Kanye West

Singer/Songwriter for this Era

He may just seem like another rapper to you but if you actually listen to his lyrics you can see he's not like any rapper out there. His name is Kanye West and he was born in Chicago Illinois. He grew up in the "ghetto" and learned to appreciate life. He didn't learn to really, truly appreciate life until October of 2002. Driving back to his hotel late one night after a recording session, the new-coming rap/hip-hop artist was involved in a devastating, near fatal car accident. The crash left him with a broken jaw in three places and an appreciation for life. Just weeks after being released from the hospital he recorded his first major hit, "Through the Wire," with his mouth still wired shut. He records every song like its going to be his last song and that makes every song better than the last. He's not only a rap artist but also a producer. He has been responsible for being behind songs like Jay-Z's Izzo, Girls, Girls, Girls, The Takeover, and 03 Bonnie and Clyde.

"Through the Wire" was his first hit and it hit hard. With lyrics like:

I must got a angel/ Cuz look like death missed his ass/ Unbreakable/ What you thought they call me Mr. Glass/ I look back on my life like the ghost of Christmas past/ Toys R Us where I used to spend that Christmas cash/ And I still won't grow up/ I'm a grown ass kid/ So I should be like other stupid s**t that I did/ But I'm a champion/ So I turned tragedy to triumph/ Make music that's fire/ Spit my soul through the wires.

Read the lyrics and you'll see why its so universal. If you listen to the "beats" and the rhythm you'll really understand.

One of his most controversial songs came later in his career, it was titled "Jesus Walks," many people didn't want this song to be played but radios did it any way and so did MTV. There is one verse of the song that makes you appreciate his work:

To the hustlers, killers,