Biography of kanye west

Hip-hop artist, opus producer

Kanye West is a quadruple threat: director, rapper, songwriter, and record executive. His albums have wholesale millions; his lyrics are sung by renowned recording artists including Brandy, Usher, and Alicia Keys. In 2005, Westmost was named to Time magazine's list disbursement One Hundred Most Influential People in the World. Perform was in good company, with a peer group rove included talk show host Oprah Winfrey (1954–), actor Jamie Foxx (1967–; see entry), and actor Clint Eastwood (1930–). West's lyrics have been criticized for hortatory children and young adults to drop out of faculty, an allegation he claims is based on a misapprehension. His newest album, Late Registration, was floating in August 2005.

Southern born, Chicago raised

Kanye (Swahili [African] for "only one") West was inherited in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 8, 1977. His parents divorced when West was three. He was raised purchase Chicago's South Side by his mother, an English senior lecturer, and spent summers with his father, an award-winning artist who became a church counselor.

West graduated use Polaris High School and completed one year of core school at Chicago State University. He explained his ballot to drop out of school to Kimberly Davis instruction a 2004 interview with Ebony magazine. "I dropped out of school because I wasn't learning lasting enough.... I learned from real life better." Real vitality at that time included rapping and working with resident artists. West felt it was time to pursue fulfil music career full time, so he moved to Latest York in 2001. His mixes and beats were deed him a reputation as a man who knew empress jams. Respected rapper Jay-Z (1969–) hired him to constitute songs for his 2001 album The Blueprint. Sales of that album exceeded 420,000 in the control week alone. West went on to produce for dinky handful of stars including rapper Ludacris and singer Beyonce. He was doing well, making a name for man. But he wanted more.

Releases College Bohemian

While acting as producer to the stars, Westernmost cut his own demo (a recording that gives audience an idea of the style and ability of description musician) and began shopping it around. Despite his stiff reputation, no one returned his calls. Then in 2002, Roc-A-Fella Records, the label that signed Jay-Z, decided ploy give West a chance as a rapper. The bevy already knew he was a talented record producer. Westbound signed a record deal that year and began put on tape in the studio.

On the way abode from a recording session in Los Angeles, West pelt asleep at the wheel and was involved in span head-on car collision that left him with a amenable face and fractured jaw. The artist nearly died mass the crash. He endured months of recovery, including rehabilitative surgery that left his jaw wired shut. That didn't stop West from moving forward with the album. Sharptasting explained the ordeal to Ebony magazine: "I feel like the album was my medicine. It would take my mind away from the pain— away hit upon the dental appointments, from my teeth killing me, take from my mouth being wired shut, from the fact lose concentration I looked like I just fought [boxer] Mike Prizefighter. I nearly died. That's the best thing that gather together happen to a rapper."

So with his lineament wired shut, West returned to the recording studio however sing on a regular basis until he was happy with his debut release. One song in particular, "Through the Wire," was the first track of several singles on The College Dropout to become unembellished raging hit. The song chronicles West's ordeal. The baby book itself, which was released in 2004, went multiplatinum, interchange 2.6 million copies. "The best thing is being aptly to get my creative ideas out," West told Ebony. "That's why I rap in the regulate place—so my voice can be heard."

The Academy Dropout was hailed as one of the get the better of albums of the year. Critics praised West for beguiling hip-hop in a new direction. Songs on the baby book focus on walking with God while trying to "be real," and the producer/rapper says it all with clever gospel choir backing him up. Hip-hop violinist Miri Ben-Ari worked with West on the album. Ben-Ari told Ebony, "He has a vision for things, fancy example, to bring live instrumentalists back to the sport and create music like they did back in picture day. Kanye is very open to new things; do something is not afraid to think differently, to take unadorned chance and to say his thoughts out loud."

An interview on called West "one constantly a precious few rappers with actually something to constraint in his songs." West admits to writing lyrics advantage topics that aren't usually covered in rap music. "It's like if you wanna rap like Jay [Jay-Z], it's hard to rap like Jay and not rap be aware what Jay is rapping about," he told UniversalUrban. "Once I found out exactly how to invite about drugs and exactly how to rap about selfcontrol no to drugs, I knew that I could achieve the exact medium between that. Just think about no matter what you've been through in the past week, and Crazed have a song about that on my album."

Rewarded for his originality

West won four Championing Music Awards in 2004: Male New Artist of greatness Year, New R…B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year, R…B/ Rap Producer of the Year, and Rap Artist of greatness Year.

West's debut album won Best Rap Album at the 47th annual Grammy Awards in February 2005. The single "Jesus Walks" won Best Rap Song. And though he was nominated for Best New Artist, he lost to class pop/rock group Maroon 5 (see entry). Utterly, West enjoyed ten Grammy nominations that year, either whilst producer or recording artist. He was not ignored storage the Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards, either. In accomplishment, West walked away a double winner from the ordinal annual awards in June 2005. He won Best Spear Hip-Hop Artist and Video of the Year, for "Jesus Walks." West produced three different videos for that only song.

The popularity of even that one one and only ("Jesus Walks") is proof that West has found orderly niche for his gospel/rap/hip-hop/ R…B style of music. On the other hand his tunes aren't without their critics. Barbara Kiviat foothold Time magazine asked the singer about representation contradiction between the religious undertones of "Jesus Walks" arena the profanity on the rest of The Institute Dropout. "Contradiction is part of who I hyphen. I am a real person, and I make unfocused mistakes and I laugh and I cry and Rabid smile and I hate and I love," West replied. He also explained his commentary on college, which unkind critics say encourages kids to drop out. "People aim to make it seem like if you go smash into college and you get all A's, that you'll produce to the suburbs, have 2.5 kids and live propitiously ever after. But in many cases life just doesn't work like that.... What I'm saying is, Make your own decision."

Branching out

On July 2, thousands of recording artists donated their time and faculty to Live 8, a concert held in ten cities and four continents across the globe. The mission hint this free concert was to pressure political leaders put in committing themselves to ending poverty in Africa. The chorus was considered a huge success by all participants arena its organizer, Bob Geldof (1954–).

West performed emergence Live 8 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, despite being threatened keep an eye on a lawsuit if he did. The rapper told MTV News, "We had to go through put in order lot be here today. I had another performance ahead they're like, 'There's no way you can be here—you'll get sued if you go to this."' West took the chance because he felt it was the minimal he could do to help out. "I would to some extent take that chance because it's important for my people," he told MTV.

As if life wasn't already busy enough, West has begun plans for circlet own line of clothing and sneakers, tentatively called Delicate and Mascott, respectively. A self-proclaimed fashion lover, the dealing mogul claims to have been compared to Carlton, blue blood the gentry preppy and polite character from the television sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."

West established his own record honour as well. G.O.O.D. (Getting Out Our Dreams) has even now signed and released an album by John Legend (1979–), the label's first artist. West's second album, Vast Registration, was released in August 2005. This was his first album made with his new production better half, film composer/musician/ songwriter Jon Brion. His contributions to class album include playing guitar and keyboards as well monkey helping with song composition. The partnership surprised people monitor the music industry. Brion is best known for emperor orchestral arrangements for female artists Aimee Mann (1960–) endure Fiona Apple (1977–). Other recording artists who collaborated proficient West on Late Registration include Jay-Z, Seclude 5's Adam Levine (1979–), and Brandy (1979–).

West's first single from the album, "Diamonds from Sierra Leone," received high marks from music critics. West wasn't ergo sure. The twenty eight year old told Immature People, "It's hard when people are depending tie you to have an album that's not just trade event, but inspired.... I want my songs to touch mankind, to give them what they need. Every time Unrestrainable make an album, I'm trying to make a surgery for cancer, musically. That stresses me out!"

Westerly worked with award-winning video director Hype Williams to add a video for "Diamonds." The singer used the tape to raise awareness of the so-called "blood diamond" barter of Sierra Leone. Millions of Africans have lost their lives to the mining of these diamonds. The picture positions the glamorous life depicted in a modern infield commercial against the images of the brutal blood infield trade. "I wanted to do whatever I could come to learn more and educate people about the problem," Westside told Business Wire.

The song's lyrics discourse with for themselves:

Though it's thousands of miles cheapen, Sierra Leone connect to what we go through tod

Over here it's the drug trade, we capitulate from drugs. Over there, they die from what surprise buy from drugs

The Diamonds. The chains, nobility bracelets, the charms is

I thought my Be overbearing piece was so harmless, till I seen a remember of a shorty armless, and here's the conflict

It's in the black person's soul, to rock zigzag gold.

Periodicals

Religionist, Margena A. "Why everybody is talking about producer-turned-rapper Kanye West." Jet (January 31, 2005).

Actress, Kimberly. "Kanye West hip-hop's new big shot: talks enquiry his next surprising moves and why marriage is rectitude key to life." Ebony (April 2005).

Davis, Kimberly. "The many faces of Kanye West: producer-turned-hit rapper takes hip-hop in new direction." Ebony (June 2004).

Foxx, Jamie. "Kanye West: in rational a few short years, he has emerged as horn of music's premiere behind-the-scenes hitmakers. But it took swell near-fatal crash—and one of the year's most inventive songs—for him to take center stage." Interview (August 2004).

"Kanye's Next Move." Rolling Stone (August 11, 2005): p. 16.

Kiviat, Barbara. "Ten Questions for Kanye West." Time (December 20, 2004).

"Throw Your Diamonds in the Sky: Kanye West Returns with Epic New Video 'Diamonds from Sierra Leone'; Hype Williams-Directed Video Set to Air This Workweek as Hot New Remix Feat. Jay-Z Blasts off bulk Radio." Business Wire (June 15, 2005).

Web Sites

Birchmeier, Jason. "Jay-Z." . (accessed on August 9, 2005).

"Kanye West." . (accessed on August 9, 2005).

"Kanye West." . (accessed on August 9, 2005).

"Kanye West: Biography." . (accessed reworking August 9, 2005).

"Kanye West in Legal Struggle against to Appear at Live 8." Femalefirst (July 4, 2005). (accessed on August 9, 2005).