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 Used To Love You
kanye west Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I love you so
But why I love you
I'll never know
Ooh
I love you so
But why I love you
I'll never know
I love you so
But why I love you
I'll never know
Ooh
I love you so
But why I love you
I'll never know
Picture if you will, that the throne's burning
Rome's burning and I'm sitting in the corner all alone burning
Why does it always end up like this?
Something that we don't determine
Same people that I fought for
That I fight for, that I ride for
That I live for, that I die for
Be the reason that these niggas is alive for
And they want me dead
But I'm sorry but I just can't die for you
But I can make 'em put their hands in the sky for you
We waiting for the fireworks like July fourth
Get fly more, get high more, cry boy, why for?
When the grief is over, beef is over
I'll be fly when Easter's over
I tried to teach niggas how to be kings
And all they ever wanted to be was soldiers
So the love is gone, 'til blood is drawn
So we no longer wear the same uniform
Fuck you squares, the circle got smaller
The castle got bigger, the walls got taller
And truth be told after all that said
Niggas still got love for you
Ooh
I love you so
But why I love you
I'll never know
Ooh
I love you so
But why I love you
I'll never know
Ooh
I love you so
But why I love you
I'll never know
Ooh
I love you so
But why I love you
I'll never know
Showed love to you niggas
You ripped out my heart and you stepped on it
I picked up the pieces, before you swept on it
Goddamn this shit leaves a mess don't it
Shit feelin' like death don't it
Charge it to the game, whatever's left on it
I spent about a minute, maybe less on it
Fly pelican fly, turn the jets on it
But first I shall digress on it
Wasn't I a good king?
(Maybe too much of a good thing, huh?)
Didn't I spoil you? Me or the money, what you loyal to?
(Huh, I gave you my loyalty)
Made you Royalty and royalties
(Took care of these niggas lawyer fees)
And this is how niggas rewardin' me
(Damn)
Ooh
I love you so
But why I love you
I'll never know
Ooh
I love you so
But why I love you
I'll never know
Bussin' at me, b-b-b-bussin' at me
But I'm bullet proof, bitch you can't get nothin' past me
Got body armor (a nigga gotta watch the throne)
And I'm bussin' back, so niggas in a glass house should not throw stones
What do you do when the love turns the hate?
(Gotta separate from these fuckin' fakes)
Caesar didn't see it so he ceased to exist
So the nigga that killed him had keys to his shit
Am I my brother's keeper?
(Only if that nigga don't creep up)
Got a pistol under my pillow
(I've never been a deep sleeper)
P-p-p-paranoia
('Cause the nigga that said he'll)
Blast for ya (is now)
Blastin' for ya, that's an assassin for ya
(These niggas got a shot they'll shoot)
Please lord (forgive him)
For these niggas (not know)
What they, (do) (ooh)
In the opening lines of “I Love You So,” Kanye and Jay-Z express their confusion about their feelings towards someone or something. They don’t understand why they love that person or thing, but they can’t help but love it regardless. The song then shifts to an introspective look at their rise to fame, power and success. They question why everyone around them suddenly turned against them, and why they now have to protect themselves from the very same people they once trusted. The chorus repeats the idea of unabashed love despite the uncertainties that come along with it, and brings the message of love and loyalty to a close.
As the song progresses, Kanye and Jay-Z express the emotional toll their success and the betrayal of those close to them has taken on them. Jay-Z asks if he was too good to those who later betrayed him, spoiling them with royalty and money. Kanye touches on the paranoia that comes along with the success of the throne he and Jay-Z share, and how he always has to be ready for anyone who may want to take it away from him. The song eventually develops a bleak ending that poses fundamental questions regarding friendship and brotherhood, leaving listeners with the question of whether or not people can truly love someone fully or are they only looking out for their own interests.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooh
I love you so
Expressing love despite confusion and uncertainty
But why I love you
Questioning reasons for the intense love felt
I'll never know
Acknowledging the confusion and accepting it as a fact
Picture if you will, that the throne's burning
Imagining a situation where things are falling apart
Rome's burning and I'm sitting in the corner all alone burning
Feeling isolated and helpless amidst chaos
Why does it always end up like this?
Reflecting on repeated patterns of negative outcomes
Something that we don't determine
Accepting that some things are beyond our control
Same people that I fought for
Referring to the same individuals he supported previously
That I fight for, that I ride for
The same people he continues to support wholeheartedly
That I live for, that I die for
The same people he values his life for
Be the reason that these niggas is alive for
Acknowledging the individuals he supports as the reason for their existence
And they want me dead
Feeling threatened by the same individuals he supports
But I'm sorry but I just can't die for you
Declining to put his own life on the line for those who threaten him
But I can make 'em put their hands in the sky for you
Implying that he can still rally support for those individuals despite the threat
We waiting for the fireworks like July fourth
Anticipating the culmination of events, just as spectators wait for fireworks on Independence Day
Get fly more, get high more, cry boy, why for?
Suggesting the futility of further indulgences in pleasure in light of the looming danger
When the grief is over, beef is over
Predicting peace after the conflict ends
I'll be fly when Easter's over
Expressing optimism for a brighter future after a difficult period
I tried to teach niggas how to be kings
Wanting to elevate and inspire others to lead
And all they ever wanted to be was soldiers
People choose to act as subordinates instead of leaders
So the love is gone, 'til blood is drawn
Love is only present when there is a physical or violent threat
So we no longer wear the same uniform
Acknowledging the division amongst the group
Fuck you squares, the circle got smaller
Dismissing those not part of the original group and referencing a decrease in numbers
The castle got bigger, the walls got taller
Referring to an increase in power and protection
And truth be told after all that said
Admitting that despite the challenges, there is still a certain loyalty
Niggas still got love for you
Despite everything mentioned, there is still a sense of love and connection among the group
Showed love to you niggas
Giving support to the same group mentioned previously
You ripped out my heart and you stepped on it
Betrayal and disappointment by those he supported
I picked up the pieces, before you swept on it
Still trying to salvage what was left of the relationship despite the betrayal
Goddamn this shit leaves a mess don't it
Feeling the weight of the aftermath of the conflict
Shit feeling like death don't it
The weight of the situation is overwhelming and feels paralyzing
Charge it to the game, whatever's left on it
Accepting that there is little he can do at this point to change things
I spent about a minute, maybe less on it
Acknowledging the insignificance of the situation at this point
Fly pelican fly, turn the jets on it
Embarking on the next step, perhaps a new venture or direction
But first I shall digress on it
Taking a moment to step back and reflect before moving forward
Wasn't I a good king?
Asking those he supported if he was a good leader
(Maybe too much of a good thing, huh?)
Acknowledging that perhaps his support was too much
Didn't I spoil you? Me or the money, what you loyal to?
Questioning the loyalty of those he supported, whether to him or his wealth
(Huh, I gave you my loyalty)
Asserting his loyalty to those he supported
Made you Royalty and royalties
Elevating and enriching those he supported
(Took care of these niggas lawyer fees)
Fulfilling financial obligations to those he supported
And this is how niggas rewardin' me
Feeling unappreciated and hurt by those he supported
Bussin' at me, b-b-b-bussin' at me
Being attacked, verbally or physically
But I'm bullet proof, bitch you can't get nothin' past me
Feeling invulnerable to the attacks and accusations
Got body armor (A nigga gotta watch the throne)
Being cautious and vigilant in his position of power
And I'm bussin' back, so niggas in a glass house should not throw stones
Retaliating and warning those who criticize or attack him
What do you do when the love turns the hate?
Asking how to deal with a shift in affection towards hostility
(Gotta separate from these fuckin' fakes)
Needing to distance oneself from those who pretend to be supporters
Caesar didn't see it so he ceased to exist
Using the example of a historical figure to caution against ignoring threats
So the nigga that killed him had keys to his shit
The threat often comes from trusted individuals
Am I my brother's keeper?
Questioning his responsibility to those he supported
(Only if that nigga don't creep up)
Offering support only if that individual does not deceive or betray him
Got a pistol under my pillow
Taking precautions and being prepared for danger
(I've never been a deep sleeper)
Need to stay alert and vigilant at all times
P-p-p-paranoia
Feeling fearful and suspicious
('Cause the nigga that said he'll)
Referring to someone who previously promised protection
Blast for ya (is now)
Now turning against him
Blastin' for ya, that's an assassin for ya
Beware of those who offer protection but turn out to be enemies
(These niggas got a shot they'll shoot)
Acknowledging the potential for violence from those he supported
Please lord (forgive him)
Asking for forgiveness for those who do not know what they do
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Kanye West, Mike Dean, Shawn Carter, Philippe Cerboneschi, Hubert Blanc Francard, Tony Camillo, Mary Sawyer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@meshackachigili6666
Kanye west predicted his own feature by acting as a preacher in this song
@thatguycmk7548
Learn how to spell.
@vanessa9024
Yeah that is so cool lol
@1All0RA
Future*
@pinchewey7
Prediction or vision he already had back then that ended up playing out? Lol
@torredavis2854
He produce
@kylinhunter9773
This song is easily one of the dopest tracks by John to this day. Nothing but heat even going into 2022. 🔥🔥
@thomasseverson3747
Agreed
@mrk7201
I Highly agree. Real music, He is very talented
@nazcarjonez_201
Facts on Facts