Kanye West

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Biography

Recent Role:
Performer on The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show
Gender:
Male
Born:
6-8-1977
Birthplace:
Atlanta, Georgia
Birth Name:
Kanye Omari West
AKA:
Louis Vuitton Don, Ye
Kanye West understands the preciousness of life. It was in October of 2002 that his was nearly abruptly taken from him. Driving back to his hotel late one night after a Los Angeles recording session, the acclaimed producer/burgeoning rapper was involved in a devastating, near fatal car accident in which he sustained injuries that left his jaw fractured in three places. News reports of the accident quickly spread throughout the music industry, and the disturbing image of the usually-slender West's suddenly bloated, severely bruised visage laid up in a hospital bed became indelibly ingrained in… More the conscience of a shocked rap nation.





"I have flashbacks of what happened everyday, " Kanye confesses. "And anytime I hear about any accident my heart sinks in and I just thank God that I'm still here. That steering wheel could have been two inches further out, and that would have been it. You find out how short life is an how blessed you are to be here."





But a remarkable thing happened in the immediate aftermath of this tragedy. Kanye used the accident as inspiration for one of the most arresting and triumphant creative statements rap music has ever seen. Just weeks after skirting death, and with his jaw still literally wired shut, he recorded "Through the Wire," a pointed and personal account of the events that resonates with uncanny wit and raw emotion.





Rhymes West: "I must got a angel/ Cuz look like death missed his ass/ Unbreakable/ What you thought they call me Mr. Glass/ I look back on my life like the ghost of Christmas past/ Toys R Us where I used to spend that Christmas cash/ And I still won't grow up/ I'm a grown ass kid/ So I should be like other stupid s*** that I did/ But I'm a champion/ So I turned tragedy to triumph/ Make music that's fire/ Spit my soul through the wires."





Very simply, the song marks the emergence of hip hop's most important new voice. Rap music's storied history has seen several artists play the dual roles of word wielder on the mic and trackmaster behind the boards. But if many have gained notoriety for their double duty activities, only a few have exerted a profound impact on the direction of the music overall. Add to the latter Kanye West. With his highly anticipated debut LP for Roc-A-Fella Records, The College Dropout, acclaimed aural architect West not only produces, writes and performs his own music and lyrics, but presents himself as a thoroughly well rounded artist with a purpose and musical vision all his own.





"In hip hop people always have pre-conceived ideas about you when you're a producer who also rhymes," explains the 26 year old maestro. "But one of the main things I wanna stress is that Stevie Wonder produced his own music. Prince produced his own music. Tyrone Davis and Bobby Womac - all these different people. And you don't even think about the fact that they created their own songs. So I don't see what I do as being any different."





Heretofore known the sonic visionary behind such hits as Jay-Z's "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)," "Girls Girls Girls," "The Takeover," and "03 Bonnie & Clyde," Beanie Sigel's "The Truth," Scarface's "Guess Who's Back," and Talib Kweli's "Get By," amongst many others, Chicago-bred West is undoubtedly one of most talented and accomplished young producers to have emerged in recent years.





After beginning his career co-producing songs for Mase's Harlem World, and the Madd Rapper, West caught his big break when his work attracted the attention of decision-makers at Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Records, who lauded his soulful approach to hip hop production. West-helmed hits frequently rely on vintage R&B samples ingeniously reconfigured for today's digital low end theories. First fully showcased on Jigga's 2001 c, The Blueprint, Kanye's signature has since rejuvenated the soundscape of rap music as a whole‹injecting warmth and melodic savvy where cold keyboards previously dominated‹and spawned a host of imitators.





"I feel like a lot of the soul that's in those old records that I sample is in me," says the now tri-state residing transplant. "So when I hear 'em and I put 'em with the drums and I bring 'em to the new millennium it's just like God's doing that. I'm one with them records right there. It's a blessing. And best believe I saved some monsters for my album!"





Indeed, the soul that informs Kanye's tracks reaches another level on his own material. Unbeknownst to those who may only be familiar with him via his boardsmanship, Kanye has rhymed avidly since his Chi-town days. So when Roc co-founder Damon Dash heard a demo of Kanye's solo songs in 2002, the young producer immediately joined to the label's stable of artists. Having achieved his professional success sans a university diploma (he dropped out of art school in Chicago after one year), Kanye explains the meaning of the album's title as "just saying set your own goals in life. Don't let anyone ictate to you what you need to do to be."





The College Dropout is a testament to such free-thinking, an astounding debut effort whose sensibilities runs the gamut from the insightful and inspirational to the infectious, comedic and clever. Exhibiting remarkable breadth, the album provides a wealth of surprises for anyone erroneously assuming West's music would go the way of a Roc-A-Fella cookie cutter copy.





See for instance "When It All Falls Down," a track cleverly based around an indelible Lauryn Hill Unplugged vocal loop, that addresses materialism in the Black community with self deprecating humor and honesty. Or "Two Words" featuring Mos Def, fellow Roc soldier Freeway, and the grand choral backing of the Harlem Boys Choir, which provides a majestic platform for Kanye and company's inspired, nearly entirely mono-syllabic wordplay. Elsewhere, "Slow Jams," featuring actor/comedian/singer Jamie Foxx and fellow Second City vocal wonder Twista, hilariously lampoons quiet storm conventions without succumbing to novelty itself. "The Good, the Bad, the Ugly" finds Kanye and former Tribe Called Quest associate Consequence brilliantly trading fluid verses over mesmerizing Hi Records string lines. And the guitar-driven "Breathe In Breathe Out" featuring mouth of the south Ludacris is a playful club anthem containing no shortage of lyrical wit on Kanye's part: "Golly, more of that bulls*** ice rap/ I gotta apologize to Mos and Kweli/ But is it cool to rap about gold if I tell the world I copped it from Ghana and Mali?/ First n**** with a Benz and a backpack/ Ice chain Cardy lens and a knapsack/ I always said if I rapped I'd say something significant/ But now I'm rappin bout money, hoes and rims again."





But perhaps most indicative of Kanye¹s determination to remain creative in the face of adversity is "My Way," a song that impressively answers the haters and naysayers who may doubt his solo skills. Rhymes West over a sped up soul cover of the Paul Anka-penned c of the same name: "It goes my way/ Chi way/ This way or the highway/ Shots will lay you off on your day off like Friday/ The Roc got yay but they ain't snortin' it/ They just got him up at Bassline recordin' s***/ Yeah I been broke/ Now I'm good, b****/ I ain't no Kennedy/ But I'm hood rich/ So I say my way to take you to the ghetto/ And everybody else, thank you very little."





For a rap audience continually weaned on thug threats and ice worship, College Dropout, contrary to its title, provides an educational reminder of what it means to be compelling and human in hip hop. As one of a precious few rappers with actually something to say in his songs, Kanye is fully aware that his beats provide the best conduit to absorbing his not-so-trendy content. "The best thing about the fact that I did beats is I can make the perfect plateaus for me to present information over. I make music that'll catch people's ear automatically. Then when they hear what I'm saying they go, "Oh s***, he saying some s*** right there."





And even this collegiate dropout admits that as a vocalist he's learned some valuable lessons of his own while punching the clock at the Roc.





"It's like if you wanna rap like Jay, it's hard to rap like Jay and not rap about what Jay is rapping about," says Kanye. "So what I did is incorporate all these different forms of rap together - like I'll use old school patterns, I come up with new patterns in my head every day. Once I found out exactly how to rap about drugs and exactly how to rap about say no to drugs," I knew that I could fill the exact medium between that. My persona is that I'm the regular person. Just think about whatever you've been through in the past week, and I have a song about that on my album."





In essence, Kanye West's music has arrived not just for the sake of defying expectations, but to express the truisms of every day life as no one in hip-hop has done before.





"In music and society people tell you to pick a side," Kanye concludes. Are you mainstream or underground? Do you rhyme about nice cars, or about riding the train? Are you ignorant or do you know something about history? But I'm a person who I can do all these different things. It's like everybody is taking that fork in the road. They don't see the rainbow in the middle. And I'm about to ride that. I'm the prism. And my music comes out in colors."

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  •  
    7 Good
    Good rapper guestionable action hide show

    Great rapper but made a bad move at 2009 vma awards.He also uses a lot of auto tune and strange noises.Kanye had a great preformence at 2010 vma' s. Overall great rapper. My favorite song is runaway witch he preformed at 2010 vma's.I give him a seven because of bad dicisions and I don't think he is the best rapper because he uses to much auto tune ( not a fan of auto tune.)and weird noises.Kanye Kanye Kanye.My top five favorite songs 5. Look at me now, 4 Black and yellow, 3.F---ing Perfect, 2. Bow chicka wow wow., 1. I need a doctor.

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    DylanJohnMae Added Apr 9, 2011 All my reviews
  •  
    10 Perfect
    This dude is my favorite rapper. hide show

    Kanye West is one of the best rappers ever.I love his songs like Gold Digger and Stronger.He did not win any awards,but this guy knows how to sing.He's one of my favorite celebities like Adam Sandler or Seth Rogen.This dude is a better rapper because he both sings and raps.Well,I hear that song Heartless a lot and I think it's pretty good.This dude doesn't stink because he's pretty much a good rapper.I really like this dude as a rapper and a singer.He is one of the all time greatest celebities that are ever known because his songs are really good.

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    woahwoah678 Added Apr 19, 2009 All my reviews
  •  
    10 Perfect
    Kanye West 808's & Heartbreak hide show

    I Feel That Kayne Is Gettin ALot Of Negative Feed Back About Him Using AutO Tune On His New Album And I Fell That His Move Was A Good Move, It Shows He Has Flavour And Originality And Is Not Afraid To Try New Things Which Many Artist Are. It Makes Him And His New Album Stand Out. I Think His New Album Will Sell Great And His Songs Will Be Hits, Although I Do Think Kanye Should Still Do Rap But Still Keep Some Autotune, I Think Kanye Music Is Unreal And He Is One Of The Best Artist Round I Get Goosbumps Listenin To His Songs, I Think He Does The Best He Can And It Shows In The Lines In His Music. I Think Kanye Is Real And Always Will Be Real I Think Kayne Lets His emotions Out Through His Songs And Thats Whats Makes His Music So PowerFull He Is Not Afraid To Say What He Feels Alot Of People Say Kayne Is Ignorent But i Think He Is Just Wise He Keeps To Himself And Lets NoOne No His Bussines But Doesnt Keep Use Completly Put Because He Lets Use No Through His Music, And This Is What Makes Kanye Not Only An Artist But An Inspiration.

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    SymoneOx Added Dec 13, 2008 All my reviews
  •  
    10 Perfect
    Awesome hide show

    Kanye West is a great rapper. I love his music. Ther are many Kanye West songs that are so good. There is Gold Digger, Stronger, Can't Tell Me Nothin, Good Life, and a lot of other songs! THrough his music, I can tell that he is dedicated. He has a really good way of rhyming. At the Grammies, he performed a song called Hey Mama, which is a special messgae to his mother. I loved it! It had a lot of meaning to it! I think 50 cent is lucky that the bet was called off or he would lost big time! Kanye is just too good.

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    JohnnyMalRox Added Feb 24, 2008 All my reviews
  •  
    10 Perfect
    What can I say

    ----meggie---- hide show

    Kanye West!

    I just resently got into rap! I was always ROCK! and Kanye's song "Golddigger ft." Is so cool! I am White But, A lot of ppl say that White ppl Like rock and rock sucks and Rap Is the best and White ppl Suck! But I don't care what ppl say I like both Rock and Rap! But it depends on What kinda Rap and Rock! So yeah Kanye West is my Favorite RAP SINGER!!!!!!!!


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    Jake_lover Added Nov 18, 2005 All my reviews
 

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