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.
Welcome to the World
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ayy, Ye
Why don't you let me welcome these niggas to the world they ain't welcome to
You understand?
It bring me great pleasure to welcome the real and banish the fake
No big mouth that hold cake, fag, bait-ass niggas allowed
But to everybody else
To the world of (world of)
Fast money, fast cars, big diamond rings
Chief chains and the girls of (girls of)
Fake smiles, broken hearts and if you lookin' (what?)
For your real love (real love)
You wont find it here
Yeah, if you lookin' for your real love (what? who?)
Well goodnight my dear
Ooh, if you lookin' for real love
Don't come around here
Ooh, if you lookin' for real love
It ain't here my dear
Mm-mm
Move on
It's my pleasure to welcome you to the world of
Fast money, flashy cars, big guns
Undone, threw away for the love of
The game, I don't need a chain or the fame, still shine
Spend time with the girls of
Fake smiles, broken hearts tryin' hard in the club lookin' for
Her real love
You won't find it here
All I got is hard dick and conversation for you
I was just high, even lyin' when I say I love you
My mind sayin' it want both
I just wanna fuck you, her too
Blowin' loud, smellin' like a Bubba Kush perfume
She comin' home with me, she finna meet her doom
She ain't sayin' I'm the greatest finna change her tune
The coldest and the hottest call me December June
Deliver euphoria straight to your room
I hit that ass, and I wait, I zoom
Make it rain nonstop call me young typhoon
Top spot already filled up, no room
Thought I would put some paper in your purse so soon?
Well wrong she is and mistaken she was
Tip broke, never heard no such thin' of
I'll fuck you up, don't touch me cuh
Just trust me bruh, it must be
Li-li-li-livin' my dreams don't wake me up
Yo-yo-you fake it 'til you make it, must suck
All of the-the-the haters hate us for the flav' of the paper
Tha-tha-that's why I cant love my neighbors
D-d-d-dangerous, stomp, kick, cut you
If you ain't welcome in my world, bitch, fuck you
D-d-d-dangerous, stomp, kick, cut you
If you ain't welcome in my world, bitch, fuck you
I would like to welcome you
To the world of (world of)
Fast money, fast cars, big diamond rings
Chief chains and the girls of (girls of)
Fake smiles, broken hearts and if you lookin' (what?)
For your real love (real love)
You wont find it here
Yeah, if you lookin' for your real love (what? who?)
Well goodnight my dear
Ooh, if you lookin' for real love
Don't come around here
Ooh, if you lookin' for real love
It ain't here my dear
Mm-mm
Move on
I would like to welcome you to the world of
Fake bitches no love, what the fuck you take me for?
Show love, I hate haters in the club
You must not really know where I come from
Exactly where my heart or you would never, never, never
Ugh, where do I start?
People ask me shit about Illuminati
First off, fuck that mean?
He loved Jesus when he, he, he was worse off
Oh, I see, when they, think a nigga is, stupid rich
People just start comin' up with stupid shit
Man, shit I could never predict
Hold up, let me hit you with this
Rollin' in a Bugatti with fo' chains is some foolishness
Yeah, yeah, that'd be the shit
They'd rather see a nigga locked up, why?
For stupid shit
Look how they did my nigga Tip
Soon as Wayne get out, Tip go in
Wonder why the nigga wanna make the clip go in?
Wonder why it so hard when it get goin'?
Hold ya head my niggas the system is
Made to make niggas fall
Made to make niggas fail
Uh, especially if you ball
They don't take niggas well (hell nah)
Nah, you cant come through flyin' in a, in a Bentley shinin'
I'm in the back, backseat drivin'
Screamin' on a nigga like I'm actually drivin'
Welcome you
To the world of (world of)
Fast money, fast cars, big diamond rings
Chief chains and the girls of (girls of)
Fake smiles, broken hearts and if you lookin' (what?)
For your real love (real love)
You wont find it here
Yeah, if you lookin' for your real love (what? who?)
Well goodnight my dear
Ooh, if you lookin' for real love
Don't come around here
Ooh, if you lookin' for real love
It ain't here my dear
Mm-mm
Move on
The opening line of Kanye West’s song “Welcome to the World” featuring Kid Cudi and TI is a statement of power. Kanye states, “Why don’t you let me welcome these n****s to the world they ain’t welcome to, you understand?” This establishes the tone of the song, which focuses on welcoming the real and banishing the fake. The track goes on to describe the world of fast money, cars, big diamond rings, chains, and fake smiles. The song warns against looking for real love in this world, telling the listener that they won’t find it.
The lyrics touch on a range of topics such as feeling powerful, struggling with inner conflict, and speaking out against people who fake their wealth or status. At one point, Kanye touches on the subject of the Illuminati, rapping, “People ask me shit about Illuminati, first off, what the fuck is that mean?” This line shows how the rapper feels about the subject, while reflecting a broader theme of questioning authority and being true to oneself.
Overall, “Welcome to the World” is a song about entering a glitzy world that doesn't always lead to happiness. It is a chaotic place, but the song’s chorus encourages people to move on, suggesting that they may find real love somewhere else.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah
Acknowledgement and agreement.
Ayy, Ye
Addressing Kanye West.
Why don't you let me welcome these n****s to the world they ain't welcome to
Requesting permission to introduce people to the true reality.
You understand?
Checking for comprehension.
It bring me great pleasure to welcome the real and banish the fake
Enjoys revealing the truth and excluding falsehood.
No big mouth that hold cake, fag, bait-ass n****s allowed
Excludes those who brag, use slurs, or manipulate others.
But to everybody else
Addressing the rest of the audience.
I would like to welcome you
Offers a friendly greeting.
To the world of (world of)
Introducing the reality of the world.
Fast money, fast cars, big diamond rings
The world values wealth, luxury, and status symbols.
Chief chains and the girls of (girls of)
Describing additional objects of desire and wealth.
Fake smiles, broken hearts and if you lookin' (what?)
Reveals the emotional toll and pain caused by the world.
For your real love (real love)
It is often difficult to find genuine, reciprocating love in this world.
You wont find it here
Discourages searching for real love in this setting.
Yeah, if you lookin' for your real love (what? who?)
Reiterating the lack of genuine love in this environment.
Well goodnight my dear
Wishing those seeking love a peaceful rest and offering sympathy.
Ooh, if you lookin' for real love
Cautioning against searching in a place that does not value love.
Don't come around here
Further discouragement against seeking love in this world.
It ain't here my dear
Confirms that this world is not conducive to finding genuine love.
Mm-mm
Emphasizes the previous statements.
Move on
Encourages leaving this world for a better environment.
It's my pleasure to welcome you to the world of
Introduces a different perspective on the world.
Fast money, flashy cars, big guns
This is still a world of wealth, power, and materialism.
Undone, threw away for the love of
One may easily lose oneself in pursuit of these things.
The game, I don't need a chain or the fame, still shine
Does not rely on material possessions or attention to make an impact.
Spend time with the girls of
Describes another desirable object in this realm.
Fake smiles, broken hearts tryin' hard in the club lookin' for
People still suffer emotional pain and search for happiness in this world.
Her real love
People still yearn for genuine love.
You won't find it here
Reiterates the difficulty in finding real love in this place.
All I got is hard dick and conversation for you
Rather than promising love or wealth, offers honesty and companionship.
I was just high, even lyin' when I say I love you
Admits to previous dishonesty fueled by intoxication.
My mind sayin' it want both
Is conflicted between physical desire and emotional connection.
I just wanna fuck you, her too
Is upfront and honest about sexual desires.
Blowin' loud, smellin' like a Bubba Kush perfume
Describes the use of marijuana to enhance pleasure.
She comin' home with me, she finna meet her doom
Plans to engage in sexual activity with this person.
She ain't sayin' I'm the greatest finna change her tune
Does not expect affection or admiration after the encounter.
The coldest and the hottest call me December June
Believes to be both charming and cool.
Deliver euphoria straight to your room
Promises to satisfy physical desires.
I hit that ass, and I wait, I zoom
Describes the act of engaging in sex.
Make it rain nonstop call me young typhoon
Boasts about financial success and being a generous patron.
Top spot already filled up, no room
Acknowledges fierce competition for material success.
Thought I would put some paper in your purse so soon?
Asks if the promise of financial gain was expected and appreciated.
Well wrong she is and mistaken she was
Indicates that the expectation was incorrect and implies that she was used.
Tip broke, never heard no such thin' of
Denies knowledge of any financial promise or obligation.
I'll fuck you up, don't touch me cuh
Defensive statement indicating physical aggression if provoked.
Just trust me bruh, it must be
Encourages trusting despite previous questionable actions.
Li-li-li-livin' my dreams don't wake me up
Celebrates attaining personal success.
Yo-yo-you fake it 'til you make it, must suck
Believes that pretending to be successful or confident is cowardly.
All of the-the-the haters hate us for the flav' of the paper
Acknowledges that envy and resentment stem from financial success.
Tha-tha-that's why I cant love my neighbors
Suggests that one cannot trust or befriend those who resent financial success.
D-d-d-dangerous, stomp, kick, cut you
Threatens physical violence against those who pose a danger.
If you ain't welcome in my world, bitch, fuck you
Excludes and dismisses those who do not fit into this world.
I would like to welcome you to the world of
Introduces another world.
Fake bitches no love, what the fuck you take me for?
Rejects false displays of affection and questions the listener's intentions.
Show love, I hate haters in the club
Encourages kindness and condemns negativity.
You must not really know where I come from
Suggests that the listener does not understand the harsh reality of the artist's past.
Exactly where my heart or you would never, never, never
Implies that one would need to understand the artist's past to comprehend their current mindset.
Ugh, where do I start?
Expresses frustration with attempting to explain oneself.
People ask me shit about Illuminati
Acknowledges that people ask about conspiracy theories regarding secret societies.
First off, fuck that mean?
Rejects the relevance and validity of such theories.
He loved Jesus when he, he, he was worse off
Reveals that faith and religion played a role in overcoming adversity.
Oh, I see, when they, think a nigga is, stupid rich
Believes that conspiracy theories arise when people become envious of wealth.
People just start comin' up with stupid shit
Convinced that conspiracy theories lack any basis in reality.
Man, shit I could never predict
Expresses disbelief and puzzlement at the bizarre theories.
Hold up, let me hit you with this
Pausing to offer a new explanation or point of view.
Rollin' in a Bugatti with fo' chains is some foolishness
Believes that flaunting wealth and materialism is unnecessary and detrimental.
Yeah, yeah, that'd be the shit
Agrees that such behavior may be considered impressive, but maintains it is unwise.
They'd rather see a nigga locked up, why?
Asks why some people punish or imprison those who succeed.
For stupid shit
Suggests that people may be punished for trivial or unjust reasons.
Look how they did my nigga Tip
Refers to a specific experience of seeing someone punished unjustly.
Soon as Wayne get out, Tip go in
Denounces the system's tendency to imprison or punish successful Black men.
Wonder why the nigga wanna make the clip go in?
Asks why some people become violent or aggressive in response to the system's oppression.
Wonder why it so hard when it get goin'?
Questions why success seems to be met with such resistance and obstacles.
Hold ya head my n****s the system is
Offers words of encouragement and support in the face of systemic oppression.
Made to make n****s fall
Suggests that the system aims to prevent and discourage Black success.
Made to make n****s fail
Reiterates the message that success is difficult under the current oppressive system.
Uh, especially if you ball
Suggests that success and wealth bring added difficulties and hardships in the system.
They don't take n****s well (hell nah)
Acknowledges that the system discriminates against Black people and responds poorly to their success.
Nah, you cant come through flyin' in a, in a Bentley shinin'
Explains that even flashy luxury items may invite suspicion or discrimination.
I'm in the back, backseat drivin'
Suggests that even those who attain success may still be subjected to unequal treatment.
Screamin' on a n**** like I'm actually drivin'
Expresses frustration and anger at being treated unfairly despite success.
Welcome you
Concludes by welcoming one to these two different worlds.
Lyrics © Ultra Tunes, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Clifford Joseph Harris, Dexter Mills, Kanye Omari West, Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@friendswitdadealer
One of the greatest collabs in Hip Hop history.
@JFlawd
And they're still sleeping on this 2 years after your comment!! 😴😴
@J972M
@@JFlawd And they're STILL sleeping on this 5 months after your comment 😴😴
@MASTERofCTHULHUx
Ti entire no mercy was fire! Rap died shortly after this.
@handolo1266
@@J972M goddammit, here we are July 5th 2022..... STILL SLEEP! SMH🤦🏾♂️😤
@keivenmarley6297
Might be the best Tip verse I've heard 🔥💯
@Joe_Parmesan
I love his flow on this. He really knows how to kick off an album
@williamking6169
Still a classic july 2023 still listening to this
@domdrizz9071
This album was a banger...what a way to start the album
@sainthyphenpdot
Kid kuddi chorus and vocals on this song reminded me of the early 90'grunge rock vocals, Like nirvana.