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.
Wouldn't You Like To Ride
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(So "why don't) you and your friends (get with) me and my friends"
(My friends) my friends, my friends, my friends"
Would you like to ride?
(I don't know what happened, it's just like, heh)
So why don't you and your friends get with me and my friends"
My friends, my friends, my friends, my friends"
Liquor store out of Arbor Mist, we Irish Rosed it up
Then we rolled to the movies, you rocked your fake Chloes
You had Gap and Gucci, that's still two G's
But that's that last year purse like it's still too cheap
Ooh you so boozy boo you could of fooled me
'cause five years ago you was so Fugees
Now you don't want nothin' unless it cost a few G's
You like the light-skinned Ania, the dark-skinned Aaliyah
The black Jennifer Lopez, a ghetto senorita
You remind me of my Jeep but not no Kia
We can talk on your cell, but not Nokia
It be goin' in and out, that's why I barely hear ya
It be goin' in and out like a robbery ah
I'm tryin' to take this money like Robin Geeda
Then I'ma take you to the house+ like +Trick and Trina+
Would you like to ride shotgun in the Escalade
So why don't you and your friends get with me and my friends"
My friends, my friends, my friends, my friends"
Like a cloud in our sky, grab your things let's fly away
So why don't you and your friends get with me and my friends"
My friends, my friends, my friends, my friends"
Malik Yusef, bet your baby momma know the name
The most critically acclaimed wordsmith in the game
I give you words spit with flames
Stay to myself and let nerves mix with lames
Connoisseur of Kama Sutra, do somethin' absurd with your dame
I used to love this girl who loved shoppin' and smokin' herb
But my job was to hustle 'dro
Now an artist of the spoken word, I just hustle flow
Never a pretty boy, always a beautiful mind like Russell Crowe
Now you in places no cabs'll take you, only the bus'll go
I would love for you and your friends to get with me and my friends
But the problemo is your attitude be on the stank side
And I no longer like you
Fuck it, now you can't ride but ooh, wouldn't you like to
Would you like to ride shotgun in the Escalade
So why don't you and your friends get with me and my friends"
My friends, my friends, my friends, my friends"
Like a cloud in our sky, grab your things let's fly away
So why don't you and your friends get with me and my friends"
My friends, my friends, my friends, my friends"
Deep as the ocean is the motion of life
Thought you would have been the sister I chose for my wife
Not knowin' you was trife
Stiflin' a nigga's growth
All you wanna do is shop at River Oaks
Watch soaps on the couch, take shit and smoke
I'm workin' hard like a fiend tryin' to get some dope
Thought my real nigga quotes would make you truer
You ain't gon' let me school ya, at least let me tutor
The sex is good, but you ain't a shooter
There's a war goin' on inside, you ain't a trooper
I look through the mirror and see my reflection
It ain't in your direction so I passed her like a reverend
Return to my bitch and wine ways goin' wild like West and Kanye
Wherever I lay my kufi is my home, goddammit I'm grown
Broke broad I'm a leave your ass alone
You still wanna ride though
Would you like to ride shotgun in the Escalade
So why don't you and your friends get with me and my friends"
My friends, my friends, my friends, my friends"
Like a cloud in our sky, grab your things let's fly away
So why don't you and your friends get with me and my friends"
My friends, my friends, my friends, my friends"
Would you like to ride shotgun in the Escalade
So why don't you and your friends get with me and my friends"
My friends, my friends, my friends, my friends"
Like a cloud in our sky, grab your things let's fly away
So why don't you and your friends get with me and my friends"
My friends, my friends, my friends, my friends"
The lyrics to Kanye West's "Wouldn't You Like To Ride" discuss the desire to spend time with a potential love interest and their friends. The song takes listeners on a ride through memories of past outings and experiences with this person, referencing everything from trips to the liquor store to shopping for expensive purses. However, as the song progresses, it becomes clear that although the singer may still be attracted to the person, he is no longer interested in being with them due to their negative attitude and lack of motivation.
The chorus of the song serves as a repeating motif as Kanye West invites the subject of his affection to ride with him and his friends. References to expensive cars and luxury items abound in the song, but ultimately, it is about companionship and the desire to connect with others.
Overall, the song is about the ups and downs of relationships, the rollercoaster of emotions that can come with them, and the need for connection and community.
Line by Line Meaning
You like to ride (uh)
Do you like traveling or being in control, and would you like to be a part of this journey?
So "why don't) you and your friends (get with) me and my friends"
Join me and my friends on this adventure with you and your buddies.
(My friends) my friends, my friends, my friends
Repeatedly emphasizing the presence of his group of friends.
Would you like to ride?
Asking again if the person wants to be a part of this unique traveling experience.
(I don't know what happened, it's just like, heh)
An ambiguous expression of confusion or uncertainty.
I had that little ass Nissan at your crib showin' up
I drove my small Nissan car to your place to hang out.
Liquor store out of Arbor Mist, we Irish Rosed it up
We were trying to buy Arbor Mist from the liquor store, but they were out, so we decided on Irish Rose instead.
Then we rolled to the movies, you rocked your fake Chloes
We went to the cinema, and you wore your imitation Chloe shoes.
You had Gap and Gucci, that's still two G's
You had clothes from both Gap and Gucci, but it is still overall an expensive style.
But that's that last year purse like it's still too cheap
Your purse is old; however, you still act like it is too affordable to keep.
Ooh you so boozy boo you could of fooled me
You like to act ritzy, but I wasn't tricked by it.
'cause five years ago you was so Fugees
You used to be more humble or down to earth five years ago.
Now you don't want nothin' unless it cost a few G's
Nowadays, you want only high-priced items.
You like the light-skinned Ania, the dark-skinned Aaliyah
You admire Ania, who is fair-skinned, and Aaliyah, who has dark skin.
The black Jennifer Lopez, a ghetto senorita
You resemble Jennifer Lopez, but from a more deprived neighborhood.
You remind me of my Jeep but not no Kia
You're similar to my Jeep as it has something that a Kia cannot offer.
We can talk on your cell, but not Nokia
We can talk on your mobile phone, but it cannot be a Nokia brand.
It be goin' in and out, that's why I barely hear ya
Our call connection is not consistent; hence I can barely understand what you're saying.
It be goin' in and out like a robbery ah
The mobile call connection is going in and out, like a person who's robbing a place and going back and forth.
I'm tryin' to take this money like Robin Geeda
I aspire to earn money like Robin Givens, an iconic actress, writer, and model.
Then I'ma take you to the house+ like +Trick and Trina+
I'm going to take you to the property, like Trick Daddy and Trina, two famous musicians.
Would you like to ride shotgun in the Escalade
Do you want to be our front passenger in the Escalade car?
Like a cloud in our sky, grab your things let's fly away
We will be floating high like a cloud in the sky. So, let's gather your belongings and fly away.
Malik Yusef, bet your baby momma know the name
Malik Yusef, a famous musician and spoken word artist, I bet your baby momma knows his name.
The most critically acclaimed wordsmith in the game
Malik Yusef is one of the most well-known and appreciated lyricists among his peers.
I give you words spit with flames
My words are delivered with fervor and passion.
Stay to myself and let nerves mix with lames
I prefer to be alone or hang out with far less impressive people than my status.
Connoisseur of Kama Sutra, do somethin' absurd with your dame
I'm an expert on Kama Sutra, so let me teach you something new to do with your lady.
I used to love this girl who loved shoppin' and smokin' herb
I used to have a liking towards a girl who enjoyed retail therapy and cannabis consumption.
But my job was to hustle 'dro
My profession involved selling weed illegally.
Now an artist of the spoken word, I just hustle flow
But as of now, I'm a spoken word artist who embodies the ability to rap smoothly.
Never a pretty boy, always a beautiful mind like Russell Crowe
I don't only rely on my looks, but I also have an intelligent mind, much like Russell Crowe.
Now you in places no cabs'll take you, only the bus'll go
Now you have reached such locations where taxis are not available, and only buses will go.
I would love for you and your friends to get with me and my friends
I wish that you and your fellow mates could hang out with me and my pals.
But the problemo is your attitude be on the stank side
But the main issue is your attitude, which is quite condescending.
And I no longer like you
For that reason, I don't admire you anymore.
Fuck it, now you can't ride but ooh, wouldn't you like to
Oh nevermind, you cannot be our passenger anymore, but still, wouldn't you like to join us?
Deep as the ocean is the motion of life
The feeling of life runs as profound as the ocean.
Thought you would have been the sister I chose for my wife
At one point, I thought maybe you would have been the perfect choice for me as a life partner.
Not knowin' you was trife
Little did I know you weren't genuine and didn't embody these expected virtues.
Stiflin' a nigga's growth
Rather than lifting me up, you are hindering my personal progress.
All you wanna do is shop at River Oaks
You just want to splurge money on luxury items at River Oaks, a high-end shopping district.
Watch soaps on the couch, take shit and smoke
You prefer to watch soap operas while sitting on the couch, indulging in bowel movement and smoking weed.
I'm workin' hard like a fiend tryin' to get some dope
I'm hustling hard to be successful at something, just like a drug addict is desperate to get high.
Thought my real nigga quotes would make you truer
I believed my authentic sayings would make you a better person.
You ain't gon' let me school ya, at least let me tutor
You don't want to learn from me and follow my example, but please listen and comprehend what I am saying.
The sex is good, but you ain't a shooter
The physical aspect of our relationship is enjoyable, but your overall personality and behavior do not go well with mine.
There's a war goin' on inside, you ain't a trooper
I am challenging my inner demons, going through phases of self-discovery, and you don't seem supportive or helpful.
I look through the mirror and see my reflection
As I stare at myself in the mirror, I see my own image reflecting back at me.
It ain't in your direction so I passed her like a reverend
Our emotional and mental paths are not the same anymore, so I reject you like a Christian preacher would reject a sinful person.
Return to my bitch and wine ways goin' wild like West and Kanye
I'm heading back to my girlfriend, and we will go out and drink a lot, going reckless as Kanye West.
Wherever I lay my kufi is my home, goddammit I'm grown
I am comfortable wherever I am, be it wearing my kufi or anywhere else, as we all grow up and mature.
Broke broad I'm a leave your ass alone
Since you have an insufficient amount of wealth, I am going to break up with you.
You still wanna ride though
Even so, you still want to be a part of our journey.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network
Written by: KANYE OMARI WEST, LONNIE RASHID LYNN, MALIK YUSEF EL SHABBAZ JONES, SONNY CHARLES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
A Nash
2022 still tht shit … The authentic Chicago sound 🔥🔥🔥
72vince27
I’m from Amsterdam and this still my jam 🔥
AyebKool
Well put together for everyone involved 🔥
tYl3r1 0f1ci4l
THIS is the most underrated Kanye song of all time. Only found out about it by watching Coach Carter
Twitter Red
Kanye bodied his verse 🔥🔥🔥
Ntorre212
Just watched Kanye’s documentary while rediscovering this banger… damn, Ye really came a long way
Houssam Nekkaa
Binge listening old Ye songs
This one is one of the best ones
Common 🔥
Robbin Trotter
This was and always will be my ish!!!!
Gabriel Radebe
Had this song stuck in my head.
Russell Adams
I like this video.Kanye spittin dope rhymes in his younger days.Common has always been dope. I like how this video shows all the landmarks of Chicago true representation of Chicago