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
In "Touch the Sky" by Kanye West, the rapper is reflecting on his rise to fame and how far he has come. He starts off by saying that he has to testify that he will touch the sky before he dies. He is determined to succeed and leave his mark in the rap industry. Kanye talks about the struggles he faced when he was starting, like when people thought he couldn't make it up in the rap game, and how he felt like a member of Bad Boy's street team. Kanye then reveals that he and his mother moved to another city in a U-Haul van, and how he stood on line for an hour at a club just because he wanted to dance. He wanted to stand out and shine, and he feels like he has finally made it.
Throughout the song, Kanye mentions various people who influenced him, such as Slick Rick and Jay-Z. He talks about how he used to experience nervous breakdowns because he felt like other rappers were much better than he was. He also mentions how he cheated on girls and how he is now trying to right his wrongs. Towards the end of the song, Lupe Fiasco joins in, adding his own verse, and the two rappers end the song feeling content and elated with where they are in their careers.
Overall, "Touch the Sky" is a song about resilience, determination, and overcoming adversity in order to achieve one's dreams. It's a song that reminds listeners that, no matter how tough things may seem, it's possible to rise to the top and touch the sky.
Line by Line Meaning
I gotta testify
I must speak/witness to my success and accomplishments
Come up in the spot lookin' extra fly
I enter the room in a way that demands respect and attention
'Fore the day I die, I'ma touch the sky
Before the end of my life, I will achieve greatness
Gotta testify
I have to speak/witness to my success and accomplishments
Back when they thought pink Polos would hurt the Roc
Back when people didn't believe in me and my style would not benefit the Roc-A-Fella Records company's success
Before Cam got the shit to pop
Before Cam'ron gained popularity
The doors was closed, I felt like Bad Boy's street team
I faced rejection many times and felt like I was part of a failing team, similar to Bad Boy Records' acts before their success
I couldn't work the locks
I couldn't enter the industry and achieve success
Now let's go, take 'em back to the plan
Let's revisit what we initially planned to do
Me and my mama hopped in that U-Haul van
My mother and I got in a U-Haul van and left our old life behind
Any pessimists, I ain't talk to them
I did not entertain any negative people or thoughts
Plus I ain't have no phone in my apart-a-ment
I did not even have a phone in my apartment because I was financially struggling
Let's take 'em back to the club
Let's revisit my early days when I only wanted to have fun and dance at the club
Least about an hour I stand on line
I spent a lot of time waiting in line to enter the club
I just wanted to dance, I went to Jacob an hour
I only wanted to dance, but I ended up spending a lot of money on jewelry, probably from Jacob & Co.
After I got my advance, I just wanted to shine
After I received my financial advance, I wanted to show off my success and wealth
Jay favorite line, "Dawg, in due time"
Jay-Z's favorite phrase was "it'll happen when the time is right."
Now he look at me, like, "Damn, dawg! You where I am"
Now Jay-Z is impressed with my success and looks up to me
A hip-hop legend
I achieved legendary status in the hip-hop industry
I think I died in that accident, 'cause this must be heaven
My success is so great that it feels like heaven, and I must have died to get here.
Now let's take 'em high (top of the world, baby)
Let's bring the listeners to the highest level of success and happiness
(Top, top of the world)
The highest point of success and achievement
Back when Gucci was the shit to rock
When Gucci was trendy and fashionable to wear
Back when Slick Rick got the shit to pop
When Slick Rick was gaining popularity and influence in the hip-hop industry
I'd do anything to say I got it
I was willing to do anything to show off my wealth and success
Damn, them new loafers hurt my pocket
My new shoes hurt my bank account (were expensive)
Before anybody wanted K. West beats
Before other artists wanted to work with me to produce beats for them
Me and my girl split the buffet at KFC
My girlfriend and I had to share one inexpensive meal at KFC
Dog, I was having nervous breakdowns
I was having severe anxiety and panic attacks
Like "Man, these niggas that much better than me?"
I questioned my talent and ability compared to other hip-hop artists
Baby, I'm going on an airplane
I told my girlfriend I would be traveling for work
And I don't know if I'll be back again
I'm not sure if I will ever see her again
Sure enough, I sent the plane tickets
I followed through and sent the tickets to her
But when she came to kick it, things became different
When she arrived things were not as good as I had promised or hoped they would be
Any girl I cheated on, sheets I skeeted on
I was unfaithful to my partners and would leave evidence of infidelity
Couldn't keep it at home, thought I needed a Nia Long
I could not remain faithful in relationships and thought I needed someone as beautiful as Nia Long to be happy
I'm tryna right my wrongs
I'm trying to correct my past mistakes and be a better person
But it's funny them same wrongs helped me write this song, now
My past mistakes and struggles inspired me to create this successful song
Yes, yes, yes, guess who's on third?
I am now in a high position in the hip-hop industry
Lupe steal like Lupin the 3rd
Lupe Fiasco steals the show with his talent, similar to the anime/manga character Arsène Lupin III
Here like ear 'til I'm beer on the curb
I am clued in and listening, like an ear, until I am relaxing (drunk) on the sidewalk
Peachfuzz buzz but beard on the verge
My facial hair gives the appearance of being older, but my youthfulness suggests otherwise
Let's slow it down like we're on the syrup
Let's relax and take it slowly, like we are intoxicated on cough syrup
Bottle shaped body like Mrs. Butterworth
My body has a shape similar to a bottle of Mrs. Butterworth
But, before you say another word
Before you judge me or criticize me further
I'm back on the block like I'm laying on the street
I have returned to where I started, and I am willing to fight for success like I am fighting on the street
I'm tryna stop lyin' like I'm Mumm-Ra
I'm trying to stop lying like the cartoon villain Mumm-Ra who used deception to trick others
But I'm not lyin' when I'm laying on the beat
I am honest and true when I am rapping on a beat
En garde, or touche, Lupe cool as the unthawed
I am ready for a verbal fight, but Lupe Fiasco is as calm and cool as frozen items
But I still feel possessed as a gun charge
I still feel trapped by my problems, like someone who has been charged with a gun crime
Come as correct as a porn star
I come to rap as well-prepared and skillful as a professional pornographic actor
In a fresh pair steps in my best foreign car
I arrive in a new pair of shoes, stepping out of my high-end foreign car
So, I represent the first
I represent a new and innovative generation in hip-hop
Now let me end my verse right where the horns are like, uh
Let me finish my contribution to this song with a strong and powerful statement, where the horns are loudest
We back at home, baby
We have returned to our roots, where we began
Uh, sky high (yeah)
I have achieved great success and am on top of the world
I'm, I'm sky high
I have reached the highest level of success
Yeah, keep it rollin'
Let's keep this momentum and success rolling
Feels good to be home, baby
It feels great to be back where I started.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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