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.
You Can't Tell Me Nothing
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wait 'til I get my money right
I had a dream I could buy my way to heaven
When I awoke, I spent that on a necklace
I told God I'd be back in a second
Man, it's so hard not to act reckless
To whom much is given, much is tested
I feel the pressure, under more scrutiny
And what'd I do? Act more stupidly
Bought more jewelry, more Louis V
My mama couldn't get through to me
The drama, people suing me
I'm on TV talking like it's just you and me
I'm just sayin' how I feel, man
I ain't one of the Cosby's, I ain't go to Hillman
I guess the money should've changed him
I guess I should've forgot where I came from
La, la, la-la
Wait 'til I get my money right
La, la, la-la
Then you can't tell me nothin' right?
Excuse me, was you sayin' somethin'?
Uh-uh, you can't tell me nothin'
(Ha-ha) you can't tell me nothin'
Uh, uh, you can't tell me nothin'
Let up the suicide doors
This is my life homie, you decide yours
I know that Jesus died for us
But I couldn't tell you who decide wars
So I parallel double-parked that motherfucker sideways
Old folks talking 'bout, "Back in my day"
But homie, this is my day
Class started two hours ago, oh, am I late?
No, I already graduated
And you can live through anything if Magic made it
They say I talk with so much emphasis
Ooh, they so sensitive
Don't ever fix your lips like collagen
Then say something when you gon' end up apologin'
Let me know if it's a problem then
Aight man, holla then
La, la, la-la
Wait 'til I get my money right
La, la, la-la
Then you can't tell me nothin' right?
Excuse me, was you sayin' somethin'?
Uh-uh, you can't tell me nothin'
(Ha-ha) you can't tell me nothin'
Uh, uh, you can't tell me nothin'
Let the champagne splash
Let that man get cash, let that man get past
He don't even stop to get gas
If he can move through the rumors, he can drive off of fumes 'cause
How he move in a room full of no's?
How he stay faithful in a room full of hoes?
Must be the pharaohs, he in tune with his soul
So when he buried in a tomb full of gold
Treasure, what's your pleasure?
Life is a, uh, depending how you dress her
So if the Devil wear Prada, Adam Eve wear nada
I'm in between but way more fresher
With way less effort
'Cause when you try hard, that's when you die hard
Your homies lookin' like, "Why God"
When they reminisce over you, my God
La, la, la-la
Wait 'til I get my money right
La, la, la-la
Then you can't tell me nothin' right?
Excuse me, was you sayin' somethin'?
Uh-uh, you can't tell me nothin'
(Ha-ha) you can't tell me nothin'
Uh, uh, you can't tell me nothin'
La, la, la-la
Wait 'til I get my money right
La, la, la-la
Then you can't tell me nothin' right?
(I'm serious, nigga)
(Ayy)
(Yeah)
(Ha-ha)
(Yeah, yeah)
(You know I'm serious, nigga)
(I got money)
In "Can't Tell Me Nothing," Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Busta Rhymes, and Young Jeezy explore the theme of the tension between success and identity. The opening lines "Wait til I get my money right" suggest that the accumulation of wealth is the key to freedom and self-determination, but the rest of the song complicates this idea. Kanye confesses to feeling pressure and being under scrutiny and owning too much jewelry, as many people have sued him. He is also self-aware, recognizing that he has acted recklessly and, in some ways, cut off from his roots. The line "I guess I should've forgot where I came from" is particularly poignant, as Kanye acknowledges that he has struggled to maintain a connection to his origins.
As the song progresses, Kanye, Busta Rhymes, Lil Wayne, and Young Jeezy reflect on what it means to be successful and how to navigate the pitfalls of fame and fortune. They touch on themes of authenticity and resilience, suggesting that the key to success is persistence and faith in oneself. The line "You can live through anything if Magic made it" implies that anything is possible if you work hard and believe in yourself. In the end, the song suggests that the path to success is a difficult one, but it is one that is worth pursuing.
Line by Line Meaning
La la la la
Starting the song with a melodic phrase to set the tone and mood.
Wait 'til I get my money right
Holding off on making drastic life changes until after achieving financial stability.
I had a dream I could buy my way to heaven
Fantasizing that material possessions could bring salvation.
When I awoke I spent that on a necklace
Acting impulsively and buying expensive jewelry.
I told God I'd be back in a second
Acknowledging a higher power, but not following through on promises made.
Man, it's so hard not to act reckless
Struggling with self-control and making poor decisions.
To whom much is given, much is tested
Acknowledging that responsibility and pressure come with success and wealth.
Get arrested, guess until he get the message
Being punished for poor behavior and ultimately learning from it.
I feel the pressure, under more scrutiny
Feeling the weight of society's expectations and constant attention.
And what'd I do? Act more stupidly
Reacting to the pressure by making even more foolish choices.
Bought more jewelry, More Louis V.
Continuing to spend money on expensive possessions instead of being responsible.
My mama couldn't get through to me
Ignoring wise advice from those who care about one's well-being.
The drama, people suing me
Dealing with legal problems and conflicts with others due to reckless behavior.
I'm on T.V. talking like it's just you and me
Appearing on television and speaking as if in a casual conversation with a friend.
I'm just saying how I feel man
Expressing genuine emotions and thoughts.
I ain't one of the Cosby's, I ain't go to Hillman
Making it clear that one's life and experiences are different from a fictional television show.
I guess the money should've changed them
Reflecting on how one's wealth and success may have altered one's personality.
I guess I should've forgot where I came from
Realizing that despite being financially successful, one may have lost touch with one's roots and values.
Excuse me, is you saying something?
Calling attention to someone who may be trying to interrupt or criticize.
Uh, uh, you can't tell me nothing
Asserting one's independence and freedom from others' opinions and influence.
Let up the suicide doors
Opening the car doors that lift vertically, often associated with luxury vehicles.
This is my life homie, you decide yours
Emphasizing that one's life choices are up to oneself, not others.
I know that Jesus died for us
Acknowledging religious belief and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
But I couldn't tell you who decide wars
Questioning the motivations and decisions of those who lead wars and conflicts around the world.
So I parallel double-parked that motherf***er sideways
Parking the car creatively and with flair.
Old folks talking 'bout back in my day
Listening to older generations reminisce about the past.
But homie, this is my day
Emphasizing that the present moment is important and unique to oneself.
Class started two hours ago, oh, am I late?
Joking about tardiness and being late for class, perhaps referencing personal struggles with education.
No I already graduated
Indicating that one has already reached a level of success and education.
And you can live through anything if Magic made it
Relying on the resilience and determination of those who survived difficult situations, such as basketball player Magic Johnson who lived through HIV.
They say I talk with so much emphasis
Being known for speaking with passion and conviction.
Ooh, they so sensitive
Mocking those who may be oversensitive or easily offended.
Don't ever fix your lips like collagen
Warning against speaking with falseness or insincerity.
Then say something where you gon end up apolog'in
Telling someone not to say something that they will regret and have to apologize for later.
Let me know if it's a problem then
Encouraging open and honest communication if there is an issue or conflict.
A'ight man, holla then
Saying goodbye or ending the conversation.
Let the champagne splash
Celebrating with champagne and reveling in success and wealth.
Let that man get cash, let that man get past
Encouraging others to pursue financial success and not hold them back.
You don't need to stop to get gas
Having enough resources and energy to continue forward without stopping or taking breaks.
If he can move through the rumors, he can drive off fumes
If one can endure rumors and gossip about oneself, they can persevere through difficult circumstances without much support or energy.
Cause how he move in a room full of No's?
Questioning how one can overcome rejection and negativity in a challenging environment or situation.
How he stay faithful in a room full of hoes?
Asking how one can remain loyal and resist temptation in a tempting and seductive environment.
Must be the pharoahs, he in tune with his soul
Suggesting that spiritual connection and insight may be the key to success and balance in life.
So when he buried in a tomb full of gold
Hinting at the idea that material possessions are not everything and will not bring happiness or contentment in the long run.
Treasure, what's you pleasure?
Asking what brings one joy and fulfillment in life.
Life is a, uh, depending how you dress her
Implying that life can be good or bad depending on how one presents and approaches it.
So if the devil wear prada, Adam, Eve wear nada
Playing on the idea that material possessions are not necessary for happiness or success, in contrast to the saying 'dress for success.'
I'm in between, but way more fresher
Being in a middle ground between wealth and poverty, but still feeling one's style and taste are superior.
But way less effort, cause when you try hard
Implying that trying too hard or forcing certain things can lead to an unsatisfactory result.
That's when you die hard
Referencing the title of a movie and comparing striving too hard to death.
Ya'll homies lookin' like 'Why God?'
Pondering why others may not understand one's actions or success.
When they reminisce over you, my God
Suggesting that one's legacy and memory will be lasting and impactful on others' lives.
La la la la
Repeating the melodic phrase to end the song, emphasizing the themes of wealth, power, and independence.
Wait 'til I get my money right
Reiterating the idea of delaying drastic changes until achieving financial stability and success.
Then you can't tell me nothing right?
Asserting that after achieving wealth and power, no one can dictate one's choices or criticize them.
Excuse me, is you saying something?
Asking if someone has an issue with one's actions or words.
Uh, uh, you can't tell me nothing
Asserting one's independence and freedom from others' opinions and judgment.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, WARREN MUSIC PUBLISHING, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Aldrin Davis, Kanye Omari West, Connie Thembi Mitchell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@solenzo2006
Welcome to this world YE
Who all things are under control
All the media all the theatre all the banks
Zionist is everywhere since a long time
Keep it real bro
You are à legend who speak with your heart
FREEDOM
@MOEMTEE
THIS MAN IS STILL LIVING UP TO EVERY LINE IN THIS SONG.
@alphachyna7219
😂😂 true
@hotcakesjubaby7300
You right!
@vuyophandle1903
LMAO! absolute legend!
@kamaljay1
@Jase Jase i just thought about this song this morning on my way to work and this line made me think he was talking about these fucking jews,i guess this nigga ain't crazy after all, we are the ones who's been lied to
@seansullivan4823
He needs prayers. He's by himself.
@WJAYY
This is the song you play when you move out of your parents house.
@mopedi3252
😂😂😂Saying you can't tell me nothing to your parents right?
@Bima971220
You a bad kid
@Bima971220
You a bad kid