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Kanye West

 
Who2 Biography: Kanye West, Music Producer / Rapper
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Kanye West
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  • Born: 8 June 1977
  • Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia
  • Best Known As: Producer and rapper of "Through the Wire"

Beatmaking music producer Kanye West's 2004 debut album, The College Dropout, jumped to the top of the charts and earned him 10 Grammy nominations in 2005. Raised in Chicago, West got his start in the business as a producer. His mixes and beats drew the attention of Jay-Z, who hired him to produce songs for The Blueprint (2001). After producing for stars such as Ludacris, Alicia Keys and Jamie Foxx, West began work on his first solo album as a rapper. The College Dropout featured the hits "Jesus Walks" and "Through the Wire," the latter a reference to a car accident West had in October of 2003 (he recorded the song while his jaw was wired shut). The album ended up winning three Grammys, including Best Rap Album and Best Rap Song ("Jesus Walks"). In 2005 he released Late Registration, which included the hit song, "Diamonds From Sierra Leone" and featured guest appearances by Jamie Foxx and Jay-Z. The album earned 8 Grammy nominations and West won three, for Best Rap Album, Best Rap Solo Performance (for "Gold Digger") and Best Rap Song ("Diamonds From Sierra Leone").

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Black Biography: Kanye West
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rap musician; music producer

Personal Information

Born on June 8, 1977, in Atlanta, GA; son of Ray West, a photojounalist, and Dr. Donda West, a college professor
Education: Attended the American Academy of Art, Chicago, and Chicago State University.

Career

Producer, performer, and songwriter, 1997-.

Life's Work

The double-platinum, triple-Grammy award success of Kanye West's debut album, The College Dropout, was a surprise to many in the industry, but not to West himself. The young rapper and producer had confidently touted the classic status of his work, shaped creatively during a harrowing period of recovery from an auto accident. Some charged him with arrogance, but West, as he put it in his autobiographical track "Last Call," used "arrogance as the steam to power my dreams." "I always say you have to be a little postal to push the envelope," he pointed out to Margena A. Christian of Jet. And push the envelope he did: The College Dropout was a brilliantly innovative 21-track production that diverged sharply from the gangster stereotypes of the hip-hop music of its day and, in its hit single "Jesus Walks," merged hip-hop and gospel musical languages in an entirely new way.

Born to Be a Star

Born June 8, 1977 in Atlanta, Kanye West (whose first name is Swahili and has been translated as "only one") was raised on Chicago's South Side. His father Ray West was a former Black Panther who earned two master's degrees, becoming an award-winning photojournalist and later a counselor. West's paternal grandfather, West told Chris Campion of England's Daily Telegraph newspaper, was "the original hustler. He shined shoes and did whatever he had to do to send all his kids to college." His mother Donda West was an English professor at Chicago State University. A strong thread of activism ran through both sides of the family. West's parents divorced when he was three, but both remained involved in his upbringing. As a child, West often spent summers with his father in Maryland.

"I was really raised in the church, and raised as a good Black man," West told Kimberly Davis of Ebony. That said, his background was an unusually varied one; when he was ten, his mother landed a one-year teaching job in Nanjing, China, and West became proficient enough in the Chinese language to be an interpreter for his mother in restaurants. "I think that got me ready to be a celeb because, at that time, a lot of Chinese had never seen a black person," he told Campion. "They would come up and stare at me, rub my skin, fishbowl me." West became fascinated by hip-hop music at a young age, successfully badgered his mother into buying him a sophisticated electronic keyboard, and wrote his first raps by the time he was ten. His abilities first became apparent at school talent shows. "I would help the others because I just knew I was going to win anyway," West told Campion. "The teachers used to say, 'This ain't meant to be the Kanye West show.'"

Soon West had his eye on bigger and better things. "I thought I was going to get signed back when I was 13 years old," he explained to Associated Press writer Nekesa Mumbi Moody, "and come out with a record and take [youthful rap group] Kriss Kross out." These ambitions had to take a back seat to West's education for a while, though. He graduated from Chicago's Polaris High School, and, having shown skills as a visual artist as well as a verbal one, enrolled at Chicago's American Academy of Art on a scholarship. He then transferred to Chicago State, declaring an English major but spending most of his time, he told Campion, "in music class or in the lunch room talking to girls."

Made Misstep in Meeting at Columbia

An initial brush with the big time helped to divert West's interests away from higher education. The Columbia label made noises about offering him a recording contract, and he was shuttled to Columbia's offices in a limousine. But West mishandled his meeting with Columbia executive Michael Mauldin, claiming confidently that he would be bigger than superstar Michael Jackson or Atlanta producer and rapper Jermaine Dupri--not knowing at the time that Mauldin was Dupri's father. Whether or not it was because of that faux pas, West's promised contract did not materialize. But the experience only strengthened his determination.

West left Chicago State, becoming the college dropout later referred to in the title of his debut album. After The College Dropout became a hit, West took criticism from some who believed he was encouraging young African Americans to abandon their schooling. In response, he drew a distinction between high school and college. "I feel like high school is a necessity, but college is a choice...," he explained to Davis. "[Some people] have no idea what they're even going to college for, other than they believe that's what you're supposed to do." West backed up his commitment to education by forming the Kanye West Foundation, whose "Loop Dreams" initiative helped finance production equipment for school music programs.

Initially, it was West's production skills that helped him break into the music business. In 1997 he co-produced some cuts on rapper Mase's album Harlem World; Mase later returned the favor by making a guest appearance on a remix of "Jesus Walks." He notched other successes as a writer and producer in the late 1990s, but his music-business profile spiked sharply upward after he began working with rapper Jay-Z, one of the top hip-hop hitmakers of the day. He produced Jay-Z's "This Can't Be Life" and composed such Jay-Z cuts as "Izzo H.O.V.A," "Encore," and "'03 Bonnie and Clyde." Soon West found himself in demand as a producer, working with rappers Twista and Ludacris and with R&B chanteuse and pianist Alicia Keys ("You Don't Know My Name").

West's production style was distinctive, and he succeeded in transferring it to his own music after being signed to entrepreneur Damon Dash's Roc-a-Fella label in 2002. He favored samples from classic soul and R&B pieces, with the vocals often sped up so that they turned into rhythmic high-pitched squeaks but were not distorted to a point where they were totally unrecognizable. This technique, the All Music Guide pointed out in its analysis of West's "peerless" beatmaking skills, was matched by "a likewise trademark stutter-step drum-programming touch--a simple yet potent combination." West's eclectic tastes brought him in contact with new sounds that showed up in his own music; he was known as a fan of the alternative rock band Franz Ferdinand.

Sampled Vandross Hit

A good example of West's characteristic sound was provided by his composition "Slow Jamz," based on a sample from the Luther Vandross hit "A House Is Not a Home" (originally composed by Burt Bacharach and Hal David) and first recorded in a version featuring fellow Chicago rapper Twista before West added new text on a single released at the beginning of 2004. Samples from the Vandross song are heard at various speeds, while West's rap likewise manipulates the listener's perception of time, accelerating to a blistering pace in one extended passage. On top of this virtuoso mastery of the ebb and flow of musical time, West delivers a rap that deftly satirizes the seduction clichés of urban contemporary music.

By the time "Slow Jamz" appeared, West had gone through a near-death experience: he fell asleep at the wheel of his Lexus after a late-night production session in October of 2002. He later recalled little of the episode except for intense pain and the sensation of the steering wheel hitting his face. His jaw was broken in three places, and he underwent reconstructive surgery. "Being that I was so close to dying, I realized that nothing in life is promised except death," West told Davis. "So, while I'm here, I have to make the most of it."

During his rehabilitation, West continued working on the album that became The College Dropout--not just thinking about it, but actually rapping through his wired jaw about his own predicament on "Through the Wire," a piece that cleverly samples a song by R&B vocal diva Chaka Khan called "Through the Fire." "Through the Wire" was also released at the beginning of 2004 and became a hit along with "Slow Jamz," setting the stage for the debut of the long-delayed but much-anticipated The College Dropout. West's skill as a producer was unquestioned, but whether he could put together an album's worth of original raps and concepts was in doubt.

Remixed Album to Foil Pirates

Any doubts were dispelled when advance tracks of the album leaked out. The hyperactive West stayed one step ahead of the pirates by remixing much of the album's contents and adding several tracks. What finally emerged in February of 2004 was a complex group of 21 pieces that touched on many different themes but completely avoided the violence of many of West's hip-hop contemporaries. Much of the album was marked by West's pointed sense of humor, rooted in everyday situations; "Workout Plan" satirized aerobics programs and their music, while "Spaceship" depicted the frustrations of a token black employee at a mall clothing store. "All Falls Down" took aim at materialism with its jab at a "single black female addicted to retail." New versions of "Slow Jamz" and "Through the Wire" were also included.

The most successful track from The College Dropout was "Jesus Walks," which West, clad in white, performed at the 2005 Grammy awards ceremony. Three separate videos of the song were aired. Religiously oriented hip-hop had been attempted almost since the genre's beginnings, but "Jesus Walks," with its serious marching-band rhythms and rhythmically complex gospel vocal-group backing, sounded completely new. The song referred to police abuse and included a long passage in which West listed "hustlers, killers, murderers, drug dealers, even the strippers" and had his backing vocal group affirm that "Jesus walks for them." Ebony's Davis praised West for his "amalgamation of the street hustler's credo and the Black Protestant ethos." With his mother Donda serving as his manager (and experiencing what she described to Christian as "a huge learning curve" in moving from her professorial duties to the music industry), West went on tour with R&B superstar Usher.

West's frequent assertions of the value of his work ("It's something completely different.... It's definitely a classic," he told Moody) gained support when he garnered ten 2004 Grammy nominations, eight of them for The College Dropout and two for his work on the album The Diary of Alicia Keys. He won three (for best rap album, best rap song for "Jesus Walks," and best R&B song for Keys's "You Don't Know My Name"), losing the best new artist award to rock group Maroon 5--who seemed surprised to win and praised West from the podium as they accepted the award. Sales of The College Dropout, even in a depressed music market, rose toward the three-million mark.

By early 2005, Kanye West was riding high. He had founded his own record label, G.O.O.D. (Getting Out Our Dreams), and it had already delivered a major hit album, balladeer John Legend's Get Lifted. He was preparing to launch a line of sneakers, and his preppy look, which he himself compared to that of the character Carlton on the television series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, seemed to offer potential big dividends in its total divergence from the bling-bling trends of the day. Unattached after several years in a committed relationship, he inspired speculation about his romantic future. The only question mark was his sophomore CD, Late Registration, whose release date was pushed back several times and was finally slated for the summer of 2005. At first West seemed daunted by the idea of following up what was widely considered a hip-hop masterpiece, but by 2005 he had warmed to the task. "The best thing [about success] is being able to get my creative ideas out," he told Davis. "That's why I rap in the first place-so my voice can be heard."

Awards

Grammy Awards for best rap song, best rap album, and best R&B song, 2004.

Works

Selected discography

  • The College Dropout, Roc-a-Fella, 2004.

Further Reading

Periodicals

  • Associated Press, August 4, 2004.
  • Daily Telegraph (London, England), September 11, 2004, Arts section, p. 8.
  • Ebony, June 2004, p. 90; April 2005, p. 156.
  • Jet, January 31, 2005, p. 54.
  • London Free Press (London, ON, Canada), February 14, 2005, p. D1.
On-line
  • Kanye West, www.kanyewest.com (May 18, 2005).
  • "Kanye West," All Music Guide, http://www.allmusic.com (May 7, 2005).
  • "Kanye West," AskMen, www.askmen.com/men/entertainment_150/155_kanye_west.html (May 7, 2005).
Other
  • "Rising Career of Kanye West," Day to Day, National Public Radio (transcript), December 7, 2004.

— James M. Manheim

Artist: Kanye West
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Kanye West

Similar Artists:

Just Blaze, Pharrell Williams, Talib Kweli, Missy Elliott, Cymarshall Law, Leon Jean-Marie, Lupe Fiasco, Rhymefest, Consequence, will.i.am, Danny!, Cam'ron

Influenced By:

Nas, Erick Sermon, DJ Premier, Mase, Run-D.M.C., A Tribe Called Quest

Followers:

Drake, Dux Jones, Kid Cudi, J Xavier, Naledge, Da Weasel, Manafest

Formal Connection With:

Jay-Z, DJ Felli Fel, Marla Hansen, John Legend, Beanie Sigel, Jamie Foxx, Common
See Kanye West Lyrics
  • Born: June 08, 1977, Atlanta, GA
  • Active: '90s, 2000s
  • Genres: Rap
  • Instrument: Producer, Vocals
  • Representative Albums: "The College Dropout," "Late Registration," "Graduation"
  • Representative Songs: "Diamonds from Sierra Leone," "Flashing Lights," "All Falls Down"

Biography

In the span of three short years, Kanye West went from hip-hop beatmaker to worldwide hitmaker, as his stellar production work for Jay-Z led to a major-label recording contract and, ultimately, a wildly successful solo career. West paired his beats with tongue-twisting raps and a self-assured, flamboyant personality. His dapper fashion sense set him apart from many of his rap peers, and his confidence often came across as boastful or even egotistic, albeit amusingly so. This flamboyance, of course, made for good press, something that West enjoyed in spades during his sudden rise to celebrity status. He was a media darling, appearing and performing at countless awards shows (and winning at them, too), delivering theatrical videos to MTV, and mouthing off about whatever happened to cross his mind. He frequently spoke out against the rampant homophobia evident in much rap music, posed for the cover of Rolling Stone as Jesus Christ, and even claimed during a televised Hurricane Katrina fundraiser that "George Bush doesn't care about black people." West courted controversy, no question about it, but his steady presence in the celebrity limelight couldn't eclipse his musical talent. His production abilities seemed boundless during his initial surge of activity, as he not only racked up impressive hits for himself (including "Jesus Walks" and "Gold Digger"), but also collaborated on smash hits with the likes of Jay-Z and Ludacris. As his career progressed throughout the early 21st century, West shattered certain stereotypes about rappers, becoming a superstar on his own terms without adapting his appearance, his rhetoric, or his music to fit any one musical mold.

Coming out of left field (i.e. Chicago, a city rarely praised for its hip-hop exports), West was an unlikely sensation and more than once defied adversity. Like so many others who were initially inspired by Run-D.M.C., he began as just another aspiring rapper with a boundless passion for hip-hop, albeit a rapper with a Midas touch when it came to beatmaking. Indeed, it was his beatmaking prowess that got his foot in the industry door. Though he did quite a bit of noteworthy production work during the late '90s (Jermaine Dupri, Foxy Brown, Mase, Goodie Mob), it was West's work for Roc-a-Fella at the dawn of the new millennium that took his career to the next level. Alongside fellow fresh talent Just Blaze, West became one of The Roc's go-to producers, consistently delivering hot tracks to album after album. His star turn came on Jay-Z's classic Blueprint (2001) with album standouts "Takeover" and "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)." Both songs showcased West's signature beatmaking style of the time, which was largely sample-based -- in these cases, the former track appropriating snippets of the Doors' "Five to One," while the latter sampled the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back."

More high-profile productions followed, and before long word spread that West was going to release an album of his own, on which he planned to rap as well as produce. Unfortunately, that album was a long time coming, pushed back and then pushed back again. It didn't help that West experienced a tragic car accident in October 2002 that almost cost him his life. He capitalized on the traumatic experience by using it as the inspiration for "Through the Wire" (and its corresponding video), which would later become the lead single for his debut album, 2004's The College Dropout. As the album was continually delayed, West continued to churn out big hits for the likes of Talib Kweli ("Get By"), Ludacris ("Stand Up"), Jay-Z ("'03 Bonnie & Clyde"), and Alicia Keys ("You Don't Know My Name"). Then, just as "Through the Wire" was breaking big-time at the tail end of 2003, another West song caught fire, a collaboration with Twista and comedian/actor Jamie Foxx called "Slow Jamz," which gave the rapper/producer two simultaneously ubiquitous singles and a much-anticipated debut album. As with so many of West's songs, the singles were driven by somewhat recognizable sample-based hooks -- Chaka Khan's "Through the Fire" in the case of "Through the Wire," and Luther Vandross' "A House Is Not a Home" in the case of "Slow Jamz."

In the wake of his breakout success, West earned a whopping ten nominations for the 47th annual Grammy Awards, held in early 2005. The College Dropout won the Best Rap Album award, "Jesus Walks" won Best Rap Song, and a songwriting credit on "You Don't Know My Name" for Best R&B Song award was shared with Alicia Keys and Harold Lilly. Later that year, West released his second solo album, Late Registration, which spawned a series of hit singles ("Diamonds in Sierra Leone," "Gold Digger," "Heard 'Em Say," "Touch the Sky"). The album topped the charts, as did the "Gold Digger" single, and Late Registration eventually won a Grammy for Album of the Year.

West's production work continued more or less unabated during this time; particularly noteworthy were hits for Twista ("Overnight Celebrity"), Janet Jackson ("I Want You"), Brandy ("Talk About Our Love"), the Game ("Dreams"), Common ("Go!"), and Keyshia Cole ("I Changed My Mind"). West also founded his own label, GOOD Music (i.e., "Getting Out Our Dreams"), in conjunction with Sony BMG. The label's inaugural release was John Legend's Get Lifted (2004), followed one year later by Common's Be. In addition to all of his studio work, West also toured internationally in support of Late Registration and released Late Orchestration: Live at Abbey Road Studios (2006) in commemoration.

After retreating from the spotlight for some time, West returned to the forefront of the music world in 2007 with a series of album releases. Consequence's Don't Quit Your Day Job and Common's Finding Forever, both released by GOOD, were chiefly produced by West; the latter proved to be particularly popular, topping the album chart upon its release in July. And then there was West's third solo album, Graduation, which was promoted well in advance of its September 11 release (a memorable date that pitted Kanye against 50 Cent, who in one interview swore he would quit music if his own album, Curtis, wasn't the top-seller). A pair of singles -- "Can't Tell Me Nothing" and "Stronger," the latter an interpolation of Daft Punk's 2001 single "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" -- led the promotional push. It became his third consecutive chart-topping album, and its success culminated in eight Grammy nominations. West was the victor in four of the categories, and he performed two songs during the ceremony, including Late Registration's "Hey Mama," chosen in honor of his recently deceased mother. That loss, compounded by a breakup with his fiancée, informed 2008's 808s & Heartbreak, a major change of pace that saw West singing most of his emotionally pained lyrics with the assistance of Auto-Tune. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
Discography: Kanye West
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Graduation

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Graduation

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Graduation [Clean]

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Late Registration [Japan Bonus Tracks]

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808s & Heartbreak

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808s & Heartbreak

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Late Orchestration [DVD]

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Late Orchestration: Live at Abbey Road Studios

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Good Morning Good Night: Dawn

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Good Morning Good Night: Dusk

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Wikipedia: Kanye West
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Kanye West

West at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival
Background information
Birth name Kanye Omari West
Born June 8, 1977 (1977-06-08) (age 32)
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Origin Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Genres Alternative hip hop
Occupations Producer, rapper, musician, singer
Instruments Vocals, keyboards, sampler, percussion, synthesizer
Years active 1998–present
Labels GOOD Music, Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam
Associated acts Child Rebel Soldier, Common, Go Getters, Jay-Z, Kid Cudi, Lil Wayne, Mos Def, Q-Tip
Website kanyeuniversecity.com

Kanye Omari West (pronounced /ˈkɑːnjeɪ/; born June 8, 1977)[1] is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and Janet Jackson. His style of production originally used pitched-up vocal samples from soul songs incorporated with his own drums and instruments. However, subsequent productions saw him broadening his musical palette and expressing influences encompassing '70s R&B, baroque pop, trip hop, arena rock, folk, alternative, electronica, synth-pop, and classical music.[2]

He released his debut album The College Dropout in 2004, his second album Late Registration in 2005, his third album Graduation in 2007, and his fourth album 808s & Heartbreak in 2008. His four albums have received numerous awards, including a cumulative twelve Grammys,[3][4][5] and critical acclaim.[6] All have been very commercially successful, with 808s & Heartbreak becoming his third consecutive #1 album in the U.S. upon release. West also runs his own record label GOOD Music, home to artists such John Legend, Common and Kid Cudi.[7] West's mascot and trademark is "Dropout Bear," a teddy bear which has appeared on the covers of three of his four albums as well as various single covers and music videos.[8]

About.com ranked Kanye West #8 on their "Top 50 Hip-Hop Producers" list.[9] On May 16, 2008, Kanye West was crowned by MTV as the year's #1 "Hottest MC in the Game."[10]

Contents

Life and career

Kanye West was born in Atlanta, Georgia,[11] where he lived with his parents. When he was three years old, his parents divorced, and he and his mother moved to Chicago, Illinois.[12] His father was Ray West, a former Black Panther who was one of the first black photojournalists at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and is now a Christian counselor.[12] West's mother, Dr. Donda West, was a Professor of English at Clark Atlanta University, and the Chair of the English Department at Chicago State University before retiring to serve as West's manager. He was raised in a middle-class background, attending Polaris High School[13] in suburban Oak Lawn, Illinois after living in Chicago.[14] West credits his feminine nature to being raised by his mother. When asked about his grades in high school, West replied, "I got A's and B's. And I'm not even frontin'".[15]

West attended art classes at the American Academy of Art in Chicago, and also enrolled at Chicago State University, but dropped out to focus on his music career.[16] While attending school, West produced for local artists. 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, John Legend among others. He also "ghost-produced" for his mentor Deric Angelettie, according to his song "Last Call" and the credits of Nas' "Poppa Was a Playa".[16]

Early career

West’s sound is featured heavily on Jay-Z's critically acclaimed album The Blueprint, released on September 11, 2001.[17] His work was featured on the lead single "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)," "Heart of the City (Ain't No Love)" and a diss track against Nas and Mobb Deep named "Takeover"; West has worked with Mobb Deep and Nas since the track's release.[17] West soon became a major name in hip hop production following the release of the album, but struggled to find a way to get a record deal. Jay-Z admitted that Roc-A-Fella was initially reluctant to support West as a rapper, claiming that he saw him as a producer first and foremost.[18] Multiple record companies felt he was not as marketable as rappers who portray the "street image" prominent in hip hop culture.[19]

The College Dropout (2002–2004)

On October 23, 2002, West was involved in a near fatal car crash while driving home from the recording studio. The crash provided inspiration for West's first single, "Through the Wire".[20] West's faith is apparent in many of his songs, such as "Jesus Walks", which became a staple at his benefit performances, such as the Live 8 concert. These songs were featured on West's debut album, The College Dropout, which was released on Roc-A-Fella Records in February 2004, and went on to receive critical acclaim. The album also defined the style for which West would become known, including wordplay and sampling.[20] The album was eventually certified triple platinum. Guest appearances included Jay-Z, Ludacris, GLC, Consequence, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Common, and Syleena Johnson. The album also featured the singles, "All Falls Down" and "The New Workout Plan", as well as Twista's number one single, "Slow Jamz".[21] During 2003 West also co-produced songs for British singer Javine Hylton, even appearing in the music video to Real Things playing the love interest of Javine.

West was involved in a financial dispute over Royce Da 5'9"'s song "Heartbeat", produced by West and released on Build & Destroy: The Lost Sessions. West maintains that Royce never paid for the beat, but recorded to it and released it; hearing him on the beat, the original customers decided not to buy it from West. After the disagreement, West vowed to never work with Royce again.[22] Other Kanye West-produced hit singles during the period The College Dropout was released included "I Changed My Mind" by Keyshia Cole, "Overnight Celebrity" by Twista and "Talk About Our Love" by Brandy.[20]

Late Registration (2005)

West and Jamie Foxx performing "Gold Digger" at the Democratic Convention in Denver, Colorado

Taking a more eclectic route, West collaborated with American film score composer Jon Brion to construct his second album, Late Registration, which was released on August 30, 2005.[23] Like its predecessor, the sophomore effort garnered universal acclaim from music critics.[24] Late Registration topped countless critic polls and was revered as the best album of the year by numerous publications, including USA Today, Spin, and Time.[25][26] Rolling Stone awarded the album the highest position on their end of the year record list and hailed it as a "sweepingly generous, absurdly virtuosic hip-hop classic."[27] The record earned the number one spot on the Village Voice's Pazz & Jop critics' poll of 2005 for the second consecutive year.[28] Late Registration was also a commercial success, selling over 860,000 copies in its first week alone and topping the Billboard 200.[29] Grossing over 2.3 million units sold in the United States alone by year's end, Late Registration was considered by industry observers as the sole majorly successful album release of the fall of 2005, a season that was plagued by steadily declining CD sales.[30] The sophomore album earned eight Grammy Award nominations including Album of the Year and Record of the Year for the song "Gold Digger".[31] The album is certified triple platinum.[32]

On August 22, 2005, the MTV special All Eyes On Kanye West aired, in which West spoke out against homophobia in hip-hop. He claimed that hip-hop has always been about "speaking your mind and about breaking down barriers, but everyone in hip-hop discriminates against gay people."[33] He then reflected on a personal experience. He said that he had a "turning point" when he realized one of his cousins was gay. He said regarding this experience: "This is my cousin. I love him and I've been discriminating against gays." He drew comparison between African Americans' struggle for civil rights and today's gay rights movement. The following year, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, West further expounded his experiences with and views on the relationship between the black and gay communities.[34]

In September 2005, West announced that he would release his Pastelle Clothing line in spring 2006:[35] "Now that I have a Grammy under my belt and Late Registration is finished, I am ready to launch my clothing line next spring." The current status of this project is unknown. In that year, West produced the hit singles "Go" by Common and "Dreams" by The Game.[36]

Graduation (2007)

In 2007, it was announced that West would be starring in a series directed by Larry Charles. He has been working on the pilot episode for the past two years with Larry Charles and Rick Rubin. He also had this to say on January 14: "I wouldn't do something as cliché as a reality show. At least give me the credit for being more creative than that. It's a situational half-hour comedy. It's fictional, and loosely based on my life.[37] " West also collaborated with Japanese hip-hop group Teriyaki Boyz to produce the single "I Still Love H.E.R.," a reference to Common's 1994 single "I Used to Love H.E.R.". Further to this, during a radio appearance in early 2007, West, like many of his peers, recorded an impromptu freestyle to the popular song "Throw Some D's." West's version became extremely popular because of the different stance he took. The song that to all other rappers was about automobile rims, was used by West to comically refer to D-cup breasts. Because of the unexpected success of the song, West went on to make a video for the freestyle, in which he is seen playing his 'Old Ass Cousin'.[38]

West with Billy Dec

West was also featured in a new song called "Classic (Better Than I've Ever Been)". It was believed to be a single for, Graduation, because he is featured on the track, but Nike quickly explained that it was for the Nike Air Force 1's anniversary. It was meant only to be an exclusive track for the company.[39]

On March 25, 2007, he and his father Ray West supported World Water Day by having a "Walk for Water" rally.[40] After a two-year break, West has returned to being a fashion columnist in lifestyle magazine Complex.[41] On July 7, 2007, West performed with The Police and John Mayer at the American leg of Live Earth.[42] West hosted the August 17 edition of British comedy-variety show The Friday Night Project.[43]

In July 2007, West changed the release date of Graduation, his third album, from September 18, 2007, to the same release date as 50 Cent's album Curtis, September 11, 2007.[44] 50 Cent later claimed that if Graduation were to sell more records than Curtis, he would stop releasing solo albums.[45] However, 50 Cent would later dispel his comments.[46] The album has been certified double platinum. Guest appearances included T-Pain, Mos Def, and Lil Wayne.[47]

“ When I heard that thing about the debate, I thought that was the stupidest thing. When my albums drops and 50's album drops, you're gonna get a lot of good music at the same time.[48] ”

On August 26, 2007, West appeared as himself on the HBO television show Entourage which he used as a platform to premier his new single "Good Life" during the end credits. On September 9, 2007, West performed at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards, losing in every category he was nominated for; he gave an angry speech immediately afterward. (see "Controversies" section)

Following the MTV stint, West was nominated in eight Grammy Award categories for the 50th annual Grammy Awards.[49] He won four of them,[5] including Best Rap Album for Graduation and Best Rap Solo Performance for "Stronger" from Graduation. During the four-hour televised Grammy Awards ceremony, West also performed two songs: "Stronger" (with Daft Punk) and "Hey Mama" (in honor of his recently deceased mother).[50]

Glow in the Dark Tour, 808s & Heartbreak (2008–present)

West performing at the United Center in Chicago
West performing in 2008

West kicked off the Glow In The Dark Tour in Seattle at the Key Arena on April 16. The tour was originally scheduled to end in June in Cincinnati but was extended into August. Over the course of the tour West was joined by a varying group of opening acts, including Lupe Fiasco, Rihanna, N.E.R.D., DJ Craze, and Gnarls Barkley. On June 15, West was scheduled to perform a late night set at the Bonnaroo Music Festival. His performance started almost two hours late and ran for half of its alloted time, angering many fans in the audience. West later wrote an outraged entry on his blog, blaming the festival organizers as well as Pearl Jam's preceding set, which ran longer than expected.

On September 7, West debuted a new song "Love Lockdown" at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards. "Love Lockdown" features no rapping and only singing using an auto-tune device. This song appears on West's fourth studio album, 808s & Heartbreak. The new album was expected to be released on December 16, but West announced on his blog on September 24, 2008, that he had finished the album and would be releasing it sometime in November, earlier than previously scheduled. In early October, West made a surprise appearance at a T.I. concert in Los Angeles, where he stated that 808s & Heartbreak was scheduled to be released on November 25, though it was actually released on the 24th, and that the second single is "Heartless". The album was another number one album for West, even though the first week numbers fell well short of Graduation with 450,145 sold.[51]

Along with Alicia Keys, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Leona Lewis, and others, West performed at the American Music Awards ceremony on November 23.[52] That same night he won two AMA awards, including Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album for Graduation and Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Male Artist. West performed at the Democratic National Convention in Denver in August 2008, along with Wyclef Jean and N.E.R.D. in support of Barack Obama. On January 20, 2009, Kanye West performed at the Youth Inaugural Ball hosted by MTV for Obama's inauguration.

On February 17, 2009, West was named one of Top 10 Most Stylish Men in America by GQ.[53] The next day, February 18, 2009, West won International Male Solo Artist at The Brit Awards 2009. West was not in attendance but accepted his award with a video speech, saying "Barack is the 'Best Interracial Male' but I'm proud to be the Best International Male in the world.[54]

In April 2009, Kanye West recorded a song called "Hurricane" with 30 Seconds to Mars, and it will release on the third album of the band This Is War.[55][56]

In fall 2009, West is set to make his very first animated television guest appearance, on Fox's new animated television series, The Cleveland Show (a spin-off of Family Guy). West is set to voice "Kenny West", a rival of Cleveland Brown's son.[57] The producers stated working with West was a very good experience and a reason they chose him was because they knew he was a fan of Family Guy.[58]

Musical style and influence

West helping produce The 1 Second Film collaboration in February 2009

At the start of his career, Kanye West's production style often used pitched-up vocal samples, usually from soul songs, with his own drums and instruments.[17] 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".[19]

West has said that Wu-Tang Clan producer RZA influenced him in his style,[14][59] and has said on numerous occasions that Wu-Tang rappers Ghostface Killah and Ol' Dirty Bastard were some of his all-time favorites. Said by 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.[60] ”

RZA himself has spoken quite positively of the comparisons:

“ All good. I got super respect for Kanye. He came up to me about a year or two ago. He gave me mad praising and blessings... For people to say Wu-Tang inspire Kanye, Kanye is one of the biggest artists in the world. That goes back to what we say: 'Wu-Tang is forever.' Kanye is going to inspire people to be like him." After hearing his work on The Blueprint, RZA claimed that a torch-passing had occured between him and West, saying, "The shoes gotta be filled. If you ain't gonna do it, somebody else is gonna do it. That's how I feel about rap today."[61] ”

Following the critical and commercial success of his debut The College Dropout, West went on to experiment with his production style for subsequent albums. Late Registration — during which he collaborated with film composer Jon Brion — saw West take on a more "cinematic" approach to hip-hop sound, combining his signature sampling style with horn riffs, piano loops, string arrangements, and various other orchestra to produce rich, multi-layered instrumentation. His style evolved even further during the conception of Graduation, for which he made heavy use of synth-based beats and futuristic sound effects while distancing himself from soul samples, opting for a more eclectic variety of interpolations lifted from artists ranging from Elton John and Michael Jackson to Daft Punk and Public Enemy.

Alongside his pursuit as a producer and later a rapper, West has additionally displayed an escalating interest in singing over the course of his career. The first signs could be found within The College Dropout, which retained "Spaceship", a track that featured a chorus delivered by West in a melodic, half-rapped, half-sung style — a manner not too different from and occasionally used by his favorite rappers Ghostface and ODB. In mid-2008, while guest starring on multiple other artists' singles, West first began singing verses both with the auto-tune effect on Young Jeezy's "Put On" and without on Fonzworth Bentley's "Everybody". It eventually culminated with the release of the lead single, "Love Lockdown", from West's fourth album 808s & Heartbreak. The song stands as the first solo single by West to feature virtually no rapping whatsoever, instead sang entirely using the auto-tune effect.

West accompanied by an eleven-piece chamber orchestra

While his use of sampling has lessened overtime, West's production continues to feature distinctive and intricate string arrangements. This characteristic arose from him listening to the English trip hop group Portishead, whose 1998 live album Roseland NYC Live, with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra inspired him to incorporate string sections into his hip hop production.[2] Though he was unable to afford live instruments beyond violin riffs provided by Israeli violinist Miri Ben-Ari around the time of his debut album, its subsequent commercial success allowed him to hire his very own eleven-piece string orchestra. For a time, West stood as the sole current pop star to tour with a string section.[2]

West has stated on several occasions that outside of work, he favours listening to rock music over hip-hop. He cites Franz Ferdinand, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and The Killers as some of his most favorite musical groups. Additionally, on Graduation, West drew inspiration from arena rock bands such as U2, The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin for melody and chord progression.[62] Both a fan and supporter of indie culture, West uses his official website to promote obscure indie rock bands, posting up music videos and mp3s on a daily basis.[63] This musical affinity is mutual, as West has collaborated with indie artists such as Santigold, Peter Bjorn and John and Lykke Li while his songs have gone on to be covered countless times by a myriad of rock bands.[64]

Business ventures

In August 2008, West revealed plans to open 10 Fatburger restaurants in the Chicago area; the first was set to open in September 2008 in Orland Park. The second followed in January 2009, while a third location is yet to be revealed, although the process is being finalized. His company, KW Foods LLC, bought the rights to the chain in Chicago.[65] Additionally, West planned to launch his fashion career, and applied for internships with major European fashion houses.[66] He is due to release his own clothing line called Past Tell in 2009. He also collaborated with Nike to release his own shoe, Air Yeezys.

On January 22, 2009, during Paris Fashion Week, West introduced his first shoe line designed for Louis Vuitton. The line was released in summer 2009.

Philanthropy

West started the "Kanye West Foundation" in Chicago, Illinois in 2003. On August 24, 2007, West hosted the inaugural benefit concert to launch the foundation's partnership with Strong American Schools. It is focused on helping Latino and African American children stay in school and to get a proper education through grade school, high school, and college. The foundation also helps children to stay in high school by finding a path through music. West has contributed over $500,000 to his foundation. The foundation has also been called the "Donda West Foundation".

Kanye West has appeared and participated in many fundraisers, benefit concerts, and has done community work for Hurricane Katrina relief, the Kanye West Foundation, the Millions More Movement, 100 Black Men of America, a Live Earth concert benefit, World Water Day rally and march, Nike runs, and a MTV special helping young Iraq War veterans who struggle through debt and PTSD a second chance after returning home.[67]

In February 2009, West contributed $2 to become a producer of The 1 Second Film, a non-profit collaborative art project, alongside over 11,000 fellow producers worldwide.

Personal life

Relationships

In May 2007, West split from long-time model girlfriend Alexis Rainey.[68] Kanye West and designer Alexis Phifer ended their 18-month engagement in 2008. The couple had been dating on and off since 2002, with West eventually proposing in August 2006. According to a friend, the couple's relationship had been straining, significantly influenced by the sheer amount of time and attention West was dedicating to his current concert tour. "It's always sad when things like this end, and we remain friends," Phifer told People.[69] West is currently dating model Amber Rose.

Mother's death

Donda West in August 2007

On November 10, 2007, West's mother, Donda West, died of complications from cosmetic surgery involving abdominoplasty and breast augmentation.[70] TMZ reported that Beverly Hills physician Andre Aboolian had advised Donda West not to have surgery because of a health condition that placed her at risk for a heart attack.[70] Aboolian referred her to another internist.[70] Donda never met with the doctor recommended by Aboolian and had the procedures performed by a third doctor, Jan Adams.[70]

Adams sent condolences to Donda West's family but declined to publicly discuss the procedure because of confidentiality.[71] He had previously been under scrutiny by the medical board.[72][73][74] Adams appeared on Larry King Live on November 20, 2007 but left before speaking. Two days later, he appeared again, with his attorney, stating he was there to "defend himself." He said that the recently released autopsy results "spoke for themselves".[75] The final coroner's report January 10, 2008 concluded that Donda West died of "coronary artery disease and multiple post-operative factors due to or as a consequence of liposuction and mammoplasty."[76]

The funeral and burial for Donda West was held in Oklahoma City on November 20, 2007.[77] West held his first concert following the funeral at The O2 in London on November 22. He dedicated a performance of "Hey Mama", as well as a cover of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'", to his mother, and did so on all other dates of his Glow in the Dark tour.[78]

At a December 2008 press conference in New Zealand, West spoke about his mother's death for the first time. "It was like losing an arm and a leg and trying to walk through that," he told reporters.[79]

In honor of her death, California govenor Arnold Schwarzenegger passed the "Donda West Law," a legislation which makes it mandatory for patients to provide medical clearance for elective cosmetic surgery.[80]

Legal troubles

In December 2006, Robert "Evel" Knievel sued West for trademark infringement in West's video for "Touch the Sky." Knievel took issue with a "sexually-charged video" in which West takes on the persona of "Evel Kanyevel" and attempts flying a rocket over a canyon. The suit filed in federal court claims infringement on his trademarked name and likeness. Knievel also claims the "vulgar and offensive" images depicted in the video damage his reputation. The suit seeks damages and to stop distribution of the video.[81] Knievel eventually settled the suit in November 2007, just days before his death.

On September 11, 2008, West and his road manager/bodyguard Don Crowley were arrested at Los Angeles International Airport and booked on charges of felony vandalism after an altercation with the paparazzi in which West and Crowley broke the photographers' cameras.[82][83] West was later released from the Los Angeles Police Department's Pacific Division station in Culver City on $20,000 bail bond. On September 26, 2008 the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said it would not file felony counts against West over the incident. Instead the case file was forwarded to the city attorney's office, which charged West with one count of misdemeanor vandalism, one count of grand theft and one count of battery and his manager with three counts of each on March 18, 2009.[84] West's and Crowley's arraignment was delayed from an original date of April 14, 2009.[85] West was arrested again on November 14, 2008 at a hotel near Gateshead after another scuffle involving a photographer outside a nightclub in Newcastle Upon Tyne. He was later released "with no further action", according to a police spokesperson.[86]

Controversies

West has had several controversies throughout his career. On September 2, 2005, during a benefit concert for Hurricane Katrina relief on NBC, A Concert for Hurricane Relief, West was a featured speaker. Controversy arose when West was presenting, as he deviated from the prepared script. Actor Mike Myers, with whom West was paired to present, spoke next and continued to read the script. Once it was West's turn to speak again, he said "George Bush doesn't care about black people." At this point, telethon producer Rick Kaplan cut off the microphone and then cut away to Chris Tucker, who was unaware of the cut for a few seconds. Still, West's comment reached much of the United States.[87]

In January 2006, West again sparked controversy when he appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone in the image of Jesus wearing a crown of thorns.[88]

Later in 2006, West had his first of a number of incidents involving music award events. After the 2006 Grammy nominations were released, West said he would "really have a problem" if he did not win the Album of the Year, saying, "I don't care what I do, I don't care how much I stunt — you can never take away from the amount of work I put into it. I don't want to hear all of that politically correct stuff."[89] On November 2, 2006, when his "Touch the Sky" failed to win Best Video at the MTV Europe Music Awards, West went onto the stage as the award was being presented to Justice and Simian for "We Are Your Friends" and argued that he should have won the award instead.[90][91] Hundreds of news outlets worldwide criticized the outburst. On November 7, 2006, West apologized for this outburst publicly during his performance as support act for U2 for their Vertigo concert in Brisbane, Australia.[92] He later spoofed the incident in the season premiere of Saturday Night Live. On September 9, 2007, West suggested that his race had to do with his being overlooked for opening the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) in favor of Britney Spears; he claimed, "Maybe my skin’s not right."[93] West was performing at the event; that night, he lost all 5 awards that he was nominated for, including Best Male Artist and Video of the Year. After the show, he was visibly upset that he had lost at the VMAs two years in a row, stating that he would not come back to MTV ever again. He also appeared on several radio stations saying that when he made the song "Stronger" that it was his dream to open the VMAs with it. He has also stated that Spears hasn't had a hit in a long period of time and that MTV exploited her for ratings.[94]

On September 13, 2009, during the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards while Taylor Swift was accepting her award for Best Female Video, West went on stage and grabbed the microphone to proclaim that Beyoncé's video for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", nominated for the same award, was "one of the best videos of all time". He was subsequently removed from the remainder of the show for his actions.[95][96][97] When Beyoncé later won the award for Best Video of the Year for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", she called Swift up on stage so that she could finish her acceptance speech.[95] West was criticized by various celebrities for the outburst,[96][98][99][100][101] and by U.S. President Barack Obama, who called West a "jackass" in an "off the record" comment.[102][103][104][105][106] In addition, West's VMA disruption originated a large amount of Internet photo meme with blogs, forums and tweets with the "Let you finish" photo-jokes.[107] He posted two apologies for the outburst on his blog, one the night of the incident and the other the same day he appeared on The Jay Leno Show, on September 14, 2009, where he apologized again.[99][108] After Swift appeared on The View two days after the outburst, partly to discuss the matter, West called her to apologize personally. Swift said she accepted his apology.[109][110][111]

Discography

Main articles: Kanye West discography and Kanye West production discography

Studio albums

Awards and nominations

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Kanye West

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