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| Multi-talented producer and artist (rapper) from Chicago, Illinois. | Multi-talented producer and artist (rapper) from Chicago, Illinois. | ||
| 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 the conscience of a shocked rap nation. | |||
| West was in a nearly fatal accident in October 2002. | |||
| With his highly anticipated debut LP for Roc-A-Fella Records, "The College Dropout" (released on Feburary 10, 2004), 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. He knows 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, 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 Jay-Z's 2001 classic, The Blueprint, Kanye’s signature style 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. | |||
| 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 dictate to you what you need to do to be.” | |||
| 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. | |||
Revision as of 00:53, 18 March 2004
Multi-talented producer and artist (rapper) from Chicago, Illinois.
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 the conscience of a shocked rap nation.
With his highly anticipated debut LP for Roc-A-Fella Records, "The College Dropout" (released on Feburary 10, 2004), 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. He knows 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, 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 Jay-Z's 2001 classic, The Blueprint, Kanye’s signature style 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.
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 dictate to you what you need to do to be.”
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.