed, and resurrected, twice
I've made big sacrifices in my life and have come back stronger from difficult times
They say "the crochet pants and the sweater was wack"
People criticized my fashion choices for being strange or uncool
Seen "the corner", now they say "that nigga's back," uh
After some time out of the spotlight, people are now excited to see me making music again
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Thomas Randolph Bell, Linda Epstein, Lonnie Rashid Lynn, John Roger Stephens, Kanye Omari West
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@chriscash1982
This was one of Kanye's hardest beats. The whole album was fire and a classic.
@jkashdamoneyman5870
This when dilla had super heavy influence on a lot of his beats, they were simple and nice
@chriscash1982
@@jkashdamoneyman5870 I’m sure Dilla influenced him but doesn’t sound like anything Dilla would do. The only beat beside Kanye on the album was Dilla though. Pretty cool
@brucegothamcity
@@jkashdamoneyman5870but the best beats on the album was made by Kanye though
@jkashdamoneyman5870
@@chriscash1982 lol comprehensión deficiencies are at an all time high, never said it sound exactly like something dilla made, that Kanye is dead anyway, new Kanye is a clone and beat thief
@robertclark1141
“ But god don’t ever give me nothing I can’t handle, So please don’t ever give me records I can’t sample” -Kanye 🔥
@wayneshamba6961
That Kanye verse is LEGENDARY!
@Gorguruga
I dunno man, to me Common completely destroyed him and made Kanye look like a rank amatuer with a wack verse. But it's all opinions at the end of the day.
@sergiohernandez8911
@Gorguruga they both hit hard
@ethos762
@Gorguruga you’re reaching hard asf, they both did extremely well