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.
Two Words feat Mos Def Freeway & The Harlem Boys Choir
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's only two places you'll end up, either dead or in jail
Still nowhere to go, still nowhere to go
Now throw ya hands up bustless, busters, boosters, hoes
Everybody, fuck that
Still nowhere to go, sill nowhere to go
Two words, United States, no love, no brakes
Big Macs, fat folks, ecstasy capsules
Presidential scandals, everybody move!
Two words, Mos Def, K West, hot shit
Calm down, get back, ghetto people, got this
Game ball, lock shit, dump off, cock shit
We won't stop shit, everybody move!
Two words, BK , NY, Bed-Stuy
Two hawks, too hungry, too many, that's why
These streets know game, can't ball, don't play
Every traffic, one lane, everybody move!
Two words, Mos Def, black jack, hot shit
Calm down, get back, ghetto people, got this
Game point lock, long pump cocked
We won't stop, everybody move!
Now throw ya hands up bustless, busters (Throw your hands up high)
Boostas, hoes, everybody, fuck that (oh)
Still nowhere to go, still nowhere to go (oh)
And keep ya hands up bustless, busters (Till they reach the sky)
Boostas, hoes, everybody, fuck that (oh)
Still nowhere to go, still nowhere to go (oh)
Hey yo, two words, Chi town, South side, world wide
Cause I, rep that, till I, fucking die
One neck, two chains, one waist, two gats
One wall, twenty plaques, dudes say, "Gimme that"
I am limelight, Blueprint, 5 Mics
Go get his rhyme like, should of been signed twice
Most imitated, Grammy nominated
Hotel accommodated, cheerleader, prom dated
Barbershop, player hated, mom and pop, bootlegged it
Felt like it rained till the roof caved in
Two words, Chi town, raised me, crazy
So I live by two words, "Fuck you, pay me"
Screaming, Jesus save me
You know how the game be
I can't let em change me
Cause on Judgment Day, you gon' blame me
Look God, it's the same me
I (Throw) basically know now (Your) we could (Up) racially profile (High)
Cuffed up and hosed down, pimped up and hoe down (oh)
Plus I got a whole city to hold down (oh)
From the bottom to the top
So only place to go down
And keep ya hands up bustless, busters (Till they reach the sky)
Boostas, hoes, everybody, fuck that (oh)
Still nowhere to go, still nowhere to go (oh)
Two words, Freeway, two letters, A-R
Turn y'all rap niggas into two words, fast runners
Like Jackie Jurner, you better sleep with your burner
The heat skeet, blow a reef through ya car
My God, two words, no guns, break arms
Break necks, break backs, Steven Segul
Free young bars, fresh men of the Roc
Left the beef in the pot Jay sent for his dogs
And broads, forget ya squad, let em find for yourself
Have you screaming out four words "Send for the Lord"
Two words, Freeway's slightly retarded
Fuck around, throw a clip in ya artist, leave with his broad
Throw (red) Your (white) hands (blue) Up (black)
Throw (calm) Your (down) hands (move) Up (back)
Throw (motherfuckers) your (asking) hands (who is) up (that)
Throw (you know) your (it's the) hands (almighty) up (Black Jack)
Throw (Mos) your (Def) hands (K) up (West)
Throw (there go) your (people) hands (get this) up (shit off ya chest)
Throw (north) your (to the south) hands (to the east) up (to the west)
Throw (we got) your (that concert) hands (it was no) up (contest)
High! (an show it to 'em like)
The lyrics of Two Words by Kanye West are a commentary on inner-city life and the struggles of being black in America. The song begins with the lines, "We in the streets player, get your mail. It's only two places you'll end up, either dead or in jail." This sets the tone for the rest of the song, which highlights the hardships faced by those growing up in poverty and facing discrimination.
Mos Def and Freeway both contribute verses to the song, adding to the commentary on life in America. The lyrics reference everything from crack smoke and black folks to presidential scandals and the Grammy Awards. Despite the dark subject matter, the song ends on an optimistic note, encouraging everyone to keep moving forward.
Overall, Two Words is a powerful and thought-provoking song that serves as a reminder of the struggles faced by marginalized communities, and the need to keep fighting for a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
We in the streets player, get your mail
We are hustling in the rough parts of town, make sure you collect your earnings
It's only two places you'll end up, either dead or in jail
Living this life has only two potential outcomes: death or incarceration
Still nowhere to go, still nowhere to go
Despite this realization, we continue to press on with our hustle
Now throw ya hands up bustless, busters, boosters, hoes
Celebrate with us, everyone from those without anything to the people fueling the hustle
Everybody, fuck that
Forget about the struggles for a moment, let's live it up
Two words, United States, no love, no brakes
The stark reality of life in the United States: no compassion and few opportunities
Low brow, high stakes, crack smoke, black folks
The dangerous and desperate underground of drugs and crime is primarily made up of black people
Big Macs, fat folks, ecstasy capsules
In the midst of the poverty and danger, there are also indulgences like junk food and drugs
Presidential scandals, everybody move!
Even those in positions of power and morality are not immune to scandal, we must stay vigilant
Two words, Mos Def, K West, hot shit
This music we make is powerful and influential, thanks to the talent of Mos Def and K West
Calm down, get back, ghetto people, got this
We don't need to worry or be anxious, the people living in these conditions know how to navigate this tough environment
Game ball, lock shit, dump off, cock shit
We're in control, we know what we're doing, whether it means keeping the ball or firing off guns
We won't stop shit, everybody move!
We're not giving up and we're not backing down, so let's keep moving forward
Two words, BK , NY, Bed-Stuy
Brooklyn and New York, specifically the Bed-Stuy neighborhood, define who we are and where we come from
Two hawks, too hungry, too many, that's why
We are like prey in the wild, constantly under siege and forced to fight for survival
These streets know game, can't ball, don't play
Living on the streets teaches you a kind of wisdom, and if you're not willing to play the game, you might as well not even try
Every traffic, one lane, everybody move!
Despite the obstacles and limitations placed on us, we keep pushing forward and making progress
Two words, Mos Def, black jack, hot shit
More praise for Mos Def and his incredible skill, making us all inspired to create excellence
Game point lock, long pump cocked
We're ready to take the final shot, to pull the trigger when the time comes
We won't stop, everybody move!
No one is going to slow us down, we're making moves and we're not stopping anytime soon
And keep ya hands up bustless, busters
Stay receptive and open to the energy we're creating
Boostas, hoes, everybody, fuck that
Everyone from the most desperate to the most flamboyant should embrace the moment
Hey yo, two words, Chi town, South side, world wide
Chicago's South Side bred some of the world's top talent and we're proud of our roots
Cause I, rep that, till I, fucking die
We are committed to representing our city and our people until the end
One neck, two chains, one waist, two gats
We're dressed to impress with all the trappings of a successful hustler
One wall, twenty plaques, dudes say, "Gimme that"
We've already achieved success and recognition and people are already trying to steal our thunder
I am limelight, Blueprint, 5 Mics
Our achievements are legendary, from magazine covers to award-winning rhymes
Go get his rhyme like, should of been signed twice
Our rhyming skills are so great, we should have been signed twice just to emphasize our talent
Most imitated, Grammy nominated
People try to copy our style, but there are none who can truly duplicate our artistry
Hotel accommodated, cheerleader, prom dated
We've lived the life of luxury and indulgence, from hotel rooms to dating glamorous women
Barbershop, player hated, mom and pop, bootlegged it
But we've also been rejected and scorned in other parts of society
Felt like it rained till the roof caved in
We've been through tough times, to the point where it feels like everything we've built is collapsing
So I live by two words, "Fuck you, pay me"
We stand up for our rights and for the money we deserve, no matter who gets in our way
Screaming, Jesus save me
Despite our swagger and success, we still need to be saved and protected from danger
You know how the game be
We understand the game of life and how it's played, and we're determined to come out on top
I can't let em change me
We refuse to let the world change who we are at our core
Cause on Judgment Day, you gon' blame me
We believe in standing up for our actions and accepting responsibility for our choices, even in the afterlife
Look God, it's the same me
We're not going to change because of anyone else or any external circumstances, we're staying true to ourselves
(Throw) basically know now (Your) we could (Up) racially profile (High)
We are fully aware of the potential discrimination and profiling that we may face because of the color of our skin
Cuffed up and hosed down, pimped up and hoe down (oh)
We've experienced police brutality and exploitation of our bodies in various ways, including the sex industry
Plus I got a whole city to hold down (oh)
Despite all the obstacles and dangers, we are also responsible for the safety and prosperity of our entire community
From the bottom to the top
No matter how low we start or how many obstacles we face, we're determined to succeed
So only place to go down
We've already achieved so much and there is only the risk of falling down from here
Two words, Freeway, two letters, A-R
Now Freeway is joining us for the ride, and we're ready to take on all challenges
Turn y'all rap niggas into two words, fast runners
We're so powerful and influential that all other rappers seem like they're running in slow motion compared to us
Like Jackie Jurner, you better sleep with your burner
If you want to challenge us or try to take us down, be prepared to take on a pitcher as fast and deadly as Jackie Jurner
The heat skeet, blow a reef through ya car
We're not afraid to use our guns and we can easily take you down in a hail of bullets
My God, two words, no guns, break arms
Even without guns, we are still capable of breaking bones and causing destruction
Break necks, break backs, Steven Segul
We are skilled fighters and can break people's necks and backs just like the famous action star Steven Segul
Free young bars, fresh men of the Roc
We are part of Jay-Z's record label, Roc-A-Fella, and we have the talent and potential to become major stars
Left the beef in the pot Jay sent for his dogs
We have no issues with each other or with Jay-Z, in fact, he is supportive of our careers
And broads, forget ya squad, let em find for yourself
We're not going to rely on anyone else to help us achieve our goals, we're going to do it for ourselves
Have you screaming out four words "Send for the Lord"
We are so powerful and formidable that even in your moment of desperation, your cries for help will go unanswered
Two words, Freeway's slightly retarded
Freeway is fearless and perhaps a little crazy, but that's what makes him so successful
Fuck around, throw a clip in ya artist, leave with his broad
Don't mess with us or we'll attack your entire crew and steal your women
Throw (red) Your (white) hands (blue) Up (black)
All colors, races, and backgrounds should come together and celebrate
Throw (calm) Your (down) hands (move) Up (back)
Keep the peace and keep moving forward
Throw (motherfuckers) your (asking) hands (who is) up (that)
Confront anyone who dares to question our power and influence
Throw (you know) your (it's the) hands (almighty) up (Black Jack)
We are unstoppable and practically invincible, just like a winning hand in Blackjack
Throw (Mos) your (Def) hands (K) up (West)
Let's pay tribute and homage to the amazing talents of Mos Def and K West
Throw (there go) your (people) hands (get this) up (shit off ya chest)
Let all your frustrations and fears out and join us in this moment of celebration
Throw (north) your (to the south) hands (to the east) up (to the west)
No matter which direction you're coming from, everyone join in and celebrate
Throw (we got) your (that concert) hands (it was no) up (contest)
We're so amazing and awe-inspiring that it was never even a contest, we were always going to come out on top
High! (an show it to 'em like)
We're putting on a show and we're doing it in style
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LESLIE PRIDGEN, DANTE SMITH, KANYE WEST, CARLOS D WILSON, LOUIS W WILSON, RICARDO A WILSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@SouthCentralChannel
my favorite Kanye record
@devin9410
+Sremm Music whats funny about liking college dropout the most. That's my favorite Kanye album and one of my favorite albums period.
@MeteoBlitz
one of my favorites, deep and crazily innovative
@hsn7018
@@devin9410 yeah it's my second favorite
MBDTF is my favorite
@orenthal7894
@@hsn7018 whats the third
@hsn7018
@@orenthal7894 ah it's between lr or the life of Pablo
Cause the life of Pablo grows on me so much
@riceball_4478
This documentary is going to be one hell of a life.
@alifreshrayy
Frist time hearing this Kanye ... and its 🔥
@marcussilvamgs
@@alifreshrayy his first album is all killer no filler check it out man
@alifreshrayy
@@marcussilvamgs kl