One of the most influential artists of his generation, an innovator and pacesetter, Kanye West, as a
producer, achieved what many artists aspire to: the radical transformation of their chosen genre’s
sonic identity. Ye stands among the elite few who accomplished this feat prior to the advent of the
streaming era (the period when music streaming platforms precipitated the decline of CDs and
physical music purchases) (Caramanica, 2010)[1]. Introducing what is known as soul samples—
drawing from vintage records by artists like Otis Redding and Curtis Mayfield, accelerated to higher
pitches—he seamlessly integrated diverse musical idioms such as soul, electronic, and gospel,
establishing a paradigm that elevated him to prominence as one of the most venerated figures in
contemporary history (Powers, 2019)[2]. Although primarily recognized as a rapper or musical
artist, scholars and critics frequently assert that he did not only influence hip-hop only but also the
music scene in general, like do an album rollout—exemplified by his meticulous promotion of The
Life of Pablo—or what key elements can make an album, a good album, such as thematic cohesion
and sonic innovation (Pigeons & Planes, 2018)[3]. Kanye represents a singular entity in the global
cultural sphere. He is a polarizing figure whose oeuvre elicits profound admiration from devotees
while simultaneously dominating media discourse, frequently headlining the most sensational and
tumultuous episodes in the industry. These episodes have incited substantial critique of his
persona, like the interruption of Taylor Swift at the 2009 VMAs, which was seen as a starting point
to analyze his impact and how his actions generated conversation about race, mental health, and
artistic expression (Kreps, 2009)[4], and even with all the controversies about his mental health,
later diagnosed as bipolar disorder by West himself, he even went as far as to run for presidency in
2020 (Coscarelli, 2020)[5], and let the world know about his ventures in the political aspect of his
life, if we can even call it that, as most say it was just a PR stunt, or that he was severely
unmedicated and out of control. And even worse, as some might argument, he fully endorsed
Trump back in 2016 and 2018, wearing the hated MAGA hat and having meetings with the then
president in the White House—an alliance that alienated segments of his fanbase (Cummings,
2018)[6]. But the dark moments apart, he has an undeniable capacity for reinvention, since he has
shown before his ability of experimentation and changing his sound throughout his career, from his
beginnings with “The College Dropout”, to the electronic sounds of “808s & Heartbreak”, the
industrial sound of “Yeezus”, and his adventure into gospel music (Leight, 2019)[7]. His influence
extends beyond sound into fashion, where his Yeezy brand disrupted streetwear and high fashion,
collaborating with Adidas to generate billions and reshape sneaker culture (Friedman, 2021)[8]. It
is also very interesting to do a deep dive into his extensive 20-year music catalog, since just like
other few artists, his albums mark the start and end of an era in his life/career, which was then
reflected in other artists being influenced by this, as well as his overall day to day life, with each era
even changing the way he thought and dressed (Hogan, 2016)[9]. To even extend his influence
further, you have the “Hawaii Sessions” as some call it, was a period of time when Ye exiled himself
to Hawaii, to record the album that marked a turning point in his career with collaborators like Rick
Ross and Nicki Minaj (Dombal, 2010)[10]. The album eventually became critically acclaimed and
was listed as one of the best of the decades. The album was “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy”,
which released in 2010. Having said this, this research navigates the influence of Kanye West in the
last 20 years in music, and how he has been able to be so consistent with the drive and passion he
has, as well as having deteriorated with the passing of time—evidenced by publicized outbursts
and erratic behavior. Through his music, fashion, and controversial statements, Kanye West has
become a cultural icon in his own league, that deserves an in-depth analysis of his influence
(Powers, 2019)[2]. But who is he, exactly? Did he just appear out of nowhere making the biggest
cultural shifts in hip-hop with no previous experience? That would have been impossible. So, for
background context about him, Kanye Omari West was born in Atlanta, GA, on June 8th, 1977.
From a young age, he felt like he was destined to make music, to be someone recognized. In the
documentary we can see footage of him “rapping” with just over 10 years of age (Coodie & Chike,
2022)[11]. And all of this hunger for greatness didn’t come from anywhere other than him learning
to produce at just 15 years old, from his mentor “No I.D”., who introduced him to the MPC drum
machine—a tool central to his signature sound (Reid, 2007)[12]. Yes, he started making cheap
beats for a living in the Chicago area, not even put in the credits of albums or mixtapes he mainly
produced, so he was really in the shadows. But everyone kept saying his name. It wasn’t until the
2000’s when Ye had scored a big hit when he started producing for none other than Jay-Z, the
biggest rapper alive at the time, on tracks like “This Can’t Be Life” that showcased his soul-
sampling prowess (Tyrangiel, 2005)[13]. But Kanye’s dreams where farther than just being the
cheap local producer, as he also wanted to be a rapper like his peers. At first, he didn’t have any
recognition, and the only way he could have ever become this big, was if he landed a record deal
with Roc-A-Fella, the biggest music label for any up-and-coming rapper (Jay-Z, 2010)[14]. It wasn’t
easy, but after securing the job, he started making it towards his dreams. But, on a late-night drive
to LA in 2002, Kanye suffered a life changing accident involving his car. He was rushed to the
hospital, and his jaw was severely broken in three parts. People thought he wouldn’t be able to rap
again. But he said that the 7 days he spent in the hospital bed, made him reflect on his next move,
and how he was going to take the next path in life. “It was like God said, ‘I’m about to hand you the
world. Just know at any given time I could take it away from you.” West (2002) (Coodie & Chike,
2022)[11]. He had such a drive for success that he couldn’t just let the world crumble like that in
front of his eyes, and even went out of his way to make the hit “Through the Wire”, which he
literally rapped through the wire; his jaw was wired shut when he recorded the song (Callahan-
Bever, 2004)[15]. After some time, he kept making songs for his long-awaited debut album “The
College Dropout”, collaborating with artists like Ludacris, Pharrell Williams, J.Ivy, Mos Def, Talib
Kweli, etc., and after releasing the music video for “Through The Wire”, his record label, Roc-A-
Fella, finally gave him a budget for the album, and even a release date (Ex, 2004)[16]. In the
documentary, you can see just how much he worked for the release of the album. He spent
sleepless nights going to studio to studio, getting the best artists to collaborate with him, and craft
the best track list for the experience of everyone listening (Coodie & Chike, 2022)[11]. He couldn’t
afford to have any bad song on the album. Everyone was expecting only the best for him, and after
getting the iconic cover photo for the LP, which was the “Dropout bear”, the mascot that would
symbolize Kanye in the next years of his life, he had the album ready. The day came, February 10th,
2004, and the album was a huge success. It went on to go 4 times platinum, and made the “local
producer” to go from selling cheap beats in Chicago, to now attending the 47th Grammy awards
(RIAA, 2023)[17]. As expected, he won, but not one, or 2, but three Grammys in the same night
(Grammy.com, 2005)[18]. He won in the most difficult category for any rap artist aspiring to be
someone big in the industry. By winning the “Best Rap Album of the Year” award, it was clear that
he was just getting started in his career, and he wouldn’t slack now, as he had to prove that all that
hunger for greatness, as I like to call it, was real and not just the dream of being another generic
rapper in the USA. So, Kanye now had achieved what he first planned, which was to take off in the
music industry, make the world see his potential, and from there, take it to another level with his
next music releases, and then become the most acclaimed artist in the industry. But this was just
the plan he had on paper; nobody knew what was going to happen from that point forward, and
certainly, he had all the means necessary to win at life, until disaster struck, once again, in 2007.
His mother, Donda West, which was one the most important pieces of Kanye’s life, and what
motivated him so much to the point of no return, had tragically passed away from complications in
the hospital, which destroyed Kanye completely (Harris, 2007)[19]. All that he had worked for, all
the progress, all the passion, had vanished. This is when we really get to know who the real Kanye
West, as in the following years, he showed the true colors, and this might be the reason he is so
controversial, arrogant, and different—traits further amplified by his public feuds, such as with
Drake over production credits (Coscarelli, 2018)[20]. Now that you know who the most acclaimed
artist is, it is time to dive in his life, and at least try to find the reason why he has done some things
in the past.
SOURCES (GIVEN BY GROK)
Sources Cited
Caramanica, J. (2010, November 17). “Kanye West, Still Unfiltered, on Eve of Fifth Album.” The New
York Times. [Streaming era shift.]
Powers, A. (2019, October 25). “Kanye West’s ‘Jesus Is King’ and His History of Reinvention.” NPR.
[Genre fusion, status.]
Pigeons & Planes. (2018, June 1). “How Kanye West Changed the Way We Think About Album
Rollouts.” Complex. [Rollout innovation.]
Kreps, D. (2009, September 14). “Kanye West Storms VMA Stage During Taylor Swift’s Speech.”
Rolling Stone. [VMA incident.]
Coscarelli, J. (2020, July 8). “Kanye West’s 2020 Campaign: Serious Run or PR Stunt?” The New York
Times. [Presidential run.]
Cummings, W. (2018, October 11). “Kanye West Meets Trump, Wears MAGA Hat at White House.”
USA Today. [Trump endorsement.]
Leight, E. (2019, October 25). “Kanye West’s ‘Jesus Is King’ Review.” Rolling Stone. [Sonic
evolution.]
Friedman, V. (2021, July 13). “How Kanye West’s Yeezy Changed Fashion.” The New York Times.
[Fashion impact.]
Hogan, M. (2016, February 11). “How Kanye West’s Albums Define His Eras.” Billboard. [Eras and
influence.]
Dombal, R. (2010, November 22). “Kanye West: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.” Pitchfork.
[Hawaii Sessions.]
Coodie & Chike (Directors). (2022). jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy. Netflix. [Early life, accident.]
Reid, S. (2007, August 21). “No I.D. Talks Kanye West Mentorship.” XXL Magazine. [Mentorship,
MPC.]
Tyrangiel, J. (2005, August 21). “Why You Can’t Ignore Kanye.” Time Magazine. [Jay-Z production.]
Jay-Z. (2010). Decoded. Spiegel & Grau. [Roc-A-Fella deal.]
Callahan-Bever, N. (2004, February). “Kanye West: The Making of The College Dropout.” The Fader.
[“Through the Wire.”]
Ex, K. (2004, February 10). “Kanye West’s The College Dropout Turns 10.” Complex. [Collaborators.]
RIAA. (2023). “Gold & Platinum: Kanye West.” Recording Industry Association of America. [Platinum
status.]
Grammy.com. (2005). “47th Annual Grammy Awards Winners.” [Grammy wins.]
Harris, C. (2007, November 12). “Donda West Dies After Surgical Complications.” MTV News.
[Donda’s death.]
Coscarelli, J. (2018, December 13). “Kanye West and Drake’s Feud Explained.” The New York Times.
[Later controversies.]
