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.
Where You At
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah, yeah - I used to front when I write songs
Talk about havin ice on, and I could barely keep my lights on
And my beats was so sick, I shoulda got a medic
But my credit was so pathetic I couldn't afford a debit
When the dropout dropped, I had to cop me a money tree
To front on anybody who ever tried to front on me
With so much personality, what do you want from me?
My life, this year, my career, is the Lord
Bad chick, this award, is for Melissa Ford
Ninety-four I could only afford this Accord
From the home of gangbangin and we all outdoors
Southside, outside, Westside, let's ride
Eastside, right B-Side, Lakeshore Drive
And I'm (and I'm) Chi-Town's finest
Where you at? The whole city behind us
[Chorus: Kanye West]
Where you at? The whole city behind us
Where you at? The whole city behind us
Southside, outside, Westside, let's ride
Where you at? The whole city behind us
[Verse 2: Ludacris]
It ain't nuttin to it but to do it! I came here
To shut the place down 'til my body stops pumpin red fluid
A-Town I've been through it! And we steady gettin tested
But ready to fill your bubble when we put the lead to it
Out West they still bangin, up top it's really gully
Down South we get buck and turn hearts to Silly Putty
Ludacris I got silly money - you got jokes?
I'll be laughin all the way to the bank - now that's really funny!
Big city bright lights - and many pity cause we like fights
May be long days but it's fright nights
Living out the night life - and people asking 'Where You At? '
Not the club; I stay in the get right!
Hotlanta home of the booties and the really tight skirts
Where if somebody moves then somebody gets hurt!
From Decatur down to cp, and ep
Adamsville to the battlefield it's D. T. P.
[Chorus:]
[Verse 3: The Game]
It's Compton's prodigy
Obviously I'm from the home of hydraulics
Where they tie bandanas around the steerin collar
'Nuff Impalas in to get holla
We fightin pitbulls and Rottweilers
In the projects the objective is make dollars
'Where You At? ' It ain't a problem to get it there by tomorrow
Cause I got a female friend, with frequent flier mileage
I ain't never been to college got the iq of a Rhodes Scholar
If you follow G-Unit throw up your dubs and yell holla
To all the Y. G. 's in khakis and white tees
With And 1's in every colour like Ice-T
I might be the city of Compton's right knee
The way I paint pictures with these hip-hop scriptures
Pay attention while The Game shine like a prism
Glisten, show you how canaries can alter one's vision
Not to mention I am Dr. Dre christened on behalf
Of Luda and Kan-Yeezie, I'm gon' breathe easy
[Chorus:] - repeat 2X
In the song "Where You At," Kanye West, Ludacris, and The Game each take a verse to represent their respective hometowns and talk about their rise to success. Kanye West starts off his verse by admitting that he used to exaggerate his wealth and success in his earlier songs, as he was struggling financially at the time. He then reflects on the fame that he has now achieved and acknowledges the support he has received from his hometown of Chicago, telling listeners to ask "where you at?" even though he has gained fame and international recognition. Ludacris takes the second verse and boasts about the toughness and resilience that comes with being from Atlanta, as well as his own personal success. Finally, The Game raps about Compton, California, and the struggles and dangers that come with living there, particularly in the form of violence and crime. Ultimately the song celebrates each artist's hometown and acknowledges the support they have received from their respective communities.
One interesting fact about the song is that Kanye West originally wrote it for Ludacris but ended up keeping the first verse for himself and inviting The Game to contribute a verse as well. The song also contains a sample from the song "Summer in the City" by The Lovin' Spoonful. "Where You At" was featured on Ludacris's 2006 album "Release Therapy" and was one of the most popular songs on the album. The song was also released as a single in 2006 and charted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 72. The music video for "Where You At" features footage of each artist performing in their respective hometowns with shots of various city landmarks mixed in.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah, yeah - I used to front when I write songs
I used to pretend to be someone I wasn't in my songs
Talk about havin ice on, and I could barely keep my lights on
I used to exaggerate my wealth and status when in reality I was struggling financially
And my beats was so sick, I shoulda got a medic
My musical beats were so good that they could be considered addictive
But my credit was so pathetic I couldn't afford a debit
My financial situation was so bad that I couldn't even qualify for a basic bank account
When the dropout dropped, I had to cop me a money tree
When my album 'The College Dropout' was released, I finally made a lot of money
To front on anybody who ever tried to front on me
I wanted to show off my newfound success to anyone who doubted me
With so much personality, what do you want from me?
I have a strong personality, so I don't understand why people always have expectations of me
I could be by myself and enjoy the company
I am comfortable with being alone and don't need others to make me happy
My life, this year, my career, is the Lord
I credit God for the success I have achieved in my life and career
Bad chick, this award, is for Melissa Ford
I dedicate this award to Melissa Ford, a model and actress who has caught my eye
Ninety-four I could only afford this Accord
In 1994, I could only afford a Honda Accord
From the home of gangbanging and we all outdoors
I come from a place where gang activity is prevalent and people spend a lot of time outside
Southside, outside, Westside, let's ride
Let's go on a ride and explore different parts of the city
Eastside, right B-Side, Lakeshore Drive
Let's also check out the Eastside and the scenic Lakeshore Drive
And I'm (and I'm) Chi-Town's finest
I am the best that Chicago has to offer
Where you at? The whole city behind us
The people of Chicago support me and are behind me
It ain't nuttin to it but to do it! I came here
It's easy to accomplish something once you put your mind to it
To shut the place down 'til my body stops pumpin red fluid
I am here to give my all and perform until I physically can't anymore
A-Town I've been through it! And we steady gettin tested
I have been through a lot in Atlanta, but we always face challenges and overcome them
But ready to fill your bubble when we put the lead to it
I am ready to burst your bubble and prove you wrong with my talents
Out West they still bangin, up top it's really gully
Different parts of the country have their own unique styles and cultures
Down South we get buck and turn hearts to Silly Putty
In the South, we can get aggressive and turn people's hearts to putty
Ludacris I got silly money - you got jokes?
I have a lot of money and I can't be easily joked with
I'll be laughin all the way to the bank - now that's really funny!
I find it amusing that I am so wealthy now
Big city bright lights - and many pity cause we like fights
In big cities, there are a lot of distractions and people love to fight
May be long days but it's fright nights
The nights can be scary and unpredictable
Living out the night life - and people asking 'Where You At? '
People are curious about my whereabouts when I go out at night
Not the club; I stay in the get right!
I try to stay out of trouble and avoid going to nightclubs
Hotlanta home of the booties and the really tight skirts
Atlanta is known for its attractive women who dress in revealing clothing
Where if somebody moves then somebody gets hurt!
In Atlanta, there can be consequences for people's actions
From Decatur down to cp, and ep
I am familiar with different neighborhoods and areas of Atlanta
Adamsville to the battlefield it's D. T. P.
Different parts of Atlanta are affiliated with different gangs
It's Compton's prodigy
I come from Compton and I am destined for greatness
Obviously I'm from the home of hydraulics
Hydraulic car modifications are a popular trend in Compton
Where they tie bandanas around the steering collar
Bandanas are often used as a symbol of gang affiliation in Compton
'Nuff Impalas in to get holla
Impalas are a popular car model in Compton and can be used to show status
We fightin pitbulls and Rottweilers
Pet dogs can be used for fighting and gambling purposes in Compton
In the projects the objective is make dollars
In low-income housing areas, people strive to earn money by any means necessary
'Where You At? ' It ain't a problem to get it there by tomorrow
If someone needs something, it can usually be obtained quickly in Compton
Cause I got a female friend, with frequent flier mileage
I have a female friend who can get me discounts on airplane tickets
I ain't never been to college got the iq of a Rhodes Scholar
I am intelligent despite not having a college education
If you follow G-Unit throw up your dubs and yell holla
If you are a fan of G-Unit, throw up their hand sign and make some noise
To all the Y. G. 's in khakis and white tees
I shout out to all the young gangsters who wear khakis and white t-shirts
With And 1's in every colour like Ice-T
And 1 shoes come in many colors, much like Ice-T's various outfits and styles
I might be the city of Compton's right knee
I am an important part of the Compton community like a vital body part
The way I paint pictures with these hip-hop scriptures
I am skilled at expressing myself through rap lyrics
Pay attention while The Game shine like a prism
Watch me shine brightly and radiate like the colors of a prism
Glisten, show you how canaries can alter one's vision
I am shining so bright that I can appear like a canary, and catch your attention
Not to mention I am Dr. Dre christened on behalf of Luda and Kan-Yeezie, I'm gon' breathe easy
I owe my success to Dr. Dre, Ludacris, and Kanye West, and they have helped me breathe easy.
Contributed by Dylan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@keis93
[Verse 1: Kanye West]
Yeah, yeah - I used to front when I write songs
Talk about havin ice on, and I could barely keep my lights on
And my beats was so sick, I shoulda got a medic
But my credit was so pathetic I couldn't afford a debit
When The Dropout dropped, I had to cop me a money tree
To front on anybody who ever tried to front on me
With so much personality, what do you want from me?
I could be by myself and enjoy the company
My life, this year, my career, is the Lord
Bad chick, this award, is for Melyssa Ford
'94 I could only afford this Accord
From the home of gangbangin and we all outdoors
Southside, outside, Westside, let's ride
Eastside, right B-Side, Lakeshore Drive
And I'm (and I'm) Chi-Town's finest
Where you at? The whole city behind us
[Hook: Kanye West]
Where you at? The whole city behind us
Where you at? The whole city behind us
Southside, outside, Westside, let's ride
Where you at? The whole city behind us
[Verse 2: Ludacris]
It ain't nuttin to it but to do it! I came here
To shut the place down 'til my body stops pumpin red fluid
A-Town I've been through it! And we steady gettin tested
But ready to fill your bubble when we put the lead to it
Out West they still bangin, up top it's really gully
Down South we get buck and turn hearts to Silly Putty
Ludacris I got silly money - you got jokes?
I'll be laughin all the way to the bank - now that's really funny!
Big city bright lights - and many pity cause we like fights
May be long days but it's fright nights
Living out the night life - and people asking 'Where You At?'
Not the club; I stay in the get right!
Hotlanta home of the booties and the really tight skirts
Where if somebody moves then somebody gets hurt!
From Decatur down to CP, and EP
Adamsville to the battlefield it's D.T.P
[Hook]
[Verse 3: The-Game]
It's Compton's prodigy
Obviously I'm from the home of hydraulics
Where they tie bandanas around the steerin column
Of Impalas in to get holla
We fightin pitbulls and Rottweilers
In the projects the objective is make dollars
'Where You At?' It ain't a problem to get it there by tomorrow
Cause I got a female friend, with frequent flier mileage
I ain't never been to college, got the IQ of a Rhodes Scholar
If you follow G-Unit throw up your dubs and yell holla
To all the Y.G.s in khakis and white tees
With And 1's in every color like Ice-T
I might be the city of Compton's right knee
The way I paint pictures with these hip-hop scriptures
Pay attention while The Game shine like a prism
Glisten, show you how canaries can alter one's vision
Not to mention I am Dr. Dre christened on behalf
Of Luda and Kanyeezy, I'm gon' breathe easy
[Hook] - repeat 2X
@derekdavis3215
This production style from Kanye is heavily missed.
@a-lee-legendaryis-forever6045
Sooooo missed ... no one could touch him
@carlydaboss07
Man, Luda always KILLS it when he collabs with other people. That dude is a beast! Kanye's verse is serious too. I love when he says, "with so much personality, what do you want from me? I can be by myself and enjoy the company!" COOOOOOLD!
@kennethhunt5980
🎯🎯💯💯💯💯💪🏾💪🏾😤😤😤🖤👑
@meiteimandies5406
13 year old comment, NICE
@Aintnosammich
All these lyrics are lyrics from each of their songs
@Delightfully_Bitchy
... The Game was fine, bit he probably shouldn't have come at the end.
He was a bit outshined, but he was still good.
@Thecallmemisterajp
LOL anybody remember the old Boost Cell Phone commercial to this?
@josephisaac2060
YES!!!! the commercial made me find the song. That beat was bananas.
@fury3600
there was a whole music video to this song, but the only thing i can find is some wanker new kesha shit or the half of the music video... on the boost mobile commercial