The Kanye West Fan Thread

[#hamler]

The Kanye West Fan Thread​

Before you go on, know that this thread is NOT for the Kanye West haters. This thread is not to bash Kanye in anyway. Remember, there is a differnce between bashing and criticizing, please do not bash Kanye in anyway. This is an appreciation thread. Again, feel free to criticize, but know this isn't a thread for Kanye West haters. This thread, if for all things Kanye.

I decided Kayne needed his own thread because it seems as if he doesn't get enough love these days. I for one love the dude, however, I understand some may not.

First up, I'll just post my favorite Kanye song.

Jesus Walks
From the album The College Dropout​

This song starts off real nice. With a nice tempo giving the song a military feel. Kanye's back up vocals start next. Then the chorus is layed down next with some auto tuned Gospel like melody. Kanye's flow is at it's best in this song featuring pitch and volume changes throughout.

Here, Kanye basically explains his feelings of religion, as well as comparing them to society's perspective. In the song, he's admitting that he's made bad choices throughout his life but Jesus is full aware of those decisions and bad choices. He knows that Jesus will always be there. He then goes further telling us how he finds it necessary to sing a song on a contorversial topic that doesn't reveive recognition in the genre he is in. There are songs all over the radio about sex and what not, there's really no more positive inflences anymore. He wants everyone to know of his relationship with Jesus and not to think that because they may not attend church every Sunday, does not that you're not a believer.

I'm not religious in anyway, but Kanye's message here is a great way to live your life. In short he's telling everyone to believe what they believe no matter how lame it may be. Great song.

Now it's your turn...post Kanye West shit.

 

[Murphy]

I really don't care about wrestler's, musician's, footballer's personal lives. Which is why I have never had a problem with Kanye and I think he's talented.

[youtube]FEKEjpTzB0Q[/youtube]

This song makes me happy. The videos awesome aswell.

[youtube]E58qLXBfLrs[/youtube]

Another awesome song, reminds me of The Hangover.

[youtube]YkwQbuAGLj4[/youtube]

I almost like it as much as Curtis's Move on up.

Just three of the many Kanye songs. Jesus Walks is another great song from my favourite Kanye Album. It might be out of the ordinary considering the type music I usually post in this section. But I think he's a very good rapper. I will leave with One more Kanye song.

[youtube]6GzOoyOOfqM[/youtube]

No but seriously he's a talented guy.

 

[#hamler]

Kanye's best album yet...

My Beautiful Dark and Twisted Fantasy​

Whether you think he's an asshole, love him, or hate him. No matter how you feel about Kanye West as a person, My Beautiful Dark and Twisted Fantasy denies you the right to hate Kanye's music simply for his arrogant ways. There's much more to him than meets the eye. Call him and arrogant, egotistical prick if you want, but there's nothing wrong with wanting people to know who you really are and be proud that you're that person. Kanye's new album is his best yet because it reflects who he really is. He isn't 50 Cent trying to act hard, or Lil Wayne trying to act...well...hard.

He's Kanye West talking about his troubles in the recent year or so. This album is more 'him' than any album he's done. And you know what's better, Kanye is setting an example of what main stream hip hop should be about. Songs should be dynamic, personal, and it's gotta deliver a message. Kanye does this very well throughout this album. It's hard finding passion in main stream hip hop these days and Kanye does have passion for what he does and My Beautiful Dark and Twisted Fantasy proves my statement and opinion.

Recommended songs: well, pretty much all of it. I'd advise everyone to actually by the deluxe album which is only $5 extra. The deluxe edition comes with a short film Runaway where you can see how the whole album tells a great story song by song. Like I said, a work of art.

 

[#hamler]

Justifying a "Shitty" Album...

808s and Heartbreak​

How many rappers can you think of, that don't need to rap on an single track to make a hit album?

The heavily shitted on 808s and Heartbreak, Kanye's 4th studio album, is often looked at as Kanye's single worse album. His first two albums were very successful. Both Late Registration and The College Dropout, featured great tracks and were somewhat flawless. However, in his third album, Kanye showed signs of slowing down. Graduation, while a good album, saw him running out of fresh ideas. Like a lot of other main stream rappers, he became a bit too reliant on sampling other songs- getting rid of the very thing that made him stand out. For example, the track Stronger simply had Kanye's voice over the Daft Punk song Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger, and simply recording wasn't very Kanye of Kanye.

So Kanye needed a change- a change of style. Throw that in with the passing of his mother and calling it quits with his girl, you get this somewhat smoother, more relaxing album. Kanye made a very bold move with this album, stepping into the unknown..and dammit, he stuck the landing. It was rap free. No hip hop. No egotistical slurs, no hoes and whatnot. 808s & Heartbreak featured an R&B style mixed with huge amounts of Auto-Tuned lyrics.

808s & Heartbreak is not a great album, but what it says about the man behind its creation is remarkable...no...amazing.

Recommended Songs-

Heartless. Yeah, so many people shit on the song but there's a reason it's been downloaded so many times. Pretty much, the song is catchy. Not to indepth to understand but very lyrical. He's basically calling his old girlfriend well..heartless.

Love Lockdown is the second single from the album features a tribal tempo with very well laid out lyrics. This is probabaly my favorite track from the album which is good enough for a listen.

Pinocchio Story- the song you guys likely haven't heard. It was released as a bonus track on some of the later albums I believe. It's a live recording/freestyle from a concert in Singapore. Here, he compares himself to Pinocchio in the sense that his own life lacked depth, that he yearns for a simple, family-oriented social life instead of the pressure of fame, and thus he states 'I just wanna be a real boy'. He did this on VH1 Storytellers too I believe.

See You in my Nightmare is a song that features Lil Wayne in a great way. Here, Weezy does a great job of accompanying West's lyrics with smooth vocals. Like the rest of the album, the track is heavily sedated by Auto-Tune.

Welcome to Heartbreak featuring Kid Cudi. Smooth lyrics and a nice melody.

 

[#hamler]

Go Hard
By DJ Kahled feat. T-Pain & Kanye West​

Another Kanye song. This is on the second track of Kahled's We Global, Go Hard. He talks about how he knows that he’s so sick with himself because of how big of a cocky asshole he is. All that while giving a phenomenal final 4 bars -- "I guess its gon be what its gon be, but heres one thing you got to hear, Imma tell you like George Bush told me, fuck y'all n*ggaz I'm out of here." That is the best line in the whole song. But he’s only speaking the brutal, gut wrenching truth that made me love Kanye in the first place. One of the best rhyming jobs I've heard from Kanye.This song doesn't need the usual Akon, Ludacris, Ace Hood, Fat Joe and the rest of the DJ Kahled klan, Kanye does fine on his own and that video's proof.

 

[#hamler]

[Yt]0FrmK8qQBuQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/MEDIA]
That's My Bitch
Kanye West & Jay-Z feat. La Roux​

The title to the album (Watch the Throne) fits both of these guys as they are currently running the rap game. Kanye's latest album was amazing and his best yet. Kanye West and Jay-Z released this song a couple months ago off their collaborative album Watch The Throne (which was suppose to come out already, dammit). Kanye, Jay-Z, and Q-Tip produced the beat and the chick from La Roux goes in on the hook. The song titled That’s My Bitch, is good but it doesn’t feel completely finished. It still needs a bit of polish, that being said, even if it's a sample of what's to come, it’s still an awesome track and definitely has me more excited for Watch The Throne. The song flies by so your repeat button is very necessary. When the album comes out, I'll be sure to post my full thoughts on this and the other tracks on the EP.

 

[#hamler]

Kanye West and Runaway

Written and Directed by Kanye West & Hype Williams​

Has anyoane actually seen this video? How ballsy does a hip hop artist have to be to even consider something like this. The film starts with the first track off the album- Dark Fantasy as we see Kanye running down the street. Then there’s a short scene featuring the instruments and samples from Power before going into his single, All of the Lights. The centerpoint of the film is up next with a lengthy performence of Runway. The tenth track from the album Blame Game featuring John Legend is up next. And finally, the film then ends with the eleventh track off the album, Lost in the World, which is easily the most beautiful, relaxing and smooth track on the album. The relationship between the Pheonix and West compliment the album shows us the creative side of Kanye West. It's like a looking inside another man's dream.

The music really shows how much of an all around artist West (as a director) truly is. His acting may be atrocious, but his directing for the film is very artsy and surreal, and it delivers. Here, Kanye accomplishes what he set out to do: create a well-put together music video that is (like I said earlier) totally ballsy in the world of hip hop. Lady Gaga has shit on Kanye's sense of style and ability to produce a short-film which shows us the inside of the creative mind that is Kanye West. Don't get confused, it’s not just a music video for the song Runaway, it’s a music video for the rest of the album.

Very Recommended: Phenomenal imagery, excellent use of the soundtrack and it is something you think about long after you’ve seen it. I'll even go so far as to compare it to Michael Jackson's Thriller short film. It is so hard to find rappers today who invest themselves this deeply in their videos and artistic products. It's quite inspiring to watch Kanye's vision of his album come out in the short film. I highly recommend checking it out.

 

[#hamler]

Monster
By Kanye West feat. Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj & Bon Iver​

This shit is just weird, but in a good way. I'm going to try an focus a bit on both the music video and the song itself. Kanye wasn't satisfied from having the greatest hip hop album of 2010, he is determined to conquer the form of the mainstream hip hop music video. He realizes that it’s not enough to be musically great if one doesn’t have amazing visuals to accompany the amazing sounds.

The stamp of the drums maintains a tribal intensity like some of the other tracks from the album. The Kayboard comes in oh so lightly as it lays over the the mountianous terrain of the drums. The beat doesn't inspire dancing as much as it does uncontrollable head-nodding. The song seems to be about how Superstars are treated like monsters. The fans feed off of them for entertainment and whatnot. The 'superstars' become the literal monsters, developing appetites for the adortion they are showered with on a daily basis.

As for the video, like I said...weird. It's a collage of disturbing but yet very artsy imagery. Rick Ross sits in a red jacket smoking a cigar with dead women hanging all around him as if they were exected. Kanye stands at a gate while doing the chorus, while hands are pawing and grabing though the gate. The next moment, Ye is chillin in bed with two women who appear to have overdosed or perhaps they are dead. Kanye positions them in a more pleasurable like a serial killer admiring his work.

Jay-Z verse is up next. He's in a nice ass suit with a dead woman on the couch. Kanye is up next as he's dressed like some kind of detective or something. Guess what he's doing? Holding a severed head of a white girl or something. I don't know why I marked out. Nicki Minaj is up next dressed in a kinky outfit. She then torments the Barbie Doll, Pink haired version of herself...like a porno. Nicki vs. Nicki is the highlight of the video. Very well done.

Great video. It's amazing to watch Kanye's visions come to life. Especially here. Unlike the rest of his album, this video or song isn't too artsy. The video itself is filled with great shots of weirdness...and dammit, I like it. Some main stream hip hop fans won't like the video as it is totally different from the typical music video. I heard rumour MTV banned the vid because of the gore and whatnot, but thankfully those were just rumours. Once I see this in high definition, it will probably grow on me.

Video

Recommended. Not highly recommended but definitely recommended. Not too high on this one. It's definitely a curve ball. You no like? Kanye doesn't care what you like. Everyone, a fan of the music or not, you still have to appreciate the artistic ability of Kanye West.

Track

Very Recommended. Yes. The Music Video may not be the best thing ever but the song is definitely something to bob your head to. If you like hip hop, here you go. Seems very main streamy. It's been on repeat for a while now.

 

[ARLO]

You seem pretty lonely in this thread Hamler, but I'm a fellow Kanye fan and I thought I'd just post some of my favourite songs either by him or featuring him


GOOD MORNING
This is one of those songs that are a bit to explain. The music to it makes you think of 808s & Heartbreak, but he actually raps over it.
I think the best way to find out about this is to just have a listen:

Spoiler

[YOUTUBE]6CHs4x2uqcQ[/YOUTUBE]

PARANOID
The only song I like of 808s & heartbreak. The music is really catchy and his voice actually sounds good. The hook actually gets stuck in my head easily. It's one of those songs I find myself singing when bored in class lol.

Spoiler

[YOUTUBE]irBP5FnksKc&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]

MAKE HER SAY (Kid Cudi)
Every thing about this song is catchy. Definitely the most underrated Cudi song.
I bring this up coz IMO Kanye's verse is the best. Cudi's is a close second but Common sounds like he's only been speaking English a month or two.
An interesting fact on the video; at no point during filming it were all three guys together. Each rappers part was filmed in different cities at different times.

Spoiler

[YOUTUBE]Xt22KvnRSL4&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]

ALL OF THE LIGHTS
Probs my favourite off the new album.
The description under the video says this: "Kanye West feat. Rihanna and Kid Cudi with vocals by Fergie, Charlie Wilson, John Legend, Tony Williams, Alicia Keys, La Roux, The Dream, Ryan Leslie, Alvin Fields and Ken Lewis."! What the fuck?! How many fuckin people?!
Whatever, it's a mad song, check it out. Skip to 1.05 for the actual song.

Spoiler

[YOUTUBE]HAfFfqiYLp0[/YOUTUBE]

Thanks guys, let's keep this thread rolling. Post your vids, Kanye fans!

 

[Cracka Jack]

Kanye's best album yet...

My Beautiful Dark and Twisted Fantasy​

Whether you think he's an asshole, love him, or hate him. No matter how you feel about Kanye West as a person, My Beautiful Dark and Twisted Fantasy denies you the right to hate Kanye's music simply for his arrogant ways. There's much more to him than meets the eye. Call him and arrogant, egotistical prick if you want, but there's nothing wrong with wanting people to know who you really are and be proud that you're that person. Kanye's new album is his best yet because it reflects who he really is. He isn't 50 Cent trying to act hard, or Lil Wayne trying to act...well...hard.

He's Kanye West talking about his troubles in the recent year or so. This album is more 'him' than any album he's done. And you know what's better, Kanye is setting an example of what main stream hip hop should be about. Songs should be dynamic, personal, and it's gotta deliver a message. Kanye does this very well throughout this album. It's hard finding passion in main stream hip hop these days and Kanye does have passion for what he does and My Beautiful Dark and Twisted Fantasy proves my statement and opinion.

Recommended songs: well, pretty much all of it. I'd advise everyone to actually by the deluxe album which is only $5 extra. The deluxe edition comes with a short film Runaway where you can see how the whole album tells a great story song by song. Like I said, a work of art.

Very much agreed. This album is an absolute masterpiece in every sense of the word. Easily his best album, and pretty much the best album I've heard in a long time. It amazes me how much complexity there is to it, with how many sounds he layers at a time, especially with vocals, and all of the guest appearances fit in perfectly. Anyone who hasn't heard it yet needs to, for their own sake. It may take a few listens to fully appreciate to its fullest (it did for me), but it will be well worth it.

It's funny now thinking how I used to hate Kanye, and this was before the whole Taylor Swift thing happened. Now I don't think I could possibly hate the man as long as he keeps making music like this.

 

[Captain Morgan Freeman]

Ive been a big fan of kanye west ever since i first heard his song diamonds of sierra leone which is just a rapping masterclass. I admire the way he hasent taken the whole tough guy image of other rappers like "50 cent" and "lil wayne" that is used by most rappers theese days.

He also deserves alot of credit for getting his career back on track after the whole taylor swift thing. What better way to silence your critics then by bringing out the album of the year.
But yeah big thumbs up to kanye for changing his sound along the way and coming through all the bad stuff that he has had to deal with.

As for my favourite song ill have to go for flashing lights ft dwele just listening to this song while im driving my car at night time is pure bliss for me

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/user/KanyeWestVEVO?feature=artistob#p/u/25/ila-hAUXR5U[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Mac Attack]

So I just saw this thread and the truth is I'm an avid Kanye supporter. I think that I liked him bfore his run in with the Swift, however he has truly redeemed himself and he has done a lot of good things ever since. I quite enjoy him doing things with other artists because I think this is overall better, however one song that I really enjoy from him is Power which he did alone. This song can be one of my warm-up songs for a workout or I listen to it for fun. This is one of those guys who have made mistakes howveer decided to fix them, which in a way reminds me of my WrestleZone career.

 

[#hamler]

So I just saw this thread and the truth is I'm an avid Kanye supporter. I think that I liked him bfore his run in with the Swift, however he has truly redeemed himself and he has done a lot of good things ever since. I quite enjoy him doing things with other artists because I think this is overall better, however one song that I really enjoy from him is Power which he did alone. This song can be one of my warm-up songs for a workout or I listen to it for fun. This is one of those guys who have made mistakes howveer decided to fix them, which in a way reminds me of my WrestleZone career.

That, my friend, is the point I've been tryng to get across for sometime on these forums. There's no doubt the guy is a tremendous asshole. He's cocky, big-headed, and has done some terrible things. But he, like all of us, faced some obstacles. But when he overcomes those obstacles, people still don't like him. He's a wonderful musician. Very in depth, artsy, and detailed when it comes to producing and rapping his music. He doesn't get enough credit.

Ive been a big fan of kanye west ever since i first heard his song diamonds of sierra leone which is just a rapping masterclass. I admire the way he hasent taken the whole tough guy image of other rappers like "50 cent" and "lil wayne" that is used by most rappers theese days.

I think I love you. Lol. Kanye isn't afraid to wear pink and dress what many consider weird. That's what makes Kanye stand out. He doesn't present himself as a tough guy who has been shot 8 times. His music video's and songs all prove he isn't the everyday rapper. Flashin Lights review coming soon.

But yeah big thumbs up to kanye for changing his sound along the way and coming through all the bad stuff that he has had to deal with.

That's what I like to hear.

Very much agreed. This album is an absolute masterpiece in every sense of the word. Easily his best album, and pretty much the best album I've heard in a long time. It amazes me how much complexity there is to it, with how many sounds he layers at a time, especially with vocals, and all of the guest appearances fit in perfectly. Anyone who hasn't heard it yet needs to, for their own sake. It may take a few listens to fully appreciate to its fullest (it did for me), but it will be well worth it.

It's funny now thinking how I used to hate Kanye, and this was before the whole Taylor Swift thing happened. Now I don't think I could possibly hate the man as long as he keeps making music like this.

Thanks for posting. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy really is oine of the better albums not just in hip hop, but one of the best in music in 2010. Like you said, it takes multiple listens to get the full effect of the album. Vocals and producing make this album great and I'm glad there is someone else on these forums who speaks high of this album as I do. Again, thanks for posting.

Thanks guys, let's keep this thread rolling. Post your vids, Kanye fans!

This. Very much this. Thank you to the select few Kanye fans on these forums. You've all been repped.

 

[#hamler]

Flashing Lights
By Kanye West feat. Dwele​

As promised, a short review of one of Kanye's best songs not only off of his album Graduation, but one of the best songs we've ever heard from Mr. West, Flashing Lights. Find the video on Youtube, sorry, I didn't have the time to look it up. Flashing Lights tells a wonderful story. The music video gives the lyrics a twist.

The song is about a someone (perhaps Kanye) who is caught cheating with another woman while away. He tries to apologize to the girl but is unsuccessful. In the video, it shows just how unsuccessful he was when we see him in the trunk of the car in the music video. Kanye spits out the lyrics.

I get a call like where are you Yeezy. Try to hit you with a ‘Oeur de Whopee’, Till I get flashed by the paparazzi. Damn, these n*ggaz got me.

The cheating basterd is caught with pictures taking by the paparazzi out with his mistress prehaps having lunch all hugged up together. Kanye shows us that the boyfriend of the story feels bad for what he has done, and wants her to know that as well; hoping they can hpook back up when he returns, and pick up where they left off. Later stating (“I know it’s been a while sweetheart, we hardly talk, I was doing my thing. I know I was foul bay-bay...)

If somebody would’ve told me a year ago it’d go, get this difficult. Feeling like Katrina with no FEMA. Like Martin with no Gina. Like a flight with no visa.

These lyrics show just how ineffective the guy's apology was.

]But I never thought that you would take it this far. What do I know?

The guy never knew she would go as far as to actually kill him for a mistake he has made. But then again what does he know? In the video, the last thing he sees is the fire lit by the girl before he dies.

The video does a great job at complimenting the song. While many people get confused by the video, I believe it helps you understand the lyrics a bit more. The song, by any means, is not hard to understand. But at the same time it takes a few listens to get a good grasp on what it is exactly you're listening to. The point I'll try to get across here is how great of a poet Kanye can be. When you compare the video to the actual lyrics you'll see just how two very different things are alike when you look closely.

Great Listen! The lyrics, beat, sound, everything in the song fit so well. The song last only about 3 minutes (4 minutes on the album) which is incredibly short for a Kanye song. But by far one of Kanye's best works.

 

[#hamler]

[Yt]svD8D4QET3Q&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/MEDIA]
Hell of a Life
By Kanye West​

I've heard this song a couple times since buying Kanye's last album, never really paying that much attention to it. After a couple listens I really got into it. Now, I play the song at least twice a day.

Hoes, Hoes and more ****ty hoes. Typical rap song right? Rather than focusing on what they can do to him, Kanye presents these kinds of girls as lawbreakers, brave enough to do and act on the kind of stuff society looks down upon. In the third verse, Kanye raps “one day, I’m gonna marry a porn star,” and then envisions their chaotic life together (“nothing to hide, we both screwed the bridesmaid”).

In the song, Kanye compare sex to: Fashion, which sells sex and the body just like porn, which is just as abusive to the females involved in the industry, point their finger at the porn industry. The “fucked with the lights on” line, touches on the world we see and the real world and Kanye’s going to turn all the lights on, de-idealize everything, and give you that real world.

Verse two mostly concerns itself with the hypocritical standards of the porn industry, who value porn stars based on what they will or will not do, and notes that a porn star’s reputation is changed, if she does anal, a gang bang, or fuck black guys. This verse comes after verse one, which mostly idealizes the porn star’s “bad bitch” qualities. That being said, the “don’t do black guys or gang-bangs” rule is more the fault of the industry than the porn star herself.

In verse four, he falls in love, “Got married in the bathroom…honeymoon on the dance floor…got divorced by the end of the night.” Kanye sings those lines over a beautiful church choir. The song soon ends with numerous sex noises and Kanye breathing heavily. A metronome clicks representing that time is running out for Kayne. He can't live like this, lost in this shit.

Catchy-good ass song. I wasn't sure about this one at first but after understanding the lyrics and listening a couple times, I've play it often. Hell of a Life is a great song that samples Black Sabbath’s Iron Man (yeah I didn't even notice this until I played it for a friend). This is probably the most hip hoppy, explicit, main stream sounding, song on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Nice beat, funny meaning all around cool song to bob your head too. Listen to it.

 

[#hamler]

All Of The Lights
By Kanye West feat. Rihanna & a bunch others...​

(By "a bunch others" I mean Alicia Keys, John Legend, The-Dream, Drake, Fergie, Kid Cudi, Elton John, Ryan Leslie, Charlie Wilson, Tony Williams, Elly Jackson, Alvin Fields and Ken Lewis but Rihanna is the only one who is featured as a guest on the track. All these voices were mixed into one magically sounding voice.)

Listen to the Interlude. Its a simple Piano/Violin begining, nothing more. But it sounds great. I couldn't find a video of the actual interlude but make sure you look for it. After the beautiful, militaristic blaring French horn intro (ballsy hip hop dude) Kanye introduces an ass load of tricked-out sounds- buzzing synths, an orgy of soulful vocals, and a super trebly programmed snare to make out the beat.

Lyrically, Kanye is still great. West grave images of spousal abuse and police chases somehow perfectly matching the crazy mood of the music. Indeed, the “lights” of the song’s title aren’t just those of the night club- lyrics include “cop lights flashlights, spotlights, strobe lights, street lights, all of the lights, all of the lights,” create a feeling of ecstasy.

Listen to this song, and get use to it. This song is by far from the best on the album (in my opinion) but this song may be the most played behind Power (which seems to have faded away). This song is great. Like the rest of the album, this song is head bobbing worthy. Its sound is different from that of a regular hip hop song and that is classic Kanye. Give the song a listen.

I'll try to do a music video post of the song later.

 

[#hamler]

Hamler Presents:
Kanye West's Top 5 Sampled Songs​

5. Through the Wire - Sampled Chaka Khan's Through the Fire

You seriously wanna know how awesome Kanye West is? Would you have the balls to record a solo debut record with you jaw wired shut? Well, Kanye's balls are huge and he did just that. Kanye took Chaka Khan's Through the Fire, spiked up the voice, and changed a couple words to make it his own, Through the Wire. People and even most fans don't realize how great the accident that occured just days before this song's recording truly was. The accident inspired, not only Through the Wire, but also his entire rap career. Roc-A-Fella Records would've never gave Kanye a record deal had it not been for his hugely talked about single Through the Wire.

4. Jesus Walks - Sampled Arc Choir's Walk With Me

This song starts off real nice. With a nice tempo giving the song a military feel. Kanye's back up vocals start next. Then the chorus is layed down next with some auto tuned Gospel like melody. Kanye's flow is at it's best in this song featuring pitch and volume changes throughout. This song would've ranked at least number two had it not been for Kanye simply layering a bass line over the sampled song. Great song overall though.

3. Gold Digger - Sampled Ray Charles' I Got a Woman

What do you do when you can't get Ray Charles to sing on a record for you? Do you pack your bags, go home and call it quits? Most likely, that's what you'd do. But Kanye didn't. Kanye went on, said fuck you and got the next best thing; someone who just so happened to play Ray Charles in a movie, Jamie Foxx. And Foxx does a wonderful job here. The song is about...well, Gold Diggers. Quite good song actually. During 2004, you could not go anywhere without hearing this song. Clubs, bars, radio, movies, anywhere you went, this song was there pumping the surrounding area up.

2. Power - Sampled King Crimson's 21st Century Schizoid Man

Ah, Power. One of my favorite tracks from Kanye's recently dropped album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy that samples King Crimson's Protest Prog Rock song 21st Century Schizoid Man. In fact, the day the song leaked, King Crimson's name along with Kanye's was trending all over Twitter. Hilarious right? Well that just shows how awsome Kanye is. Only a brilliant Kanye would think to use this style of song to use for his own.

1. Stronger - Sampled Daft Punk's Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

Kanye's taste is music is all over the place. He's sampled rock songs, gospel songs, and now, techno. That's right, Kanye takes the very famous Daft Punk song Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger and simply layers his voice over the music. This song was and is way to popular not to be number one. Many people and fans say this is Kanye's best song and while I may not agree, he still does a phenomenal job. In my opinion, this song is where Kanye began falling off. Here, he relied way too much on the original track. But still, that doesn't stop the song from being the number one sampled Kanye West song as it is probably the most notable, famous and recognizable song in Kanye's hip hop career.

Bonus

Diamonds From Sierra Leone - Sampled Theme Song from James Bond Film, Diamonds are Forever, sung by Shirley Bassey.

Kanye, you son of a bitch. How the hell do you think of this stuff. Kanye has sampled basically every type of music genre...like ever. Now, he moves on to tv and movie themes. Who honestly would've thought to use this song here? This song is phenomenal and best of all, it's not too heavily sampled base. Meaning Kanye added in most of his own effects while still utilizing the main sampled song.

 

[#hamler]

A Harbor City, California man who was behind the leaking of Kanye West’s third studio release, Graduation, in 2007 has entered a guilty plea for conspiracy to commit copyright infringement. The leak originated from a file upload to an underground music site, “Old School Classics”, while Montejano was working at a disc manufacturing plant for Universal Music Group.Investigators have uncovered more than 27,000 unauthorized files from Montejano’s computer that could be worth up to $30,000. If convicted, Rick Montejano faces up to 5 years in federal prison, 3 years of parole and a hefty $250,000 fine—a lot to pay for a few moments of fame.

Well, justice has been served. I'm sure a lot of you remember the big 'free music on the internetz is wrong' deal back in 2007. Well, this man has been fined for leaking Kanye West's Graduation before it even hit shelves. I gotta say, they must be serious about this leaking shit. I wonder if Kanye had anything to do with this or if it was all the exectives and whatnot who decided to press charges? Which also poses the question, how the hell do you get a hold of unreleased music?

Two months after the release of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Kanye’s triumphant “All of the Lights” was released as a single. As of May 2011, “All of the Lights” has reached the 1,000,000 digital sales mark, officially certifying it platinum. The news comes two weeks after the song ascended to #18 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Big news here. Kanye's All of the Lights finally hit certified platinum in digital sales. Like I said in a previous post, this song isn't going anywhere anytime soon. There's no doubt Kanye put more work into this song more than any other on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and his efforts are paying off.

The single follows in it's album's footsteps as they are both certified platinum.

 

[#hamler]

E.T. (Extra Terrestrial)
By Katy Perry feat. Kanye West​

For five non consecutive weeks, E.T. ass raped Billboards Hot 100 by placing number one. Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Ireland and the United Kingdom have also welcomed the song into the nice number one spot. It is certified DOUBLE (yes double) Platinum. Awesome song. The reason I like this song so much may be due to the fact that someone as popular as Katy Perry isn't worried about hurting her reputation by working with the widely hated Kanye West. Perry utilized a different style here. Instead of the upbeat Hot n Cold and California Gurls, Perry gives us something way different in feeling. E.T. is dark, sexual, and lyrically phenomenal at the same time with an amazing hook.

Wait...this isn't a thread about Katy Perry. This is Kanye's bitch...

E.T. begins with a typically amazing verse from Yeezy. Kanye is a rapper who sometimes seems to loosen up when he’s not aresponsible for making the beat which hardly happens . West sounds energized, funny and right at home with the subject matter - falling for someone who’s out of this world (Runaway short film anyone?).

Katy Perry with a bit more colorful lyrics.

Back to Kanye. West returns to the track for its conclusion. Here, he's simply playing around with heavy auto-tunes in his vocals. By the time Perry finishes the song with one final chorus, it’s a foregone conclusion: Katy Perry and Kanye West make a hell of a duet and should work together again whenever they can. Gaga has nothing on this song, especially when's she's never worked with the oh so delightful Kanye West.

 

[#hamler]

G.O.O.D. Music Record Label
Founded by Kanye West​

Lil Wayne has Young Money, 50 Cent has G-Unit, and Eminem has Shady/Aftermath. Well, in 2004, Kanye found himself a group of guys to start his own record label with. Among these group of guys were some of the greatest entertianers of that time. Both Common and John Legend were signed to G.O.O.D Music. Both Common's and Legend's first albums on the label were awarded with a total of 7 Grammy Nominations and Legend's going Certified Platinum. No I.D. is the record label president. No I.D. is a mentor to Kanye West and Kanye often mentions him as an inspiration.

Performers signed to the label include the founder Kanye West, Common, John Legend, Pusha T, Big Sean, Kid Cudi, Mr Hudson, Mos Def, Malik Yusef, Cyhi Da Prynce, and Hit-Boy.

Upcoming albums include:

Pusha T - Fear of God 2: Let Us Pray
Big Sean - Finally Famous: The Album
Kayne West - Watch The Throne
Common - The Dreamer the Believer
Kid Cudi - To Be Continuum
Cyhi Da Prynce - Royal Flush 2 and The Allies

Just letting some of you know, I'll probably start posting a bit from these guys.

 

[Dwayne_Jason]

People don't seem to understand Kanye very well. With the whole Taylor West shit they think he's some arrogant prick.

First off, tell me who else had the balls to come to the stage and say exactly what most people were thinking about after all that hype about Taylor West was done.

Second, not only did Taylor West benefit off of this, her career went to new heights...in oblivion. Where's Kanye today? He just released the biggest album of 2010. Taylor West? Like every other flash in the bang artist, nowhere to be found.

Kanye's a creative genius. Call him what you like but the fact of the matter is very few people have had a music video as fucking...weird and amazing as West has.


His interviews on Youtube even show his views on many things and he's an extreme personality which is rare in an industry that demands comformity (and please don't tell me gaga is non-conformist. She's conformist. She just has a fashion sense of an anime convention). His anti-censorship, and extreme view on most things happening around the world are not only impressive but shocking. Many people hate him for it but frankly, he's one of the rappers who said "I don't care" and popularized it.

With that, I give you the newest Kanye song:


[YOUTUBE]HAfFfqiYLp0[/YOUTUBE]


Lights. The song's about lights. The chorus is all lights. Kanye is singing about the mommy and daddy relationship in the ghetto. Despite the base light chorus by Rihanna Kanye is exploring a relationship between a man and a woman.

The beat's mostly techno mostly because of its relationship of "club lights"


So there you go. That's why Kanye's awesome

 

[#hamler]

G.O.O.D. Music's
Big Sean - Debut Album

Finally Famous: The Album​

As promised, I'm back with a member of Kanye's G.O.O.D. Music roster with the Detroit born Big Sean. Big Sean built his buzz through his acclaimed Finally Famous mixtape trilogy and now he's going big with his debut album sporting the same name: Finally Famous. As expected the final list of guest features is impressive with names like Kanye West (duh), Pharrell, Lupe Fiasco, The Dream, Chris Brown John Legend, Wiz Khalifa, Rick Ross, Pusha-T, Dwele, Chiddy Bang and Roscoe Dash. With a crew like that, Big Sean's debut album will be nothing but huge. After three and a half years in the making, Big Sean is just about ready to finally become famous! ...and I promise, he will be someone big.

The official track listing was revealed Thursday and includes the following songs and guest appearences:

1. Intro - Produced by: Kevin Randolph, Key Wane
2. I Do It - Produced by: No I.D., The Legendary Traxster
3. My Last - feat. Chris Brown Produced by: No I.D
4. Don’t Tell Me You Love Me - Produced by: No I.D
5. Wait For Me - feat. Lupe Fiasco Produced by: No I.D., Exile
6. Marvin & Chardonnay - feat. Kanye West & Roscoe Dash Produced by: Pop Wansel, Mike Dean
7. Dance (A$$) - Produced by: Da Internz
8. Get It (DT) - feat. Pharrell Produced by: The Neptunes
9. Memories (Part II) - feat. John Legend Produced by: No I.D
10. High - feat Wiz Khalifa & Chiddy Bang Produced by: Xaphoon Jones
11. Live This Life - feat. The Dream Produced by: No I.D
12. So Much More - Produced by: No I.D
13. What Goes Around - (Bonus Track) Produced by: No I.D
14. Celebrity feat. Dwele (Bonus Track) - Produced by: Filthy Rockwell No I.D
15. My House (Bonus Track) Produced by: Boi-1da
16. 100 Keys feat. Rick Ross & Pusha T (Bonus Track) Produced by Hilton and Brian Wright (WrighTrax Productions)


Here's "Memories" from his most recent mix tape.

Spoiler

[Yt]PCCW3Uker6g&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/MEDIA]

 

[ARLO]

Heard 'Em Say (Ft. Adam Levine)

[YOUTUBE]elVF7oG0pQs[/YOUTUBE]


OK Hamler, I'm back. I'll post one song and give my thoughts and some facts.

This song kicks off with one of the best soundbites in any hip-hop song, the iconic "Wake up Mr. West!".
There's a pretty funny back story here. Kanye and Adam Levine (front man from Maroon 5) sat with each other on a flight to Rome 2004 MTV Europe Music Awards when they befriended each other. Kanye was playing him demos for Late Registration when this one came up. Adam instinctively wrote a perfect hook on the spot and Adam offered it to Kanye. Kanye hesitated because his first album didn't garner him very much mainstream popularity so he though having Levine on a track would overshadow him. He was convinced however after listening to Maroon 5 rehearse backstage.

To me Heard Em Say is all about him being honest with himself and seeing the world for what it's worth. The video is a bit strange and I'm not sure if it fits the song perfectly. The whole story of the kid setting the car on fire and then flying away with Kanye is just a bit weird for me. I do like the fact that levine actually features in the video and we don't just here his voice like some other songs.

The song peaked at 26 on the Billboard Hot 100, which I think is way to low for such a beautiful song. Even in the RnB/Hip-Hop section it only made it to 17. But to this day fans & critics alike agree that it is one of his best songs. Critics loved it for it's subtle musicality.

So in conclusion, Heard 'Em Say is one of Kanye West's most underrated songs. It is also one of his best. I think if anyone doesn't own this they need to go get it.

Keep posting, Kanye fans!​

 

[#hamler]

Hamler Presents:
Kanye West's Top 5 Most Underrated Songs​

5. Through the Wire - From Kanye's album The College Dropout

Need I say it again? I think I do. Would you have the balls to record a solo debut record with your jaw wired shut? Well, Kanye's balls are huge and he did just that. One of Kanye's most underrated songs features samples from Chaka Khan's Through the Fire. This song seems to get little recognition on various internet sites. Through the Wire launched one of the biggest hip hop icons in the last decade in Kanye West. Without this song, Roc-A-Fella would have never signed West to any type of music deal. Now, thanks to Kanye's first hit single, he's where he is now. Through the Wire could have easily been number one my list if it had not been for the damn repeat button on my iPod.

4. Heard Em' Say - From Kanye's album Late Registration

My homie ARLO wrote about this very underrated song in the post above and like him, I am another big fan of Heard Em' Say. Like ARLO stated, "the song peaked at 26 on the Billboard Hot 100, which I think is way to low for such a beautiful song" which is a beautiful point. There isn't much to say here. If you want more info on the song ARLO is ya boy.

3. Barry Bonds - From Kanye's album Graduation

There isn't much to say about this song. The beat is fucking awesome as well as the lyrics...wait, that can be said for most of Kanye's songs. Anyway, in short Kanye compares himself to a different type of hit maker. Barry Bonds and Kanye West are both very accomplished in their line of work, yet highly scrutinized for everything they have achieved. I haven't heard this song in quite a while but damn it's actually stuck in my head. One of my favorite Kanye West songs.

2. Spaceship - From Kanye's album The College Dropout

This song is perfect for any one who is feeling like life is kicking their ass at the moment. Spaceship has got this crazy mellow groove that is awesome for cruisin'. This song is definitely something to bop your head to. Spaceship samples the Marvin Gaye's Distant Lover. It's basically a song about the hardships throughout life and the yearning of freedom. If you ask me, a definitive underrated song.

1. Bring Me Down - From Kanye's album Late Registration

Number one bitch. Well, after making a list, marking out a few songs, and choosing just five, I have decided a number one pick. And no this song is not as self centered as some of you may think. Kanye is saying that nobody was ever there for him when he went through his life-threatening situation (LYRICS "It's funny how these wack n*ggas need my help, Walkin' around when I couldn't feed myself"). He basically puts his life on the track, explaining how no one would ever give him a chance to become a rapper/producer. Roc-A-Fella would not sign him as a rapper, but just wanted him for his beats. Now that Kanye has blown up and is becoming a fucking awesome talent, everyone is trying to get with him, and he ain't having that. Basically, he's throwing all the fake people out from his sight, and concentrating on the real of it all.

Bonus

Monster - From Kanye's album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Just rewatched the video for the song. Ha, I love it. Kanye's verse is awesome and even the people who can't stand the dude have to admit it's awesome. Jay-z verse is the low point of the song but at the same time, a bit underrated as well. He spits hard lyrics and rhymes well. Not a huge fan of Nicki Minaj but her verse goes incredibly hard meanig she spits very well. If I were not such a huge Kanye fan, I'd have to say her verse was the best. This song hasn’t really been out too long so I really can't say if it's totally underrated yet (hence why it's a bonus track).

 

[#hamler]

Off of Kanye West and Jay-Z’s soon to be released collaboration album Watch The Throne​

I’m going hard as a motherfucker goes Kanye West and Jay-Z. H.A.M. is the debut single from the up coming collaboration album Watch The Throne. Although a Kanye self produced beat would have been great for the first single off Watch The Throne, but Kanye got the next best thing, Lex Luger. Lex has produced numerous beats for main stream rappers like Waka Flaka Flame but it definitely sounds different enough to set it apart from Luger’s other popular works.

Jay-Z actually seems to be working hard on this album. His flow is phenomenal in this song and his lyrics makes is seem he is trying for the first time in years. Here, Jay-Z is simply trying to let us know how hard it is to be in his shoes (LYRICS “Fuck y'all mad at me for? Y'all don't even know what I've been through.I played chicken with a Mack truck, y'all muthafuckas woulda been moved”).

Recommended. A great listen. But I don’t think it would have hurt to add someone from the GOOD music roster or even someone popular like Eminem to boost the star power to even more outrages heights. Catchy song and even though it was not the best I have heard from these two, it is definitely a good single to represent the Watch The Throne project.