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.
I Need to Know
kanye west Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I need to know, you down to do whatever?
Down to get it poppin? Down to get topless, ohh
I need to know, if you about cutting
Or you about frontin, baby I need to know
[Verse 1]
I spent my last 8 checks's on a neck-e-lace
She wanna sip up on the cris-e-cris
Like it's Christ-e-mas and I'm St. Nicholas
I got her and her sister innn
That white benz, dyke twins
I aint gon lie they only fives but together they ten's
And would I do em again? Hmmm, hmmm?
It's like old folks pissin cuz it all depends
And it's no coke sniffin just juice and gin
Grey Goose to get you loose then hit the nigga producing
The track that got you movin, this track got you movin
So crazy you don't know what you doin
You been telling them jokes, and its not a rumor
I like a girl with a sense of humor
To give me head til it ache and it's not a tumor
So let me know what's goin down 'fo I pay for this room cuz
[Chorus x2]
[Verse 2]
Now if you got it you got it
And if you don't then you prolly wont
Sissy niggaz call em maricon
I never hit a lady but my game might abuse em
By em boots just to tell them that I Jimmy Choose em
Take em back to confuse em
So she don't know if she coming or going
Cuz mami after I'm cumming I'm going
Back to show just frontin and flowin
Jewelry stuntin and glowin, this life is something I know it
And I been known to have a hoe or two
Cuz my diamonds yellow like a smoker tooth
I tell em step into the vocal booth
Roll a joint, smoke a few, after that I'm pokin you
After that it's over boo, baby grab your coat and VOOM
[Chorus x2]
[Verse 3]
Now there's three different levels to relationships
Polly'n at the club wit em, talking getting affectionate
Leavin and havin sex with em, kickin them out
Trickin on models, dimes and rats, now I don't get into that
I kick that habit, I just, keep em impressed
Let em seat in the Lex, never, eat em unless
That fuckin cat looks fresh
I got a lion in my pocket, I'm lyin
I got a nine in my pants and baby I'm just dyin for a chance
Who ready to fuck? You ready to fuck? Off the sizzurp
Says she ready to cut, then she grabs my scissors
She prolly look good but what's scary to me
Henny make hoes look like Halle Berry to me
[Chorus x2]
Kanye West's song "I Need to Know" features lyrics about his desire for sexually liberated individuals who aren't afraid to do whatever it takes to satisfy him. Throughout the song, he asks if they are "down to do whatever" and "get topless," showing his preference for those who are willing to take risks and explore their sexuality. He also mentions his love for women with a sense of humor, and his tendency to have multiple partners.
The lyrics in this song aren't necessarily unique to Kanye West and the rap genre, but they do speak to the larger issue of men's sexual expectations and the pressure placed on women to live up to those ideals. Kanye's lyrics show a desire for women to be sexually available and performative in a way that his male peers often tout as a badge of honor. This type of messaging can be harmful to young women who feel the need to please men at their own expense.
Overall, "I Need to Know" is a song that speaks to the male gaze and the objectification of women. It highlights the pressure that men often place on women to perform sexually and fulfill their desires at all costs. While the lyrics may be entertaining to some, they also perpetuate harmful stereotypes and expectations that contribute to a culture of sexual exploitation.
Line by Line Meaning
I need to know, you down to do whatever?
Kanye is asking if the person he is interested in is willing to engage in any activity.
Down to get it poppin? Down to get topless, ohh
He specifically wants to know if they are open to being intimate and getting naked.
I need to know, if you about cutting
Kanye is inquiring if the person is straightforward and honest with their intentions.
Or you about frontin, baby I need to know
He wants to make sure that the person he is interested in isn't pretending to be something they are not.
I spent my last 8 checks's on a neck-e-lace
Kanye spent all his money on a necklace, hoping to get sex in return.
So I better get some sex for this, shiit
He is expecting to have sex with the person he bought the necklace for.
She wanna sip up on the cris-e-cris
The person he is interested in wants to drink champagne.
Like it's Christ-e-mas and I'm St. Nicholas
She wants to indulge in the champagne like it's Christmas and Kanye is hosting the celebration.
I got her and her sister innn, That white benz, dyke twins
Kanye is bragging that he has two women riding with him in his white Benz who are also sisters and potentially lesbians.
I aint gon lie they only fives but together they ten's, And would I do em again?
Although individually the sisters aren't that attractive, Kanye would still have a threesome with them again because they are better together.
It's like old folks pissin cuz it all depends
Kanye is saying that the decision to have sex with people is like older people urinating since it ultimately depends on the individual.
And it's no coke sniffin just juice and gin
He's not snorting cocaine but just drinking juice and gin.
Grey Goose to get you loose then hit the nigga producing, The track that got you movin, this track got you movin
Kanye is using the Grey Goose vodka as a way to get the person he is interested in to loosen up and then have sex with him.
So crazy you don't know what you doin
He's saying that the experience is so good that the person he is interested in won't know what they are doing.
You been telling them jokes, and its not a rumor, I like a girl with a sense of humor
Kanye appreciates a person who can make him laugh and enjoys their company.
To give me head til it ache and it's not a tumor
He wants the person he is interested in to give him oral sex until he has a headache.
So let me know what's goin down 'fo I pay for this room cuz
He wants to make sure that he will get what he wants before paying for the hotel room.
Now if you got it you got it, And if you don't then you prolly wont
Kanye is saying that if the person he is interested in is confident with their sexuality, they will engage in sexual activities with him.
Sissy niggaz call em maricon
Kanye is saying that people who aren't willing to be intimate are called names in the Black community.
I never hit a lady but my game might abuse em
Kanye has never physically abused a lady, but his game can emotionally hurt them.
By em boots just to tell them that I Jimmy Choose em
Kanye buys women shoes from designer Jimmy Choo as a way of showing them that he is interested in them.
Take em back to confuse em, So she don't know if she coming or going
Kanye takes women back to his hotel room, leaving them confused about their relationship afterward.
Cuz mami after I'm cumming I'm going, Back to show just frontin and flowin
Kanye isn't interested in anything long-term, and after he has sex, he will go back to showing off his lifestyle and wealth.
Jewelry stuntin and glowin, this life is something I know it
Kanye enjoys flaunting his jewelry because it's a reflection of his lavish lifestyle.
And I been known to have a hoe or two, Cuz my diamonds yellow like a smoker tooth
Kanye admits that he has had multiple sexual partners because of his wealth and yellow diamonds in his teeth from smoking.
I tell em step into the vocal booth, Roll a joint, smoke a few, after that I'm pokin you
Kanye invites women to his recording studio, where they smoke weed and then engage in sex.
After that it's over boo, baby grab your coat and VOOM
After they have sex, the woman should leave quickly.
Now there's three different levels to relationships, Polly'n at the club wit em, talking getting affectionate
Kanye is saying that there are different levels of relationships, and the first level starts with meeting someone at a club and showing affection towards them.
Leavin and havin sex with em, kickin them out
The second level is just having sex with someone and then immediately asking them to leave afterward.
Trickin on models, dimes and rats, now I don't get into that
The third level would be tricking on models, fine women, or unattractive women, and Kanye doesn't engage in that behavior anymore.
I kick that habit, I just, keep em impressed
Kanye no longer engages in that third level and prefers to keep his partners impressed and satisfied.
Let em seat in the Lex, never, eat em unless
Kanye allows his partners to ride in his car, but he won't have sex with them unless he finds them physically attractive.
That fuckin cat looks fresh
Kanye will only be sexually attracted to someone if their private parts look clean and well-maintained (referring to a woman's genitals).
I got a lion in my pocket, I'm lyin
Kanye makes a joke that he has a lion in his pocket, but it's not true.
I got a nine in my pants and baby I'm just dyin for a chance
He doesn't really have a lion in his pocket, but he does have a gun in his pants, and he's eager to have sex.
Who ready to fuck? You ready to fuck? Off the sizzurp
Kanye is asking who is ready to have sex with him and is under the influence of Sizzurp (a codeine cough syrup cocktail).
Says she ready to cut, then she grabs my scissors
If the person he is interested in says they are ready to have sex, they would grab his genitals.
She prolly look good but what's scary to me, Henny make hoes look like Halle Berry to me
Kanye is saying that alcohol can make unattractive women appear more attractive to him.
[Chorus x2]
Repeating the chorus.
Contributed by Molly F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
NewChoppa
If your here your music taste is next level
tosin
kanye has more unreleased than released songs 😭
Faisn27
Yea this song Is fire
vando
I know right
Shrimpless Scampi
@EAS, From The West funny…this song came on right after Charles Hamilton’s “Re-Anna”. As far as I know the only sample I’ve heard of Fleetwood Mac in hip-hop.
OriginalXzo
i know
Kevsco Obedience
This hidden gem could easily been 1 of Ye' biggest hits ever!!!
Donel sw
FACTS
Bryan Infante
Definitely. Dude has better unreleased songs than most people have proper hits.
MoneyMullz23
I think this tape is in his top 3 projects. Obviously the sound quality isn't up to par but if it doesn't bug you that much, these are the best samples with the most soul. Plus he's hungry and super down to earth still. Its a hidden master piece