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See Also: Jay-Z, Lupe Fiasco, The Neptunes, GLC & Tony Williams
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Bio From AllMusic.Com
From out of left field (i.e., Chicago, anything but a hip-hop hotbed), 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. And it was indeed his beatmaking skills that got his foot in the industry door. Though he did quite a bit of noteworthy production work during the late '90s, it was his 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. He first caught everyone's ear in 2001 when he laced Jay-Z's earth-shaking The Blueprint album with "Takeover" and "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)." Both songs were enormous successes, partly so because of West's trademark beatmaking style, which was largely sample-based — in these brilliant cases the former track appropriating snippets of the Doors' "Five to One," the latter 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'd rap as well as produce. Unfortunately, that album was a long time coming, pushed back and then pushed back again. It didn't help, of course, 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 eventually released debut album. That debut album, The College Dropout (2004), was continually delayed while 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" that gave the rapper/producer two simultaneously ubiquitous singles and a much-anticipated debut album. As with so many of West's songs, these two 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" had West sharing the Best R&B Song award with Alicia Keys and Harold Lilly. Later in the year, West released his second solo album, Late Registration (2005), which spawned a series of hit singles ("Diamonds in Sierra Leone," "Gold Digger," "Heard 'Em Say," "Touch the Sky"), topped the charts (as did "Gold Digger"), and 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 inaugural release was John Legend's Get Lifted (2004), followed by Common's Be (2005). 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 a while, 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 was 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 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 number one album, and it led to eight Grammy nominations. He was the victor in four of the categories, and he performed two songs, 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. As polarizing as it was, it went platinum. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, most of which was recorded in Hawaii and involved guest vocal spots from the likes of Nicki Minaj, Kid Cudi, Rick Ross, and the RZA, was released in November 2010. It was preceded by the bombastic, King Crimson-sampling single "Power." A sprawling and audacious album, MBDTF debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and also went platinum. While the album was still hot, West recorded the aggressive and boast-heavy Watch The Throne with Jay-Z and numerous producers and songwriters. Billed as a set by the Throne, it was released in August 2011. - Jason Birchmeier
Official Sites: Kanye West, MySpace, Facebook, YouTube & Fuckin' Twitter
Kanye Omari West (Born June 8, 1977 in Atlanta, GA)
Go-Getters:
Kanye West (Born Kanye Omari West, June 8, 1977 in Atlanta, GA)
GLC (acronym (kinda): Gangsta L. Crisis) (Born Leonard D. Harris in Chicago, IL)
Really Doe
Jay-Z (A.K.A. Jazzy, Jigga, Hova & Hov) (Born Shawn Corey Carter, December 4, 1970 in Brooklyn, NY)
Kanye West (Born Kanye Omari West, June 8, 1977 in Atlanta, GA)
Lupe Fiasco (Born Wasalu Muhammad Jaco February 17, 1982 in Chicago, IL)
Kanye West (Born Kanye Omari West, June 8, 1977 in Atlanta, GA)
Pharrell Williams (A.K.A. Skateboard P) (Born April 5, 1973, in Virginia Beach, VA)
Kanye West - College Dropout Advance
Kanye West - College Dropout
Kanye West - Late Registration (Advance)
Kanye West - Late Registration
Kanye West - Graduation
Kanye West - 808s & Heartbreak
Kanye West - VH1 Storytellers
Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Jay-Z & Kanye West - Watch The Throne
Kanye West - Freshman Adjustment
Kanye West - I'm Good
Kanye West - The Lost Tapes
Kanye West - The Remixes
Kanye West – Toast To The Scumbags
Jay-Z & Kanye West - Road To The Throne
Go-Getters - World Record Holders
Kanye West - Stronger (Single)
Kanye West - Christmas In Harlem (Single)
Kanye West & Jay-Z - H•A•M (Hard As A Muthafucka) (Single)
Jay-Z & Kanye West - Otis (Single)
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André 3000 - 3 Stacks
B.o.B. - B.o.B. Vs. Bobby Ray
Lloyd Banks - H.F.M.2 (The Hunger For More 2)
Miri Ben-Ari - The Pulling Strings Mixtape
Miri Ben-Ari - The Hip-Hop Violinist
Beyoncé - Revolution (Deluxe Edition)
Beyoncé - 4
Big Mike & Big Stress - R&B Jumpoff Volume 48
Big Sean - Finally Famous: The Album
Big Wy - What It Do Mixtape Vol. 1
Black-Ty a.k.a. Tyrese - Invisible Bully: The Lost Tapes
Brandy - Afrodisiac (Promo)
Brandy - Afrodisiac
Chris Brown - Exclusive: The Forever Edition
Cam'Ron - Purple Haze
Chops - Virtuosity
Clipse - 'Til The Casket Drops
J. Cole - Friday Night Lights
Common - Be
Common - The Corner (Vinyl Single)
Common - Communication
Common - Uncommon Classics
Common - Finding Forever
Common - Universal Mind Control
Common - Go! Common Classics
Dilated Peoples - Neighborhood Watch
DJ Finesse - The One And Only R&B King Pt. 4
DJ Green Lantern, Russell Simmons & Barack Obama - Yes, We Can
DJ Khaled - Listennn: The Album
DJ Khaled - Kiss The Ring
DJ Smallz - Best Thing Smokin' 15
Do Or Die - D.O.D.
Do Or Die - Trunk Music Mixtape
Drake - The Drizzy Effect
The-Dream - Love Vs. Money
Eminem - Relapse: Refill
Eminem - American Nightmare
Lupe Fiasco - It Was Written
Jamie Foxx - Unpredictable
G.O.O.D. Music: Cruel Summer
The Game - Nigga Witta Attitude
The Game - Charge It To The Game
The Game - Ghost Unit
The Game - Welcome To Compton Part 5
The Game - Put You On The Game
The Game - Doctor's Advocate
The Game - Compton King
The Game - Jesus Piece
GLC - Hood Celebrity
GLC - Love, Life & Loyalty
Ghostface Killah - Back Like That (Remix) (Single)
Ghostface Killah - More Fish
Ghostface Killah - GhostDeini The Great
Ghostface Killah - Ghostdini Wizard Of Poetry In Emerald City
Keri Hilson - In A Perfect World...
Keri Hilson - Ms. Keri
Keri Hilson - No Boys Allowed
Janet Jackson - Damita Jo
Michael Jackson - Thriller (25th Anniversary Edition)
Jadakiss - Kiss Of Death
Jay-Z - The Blueprint²: The Gift & The Curse
Jay-Z - The Blueprint 3
Julio G - Westside Radio Vol. 3
KiD CuDi - Dat Kid From Cleveland
KiD CuDi - The Moon Man Mixtape
KiD CuDi - NASA Music
KiD CuDi - The Anthem: The Best Of Kid CuDi
KiD CuDi - Man On The Moon: The End Of Day
KiD CuDi - NASA Music 2: Space Dreams
KiD CuDi - Pursuit Of Happiness The Mixtape
KiD CuDi - Man On The Moon II: The Legend Of Mr. Rager
Talib Kweli - Quality
Talib Kweli - The Beautiful Mix CD
Talib Kweli - The Beautiful Struggle (Advance)
Talib Kweli - Kweli-Confidential
Talib Kweli - Eardrum
The Last Shall Be First
John Legend - Get Lifted
John Legend - Evolver
The Man With The Iron Fists
Nicki Minaj - Pink Friday
More Than A Game
Nas - Nasir Jones: Carry The Cross Mixtape
Nas - Hip Hop Is Dead
Ne-Yo - The Collection
Ol' Dirty Bastard - Dog Food
Ol' Dirty Bastard - In Loving Memory Of Russell Jones
Paid In Full/Dream Team
Pharoahe Monch - Where Is Monch?
Promo Only Urban Club April '08
R.L. - Don’t Talk, Just Listen
Radioplay Urban Express 802Y
Reflection Eternal - The Re:Union
The Régime - All Out War Volume II
Rihanna - Unapologetic
Rick Ross - Deeper Than Rap
Rick Ross - Teflon Don
Scarface - My Homies Part 2
Scratch - Loss 4 Wordz
Slum Village - Detroit Deli: A Taste Of Detroit
Snoop Dogg - Doggumentary
Trey Songz – #LemmeHolDatBeat
T.I. - King
T.I. - Swagga Like Us (Single)
T.I. - Paper Trail
T.I. - No Mercy
T-Pain - Thr33 Ringz
Thug Radio Mixtape 18: Raw Shit
Twista - Kamikaze
Tyrese - Takeover
Usher - Confessions (Special Edition)
Usher - Life Of A Star (Collabo Edition Part 3)
Tony Williams – Finding Dakota Grey
Young Jeezy - The Recession
Yukmouth - Million Dollar Mixtape
In the span of a few years, from 2001 to 2004, Kanye West went from hip-hop beatmaker to worldwide hitmaker, as his stellar production work for Jay-Z earned him a major-label recording contract as a solo artist. Soon his beats were accompanied by his own witty raps on a number of critically and commercially successful releases. West's flamboyant personality also made a mark. He showcased a dapper fashion sense that set him apart from most of his rap peers, and his confidence often came across as boastful or even egotistic, albeit amusingly. This flamboyance, of course, made for good press, something West enjoyed plenty of during his sudden rise to celebrity status. He was a media darling, appearing and performing at practically every major awards show (and winning at them, too), delivering theatrical videos to MTV that were events in themselves, and mouthing off about whatever happened to cross his mind. For instance, 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 said during a Hurricane Katrina fundraiser on live television, "George Bush doesn't care about black people." West courted controversy, no question about it, but his steady presence in the celebrity limelight sometimes eclipsed his considerable musical talent. His production ability seemed boundless during his initial surge of activity, as he not only racked up impressive hits for himself like "Jesus Walks" and "Gold Digger," but also graced such fellow rap stars as Jay-Z and Ludacris with productions that led to smash hits. In addition to these many accomplishments, it's worth noting how West shattered certain stereotypes about rappers. Whether it was his appearance or his rhetoric, or even just his music, this young man became a superstar on his own terms, and his singularity no doubt is part of his appeal to a great many people, especially those who don't generally consider themselves rap listeners.

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