Beyond Yeezus: a look at the career of Kanye West

Labelled a “jackass” by Barack Obama, Kanye West’s unpredictable, brash behaviour and flamboyance are more topical than his musical brilliance. Together Kimye epitomise opulence in an era of celebrity worship, sharing what Kanye calls a “passion for flashing”. Statements such as “I’m too busy writing history to read it” only reinforce Kanye’s narcissistic image. Despite being kicked-out of the VMAs for an abusive outburst, Kanye is a 21-time Grammy Award winner and arguably one of the greatest rappers of all time. But the hip-hop legend has contributed so much more to the music industry than six award-winning albums. He has widened the constraints of genre and influenced other artists to be more versatile with their work. By merging different styles in each new album, he is partly responsible for the revival of electro and disco music. His music is uncompromising and often controversial: in songs about his late mother and new wife — Hey Mama and Bound 2 — we see his tender side, whereas songs such as Clique are revved up and riddled with expletives. His most recent album, Yeezus, is his most raw and polarising work to date.

Whispers of the release of a much anticipated sequel to the Yeezus album have been circulating social media all year. Kanye teased his fans when he debuted twenty new tracks in London on July 7. His impromptu performance to an intimate crowd in a private venue stirred much excitement. Cameras and phones were forbidden but one audience member described the music as “hellish” and “ground-shaking”. A perfectionist with a strong aversion towards the press, Kanye has kept every detail of the album a secret to reduce the risk of a leak. Even the album release date and the collaborating artists have remained a secret. Known to dabble in many types of music, fans are left guessing about what his seventh album will bring. How can we speculate about the seventh album when each of his albums has brought a fresh sound?

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Kanye’s versatile fusion of music styles comes from his background as a music producer. He completed one semester at Chicago State University before dropping out to pursue a career as a musician at the age of 19. This was much to the disappointment of his mother, an English professor at the university. Unable to get a record label, he began producing for other artists, working with Southside Chicago soul artists and aspiring rappers — often as a ghost producer. He interacted with countless genres and this exposure to a wide range of music would serve to be the launch pad to forming his own style. For five years West was repeatedly turned down by record labels on the basis that he did not meet the description of a rapper. Rap music charts in the early 90s were dominated by gangsta rappers, such as Tupac, Scarface and Snoop Dogg: well-spoken Kanye with his love of poetry and flair for fashion could not land a record deal.

In 2000, at age 23, Kanye finally broke through as part of the production team for Jay-Z’s The Blueprint. The huge success of this album boosted his career and earned him a record deal with Roc-A-Fella Records. His first solo album, The College Dropout (2003), received ten Grammy nominations. The album’s lead single, Jesus Walks, received much scepticism from industry executives but was awarded a Grammy for Best Rap Song. The lyrics unabashedly proclaim his Christian faith and daringly blended rap with gospel choir music. His success continued in his subsequent albums Late Registration (2005), and Graduation (2007) as he explored even more infusions with electronic music, house and disco.

In 2007, Kanye’s mother, to whom he was devoted, died suddenly. It prompted him to write a new album with a marked stylistic change, 808s & Heartbreak. Kanye’s transition from rapping to singing for this soulful album risked alienating his fanbase. Rolling Stone described it as his “most vulnerable work, and perhaps his most brilliant”. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010) saw him return to rap. The lyrics are controversial and provocative, addressing issues such as consumer and celebrity culture, egomania and decadence. Although critics remarked on the album’s shocking lack of taste and cynical theme, it dominated the radio and received universal acclaim.

Yeezus (2013) is abrasive and jarring at first listen, the music charged and ruthlessly minimal. Kanye’s Chicago roots resonate throughout the album. An industrial city with harsh weather conditions and gang warfare, the murder capital is known for its grit. A true sound technician, he took much of his inspiration for this album from Chicago ‘80s acid-house and Chicago drill music. By wearing a diamond-encrusted mask for most of the Yeezus show, Kanye gives his performance an inhuman and robotic feel. The second single in the album Black Skinhead has an industrial gear-grind feel with a pummelling, gravelly beat, whereas the soulful ballad Hold My Liquor has a rich and sonic sound. The lead single, Blood on the Leaves, combines Nina Simone’s haunting vocals from Strange Fruit with Kanye’s electrified beats and explicit rap. Kanye finishes the album with the harmonious, beautiful love song Bound 2. Dedicated to the mother of his child, the final song starkly contrasts with the brutal beginning of the album.

So will the Yeezus sequel continue in this dulcet, honeymoon vein or will it be yet another pioneering invention? We are left waiting in anticipation. Love him or hate him, he has a point when he says of himself: “I’m a creative genius, and there’s no other way to word it.”

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