Ye (born Kanye Omari West on June 8, 1977, in Atlanta, Georgia), profession… Read Full Bio ↴Ye (born Kanye Omari West on June 8, 1977, in Atlanta, Georgia), professionally known as Kanye West, is a Grammy award-winning American rapper, producer, singer, author, director, performance artist and fashion designer.

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.

Get 'em High
kanye west Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm trying to catch the beat, uh
I'm trying to catch the beat
I'm trying to catch the beat, uh, uh, uh
I'm trying to catch the beat

Now, thr-thr-throw your motherfucking hands (get 'em high)
All the girls pass the weed to your motherfucking man (get 'em high)
Now I ain't never tell you to put down your hands (keep 'em high)

And if ya losing yo' high than smoke again (keep 'em high)

N-n-n-now, my flow
Is in the pocket like wallets, I got the bounce like hydrolics
I can't call it, I got the swerve like alcoholics
My freshman year I was going through hell, a problems
Still I, built up the nerve to drop my ass up outta college
My teacher said I's a loser, I told her why don't you kill me
I give a fuck if you feel me, I'm gonna follow
My heart, and if you follow the charts, or to the plaques or the stacks
You ain't gotta guess who's back, you see
I'm so shy that you thought it was bashful but this
Bastard's flow will bash a skull and I will
Cut your girl like Pastor Tro'
And I don't, usually smoke but pass the 'dro
And I won't, give you that money that you asking fo'
Why you think, me and Dame cool, we assholes
That's why we here your music in fast fo'
Cause we don't want to here that weak shit no mo'

Now, thr-thr-throw your motherfucking hands (Get 'em high!)
All the girls pass the weed to your motherfucking man (Get 'em high!)
Now I ain't never tell you to put down your hands (Keep 'em high!)
And if ya losing yo' high than smoke again (Keep 'em high!)

Now now now now now who the hell is this
E-mailing me at 11:26, tellin' me that she 36-26,
Plus double D you know how girls on black planet be when they get bubble E
At NYU but she hail from Kansas,
Right now she just lamping, chilling on campus
Sent me a picture with a feeling on Candice
Who said her favorite rapper was the late great Francis
W-H-I-T, it's getting late mami, your screen saver say tweet
So you got to call me, and bring a friend for my friend
His name Kweli (You mean Talib, lyric sticks to your rib)
I mean (That's my favorite CD that I play at my crib)
I mean (You don't really know him, why is you lying)
Yo Kwe', she don't believe me, please pickup the line
She goin' think that I'm lying, just spit a couple of lines
Then maybe I'll be able to give her dick all the time, and get her high

Yeah, I can't believe this nigga use my name for picking up dimes but
Get 'em high, I need some tracks you trying to pull tracks out
And my rhymes as fitting to blow you trying to blow backs out
Well OK, you twisted my arm, I'll assist with the charm, hey yo
Ain't you meet that chick that got friends with yo moms
And she's the bomb, boy she got the bougie behavior
Always got something to say like a okay playa hater
Anyways, I don't usually fuck with the internet
Or chicks with birth control stuck to they arm like Nicorette
You really fucking that much, you trying to get off cigarettes
And she think it's fly, she ain't met a real nigga yet
I apologize if I come off a little inconsiderate
I got the bubble kush and a sister could get ahead of it

Get em high like noon, or the moon or room filled with smoke
A high filled with dope
Y'all assumed I was doomed, out of tune, but I still feel the notes
With real nigga quotes
Real rappers is hard to find, like a remote, control rap is out of
Used to but still got love, that's why I abuse you who are not thugs
Rock clubs like Tiger, Woods in the hood, to have my own reality show
Called Soul Survivor, I stole all liver, niggas in you
You'se a bitch I got ones that are thicker than you
How could I ever let your words affect me, they say Hip-Hop is dead
I'm here to resurrect me, mug is to sexy to even make songs like these
That's why the raw don't know your name, like Alicia Keys
To many featured emcees, and producers is popular
Twelve thousand spins, nobody got to copping her
Album, how come, you the hot garbager
The years clear your image and looped up
Label got you suped up, telling you you sick
Man you a dick with a loose nut
Video hard to watch like Medusa
Even your club record need a booster
Chimped up, with a pimp cup, illiterate nigga
Read the infa', red across your head I'm bread king like Simba
Bolder then Denver, I ain't a Madd Rapper just a emcee with a temper
You dancing for money like honey, I did this my way
So when the industry crash, I survive like Kanye
Spitting through wires and fires, emcees retiring
Got yo hands up, get them motherfuckers higher then

Now, thr-thr-throw your motherfucking hands (get 'em high)
All the girls pass the weed to your motherfucking man (get 'em high)

Now I ain't never tell you to put down your hands (keep 'em high)
And if ya losing yo' high than smoke again (keep 'em high)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Kanye West's song Get 'Em High is a perfect example of the rapper's ability to use witty wordplay while also addressing serious themes in his music. The first verse of the song is all about catching the beat, and this can easily be interpreted as a metaphor for trying to find rhythm in life. Kanye West is essentially saying that he is trying to find his place in the world and catch the beat of life. The chorus of the song, "Get 'em high," can be interpreted in a few different ways. On one level, it is a reference to smoking weed and getting high, but on another, it could be interpreted as a call to action; a call to get people excited, motivated, and inspired.

In the second verse, Kanye West talks about his struggles in college and how he dropped out to pursue music. He also touches on the fact that people didn't believe in him and called him a loser, but he persevered and followed his heart. The third verse of the song introduces another theme, that of trying to pick up girls. Kanye West talks about receiving an email from a girl and trying to impress her by dropping some famous rapper's names. However, the girl doesn't believe him, and he has to spit some rhymes to prove himself.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm trying to catch the beat, uh
I'm attempting to follow and ride the rhythm of the instrumental

Now, thr-thr-throw your motherfucking hands (Get 'em high!)
Put your hands up in excitement and participation

All the girls pass the weed to your motherfucking man (Get 'em high!)
Women, please pass the cannabis to your male partner to escalate your high

Now I ain't never tell you to put down your hands (Keep 'em high!)
Don't lower your hands and keep the energy going strong

And if ya losing yo' high than smoke again (Keep 'em high!)
If you're losing your buzz, take another puff to get elevated once again

My freshman year I was going through hell, a problems
During my first year in college, I was dealing with many unpleasant issues

Still I, built up the nerve to drop my ass up outta college
Despite that, I courageously decided to withdraw from college

My teacher said I's a loser, I told her why don't you kill me
My educator labeled me as a failure, so I sarcastically challenged her to end my life

I give a fuck if you feel me, I'm gonna follow My heart
I honestly don't care if you agree with me or not, I will always prioritize my desires

And if you follow the charts, or to the plaques or the stacks
If you base your success off of charts, awards, or money

You ain't gotta guess who's back, you see
You don't need to wonder who has returned to the music scene

I'm so shy that you thought it was bashful but this Bastard's flow will bash a skull
My introverted persona might lead to the perception of me being timid, but my rap abilities are powerful enough to wreck opponents

And I will Cut your girl like Pastor Tro'
I will smoothly and successfully attract and seduce your significant other

And I don't, usually smoke but pass the 'dro
Typically, I do not consume marijuana but this time, please share it with me

And I won't, give you that money that you asking fo'
I will not provide you with money that you're pleading for

Why you think, me and Dame cool, we assholes
The reason why Damon and I are friendly is that we both embody abrasive personalities

That's why we here your music in fast fo'
That's why, we're in a rush to fast-forward through your music

E-mailing me at 11:26, tellin' me that she 36-26, Plus double D
I received a message at 11:26 PM from a woman disclosing her body measurements

You know how girls on black planet be when they get bubble E At NYU but she hail from Kansas,
You're aware of how women on Black Planet social network act when they become inebriated. This woman is attending NYU but originates from Kansas

Sent me a picture with a feeling on Candice Who said her favorite rapper was the late great Francis
She sent me a photo of herself along with an emotion displayed on her face, and mentioned that her preferred musician is the late Francis

W-H-I-T, it's getting late mami, your screen saver say tweet So you got to call me
It's getting late, my dear, your screen saver alerts you with a tweet, which means it's time to give me a call

And bring a friend for my friend His name Kweli (You mean Talib, lyric sticks to your rib)
Also, please bring along a companion for my buddy whose name is Kweli. (You mean Talib, who is a skilled lyricist)

Yo Kwe', she don't believe me, please pickup the line She goin' think that I'm lying
Hey Kweli, she doesn't trust me, so can you please take the call. She's going to believe that I'm deceiving her

Just spit a couple of lines Then maybe I'll be able to give her dick all the time, and get her high
If you just rap a few bars, maybe I'll be able to have sexual intercourse with her frequently and get her intoxicated

Yeah, I can't believe this nigga use my name for picking up dimes but Get 'em high, I need some tracks
I can't believe this man is using my name to acquire women, but let's focus on elevating the mood with some music

You trying to pull tracks out And my rhymes as fitting to blow you trying to blow backs out
You're attempting to craft excellent instrumentals. Meanwhile, my verses are capable of impressively impacting the listeners

Well OK, you twisted my arm, I'll assist with the charm, hey yo
Fine, you have persuaded me to cooperate with the charisma for the project

Ain't you meet that chick that got friends with yo moms And she's the bomb
Haven't you met the woman that has connections with your mother? She's tremendously attractive

Boy she got the bougie behavior Always got something to say like a okay playa hater
That girl has a snobbish personality and continuously criticizes others like a jealous competitor

Anyways, I don't usually fuck with the internet Or chicks with birth control stuck to they arm like Nicorette
Anyway, I generally don't get intimate with women from the internet, or those who have contraceptive implants in their arms

You really fucking that much, you trying to get off cigarettes And she think it's fly, she ain't met a real nigga yet
You're having intercourse frequently to help stop your cigarette addiction. And she regards it as cool, however, she hasn't encountered a genuine man like myself

I apologize if I come off a little inconsiderate
I'm sorry if I seem rude or inattentive

I got the bubble kush and a sister could get ahead of it
I currently possess high-quality marijuana that could put a woman in a delightful mood

Get em high like noon, or the moon or room filled with smoke A high filled with dope
Let's blaze and become extremely high, similar to the intensity of daylight, the moonlight, or a space full of smoke. An elevated state filled with marijuana smoke

Y'all assumed I was doomed, out of tune, but I still feel the notes With real nigga quotes
Many presumed I was destined for failure, musically off-key, but I still find harmony with authentic observations and declarations

Real rappers is hard to find, like a remote, control rap is out of Used to but still got love, that's why I abuse you who are not thugs
Actual talents in hip-hop are uncommon, difficult to locate, similar to missing remote controls. Those who pretend to be gangsters, I end up exploiting because I still have adoration for the true craft

Rock clubs like Tiger, Woods in the hood, to have my own reality show Called Soul Survivor, I stole all liver, niggas in you You'se a bitch
I perform at nightclubs like Tiger Woods dominates (or used to) at golf, with the purpose of having my own television program named 'Soul Survivor.' I consume all of the competitors, displaying dominance. You are weak

I got ones that are thicker than you
I have paper currency that is more considerable in thickness than you as a person

How could I ever let your words affect me, they say Hip-Hop is dead I'm here to resurrect me
How could I enable your expressions to influence me? Individuals claim that the hip-hop genre is deceased, but I plan to revive and rejuvenate myself and the culture

Mug is to sexy to even make songs like these That's why the raw don't know your name, like Alicia Keys
My face is attractive to create such unrefined tracks like this. That's why those who prefer raw, hard-hitting rap are not familiar with you, similar to the musician Alicia Keys

To many featured emcees, and producers is popular Twelve thousand spins, nobody got to copping her Album, how come, you the hot garbager
Numerous rap artists and popular producers are featured on your tracks, and still your album bounced around 12,000 times, but nobody bought it. Why is it produced as if it is hot garbage?

The years clear your image and looped up Label got you suped up, telling you you sick Man you a dick with a loose nut
As time passes, your persona remains obvious, despite attempts to alter your reputation. Your record company flatters you with praise, falsely suggesting that you have exceptional skills. In reality, you are a foolish person with imbecilic behavior

Video hard to watch like Medusa Even your club record need a booster Chimped up, with a pimp cup, illiterate nigga
Your music video is so horrendous it's like looking at Medusa. Furthermore, your club tracks are so lackluster, they necessitate enhancement. You act like a monkey while holding a cup like a pimp, and you're an uneducated individual

Read the infa', red across your head I'm bread king like Simba Bolder then Denver
I've studied the information located on your forehead, and have discerned it. I'm like a monarch of money, similar to Simba. I'm more courageous than Denver

I ain't a Madd Rapper just a emcee with a temper
I'm not a crazed rapper, but rather an emcee with a strong disposition

You dancing for money like honey, I did this my way
You are performing for monetary compensation like a prostitute, but I create music according to my own preferred style and methods

So when the industry crash, I survive like Kanye Spitting through wires and fires, emcees retiring Got yo hands up, get them motherfuckers higher then
Therefore, if the music industry experiences a downfall, I will persevere, similar to how Kanye West has kept his career thriving. I rap powerfully over various obstacles, sometimes amid controversy, causing competitors to give up. Please put your hands in the air and raise the energy even more

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Kanye Omari West, Talib Kweli Greene

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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