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.
Touch The Sky )
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come up in the spot lookin' extra fly
'Fore the day I die, I'ma touch the sky
Gotta testify
Come up in the spot lookin' extra fly
'Fore the day I die, I'ma touch the sky
Back when they thought pink Polos would hurt the Roc
The doors was closed, I felt like Bad Boy's street team
I couldn't work the locks
Now let's go, take 'em back to the plan
Me and my mama hopped in that U-Haul van
Any pessimists, I ain't talk to them
Plus I ain't have no phone in my apart-a-ment
Let's take 'em back to the club
Least about an hour I stand on line
I just wanted to dance, I went to Jacob an hour
After I got my advance, I just wanted to shine
Jay favorite line, "Dawg, in due time"
Now he look at me, like, "Damn, dawg! You where I am"
A hip-hop legend
I think I died in that accident, 'cause this must be heaven
I gotta testify
Come up in the spot lookin' extra fly
'Fore the day I die, I'ma touch the sky
Gotta testify
Come up in the spot lookin' extra fly
'Fore the day I die, I'ma touch the sky
Now let's take 'em high (top of the world, baby)
(Top, top of the world)
A-la-la-la-la-la (top of the world, baby)
(Top, top of the world)
Now let's take 'em high (top of the world, baby)
(Top, top of the world)
A-la-la-la-la-la (top of the world, baby)
(Top, top of the world)
Back when Gucci was the shit to rock
Back when Slick Rick got the shit to pop
I'd do anything to say I got it
Damn, them new loafers hurt my pocket
Before anybody wanted K. West beats
Me and my girl split the buffet at KFC
Dog, I was having nervous breakdowns
Like "Man, these niggas that much better than me?"
Baby, I'm going on an airplane
And I don't know if I'll be back again
Sure enough, I sent the plane tickets
But when she came to kick it, things became different
Any girl I cheated on, sheets I skeeted on
Couldn't keep it at home, thought I needed a Nia Long
I'm tryna right my wrongs
But it's funny them same wrongs helped me write this song, now
I gotta testify
Come up in the spot lookin' extra fly
'Fore the day you die, you gon' touch the sky
You gon' touch the sky, baby girl, testify
Come up in the spot lookin' extra fly
'Fore the day you die, you gon' touch the sky
Yes, yes, yes, guess who's on third?
Lupe steal like Lupin the 3rd
Here like ear 'til I'm beer on the curb
Peachfuzz buzz but beard on the verge
Let's slow it down like we're on the syrup
Bottle shaped body like Mrs. Butterworth
But, before you say another word
I'm back on the block like I'm laying on the street
I'm tryna stop lyin' like I'm Mumm-Ra
But I'm not lyin' when I'm laying on the beat
En garde, or touche, Lupe cool as the unthawed
But I still feel possessed as a gun charge
Come as correct as a porn star
In a fresh pair steps in my best foreign car
So, I represent the first
Now let me end my verse right where the horns are like, uh
I gotta testify
Come up in the spot lookin' extra fly
'Fore the day you die, you gon' touch the sky
You gon' touch the sky, baby girl, testify
Come up in the spot lookin' extra fly
'Fore the day you die (yeah), you gon' touch the sky
We back at home, baby
Uh, sky high (yeah)
I'm, I'm sky high
I'm, I'm sky high
I'm, I'm sky high
I'm, I'm sky high
I'm, I'm sky high
Sky, uh, sky high
I'm, I'm sky high
Yeah, keep it rollin'
Yeah, uh, feels good to be home, baby
Feels good to be home
The lyrics of "Touch The Sky" by Kanye West focus on the rapper's journey to becoming famous and successful. In the first verse, he talks about his early struggles to make a name for himself in the industry, feeling like an outsider who can't access the closed doors of the Roc-A-Fella Records team. But he remains determined to succeed and looks forward to the day he touches the sky. The second verse is about the sacrifices he made to get where he is today, such as not having a phone in his apartment and experiencing nervous breakdowns. The final verse features a guest appearance by Lupe Fiasco, delivering rhymes that reinforce the idea of not giving up and pushing to the top.
Overall, the lyrics of "Touch The Sky" convey a sense of ambition, determination, and optimism in the face of adversity. Kanye West demonstrates that he has overcome the obstacles and broken into the music industry, and he encourages listeners to keep striving and aiming high.
Line by Line Meaning
I gotta testify
I need to speak my truth
Come up in the spot lookin' extra fly
Arrive at the scene looking impeccable
Fore the day I die, I'mma touch the sky
Before I die, I will reach the top of my potential
Back when they thought pink Polos would hurt the Roc
Before my fashion choices threatened my success
Before Cam got the shit to pop
Before Cam'ron achieved fame
The doors was closed, I felt like Bad Boy's street team
I felt excluded and unworthy
I couldn't work the locks
I didn't have the skills or connections to succeed
Now let's go, take 'em back to the plan
Let's revisit my original path
Me and my momma hopped in that U-Haul van
My mother and I embarked on a journey
Any pessimists I ain't talk to them
I ignored negative influences
Plus I ain't have no phone in my apart-a-ment
I was without a cell phone
Let's take 'em back to the club
Let's reminisce on my early days performing
Least about an hour I stand on line
I waited in line for at least an hour
I just wanted to dance, I went to Jacob an hour
I pursued my passion for music and shopping
After I got my advance, I just wanted to shine
After achieving financial stability, I wanted to succeed even more
Jay favorite line: 'Dawg, in due time!'
Jay-Z's favorite saying is 'good things come to those who wait'
Now he look at me, like, 'Damn, dawg! You where I am!'
Now Jay-Z sees my success
A hip-hop legend, I think I died
I feel like I've achieved greatness
In that accident, cause this must be heaven
I may have died and gone to heaven because of my success
Now let's take them high (Top of the world baby)
Now let's inspire and motivate them
La la la (Top of the world baby)
Expressing joy
Back when Gucci was the shit to rock
Before Gucci clothes were considered tacky
Back when Slick Rick had the shit to pop
When Slick Rick was popular
I'd do anything to say I got it
I was willing to do whatever it took to succeed
Damn, them new loafers hurt my pocket
Expensive shoes affected my finances
Before anybody wanted K. West beats
Before my beats were in demand
Me and my girl split the buffet at KFC
I couldn't afford expensive meals
Dog, I was having nervous breakdowns
I experienced extreme anxiety
Like 'Man - these niggas that much better than me?'
I felt inferior to my peers
Baby, I'm going on an airplane
I'm pursuing my dreams
And I don't know if I'll be back again
I don't know if I'll return to my past life
Sure enough, I sent the plane tickets
I followed through with my plans
But when she came to kick it, things became different
But when my girl arrived, our relationship changed
Any girl I cheated on, sheets I skeeted on
I have a history of infidelity
Couldn't keep it at home, thought I needed a Nia Long
I couldn't stay faithful, thought I needed a specific kind of woman
I'm trying to right my wrongs
I'm attempting to make amends
But it's funny them same wrongs helped me write this song
My mistakes inspired my music
Yes, yes, yes, guess who's on third?
Guess who's in a successful position now?
Lupe steal like Lupin the 3rd
Lupe Fiasco is a master of his craft
Here like ear 'til I'm beer on the curb
I'm here to stay until the very end
Peachfuzz buzz but beard on the verge
I have a youthful appearance but I'm getting older
Let's slow it down like we're on the syrup
Let's relax and take our time
Bottle shaped body like Mrs. Butterworth
My body type is curvy
But, before you say another word
Before you judge or criticize me
I'm back on the block like I'm laying on the street
I'm back in my hometown like I never left
I'm trying to stop 'lion' like I'm Mumm-Ra
I'm trying to stop the lies I see in the music industry
But I'm not lyin' when I'm laying on the beat
I'm telling the truth in my music
En garde, or touché, Lupe cool as the unthawed
I'm unbothered and confident
But I still feel possessed as a gun charge
I still feel weighed down by my past actions
Come as correct as a porn star
I come to succeed at my best
In a fresh pair steps in my best foreign car
In my best car with fresh shoes on
So, I represent the first
I'm a trailblazer
Now let me end my verse right where the horns are
Let me end my lyrics on a high note
We back at home, baby!
We're back where we belong
Sky high, I'm, I'm sky high!
I'm at the peak of my success
Yeah, feels good to be home, baby!
It feels great to be back in my hometown
Lyrics © DistroKid, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Sentric Music, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc., Actual Music, S.L.
Written by: Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, Curtis L Mayfield, Justin Gregory Smith, Kanye West, Kanye Omari West
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@AJ-fl3pz
Lupe Fiasco’s verse is one of the most underrated rap verses. Touch the Sky is one of Kanye’s most underrated songs
@slendaman1634
TheWillog pls stfu don't disrespect Yeezy in his prime like that
@thusano2
ahh his verse is perfect, like god damn what a great introduction
@keananconnor4221
ash jum id call 20mill something to be proud of the more life’s he can bless with his work the better in my opinion
@mcmuffin7612
YESSSSS dude.
@blackmaurice7135
Song and Video
@watts1841
The Nia Long and Tracee Ellis Ross scene is priceless!.....So is Lupe's verse!
@OptimusSlime404
yea Lupe was perfect on this joint
@PortogasDAce1
+Matrix Mike yeah he came correct as a porn star
@ritvikc5883
+Tom D I love that line cuz it's cum and correct like erect and lupes exit of his verse is just awesome and everything about this song and Kanye west is just awesome