Close Your Eyes And Imagine…
“I’m depressed,” says Kanye West.
Strange, perhaps, for a 28-year-old who is arguably the most important creative force in hip-hop music today, recently named to Time Magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world, but West – the perpetual underdog - is still fighting for his life, currently pitched in heated battle with the latest 800-pound gorilla in the corner: Himself. “It’s hard when people are depending on you to have an album that’s not just good, but inspired,” continues West. “I mean, my music isn’t just music – it’s medicine. I want my songs to touch people, to give them what they need. Every time I make an album, I’m trying to make a cure for cancer, musically. That stresses me out!”
If “Diamonds From Sierra Leone,” the stunning first single from Late Registration, Kanye’s forthcoming sophomore effort on Roc-A-Fella Records, is any indication, the gorilla should be stressed.
“Diamonds” is signature Kanye West: Over a heavy groove and sped-up soul sample, courtesy of Shirley Bassey’s classic “Diamonds Are Forever,” Kanye’s unusual, conversational flow sounds sharper than ever, weaving his offbeat witticisms into a paean, a love-letter for The R.O.C. Sweeping and cinematic, the track’s rich instrumentation – a product of his collaboration with producer-extraordinaire Jon Brion – and dense subject matter is a unexpected first look into West’s new project. And he wouldn’t have it any other way.
Kanye West – the self-proclaimed ‘International Asshole”- has been inviting, confronting, and overcoming challenge since the beginning.
Y’all Feel A Way About K, But At Least Y’all Feel Somethin’…
No matter who you are or where you lived in 2004 - if you owned a radio, television, computer or CD player, you felt Kanye West’s presence. Since the release of his 3 million selling, critically acclaimed-debut The College Dropout, the Chicago-born 27 year old rapper/producer/hip-hop icon has been at the top of the charts and at the top of his game. From the red carpet of the 47th Grammys - where he topped all nominees with a historic ten nods and took home awards for Best Rap Album, Best Rap Song and Best R&B song - to the millions of albums sold, a sold-out stadium tour with Usher, and his ubiquitous presence on MTV, BET, CNN, and radio stations nationwide, West grew from being an artist to watch to an artist you experience.
Since stepping out from behind the production booth that birthed chart-topping hits like “Izzo (H.O.V.A.), “Get By”, “Stand Up” and “You Don’t Know My Name” for marquee artists such as Jay-Z, Talib Kweli, Ludacris and Alicia Keys to focus on his tremendous talents as a lyricist and songwriter, West has proven himself to be the most vital artist in hip-hop today.
What If Somebody From The Chi That Was Real Got A Deal On The Hottest Rap Label Around…
After co-producing tracks for Harlem World and the Mad Rapper at the tender age of 20, West caught his break when the heads of A&R at Jay-Z’s Roc-A-Fella Records – Kyambo “Hip-Hop” Joshua and G. Roberson - were blown away by his soulful approach to hip-hop production. Even back then, West’s unique talent made him stand out above the crowd. His use of vintage R&B samples and live instrumentation gave his work a warmth and emotional honesty that wasn’t to be found anywhere else at the time.
While his early work suggested greatness, it was on Jay-Z’s now-classic The Blueprint that West first achieved it in a major way. Drawing from the Jackson 5 (“Izzzo (H.O.V.A)), the Doors (“Takeover”) and the Temptations’ David Ruffin (“Never Change”), West created the soulful yet gritty sound behind Jay’s best tracks that his imitators (whose numbers would grow with each release) are still trying to copy today. But like any true original, West was in a league of his own—creating the future of hip-hop as he dug back in time with his unique samples to connect the past with the present in a brand new way. Before long, West was being hailed as the future of hip-hop.
When It All Falls Down…
West’s groundbreaking work with Jay-Z made him the most in-demand producer in the game and as word spread of the “wonderkid from Chi-town,” he would produce hits for some of its biggest stars: Talib Kweli, Cam’ron, Scarface - the list went on and on. Already having signed Kanye to their production company, Hip-Hop Since 1978 (formerly Roc The World), Hip-Hop and G secured a deal at Roc-A-Fella for West as a recording artist. Now recognized as a fiercely talented producer and MC, it seemed as though nothing could stop West - until an auto accident in October of 2002 turned his world, and the hip-hop world he was conquering one hit at a time, upside down.
History In The Makin’, Man…
While driving back to his hotel in Los Angeles, West was involved in a near-fatal auto accident that left his jaw fractured in three places. “I have flashbacks of what happened every day,” says West. “And anytime I hear about any accident my heart sinks in and I thank God that I’m still here. I found out how short life is and how blessed you are to be here.” Surviving the accident had been a miracle, and West - down but not out - used the experience as inspiration for his breakthrough single as an MC, the haunting and triumphant “Through The Wire,” in which he chronicled the painful experience through a jaw literally wired shut.
With “Through The Wire” simmering at radio, West defied the industry, the media, and the odds. He financed and shot his own video, delivering it to MTV and BET himself. The track became a breakout hit, and Kanye again went against the script by giving away the single rights to “Slow Jamz” – a track he originally recorded for Dropout with Jamie Foxx and Twista. “Slow Jamz” became a #1 on hit for Twista, and ratcheted up the buzz on Kanye to deafening. Finally, with Dropout’s debut at the top of the album charts with a stunning 440,000 copies sold in its first week, Kanye delivered his penultimate coup d’etat.
If I Talk About God, My Records Won’t Get Played, Huh?
“I’m trying to break radio, not make radio,” West was fond of saying in the press, and “Jesus Walks” was the hammer. Following his self-conscious smash “All Falls Down,” an unlikely hit single about consumerism in the black community, West released “Jesus Walks” as his third single and went on to shoot three controversial videos to the provocative track. The rest, as they say, is history; the months that followed were a whirlwind of live performances, awards ceremonies and press junkets. The College Dropout was awarded the Grammy for Best Rap Album of the year and “Jesus Walks” the Grammy for Best Rap Song. Dropout was named Album of the Year by The New York Times, Time Magazine, Blender, Rolling Stone, GQ, Spin, The Source, XXL and nearly every other major national publication.
And after a year filled with unimaginable fame and success, it would have been easy for Kanye to rest on his impressive laurels. But that’s just not who he is. West is many things - a producer, a tastemaker, a rapper, a video director, the CEO of his new label Getting Out Our Dreams (G.O.O.D.) - but first and foremost, he is an artist with an uncompromising vision. That’s what keeps him making music, and that’s what sent him back for the countless hours spent in the studio working on new material, the best of which has found its way onto his highly anticipated new album, Late Registration.
You Know What This Is? It’s A Celebration…
With Late Registration, Dr. West has indeed delivered the medicine. And once again, he did the only way he can: with honesty, humor and his conviction in continuing to prove himself by making great music. Enlisting composer/producer Jon Brion (Fiona Apple, Aimee Mann) to lend his skills to the album’s production, West’s newest offering is a big album in every sense of the word. His trademark sample-based arrangements have expanded to include live instrumentation. West has always been an artist who challenges not only himself, but his audience and his fellow musicians with new ideas and new ways of expressing the joys and sorrows of life through music. Late Registration does just that as it takes down avenues and alleyways filled with sound and vision.
With a line up of guests that includes Jay-Z, Jamie Foxx, Brandy, Paul Wall, Cam’ron, Adam Levine of Maroon Five and his longtime friend and collaborator John Legend - West has widened his scope since The College Dropout. There are new flavors and voices in the mix, but it’s still 100% Kanye, still the voice of the underdog tackling the highs and lows of everyday life through pointed lyrics and emotionally charged music.
Eschewing cliché for reality, Late Registration addresses a litany of topics that range from the personal to the political and all that falls in between. The fist pumping “Crack Music”, which features a one-line hook from superstar MC the Game, looks at the effects of drugs on the black community and offers that at the end, “the music is medicine.” A similar thread runs though “Addiction”, a song that has West asking why it is that “everything that’s supposed to be bad makes me feel so good?” On “Bring Me Down,” Brandy gives a mournful voice to Kanye’s barbed cynicisms as he raps “If you ever wanted to ever be anything, there’ll always be somebody that’ll shoot down any dream.”
While tracks such as these show West’s rage, he’s not one to dwell on the negative. He’d rather examine it and turn it into something positive. This introspection finds its way onto tracks like his breezy and harmonious collaboration with Maroon 5 lead singer Adam Levine, “Heard ‘Em Say”, where the two stress the importance of being honest with yourself in a world that’s anything but.
Kanye’s not one to limit himself, and lets his humor shine through on tracks like “Drive Slow” featuring Paul Wall and the return of GLC, and “Gold Digger,” his reunion with Jamie Foxx, a cautionary tale for those who confuse love with the love of somebody’s wallet.
Throughout, Late Registration’s sheer depth of musicality is what’s most impressive. Dark and eerie at times, uplifting in others - tracks like “Touch The Sky” and “Celebration” come to mind – the album finds Kanye at once madly in love with hip-hop music, and fighting with it like a lover scorned - trying to push it’s boundaries, to see how far it will go. A daunting task, indeed. But it seems as though West – as stressed as he is – is more than up to the task.
American Music Awards
West has been nominated five times at the annual American Music Awards.
Year Nominated work Award Result
2004 Kanye West Favorite Breakthrough Artist Nominated
Kanye West Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Male Artist Nominated
The College Dropout Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album Nominated
2006 Kanye West Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist Nominated
Kanye West Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Male Artist Nominated
2008 Kanye West Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album (Graduation) Won
Kanye West Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Male Artist Won
BET Awards
The annual BET Awards were established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate African Americans and other minorities in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment. West has received seven awards from 13 nominations.
Year Nominated work Award Result
2004 "All Falls Down" Viewer's Choice Nominated
Kanye West Best Male Hip-Hop Artist Nominated
Kanye West Best New Artist Won
"Slow Jamz" Best Collaboration Nominated
2005 "Jesus Walks" Video of the Year Won
Kanye West Best Male Hip-Hop Artist Won
"Jesus Walks" Best Gospel Artist Nominated
2006 "Gold Digger" Video of the Year Won
Kanye West Best Male Hip-Hop Artist Nominated
"Gold Digger" Best Collaboration Won
2008 Kanye West Best Male Hip-Hop Artist Won
"Good Life" (featuring T-Pain) Best Collaboration Won
"Good Life" (featuring T-Pain) Video of the Year Nominated
(2006). 2006 BET Hip-Hop Awards. About.com. Accessed November 19, 2007.
Year Nominated work Award Result
2006 Kanye West Producer of the Year Nominated
Kanye West Best Live Performance Nominated
Late Registration Hip Hop CD of the Year Nominated
2007 Kanye West Lyricist of the Year Nominated
Kanye West Producer of the Year Nominated
Kanye West Best Live Performance Won
"Stronger" Best Hip-Hop Video Won
2008 Kanye West Best Live Performer Won
"Good Life" (featuring T-Pain) Best Hip-Hop Video Won
"Good Life" (featuring T-Pain) Best Hip-Hop Collabo Nominated
Kanye West Best Lyricist Nominated
Kanye West MVP of the Year Nominated
"Good Life" (featuring T-Pain) Track of the Year Nominated
Graduation CD of the Year Nominated
"Put On" (with Young Jeezy) People's Champ Award Nominated
Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Awards
The Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Awards reflect the performance of recordings on the R&B/hip-hop and rap charts.[8] West has won two awards from eight nominations.
Year Nominated work Award Result
2005 Kanye West Top Producer Nominated
2006 Late Registration Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album Nominated
"Gold Digger" Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Song Nominated
Kanye West Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artist Nominated
Kanye West Top Male R&B/Hip-Hop Artist Nominated
Kanye West Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album Artist Nominated
Late Registration Top Rap Album Won
"Gold Digger" Hot Rap Track of the Year Won
[edit] BRIT Awards
The BRIT Awards were founded by the British Phonographic Industry. It is an annual pop music award ceremony held in the United Kingdom. West has won one award from four nominations.
Year Nominated work Award Result
2005 Kanye West International Breakthrough Act Nominated
Kanye West International Male Solo Artist Nominated
2006 Late Registration International Album Nominated
Kanye West International Male Solo Artist Won
GQ Awards
The annual GQ Men of the Year awards gives GQ magazine's 800,000 readers the chance to vote for the most influential figures in a variety of fields over the past year.[14] West has won one award
Year Nominated work Award Result
2007 Kanye West International Man of the Year (UK) Won
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. West has won ten awards from twenty-four nominations.
Year Nominated work Award Result
2005 The College Dropout Album of the Year Nominated
"Jesus Walks" Song of the Year Nominated
Kanye West Best New Artist Nominated
"You Don't Know My Name" Best R&B Song Won
"Slow Jamz" Best Rap/Sung Collaboration Nominated
"All Falls Down" Best Rap/Sung Collaboration Nominated
"Through the Wire" Best Rap Solo Performance Nominated
"Jesus Walks" Best Rap Song Won
The College Dropout Best Rap Album Won
2006 Late Registration Album of the Year Nominated
"Gold Digger" Record of the Year Nominated
"Unbreakable" Best R&B Song Nominated
"They Say" Best Rap/Sung Collaboration Nominated
"Gold Digger" Best Rap Solo Performance Won
"Diamonds from Sierra Leone" Best Rap Song Won
Late Registration Best Rap Album Won
2008 Graduation Album of the Year Nominated
"Stronger" Best Rap Solo Performance Won
"Southside" Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group Won
"Classic (Better Than I've Ever Been)" Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group Nominated
"Good Life" Best Rap/Sung Collaboration Nominated
"Can't Tell Me Nothing" Best Rap Song Nominated
"Good Life" Best Rap Song Won
Graduation Best Rap Album Won
MOBO Awards
The MOBO Awards (an acronym for "Music of Black Origin") were established in 1996 by Kanya King. They are held annually in the United Kingdom to recognize artists of any race or nationality performing music of black origin. West has received five awards from twelve nominations.
Year Nominated work Award Result
2004 Kanye West Best Hip-Hop Artist Won
"All Falls Down" Best Video Nominated
Kanye West Best Producer Won
"Talk About Our Love" Best Collaboration Nominated
"Slow Jamz" Best Collaboration Nominated
"All Falls Down" Best Single Nominated
The College Dropout Best Album Won
2006 Kanye West Best International Male Nominated
Kanye West Best Hip-Hop Artist Nominated
2007 Kanye West Best International Artist Nominated
Kanye West Best Hip-Hop Act Won
"Stronger" Best Video Won
[edit] MTV Europe Music Awards
The MTV Europe Music Awards were established in 1994 by MTV Europe to celebrate the most popular music videos in Europe. West has won one award from seven nominations.
Year Nominated work Award Result
2004 Kanye West Best Hip-Hop Act Nominated
2005 Kanye West Best Hip-Hop Act Nominated
2006 Kanye West Best Hip-Hop Act Won
Kanye West Best Male Artist Nominated
"Touch the Sky" Best Video Nominated
2007 Kanye West Ultimate Urban Nominated
"Stronger" Video Star Nominated
2008 Kanye West Ultimate Urban Won
[edit] MTV Video Music Awards
The MTV Video Music Awards were established in 1984 by MTV to celebrate the top music videos of the year. West has won two awards from eleven nominations.
Year Nominated work Award Result
2005 "Jesus Walks" Video of the Year Nominated
"Jesus Walks" Best Male Video Won
"Jesus Walks" Best Hip Hop Video Nominated
2006 "Gold Digger" Best Male Video Nominated
"Gold Digger" Best Hip Hop Video Nominated
"Gold Digger" Ringtone of the Year Nominated
2007 "Stronger" Video of the Year Nominated
Kanye West Male Artist of the Year Nominated
Kanye West Quadruple Threat of the Year Nominated
2008 "Homecoming" Best Hip-Hop Video Nominated
"Good Life" Best Special Effects in a Video Won
Teen Choice Awards
The Teen Choice Awards are presented annually by the Fox Broadcasting Company and Global Television Network. The program honors the year's biggest achievements in music, movies, sports, and television as voted by teenagers aged twelve to nineteen. West has been nominated three times.[31]
Year Nominated work Award Result
2005 Kanye West Choice Rap Artist Nominated
2006 Kanye West Choice Rap Artist Nominated
Kanye West Choice Male Artist Nominated
Vibe Awards
The Vibe Awards are hosted annually by Vibe magazine. West has won two awards from ten nominations.[32][33][34]
Year Nominated work Award Result
2004 "Jesus Walks" Hottest Hook Nominated
"Slow Jamz" Coolest Collabo Nominated
"All Falls Down" Reelest Video Nominated
Kanye West Artist of the Year Nominated
2005 "Gold Digger" Coolest Collabo Nominated
Kanye West Artist of the Year Nominated
Kanye West Best Rapper Won
Late Registration Album of the Year Nominated
2007 Kanye West VStyle Nominated
Can't Tell Me Nothing Mixtape of the Year Won
[edit] World Music Awards
The World Music Awards, founded in 1989, is an international awards show that annually honors recording artists based on their worldwide sales figures, which are provided by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. West has received one nomination.
Year Nominated work Award Result
2007 Kanye West Best-Selling Hip-Hop Artist Nominated
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