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 Canβt Be Life, a track from Jay-Zβs The Dynasty: Roc La Familia. West said he sped up the drum beat of Dr. Dreβs Xxplosive to use as a replacement for his drums on This Canβt 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 Olβ Dirty Bastard were some of his all-time favorites. Said Kanye West: βWu-Tang? Me and my friends talk about this all the timeβ¦ 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.β
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 BeyoncΓ© 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 BeyoncΓ© 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. Kanyeβs 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 Kanyeβs 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 Gravβs 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, Camβron, Paul Wall, Common, Mobb Deep, Jermaine Dupri, Scarface, The Game, Alicia Keys, Janet Jackson and John Legend among others. He also βghost-producedβ for his once mentor Deric Angelettie according to his song Last Call and the credits of Nasβ 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 partnershipsβincluding his collaborations with Adidas, Gap, and Balenciagaβafter making antisemitic statements.
U Mad
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ooh don't wanna talk about it
Ooh like I don't, like I don't know nobody
Like I don't know nobody
I guess I don't
(Oh you mad, huh?)
(Oh you mad, huh?)
(Oh oh you mad, huh?)
Oh oh, she gon' be mad right? Ain't that too bad, right?
Wanna catch that cab, right? Take back that bag, right?
I guess that she just gon' go buy herself that purse
I'm back on my Chicago shit and this aint what you want. Shout out to Lil Durk
I'm the villain, no really I'm just chillin'
Tryna stack these 20s, 50s, hundreds, millions, to the ceilin'
Mary, Mary all I need, pussy, money, weed
And all my women in doubles, I'm at the DoubleTree
All I hear hoes callin' out wildin', on the road like every day
We everywhere, any day and anywhere that the money say
No questions, no questions please, just on your knees
Blow, don't sneeze, bitch shut up, don't breathe
Gasp, on the gas, 'til I crash, autopsy said that nigga mashed
All praise to Allah, not Ramadan but these bitches fast
Fuck in the party, pull up her skirt, then skrr
Who her? I forgot her name
Ooh like I don't, like I don't know nobody
Ooh like I don't, like I don't know nobody
Ooh like, ooh like I don't know nobody
Like I don't know nobody, like I don't know nobody
(Oh you mad, huh?)
I guess I don't
(Oh you mad, huh?)
(Oh you mad, huh?)
(Oh oh you mad, huh?)
There go another lawsuit
In court so much, man I should've went to law school
Everybody brawlin', it was all cool
'Til I hit the bartender with the bars-tool
I don't fuck with fake dudes wearin' fake trues
I just talked to 2 Chainz and he said, "tru"
I feel like MJ, I'm in his shoes
I'm talkin' Montell Jordan, this is how we do
Bust a nigga head and then I lay low
These niggas ass-water, get the Drano
She ain't really bad, she a photo thot
I should hire this bitch, she so damn good at Photoshop
That Lexapro got me drowsy than a heart attack
I think they finally think they got me where they want me at
I got seven hundred emails in my inbox
What that mean? I ain't callin' nobody back
Ooh like I don't, like I don't know nobody
Ooh like I don't, like I don't know nobody
Ooh like, ooh like I don't know nobody
Like I don't know nobody, like I don't know nobody
I guess I don't
(Oh you mad, huh?)
(Oh you mad, huh?)
(Oh oh you mad, huh?)
I be catchin' too many stares this evening, God fearin' but God knows I'm on a roll
At the Louvre in Paris, still be on the block like a corner store
Ain't my fault you ain't the man, made a plan, man it was planned
They sleeping on me like long flights, I pop a Xan on the way to France
Paparazzi like, "oh that's him!", pour that gin, let's get faded
Drinkin' like it's no tomorrow, what's today? I'm in the Matrix
Hater, please let me live my life, swear to God I be tryna do right
But if she bad I might hit a bitch in the elevator like Ray Rice
Uh, y'all pay the price, I pay the difference, it's just different
Save money, ain't nothin' different, gunshots and jumpin' fences
Hold on I'm tryna get loose, please don't get shit confused
Ask Don C, I've been lit, this 'Ye shit just lit the fuse
Now I'm on fire, everybody go quiet (sshhh)
Like where was you last week? My nigga the fuck was you hidin'?
Like I was laying on my arm I'm on my side
South side, I'm down to start a riot
Ooh like I don't, like I don't know nobody
Ooh like I don't, like I don't know nobody
Ooh like, ooh like I don't know nobody
Like I don't know nobody, like I don't know nobody
(Oh you mad, huh?)
I guess I don't
(Oh you mad, huh?)
(Oh you mad, huh?)
(Oh oh you mad, huh?)
The lyrics of Kanye West's "U Mad" portray an unapologetic and ruthless character. The main theme of the song is the artist's refusal to care about anyone's opinions and his disregard for their feelings. He repeats the lines "Like I don't know nobody" to emphasize his indifference towards others. West also takes aim at enemies who have tried to bring him down with words such as "There go another lawsuit."
The second verse shows West's arrogance and cockiness, claiming that people are jealous and don't understand him. He mentions that he is still street-smart even while he is at the Louvre in Paris. He references Ray Rice, the former NFL player suspended for beating his fiancee, suggesting that he is not above physical violence if someone disrespects him. The song ends with a call to action, telling people to start a riot.
The lyrics are full of references to various events, artists, and people, and some may find them offensive or inappropriate. However, the song showcases West's confidence and determination to succeed, which have been crucial to his career.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooh I don't need y'all either
I don't need anyone, and I am not dependent on anyone.
Ooh don't wanna talk about it
I don't want to discuss it further.
Ooh like I don't, like I don't know nobody
I'm pretending I don't know people.
Like I don't know nobody
I really don't recognize anyone.
I guess I don't
I honestly don't.
(Oh you mad, huh?)
Are you angry with me?
(Oh oh you mad, huh?)
You seem upset.
Oh oh, she gon' be mad right? Ain't that too bad, right?
She's going to be mad, but that's not my problem.
Wanna catch that cab, right? Take back that bag, right?
You probably want your things back.
I guess that she just gon' go buy herself that purse
She will have to buy herself a new purse.
I'm back on my Chicago shit and this aint what you want. Shout out to Lil Durk
I returned to my old self and wouldn't let any of you have it. Shoutout to Lil Durk.
I'm the villain, no really I'm just chillin'
I know I'm being seen as the antagonist, but I'm just relaxing.
Tryna stack these 20s, 50s, hundreds, millions, to the ceilin'
I am working hard to save up a lot of money.
Mary, Mary all I need, pussy, money, weed
All I care about is sex, money and drugs.
And all my women in doubles, I'm at the DoubleTree
I like to have multiple girls at once, and I'm staying at the DoubleTree Hotel.
All I hear hoes callin' out wildin', on the road like every day
I hear women calling my name everywhere I go.
We everywhere, any day and anywhere that the money say
I'm making tons of money and traveling everywhere it takes me.
No questions, no questions please, just on your knees
I want subservience without any questions.
Blow, don't sneeze, bitch shut up, don't breathe
I'm asking someone to perform oral sex, without any interruptions.
Gasp, on the gas, 'til I crash, autopsy said that nigga mashed
I'm driving at a high speed until I die in a car crash.
All praise to Allah, not Ramadan but these bitches fast
I'm thanking Allah for the ability to have sex with many women quickly.
Fuck in the party, pull up her skirt, then skrr
I have sex with girls right in the party, and take off after that.
Who her? I forgot her name
I don't remember the name of that girl.
Ooh like, ooh like I don't know nobody
It's as if I don't know anyone.
Like I don't know nobody, like I don't know nobody
I really don't know anyone at all.
There go another lawsuit
Another legal case.
In court so much, man I should've went to law school
I have to visit the court a lot, I should have studied law.
Everybody brawlin', it was all cool
Everyone was fighting, and it seemed normal to me.
'Til I hit the bartender with the bars-tool
I hit the bartender with a tool used to open liquor bottles.
I don't fuck with fake dudes wearin' fake trues
I hate guys wearing fake clothing.
I just talked to 2 Chainz and he said, "tru"
2 Chainz just told me that it's true.
I feel like MJ, I'm in his shoes
I feel like Michael Jordan, having achieved his level of success.
I'm talkin' Montell Jordan, this is how we do
I'm referring to Montell Jordan's song "This is How We Do It."
Bust a nigga head and then I lay low
I hit someone and then stay away from troubles.
These niggas ass-water, get the Drano
These guys are very weak, you could take care of them with a little Draino.
She ain't really bad, she a photo thot
She's just taking photos, not really as cool as she seems.
I should hire this bitch, she so damn good at Photoshop
She's really good at editing photos, I should hire her.
That Lexapro got me drowsy than a heart attack
The medication is making me very drowsy.
I think they finally think they got me where they want me at
They believe they finally have me where they want me.
I got seven hundred emails in my inbox
I have received seven hundred emails.
What that mean? I ain't callin' nobody back
I'm not going to return any of those calls.
I be catchin' too many stares this evening, God fearin' but God knows I'm on a roll
I am receiving many judging looks, but I know I am having good luck with God.
At the Louvre in Paris, still be on the block like a corner store
I went to the Louvre in Paris, but I'm still hanging out on the streets like it's a corner store.
Ain't my fault you ain't the man, made a plan, man it was planned
I had to take drastic measures, but it's not my fault that you're not able to measure up.
They sleeping on me like long flights, I pop a Xan on the way to France
People are underestimating me, but I'm taking a Xanax on my long flight to France.
Paparazzi like, "oh that's him!", pour that gin, let's get faded
The paparazzi are taking my picture and I'm getting drunk.
Drinkin' like it's no tomorrow, what's today? I'm in the Matrix
I'm drinking, not bothered about tomorrow. I feel like I'm in the Matrix.
Hater, please let me live my life, swear to God I be tryna do right
I'm asking the haters to leave me alone and let me live. I'm trying to do the right thing.
But if she bad I might hit a bitch in the elevator like Ray Rice
If the girl looks good, I might beat her like Ray Rice did in the elevator.
Uh, y'all pay the price, I pay the difference, it's just different
You're paying the price, but I'm paying the difference, it's a different situation.
Save money, ain't nothin' different, gunshots and jumpin' fences
It's not easy to save money, and we're still in danger from gunshots and fences.
Hold on I'm tryna get loose, please don't get shit confused
I'm trying to relax, please don't think I'm disorganized.
Ask Don C, I've been lit, this 'Ye shit just lit the fuse
Don C knows I'm illuminated, and this new Kanye song just added more fuel to the flames.
Now I'm on fire, everybody go quiet (sshhh)
I am really on top of things, and that's causing everyone to be silent.
Like where was you last week? My nigga the fuck was you hidin'?
Where were you last week? You've been hiding.
Like I was laying on my arm I'm on my side
It's like I was on my arm, but now I'm on my side.
South side, I'm down to start a riot
I'm from the south side, and I'll start a riot.
Lyrics Β© Ultra Tunes, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: VICTOR MENSAH, KANYE WEST, ERNEST BROWN III, NOAH GOLDSTEIN, MIKE DEAN, STEFAN PONCE, DAVID PHELPS, SMOKO ONO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@OfentseMwaseFilms
I hate how this song ends. Why did it have to end?
@derealmatt
Please check me out ππ½
@jackberdine
Hearing this at a party makes a fight twice as likely to happen.
@EpicSauce12345
Jack Berdine truth
@tickleyourmango2206
Was at this one last night and this played and I can confirm this. The whole room turned into a giant fucking mosh pit.
@stephaniemckinney9108
Jack Berdine that's booze
@confuseddoggo6208
This song makes me want to eat soup with a fork
@futureworldx1627
THIS???? HAHAHAHA....From "Ante Up" to THIS??? HAHAHAHAHA.....wow.
@EsteemedMentality
Power Book IV Force has me here. π This is officially on my gym playlist. The leg press is in trouble.
@DemeGod313
That shit was slapping at the end π