140-405: " Low Lights " (also stylized as " Lowlights ") is a song by American recording artist Kanye West from his seventh studio album, The Life of Pablo (2016). It was produced by West, DJDS and Mike Dean , while the lyrics were written by West, Dean, Jerome Potter, Samuel Griesemer and Sandy Rivera . DJDS worked on the album for three consecutive weeks after meeting West, with the latter sharing
280-484: A 529 plan to fully cover college tuition for Floyd's daughter. West made cameo appearances as himself in the films State Property 2 (2005) and The Love Guru (2008), and in an episode of the television show Entourage in 2007. West provided the voice for "Kenny West", a rapper, in the animated sitcom The Cleveland Show . In 2009, he starred in the Spike Jonze -directed short film We Were Once
420-539: A Hurricane Sandy benefit concert . In January 2019, West donated $ 10 million towards the completion of the Roden Crater by American artist James Turrell . In June 2020, in the wake of the murder of George Floyd and the following protests , he donated $ 2 million between the family of Floyd and other victims of police brutality , Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor . The donation funded legal fees for Arbery and Taylor's families, as well as establishing
560-556: A consistent life ethic . In October 2022, he was widely condemned and lost many sponsors and partnerships—including his collaborations with Adidas, Gap, and Balenciaga —after making a series of antisemitic statements, including denying the Holocaust . West was born on June 8, 1977, in Atlanta , Georgia. After his parents divorced when he was three years old, he moved with his mother to Chicago , Illinois. His father, Ray West,
700-405: A manifesto on his architectural goals during a visit to Harvard Graduate School of Design . In May 2018, West announced he was starting an architecture firm called Yeezy Home, which will act as an arm of his already successful Yeezy fashion label. In June 2018, the first Yeezy Home collaboration was announced by designer Jalil Peraza, teasing an affordable concrete prefabricated home as part of
840-448: A social housing project. In March 2015, it was announced that West is a co-owner, with various other music artists, in the music streaming service Tidal . The service specialises in lossless audio and high definition music videos. Jay-Z acquired the parent company of Tidal, Aspiro , in the first quarter of 2015. Sixteen artist stakeholders including Jay-Z, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Madonna, Chris Martin , Nicki Minaj co-own Tidal, with
980-548: A string orchestra for his second album Late Registration . West collaborated with American film score composer Jon Brion , who served as the album's co-executive producer for several tracks. Late Registration sold over 2.3 million units in the United States alone by the end of 2005 and was considered by industry observers as the only successful major album release of the fall season, which had been plagued by steadily declining CD sales. When his song " Touch
1120-542: A "gospel-heavy song" and a "powerful track." Iyana Robertson of Vibe wrote that "a passionate testimony of deliverance is shared with West's congregation." Zach Schonfeld of Newsweek viewed the song as what "comes in the form of a spoken testimony to Christ." When Premier Gospel looked into The Life of Pablo possibly being the gospel album of 2016, Jamie of the site voiced the belief that if "Low Lights", " Jesus Walks " or fellow album track "Ultralight Beam" had been put out by anyone else, then "we'd be hailing them as
1260-461: A Cash Money Click reunion album, due to Ja Rule's contractual obligations, which alleged that Cohen paid Ja and Irv Gotti US$ 8 million not to submit the project to TVT, but instead to parent company Universal. This resulted in TVT suing Def Jam, alleging infringement, fraud and tortious interference, winning $ 132 million in a judgment, but was later reduced to $ 126,000 after Universal and Def Jam appealed
1400-430: A Fairytale (2009), playing himself acting belligerently while drunk in a nightclub. West wrote, directed, and starred in the musical short film Runaway (2010), which heavily features music from My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy . The film depicts a relationship between a man, played by West, and a half-woman, half- phoenix creature. Def Jam Recordings Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam )
1540-501: A Paris hotel. Determined to "undermine the commercial", he once again brought together close collaborators and attempted to incorporate Chicago drill , dancehall , acid house , and industrial music . Primarily inspired by architecture, West's perfectionist tendencies led him to contact producer Rick Rubin fifteen days shy of its due date to strip down the record's sound in favor of a more minimalist approach. Initial promotion of his sixth album included worldwide video projections of
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#17327987911601680-723: A concert in Haikou , China at the Wuyuan River Stadium , West announced his eleventh solo album Bully , debuting the track "Beauty and the Beast". West's musical career is defined by frequent stylistic shifts and different musical approaches. In the subsequent years since his debut, West has both musically and lyrically taken an increasingly experimental approach to crafting progressive hip hop music while maintaining accessible pop sensibilities. Ed Ledsham of PopMatters said that "West's melding of multiple genres into
1820-605: A contender for Album of the Year at the 54th Grammy Awards was viewed as a "snub" by several media outlets. 2011 saw West embark on a festival tour to commemorate the release of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy performing and headlining numerous festivals including; SWU Music & Arts , Austin City Limits Music Festival , Oya Festival , Flow Festival , Live Music Festival , The Big Chill , Essence Music Festival , Lollapalooza and Coachella which
1960-468: A controversial video for " Famous ", which depicted wax figures of several celebrities (including West, Kardashian, Taylor Swift, businessman and then-presidential candidate Donald Trump , comedian Bill Cosby , and former president George W. Bush) sleeping nude in a shared bed. In August 2016, West embarked on the Saint Pablo Tour in support of The Life of Pablo. The performances featured
2100-478: A fatal heart attack. A month later, Def Jam released his posthumous album, Exodus , which debuted and peaked in the top ten on Billboard 200. Two digital greatest hits albums by DMX were also available for streaming under the label throughout the same period: A Dog's Prayer and The Legacy . Later that year, Harleston conference-called hip-hop legend Snoop Dogg and named him the executive consultant of Def Jam. Snoop agreed to Harleston's request and took over
2240-432: A frequent source of controversy due to his conduct on social media , at award shows and public settings, as well as his comments on the music and fashion industries , U.S. politics , race , and slavery . His Christian faith, high-profile marriage to Kim Kardashian , and mental health have also been topics of media attention. In 2020, West launched an unsuccessful independent presidential campaign that advocated for
2380-588: A mobile stage suspended from the ceiling. West postponed several dates in October following the Paris robbery of several of his wife's effects. On November 21, 2016, West cancelled the remaining 21 dates on the Saint Pablo Tour, following a week of no-shows, curtailed concerts and rants about politics. He was later admitted for psychiatric observation at UCLA Medical Center . He stayed hospitalized over
2520-691: A new album entitled Yeezus II slated for a 2014 release, West announced in March 2015 that the album would instead be tentatively called So Help Me God . In May 2015, West was awarded an honorary doctorate by the School of the Art Institute of Chicago for his contributions to music, fashion, and popular culture. The next month, West headlined at the Glastonbury Festival in the UK, despite
2660-491: A new contract. The new millennium saw Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam's subsidiary, begin to expand beyond one figurehead artist. Roc-A-Fella Records artists proved successful with the Jay-Z's The Dynasty: Roc La Familia (2001) and The Blueprint (2001), including the labels other signees gaining recognition with Beanie Sigel 's The Truth (2000) and Memphis Bleek 's The Understanding (2001). The second international label
2800-601: A new shoe collaboration deal with West. After months of anticipation and rumors, West confirmed the release of the Adidas Yeezy Boosts. In 2015, West unveiled a Yeezy clothing line, premiering in collaboration with Adidas early that year. In June 2016, Adidas announced a new long-term contract with Kanye West that extended the Yeezy line to a number of stores, planning to sell sports performance products like basketball, football, and soccer, although Adidas terminated
2940-536: A petition signed by almost 135,000 people against his appearance. Another petition aimed to block West from headlining the 2015 Pan American Games , garnering 50,000 supporters. West announced in January 2016 that Swish would be released on February 11, and later that month, released new songs " Real Friends " and a snippet of " No More Parties in LA " with Kendrick Lamar. On January 26, 2016, West revealed he had renamed
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#17327987911603080-449: A record deal as a rapper. Multiple record companies, including Capitol Records , denied or ignored him because he did not portray the gangsta image prominent in mainstream hip hop at the time. Desperate to keep West from defecting to another label, then-label head Damon Dash reluctantly signed West to Roc-A-Fella as a recording artist. A 2002 car accident, which shattered his jaw, inspired West; two weeks after being admitted to
3220-525: A recording artist. West's debut studio album, The College Dropout (2004), was met with critical acclaim and yielded the Billboard Hot 100 -number one single " Slow Jamz ". He peaked the chart on four other occasions with the singles " Gold Digger " (2005), " Stronger " (2007), " E.T. " (2011, as a featured artist), and " Carnival " (2024). West's second and third studio albums, Late Registration (2005) and Graduation (2007), both debuted atop
3360-719: A return to the rapper's original credibility following the fallback of his 1993 album, 14 Shots to the Dome ; his last album under the Def Jam/Columbia partnership. The label later signed Foxy Brown , whose debut album, Ill Na Na (1996) became a platinum seller in 1997. Def Jam followed up with its then-new R&B act, Case , whose self-titled debut album (also in 1996), including the single, " Touch Me, Tease Me ", went gold. In June 1997, Def Jam acquired 50% of Roc-A-Fella Records for an estimated $ 1.4 million, giving co-founders Jay-Z and Damon Dash part ownership of
3500-407: A scholarship to attend Chicago's American Academy of Art in 1997 and began taking painting classes. Shortly after, he transferred to Chicago State University to study English. At age 20, he dropped out to pursue his musical career. This greatly displeased his mother, who was also a professor at the university, although she would later accept the decision. West began his early production career in
3640-519: A sequel to Def Jam Vendetta , featured artists from the label. These artists include Method Man & Redman, N.O.R.E., Ludacris, Ghostface Killah, Memphis Bleek, and Joe Budden. The final shares of Roc-A-Fella Records were sold to Island Def Jam in 2004 for $ 10 million. By that time, Roc-A-Fella and Def Jam had launched the career of rapper-producer Kanye West . His debut, The College Dropout , went on to sell over two million copies. Co-founder Damon Dash and Kareem "Biggs" Burke were forced out of
3780-531: A snippet of the song on Saturday Night Live the day before release in February 2016. The vocals used in "Low Lights" are sampled from the a cappella version of "So Alive" by Kings of Tomorrow. A gospel track that looks at spirituality and references God throughout, "Low Lights" is the sixth track on The Life of Pablo , and leads into " Highlights ". The song received positive reviews from music critics, commending its religious nature. Alicia Keys sampled
3920-505: A snippet of the song while he stood onstage by himself. West segued from the snippet into a performance of "Highlights" joined by Young Thug , El DeBarge , Kelly Price and The-Dream . The song was one of five that West added to The Life of Pablo 's tracklist on the day of release. During a Twitter rant in February 2016, West sent out various tweets related to the album. He explained the song's presence, tweeting: "I put Lowlights [ sic ] on my album just thinking about all
4060-509: A stand-alone label within the Universal Music Group. Def Jam signed DaniLeigh to the label in early 2017. Steve Bartels served as president and CEO of Def Jam since 2013 until an announcement commenced on August 3, 2017, stating that in January 2018, Eminem 's manager and co-founder of Shady Records , Paul Rosenberg would be appointed chairman and CEO of Def Jam. On September 17, 2019, the launch of Def Jam South East Asia
4200-451: A style of hip-hop production dubbed "chipmunk-soul", a sampling technique involving the manipulation of tempo in order to chop and stretch pitched-up samples from vintage soul songs. On his debut studio album, The College Dropout (2004), West formed the constitutive elements of his style, described as intricate hip-hop beats, topical subject matter, and clumsy rapping laced with inventive wordplay. The record saw West diverge from
4340-507: A supporting act. The tour was met with rave reviews from critics. Rolling Stone described it as "crazily entertaining, hugely ambitious, emotionally affecting (really!) and, most importantly, totally bonkers". Writing for Forbes , Zack O'Malley Greenburg praised West for "taking risks that few pop stars, if any, are willing to take in today's hyper-exposed world of pop", describing the show as "overwrought and uncomfortable at times, but [it] excels at challenging norms and provoking thought in
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4480-515: A time, West acted as a ghost producer for Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie . Due to his association with Angelettie, West was not able to release a solo album, so he formed the Go-Getters, a hip hop group composed of him and fellow Chicago natives GLC , Timmy G, Really Doe, and Arrowstar. The Go-Getters independently released their first and only studio album, World Record Holders in 1999 through West's company, Konman Productions . West spent much of
4620-441: A trilogy of albums, with each of the album's three volumes set to be released on February 9, March 6, and April 5, 2024. In January 2024, West co-signed 4Batz and called him his favorite new artist. On February 8, 2024, West released the first volume's second single, " Talking / Once Again " featuring his eldest daughter North. A day later, producer Erick Sermon revealed in an interview that West's upcoming eleventh studio album
4760-409: A way that just isn't common for mainstream musical acts of late". West subsequently released a number of singles featuring Paul McCartney , including " Only One " and " FourFiveSeconds ", also featuring Rihanna . In November 2013, West stated that he was beginning work on his next studio album, hoping to release it by mid-2014, with production by Rick Rubin and Q-Tip . Having initially announced
4900-498: A year to make his second album. West was inspired by Roseland NYC Live , a 1998 live album by English trip hop group Portishead , produced with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra , incorporating string arrangements into his hip-hop production. Though West had not been able to afford many live instruments around the time of his debut album, the money from his commercial success enabled him to hire
5040-403: Is "done with [his] contract with Sony and Universal". On October 16, he released the single " Nah Nah Nah ". West held several listening parties at Mercedes-Benz Stadium for his upcoming album Donda in the summer of 2021, where he had taken up temporary residence in one of the stadium's locker rooms, converting it into a recording studio to finish the recording. After multiple delays, Donda
5180-417: Is King (2019) and Donda (2021), and psychedelic music on Kids See Ghosts (2018). Early in his career, West made clear his interest in fashion and desire to work in the clothing design industry. He launched his own clothing line in spring 2006, and developed it over the following four years before the line was ultimately cancelled in 2009. In January 2007, West's first sneaker collaboration
5320-541: Is a Japanese branch, Def Jam Japan ( デフ・ジャム・ジャパン , Defu Jamu Japan ) , also founded in 2000. The label was later rebranded as Def Jam Recordings; however, it is sometimes still referred to as Def Jam Japan. Their artist roster has included Japanese-American singer Ai , Teriyaki Boyz , AK-69 , Nitro Microphone Underground, and South Korean boy band BTS . Ja Rule released his third studio album, Pain Is Love , on October 2, 2001 through Def Jam. Pain Is Love topped
5460-749: Is a former Black Panther and was one of the first black photojournalists at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution . Ray later became a Christian counselor, and in 2006, opened the Good Water Store and Café in Lexington Park, Maryland , with startup capital from his son. West's mother, Donda C. West (née Williams), was a professor of English at Clark Atlanta University and the Chair of the English Department at Chicago State University before retiring to serve as his manager. West
5600-891: Is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group . It is based in Manhattan , New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop , contemporary R&B , soul and pop . The label has a London-based, UK arm known as 0207 Def Jam (formerly Def Jam UK in the 1990s until the mid-2000s) and is currently operated through EMI Records . It has a Johannesburg, South Africa and Lagos, Nigeria-based arm known as Def Jam Africa . As of 2024, Def Jam's current roster includes Justin Bieber , DJ Khaled , Alessia Cara , Logic , 2 Chainz , Frank Ocean , Big Sean , Dave East , Wale , Jeremih , Pusha T , Fabolous , Jhené Aiko , Coco Jones , LL Cool J , Public Enemy , Jadakiss , YG , Muni Long , Buju Banton , Fridayy , Benny
5740-410: Is considered to have had a significant effect on hip-hop music, encouraging other rappers to take more creative risks with their productions. While Taylor Swift was accepting her award for Best Female Video at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards , West went on stage and grabbed the microphone from her to proclaim that Beyoncé deserved the award instead. He was subsequently removed from the remainder of
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5880-657: Is notoriously secretive about the company's operations, maintaining neither an official website nor a social media presence. Contemporary critics have noted the consistent minimalistic aesthetic exhibited throughout Donda creative projects. West expressed interest in starting an architecture firm in May 2013, saying "I want to do product, I am a product person, not just clothing but water bottle design, architecture ... I make music but I shouldn't be limited to one place of creativity" and then later in November 2013, delivering
6020-551: Is what you have to do.'" West recorded the remainder of the album in Los Angeles while recovering from the car accident. It was leaked months before its release date, and West used the opportunity to remix, remaster, and revise the album before its release; West added new verses, string arrangements , gospel choirs , and improved drum programming. The album was postponed three times from its initial date in August 2003, and
6160-560: The Billboard 200 , the latter becoming West's most commercially successful to date. Three of his subsequent albums, 808s & Heartbreak (2008), My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010), and The Life of Pablo (2016), were certified triple platinum , and Yeezus (2013) was certified double platinum. While not as well-received critically as his previous efforts, Ye (2018), Jesus Is King (2019), and Donda (2021) continued West's series of consecutive number one debuts on
6300-596: The Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 361,000 copies and is certified triple platinum by the RIAA. The album was supported by the singles: Down Ass Bitch , Always on Time , and Livin' It Up . In January 2003, Murder Inc. became the center of a money laundering investigation involving illegal profits from drug trading , leading to the label's eventual release from its distribution contract by 2005. Def Jam also blocked Murder Inc. and TVT Records from releasing
6440-506: The Billboard 200. West has also released the collaborative albums Watch the Throne (2011) with Jay-Z , Kids See Ghosts (2018) with Kid Cudi , as well as Vultures 1 and Vultures 2 (2024) with Ty Dolla Sign . In fashion design, he has collaborated with Nike, Inc. , Louis Vuitton , and Gap Inc. on clothing and footwear, and led the Yeezy collaboration with Adidas . One of
6580-735: The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum . On January 5, 2022, West was announced as one of the 2022 headliners of Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival . Later that month on January 15, West released the first single for his upcoming album Donda 2 , " Eazy " featuring The Game , to be executive produced by American rapper Future . West hosted a listening event for the album at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, on February 22. In April, shortly before Coachella, West pulled out as headlining act, then proceeded to pull out of headlining Rolling Loud . West and The Game performed
6720-694: The Violator Records -signed artist Warren G 's debut album, Regulate... G Funk Era , which went triple platinum and brought much-needed revenue to Def Jam through its joint deal with Violator. PolyGram acquired an additional 10% stake in Def Jam, further strengthening its ownership of the label. Shortly thereafter, Rush Associated Labels were renamed to the Def Jam Music Group. The label remained profitable as its veteran star LL Cool J released his successful album Mr. Smith in 1995,
6860-473: The a cappella version of "So Alive" by American dance duo Kings of Tomorrow for the entirety of it, which is layered over piano chords and synth bass production. The vocals are not by West but by an unknown woman who was sampled for "So Alive". Throughout "Low Lights", the woman is heard preaching about God and his connection to spirituality. Lyrically, a descriptive picture is painted of faith in God by her and
7000-541: The Butcher , Trinidad Cardona , DaniLeigh , Fredo Bang , Nasty C , Armani White , and Hit-Boy among others. The label also inspired the Def Jam video game franchise (2003-2010) which include the games Def Jam Vendetta , Def Jam: Fight for NY , Def Jam: Icon and Def Jam Rapstar . Def Jam was co-founded by Rick Rubin in his dormitory in Weinstein Hall at New York University , and its first release
7140-569: The Island Def Jam Music Group . Despite the formation of IDJMG, the Def Jam, Mercury, and Island labels continued to operate as separate imprints underneath the umbrella. That same year, Def Jam and Island Def Jam signed rapper Ja Rule . Lyor Cohen was appointed co-president of IDJMG, and Kevin Liles succeeded him as president of Def Jam. In 1998, Def Jam created an R&B spin-off label called Def Soul Records to run under
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#17327987911607280-687: The Kanye West Foundation in Chicago in 2003, tasked with a mission to battle dropout and illiteracy rates, while partnering with community organizations to provide underprivileged youth access to music education. In 2007, West and the Foundation partnered with Strong American Schools as part of their "Ed in '08" campaign. As spokesman for the campaign, West appeared in a series of PSAs for the organization, and hosted an inaugural benefit concert in August of that year. In 2008, following
7420-483: The Kardashians, Charlie Wilson , and Kid Cudi. West previewed a new song, " Water " at his "Sunday Service" orchestration performance at Coachella 2019, which was later revealed to feature on his upcoming album Jesus Is King ; West released the album on October 25, 2019. It became the first to ever top the Billboard 200, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, Top Rap Albums, Top Christian Albums and Top Gospel Albums at
7560-525: The RIAA, and sold five million copies worldwide. The success of the album prompted Lyor Cohen to challenge DMX to record another album quickly to have another album released within the same calendar year. DMX's second studio album, Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood was released on December 22, 1998 and debuted at number one the Billboard 200 . The album sold over 670,000 units in its first week of release, and went on to sell over four million copies worldwide. DMX claimed that Def Jam made $ 144 million from
7700-619: The Simulation , later clarifying that he was sharing the book "in real time" on Twitter and began posting content that was likened to " life coaching ". Later that month, he also announced two new albums, a solo album and self-titled collaboration with Kid Cudi under the name Kids See Ghosts , both of which would be released in June. Additionally, he revealed he would produce upcoming albums by GOOD Music label-mates Pusha T and Teyana Taylor , as well as Nas . Shortly thereafter, West released
7840-634: The Sky " failed to win Best Video at the 2006 MTV Europe Music Awards , West went onto the stage as the award was being presented to Justice and Simian for " We Are Your Friends " and argued that he should have won the award instead. Hundreds of news outlets worldwide criticized the outburst. On November 7, 2006, West apologized for this outburst publicly during his performance as support act for U2 for their Vertigo concert in Brisbane . He later spoofed
7980-548: The Thanksgiving weekend because of a temporary psychosis stemming from sleep deprivation and extreme dehydration. Following this episode West took an 11-month break from posting on Twitter and the public in general. It was reported in May 2017 that West was recording new music in Jackson Hole, Wyoming , with a wide range of collaborators. In April 2018, West announced plans to write a philosophy book entitled Break
8120-775: The US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 and lasted for one week. Alongside its debut on the Bubbling Under Hot 100, the track peaked at number 1 on the US Bubbling Under R&;B/Hip-Hop Singles chart and spent a total of two weeks on it. The track opened at number 134 on the UK Singles Chart . American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys sampled the track's monologue in her 2017 song "That's What's Up", from her album Here (2018). An accompanying music video for
8260-451: The album from Swish to Waves . In the weeks leading up to the album's release, West became embroiled in several Twitter controversies. Several days ahead of its release, West again changed the title, this time to The Life of Pablo . On February 11, West premiered the album at Madison Square Garden as part of the presentation of his Yeezy Season 3 clothing line. Following the preview, West announced that he would be modifying
8400-586: The album was released through several other competing services starting in April. In February 2016, West stated on Twitter that he was planning to release another album in the summer of 2016, tentatively called Turbo Grafx 16 in reference to the 1990s video game console of the same name . In June 2016, West released the collaborative lead single " Champions " off the GOOD Music album Cruel Winter , which has yet to be released. Later that month, West released
8540-429: The album's music and live television performances. Yeezus , West's sixth album, was released June 18, 2013, to rave reviews from critics. It became his sixth consecutive number one debut, but also marked his lowest solo opening week sales. In September 2013, West announced he would be headlining his first solo tour in five years , to support Yeezus , with fellow American rapper Kendrick Lamar accompanying him as
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#17327987911608680-496: The charts. The album sold over 4.9 million copies to date, and has been certified five times platinum by the RIAA. The following year, it launched another subsidiary, Def Jam South , which focused on Southern rap and distributed releases from labels such as Disturbing tha Peace , whose artist roster included its co-founder Ludacris , Shawnna , Bobby Valentino and Playaz Circle . Russell Simmons tapped Houston hip hop legend and former Rap-A-Lot recording artist Scarface as
8820-460: The consultancy role in July. In August 2021, Harleston announced that he will replace himself as the interim president of Def Jam with former Interscope/ RCA executive and Keep Cool founder Tunji Balogun , who agreed to take on the role as chairman and CEO, which he did on New Year's Day 2022. In late-October 2022, Def Jam ended their partnership with GOOD Music, Kanye West's label, in response to
8960-507: The creative content company Donda , named after his late mother. In his announcement, West proclaimed that the company would "pick up where Steve Jobs left off"; Donda would operate as a "design company" with a goal to "make products and experiences that people want and can afford". In stating Donda's creative philosophy, West articulated the need to "put creatives in a room together with like minds" in order to "simplify and aesthetically improve everything we see, taste, touch, and feel." West
9100-523: The death of West's mother, the foundation was rechristened The Dr. Donda West Foundation. The foundation ceased operations in 2011. In 2013, Kanye West and friend Rhymefest founded Donda's House, Inc., a program aimed at helping at-risk Chicago youth. West has contributed to hurricane relief in 2005 by participating in a Hurricane Katrina benefit concert after the storm had ravaged black communities in New Orleans and in 2012 when he performed at
9240-465: The decade drew to a close, the label signed Public Enemy , whose controversial lyrical content garnered the company both critical acclaim and disdain. Lyor Cohen became president of Def Jam/RAL in 1988, after winning a power struggle with Rubin, who would shortly thereafter leave the company to form Def American Recordings . Rubin would take Slayer and the rights of its Def Jam albums with him to Def American in its initial stages. In 1991, CBS Records
9380-462: The duo in January 2016. West had previously used the word "light" in the titles of his tracks " Flashing Lights ", " Street Lights " and " All of the Lights ". It further makes appearance on The Life of Pablo tracks "Ultralight Beam" and " Highlights " as well as "Low Lights". "Low Lights" is a gospel track that includes similar elements to the album's opener "Ultralight Beam". It contains a sample of
9520-407: The duo, with the gospel elements of their work making sense out of West wanting to collaborate. Samo Sound Boy revealed that every song was being worked on at the same time and that the recording process "wasn't a really systematic way." Jerome LOL named West as one of DJDS' biggest inspirations and claimed for their sampling style to be "directly influenced by his old production." The rapper discovered
9660-562: The end of the month and a collaborative album with fellow Chicagoan rapper Chance the Rapper titled Good Ass Job . That same month, West announced that he would be changing his stage name to "Ye". Yandhi was originally set for release in September 2018 but was postponed multiple times. In January 2019, West pulled out of headlining that year's Coachella festival after negotiations broke down due to discord regarding stage design. In July, it
9800-472: The executive vice president of the urban division at Def Jam's sister Universal label, Capitol Music Group . On April 1, 2014, it was announced that the Island Def Jam Music Group would no longer be active following the resignation of CEO Barry Weiss. A press release serviced by Universal Music Group stated that IDJMG, and all of its assets would be reorganized into Def Jam, Island and Motown, all as separate entities. Def Jam Recordings currently operates as
9940-613: The following year. However, the Hose and T La Rock releases were not part of the deal and are now controlled by different entities. This created a short-lived subsidiary label called OBR Records, short for Original Black Recordings, which catered toward R&B artists—the first artist signed to that imprint was Oran "Juice" Jones , who enjoyed success with his hit single " The Rain ". A few years later, Russell Simmons and Lyor Cohen started an umbrella label called Rush Associated Labels to handle Def Jam and its numerous spinoff labels. RAL became
10080-489: The founder's online and public media outbursts, including his 2024 presidential campaign , antisemitic and pro-race remarks. Although, West had already been exiled from the label after releasing Donda on August 29, 2021, as so Pusha T after It's Almost Dry on April 22 earlier that year, making 070 Shake 's You Can't Kill Me the final release under the GOOD/Def Jam partnership. On October 31, 2023,
10220-453: The highly publicized incident, West took a brief break from music and threw himself into fashion, only to hole up in Hawaii for the next few months writing and recording his next album. Importing his favorite producers and artists to work on and inspire his recording, West kept engineers behind the boards 24 hours a day and slept only in increments. Noah Callahan-Bever, a writer for Complex ,
10360-579: The hip-hop fold is a complex act that challenges the dominant white notions of what constitutes true 'art' music ." West's rhymes have been described as funny, provocative and articulate, capable of seamlessly segueing from shrewd commentary to comical braggadocio to introspective sensitivity. West imparts that he strives to speak in an inclusive manner so groups from different racial and gender backgrounds can comprehend his lyrics, saying he desired to sound "just as ill as Jadakiss and just as understandable as Will Smith ". Early in his career, West pioneered
10500-560: The home to Nice & Smooth and EPMD after both acts were acquired due to the folding of their former label Sleeping Bag Records . Other acts under the RAL umbrella included Redman , Onyx , Flatlinerz , Domino , Warren G and Jayo Felony . Def Jam also signed its first and only thrash metal band, Slayer , in 1986, and the band's third and fourth albums were the only two Def Jam releases to be distributed through Geffen Records via Warner Bros. Records as opposed to Columbia/CBS. As
10640-580: The hospital, he recorded " Through the Wire " at the Record Plant Studios with his jaw still wired shut. The song was first included on West's debut mixtape Get Well Soon... , which was released in December 2002. At the same time, West announced that he was working on an album titled The College Dropout , whose overall theme was to "make your own decisions. Don't let society tell you, 'This
10780-464: The incident on the 33rd-season premiere of Saturday Night Live in September 2007. West's third studio album, Graduation , garnered major publicity when its release date pitted West in a sales competition against rapper 50 Cent 's Curtis . Upon their September 2007 releases, Graduation outsold Curtis by a large margin, debuting at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and selling 957,000 copies in its first week. Graduation continued
10920-487: The joint record (with Bob Dylan ) for most albums (4) topping the annual Pazz & Jop critic poll. Time named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2005 and 2015. West's first six solo albums were included on Rolling Stone ' s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list in 2020, with the same publication naming him one of the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time . West's outspoken views have received significant media coverage. He has been
11060-423: The label as Cohen left IDJMG for Warner Music Group , and was replaced by music executive Antonio "L.A." Reid . Frustrated, Liles and now-chairwoman of Atlantic Records , Julie Greenwald eventually decided to follow Cohen to Warner. That same year, through Def Jam A&R executive Shakir Stewart , Def Jam signed Atlanta, Georgia based rapper Young Jeezy . His debut album, Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101
11200-498: The label into the Island Records fold. Island would share in sales and marketing duties with select radio projects while Def Jam remained independent on all other label functions (A&R, video, promotion and publicity). The label venture went on to receive huge success with a slew of various other multi-platinum releases from Montell Jordan , Public Enemy, LL Cool J, Redman, Method Man and more. RAL/Def Jam also distributed
11340-534: The label made its debut in the Philippines through Universal Music Philippines , led by former Sony Music Philippines and Sindikato Management executive Enzo Valdez. Pinoy hip hop quartet VVS Collective was the label's first signed artists. On February 21, 2020, Paul Rosenberg stepped down on his positions as chairman and CEO of Def Jam. He was replaced by the head of business affairs at Universal Music, Jeffrey Harleston, who instead assumed interim control over
11480-427: The label within a five-year gap between 1998 and 2003), as well as new signee Joe Budden expressed discomfort with Jay-Z's leadership of the label, having altogether left the label since then. Under Jay-Z's leadership, Def Jam launched the successful careers of contemporary R&B singers Rihanna and Ne-Yo . At the end of 2007, after he released American Gangster , Jay-Z decided not to renew his contract as
11620-537: The label's companionship. Def Jam inherited many of Island's urban artists, including Dru Hill (including its lead singer Sisqó ), the Isley Brothers (featuring Ronald Isley ) and Kelly Price . Def Soul also issued recordings by Musiq Soulchild , Montell Jordan, Case , 112 , Patti LaBelle , and Christina Milian . Liles also assumed presidency of Def Soul, which also formed a Classics subsidiary (active from 2003 to 2011). Island's 4th & B'way Records
11760-549: The label's inaugural artists. The label houses artists including West, Big Sean , Pusha T, Teyana Taylor, Yasiin Bey / Mos Def, D'banj and John Legend, and producers including Hudson Mohawke , Q-Tip, Travis Scott , No I.D., Jeff Bhasker , and S1. GOOD Music has released ten albums certified gold or higher by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). In November 2015, West appointed Pusha T
11900-549: The label's presence around the world. Def Jam Germany signed German rappers Spezializtz and Philly MC. The label was located in Berlin and opened on May 23, 2000. In addition to signing and marketing local artists, Def Jam Germany also marketed all U.S. signed Def Jam artists in the German territory. But the German division folded just two years later in 2002. Many of the artists were picked up by Universal/Urban, while others did not get
12040-529: The label, while Def Jam maintained distribution and co-marketing. In 1997, through Def Jam A&R Irv Gotti , Def Jam signed artist DMX . DMX's first studio album, It's Dark and Hell is Hot was released on May 12, 1998 and was co-executive produced by Irv Gotti. The album debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200 and sold over 250,000 copies in its first week. The album went on to sell four million copies in America, being certified Quadruple Platinum by
12180-430: The label. That November, Def Jam teamed up with Alex and Alec Boateng to create a new UK spin-off label called 0207 Def Jam under Universal Music UK's EMI Records. The UK roster currently consists of Stormzy . Def Jam also expanded to Africa with the creation of Def Jam Africa . On April 9, 2021, returning label veteran DMX died in a White Plains hospital a week after suffering from a drug overdose succumbing him to
12320-528: The language, although he has since forgotten most of it. When asked about his grades in high school, West replied, "I got A's and B's." West demonstrated an affinity for the arts at an early age; he began writing poetry when he was five years old. West started rapping in the third grade and began making musical compositions in the seventh grade, eventually selling them to other artists. West crossed paths with producer No I.D. , who became West's friend and mentor. After graduating from high school, West received
12460-843: The late 1990s further producing for several musical acts. He produced the third track on Foxy Brown 's second studio album Chyna Doll (1999), which became the second hip-hop album by a female rapper to peak atop the US Billboard 200 chart. In 2000, West began producing for artists on Roc-A-Fella Records as an in-house producer. West is often credited with revitalizing Jay-Z's career with extensive contributions to his 2001 album The Blueprint , which Rolling Stone ranked among their list of greatest hip-hop albums. West produced songs for label cohorts such as Beanie Sigel and Freeway , but also produced beats which were used by artists on other labels including Ludacris , Alicia Keys , and Janet Jackson . Meanwhile, West struggled to attain
12600-555: The late 2000s. His mother's death in November 2007 and the end of his engagement to Alexis Phifer profoundly affected West, who set off for his 2008 Glow in the Dark Tour shortly thereafter. Recorded mostly in Honolulu, Hawaii in three weeks, West announced his fourth album, 808s & Heartbreak , at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards , where he performed its lead single, " Love Lockdown ". Music audiences were taken aback by
12740-438: The latter of which accompanied a 35-minute film of the same name directed by and starring West. During this time, West initiated the free music program GOOD Fridays through his website, offering a free download of previously unreleased songs each Friday, a portion of which were included on the album. This promotion ran from August to December 2010. Dark Fantasy went on to go platinum in the United States, but its omission as
12880-400: The majority owning a 3% equity stake. In October 2022, in direct response to bans he received on Twitter and Instagram stemming from his antisemitic comments, West reached an agreement in principle to acquire the alt-tech social network Parler for an undisclosed amount. Parler and West mutually agreed to terminate the proposed deal in mid-November. West, alongside his mother, founded
13020-515: The men's collection. In March 2011, West collaborated with M/M Paris for a series of silk scarves featuring artwork from My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy . In October 2011, West premiered his women's fashion label at Paris Fashion Week. His debut fashion show received mixed-to-negative reviews. In March 2012, West premiered a second fashion line at Paris Fashion Week. Critics deemed the sophomore effort "much improved" compared to his first show. On December 3, 2013, Adidas officially confirmed
13160-433: The mid-1990s, creating beats primarily for burgeoning local artists in the Chicago area. He received his first official production credits at age nineteen, when he produced eight tracks on Down to Earth , the 1996 debut album of Chicago-based underground rapper Grav. In 1998, West was the first producer signed to the management-production company Hip Hop Since 1978 , founded by Gee Roberson and Kyambo "Hip-Hop" Joshua. For
13300-512: The miracles that will one day be created for her in life by the lord. This message is related to the spirituality that West's mother Donda taught him, as well as to the religious themes found throughout his career. Such themes are also included on The Life of Pablo , and the message speaks to the spirituality which helps people stay strong during their lives. The song concludes with a final dedication to Jesus by Rivera. "Low Lights" precedes "Highlights" on The Life of Pablo , serving as an intro to
13440-570: The moms driving they kids [ sic ] to school then going to work…" On November 1, 2016, West performed it live at The Forum in Inglewood, California , as part of the Saint Pablo Tour . "Low Lights" met with positive reviews from music critics, who praised the religious nature. Alexis Petridis of The Guardian described the song, along with fellow album tracks "Ultralight Beam" and "Highlights", as not feeling "episodic so much as fractured." Ej Moreno of Monkeys Fighting Robots labeled it as being
13580-408: The most prominent figures in hip hop , he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After dropping out of college to pursue a career in music, West began producing for regional artists in the Chicago area. As an in-house producer for Roc-A-Fella Records , he co-produced albums including Jay-Z 's The Blueprint (2001) before signing with the label as
13720-553: The music business. And I had no experience whatsoever." The second single released with the Def Jam Recordings logo was T La Rock & Jazzy Jay's "It's Yours". The first releases with Def Jam Recordings catalog numbers were LL Cool J 's " I Need a Beat " and the Beastie Boys ' " Rock Hard ", both in 1984. The singles sold well, eventually leading to a distribution deal with CBS Records through Columbia Records
13860-429: The new hero of gospel music." Jamie claimed that the song "is basically just a prayer." When reviewing the eponymous album by Kids See Ghosts , the duo of West and Kid Cudi , in June 2018, Kiana Fitzgerald of Complex looked back on the presence of "Low Lights" on The Life of Pablo as "the closest the entire album comes to gospel." In the same week that the album was released, "Low Lights" debuted at number 22 on
14000-494: The new president of GOOD Music. In August 2008, West revealed plans to open 10 Fatburger restaurants in the Chicago area after his company, KW Foods LLC, bought the rights to the chain in Chicago. The first location opened in September 2008 in Orland Park and a second followed in January 2009. The Orland Park location closed in early 2011 due to poor sales performance. In January 2012, West announced his establishment of
14140-544: The non-album singles " Lift Yourself " and " Ye vs. the People ", in which he and T.I. discussed West's support of Donald Trump. Pusha T's Daytona , "the first project out of Wyoming", was released in May to critical acclaim, although the album's artwork—a photograph of deceased singer Whitney Houston 's bathroom that West paid $ 85,000 to license—attracted some controversy. The following week, West released his eighth studio album, Ye . West has suggested that he scrapped
14280-425: The original head of Def Jam South. On October 10, 2000, Def Jam and Murder Inc. released Ja Rule's second studio album, Rule 3:36 . Anchored by the success of the single Between Me and You , the album topped the Billboard 200 and was certified triple platinum in America. In 2000, The Island Def Jam Music Group announced the formation of Def Jam Germany, the first international Def Jam company. This increased
14420-416: The original recordings of the album and re-recorded it within a month. The week after, West released a collaborative album with Kid Cudi, titled Kids See Ghosts , named after their group of the same name. West also completed production work on Nas' Nasir and Teyana Taylor's K.T.S.E. , which were released in June 2018. In September, West announced his ninth studio album Yandhi to be released by
14560-507: The partnership with West in October 2022 due to his antisemitic remarks. In May 2021, West signed a 10-year deal linking Yeezy with GAP to create Yeezy Gap , however, in September 2022, West announced that he was ending the deal. West founded the record label and production company GOOD Music in 2004, in conjunction with Sony BMG , shortly after releasing his debut album, The College Dropout . West, alongside then-unknown Ohio singer John Legend and fellow Chicago rapper Common were
14700-584: The position again. . In March 2011, it was announced that former Warner Bros. Records executive Joie Manda would become the first president of Def Jam since Jay-Z . Around the summer of 2011, after Universal Music disbanded the Universal Motown Republic Group , Motown Records would be moved under the Island Def Jam umbrella. In 2012, Manda assumed the position of president until March 2013 when he exited his post. It
14840-419: The president and CEO of Def Jam in order to start his new Live Nation venture, Roc Nation . Following Jay-Z's departure, L.A. Reid took over leadership of the label, as opposed to hiring a replacement. In June 2008, Shakir Stewart was appointed as the executive vice president of Def Jam, a position that was previously left vacant since December 2007. However, on November 1, Stewart committed suicide, vacating
14980-561: The record's highest-charting single, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100. The co-headlining Watch the Throne Tour kicked off in October 2011 and concluded in June 2012. In 2012, West released the compilation album Cruel Summer , a collection of tracks by artists from West's record label GOOD Music. Sessions for West's sixth solo effort begin to take shape in early 2013 in his own personal loft's living room at
15120-469: The ruling, claiming that the existence of an agreement between the parties meant that their behavior was only a breach of contract and not fraud. That September, DMX released his fifth album, Grand Champ . Though it was DMX's fifth number one album and was certified platinum by the RIAA, it was his final album for the label before leaving in 2006. Also that September, Def Jam released the video game, Def Jam: Fight for NY . The video game, which served as
15260-584: The sales of his first two albums. In 1998, PolyGram was purchased by Universal Pictures ' former parent, Seagram . It later merged with the MCA group of record labels. In early 1999, the label group was rebranded as the Universal Music Group . It then purchased the remaining interest of Def Jam Recordings from Russell Simmons for a reported $ 100 million. UMG merged over 14 record labels including Def Jam, Island, and Mercury Records together to form
15400-557: The same time. On December 25, 2019, West and Sunday Service released Jesus Is Born , containing 19 songs, including several re-workings of older West songs. West released a single titled " Wash Us in the Blood " on June 30, 2020, featuring fellow American rapper and singer Travis Scott , along with the music video, which was set to serve as the lead single from his tenth studio album Donda . However, in September 2020, West stated that he would not be releasing any further music until he
15540-439: The show for his actions. West was criticized by various celebrities for the outburst, and by President Barack Obama , who called West a "jackass". The incident sparked a large influx of Internet photo memes . West subsequently apologized, including personally to Swift. However, in a November 2010 interview, he seemed to recant his past apologies, describing the act at the 2009 awards show as "selfless". Following
15680-430: The single on July 22, marking West's first performance in five months following the low profile he had been keeping since Donda 2 remained unfinished. A day later, despite cancelling as headliner, he appeared at Rolling Loud during Lil Durk 's set. In December 2022, after weeks of controversial antisemitic statements , West released a new song, "Someday We'll All Be Free", on his Instagram. On August 25, 2023, West
15820-913: The song in her 2017 track "That's What's Up". "Low Lights" charted at number 22 on the US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 in 2016. "Low Lights" was co-produced by DJDS, a production duo consisting of Jerome LOL and Samo Sound Boy . They co-wrote the song along with West, Dean and Sandy Rivera. DJDS also co-produced The Life of Pablo tracks " Ultralight Beam ", " Father Stretch My Hands, Pt. 1 ", " Freestyle 4 " and " Fade ". In an interview with Billboard , Samo Sound Boy explained how they became involved with West: "A bunch of different people from his team just reached out on Facebook , Twitter DM, and it basically said Kanye West requests your presence tomorrow." After meeting West, DJDS worked on his then-upcoming album for three consecutive weeks. West explained "the gospel nature of it" to
15960-402: The song was shared by Keys on January 25, 2017, which includes her lounging and dipping in a bathtub. Credits adapted from West's official website. Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. Kanye West Ye ( / j eɪ / YAY ; born Kanye Omari West / ˈ k ɑː n j eɪ / KAHN -yay ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper and record producer. One of
16100-410: The string of critical and commercial successes by West, and the album's lead single, " Stronger ", garnered his third number-one hit. "Stronger", which samples French house duo Daft Punk , has been accredited to not only encouraging other hip-hop artists to incorporate house and electronica elements into their music, but also for playing a part in the revival of disco and electro -infused music in
16240-794: The then-dominant gangster persona in hip hop in favor of more diverse, topical lyrical subjects, including higher education, materialism, self-consciousness , minimum-wage labor, institutional prejudice , class struggle , family, sexuality, his struggles in the music industry, and middle-class upbringing. Over time, West has explored a variety of music genres , encompassing and taking inspiration from chamber pop on his second studio album, Late Registration (2005), arena rock and europop on his third album, Graduation (2007), synth -driven electropop on his fourth album, 808s & Heartbreak (2008), acid-house , drill , industrial rap and trap on Yeezus (2013), gospel and Christian rap on The Life of Pablo (2016), Jesus
16380-415: The track. The transition from the track's Bible references to those in "Highlights" suggests that West attributes his success to his spirituality. "Low Lights" was released on February 14, 2016, as the sixth track on West's seventh studio album, The Life of Pablo through GOOD Music and Def Jam Recordings . The day before the album's release, during his appearance on Saturday Night Live , West played
16520-438: The tracklist once more before its release to the public. He released the album exclusively on Tidal on February 14, 2016, following a performance on SNL . Following its release, West continued to tinker with mixes of several tracks, describing the work as "a living breathing changing creative expression" and proclaiming the end of the album as a dominant release form. Despite West's earlier comments, in addition to Tidal,
16660-433: The uncharacteristic production style and the presence of Auto-Tune, which typified the pre-release response to the record. 808s & Heartbreak was released by Island Def Jam in November 2008. Upon its release, the lead single " Love Lockdown " debuted at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, while follow-up single " Heartless " debuted at number four. While it was criticized prior to release, 808s & Heartbreak
16800-499: The world's best-selling music artists with 160 million records sold, West has won 24 Grammy Awards , the joint 11th-most of all time and most awarded for any hip hop artist along with Jay-Z. His other accolades include a Billboard Artist Achievement Award , a joint-record three Brit Awards for Best International Male Solo Artist , and the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award . West holds
16940-404: The year by American Music Awards and Billboard , and has consistently been ranked among the great hip-hop works and debut albums by artists. " Jesus Walks ", the album's fourth single, reached the top 20 of the Billboard pop charts, despite industry executives' predictions that a song containing such blatant declarations of faith would never make it to the radio. The College Dropout
17080-407: Was Ja Rule's debut studio album, Venni Vetti Vecci . The album, released June 1, 1999, peaked in the top 3 on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum in America. In December 1999, DMX released his third studio album, ...And Then There Was X through Def Jam. The album debuted atop the Billboard 200 , with close to 700,000 copies sold, making it his third straight album to debut atop
17220-448: Was a single by his punk-rock group Hose . Russell Simmons joined Rubin shortly after they were introduced to each other, according to one story, by Vincent Gallo . Another cites DJ Jazzy Jay as their connector. Rubin has said he met Simmons on the TV show Graffiti Rock and recognized him then as "the face of hip hop": "He was five years older than me, and he was already established in
17360-579: Was also folded into Def Jam. Also starting in 1998, in preparation for the year 2000, Def Jam marketed and sponsored a new campaign titled Def Jam 2000 . Def Jam 2000 was the featured name for Def Jam on Def Jam albums from 1998 until its end in December 2000. Also in 1999, the label began to distribute releases by Murder Inc. Records , the newly-founded label run by former Def Jam A&R executive and record producer Irv Gotti . The label's roster of artists would include Ja Rule, Ashanti and Lloyd , among others. The first release from Murder Inc. under Def Jam
17500-472: Was announced at Music Matters, an annual music industry conference held in Singapore , where Joe Flizzow from Malaysia, Daboyway from Thailand, Yung Raja, Fariz Jabba and Alif from Singapore and A. Nayaka from Indonesia were announced as the label's six inaugural signings. That same month, Def Jam re-signed LL Cool J and DMX after nine and fourteen respective years apart from the label. In late 2019,
17640-443: Was certified triple platinum in the U.S., and garnered West 10 Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year , and Best Rap Album (which it received). During this period, West founded GOOD Music, a record label and management company that housed affiliate artists and producers, such as No I.D. and John Legend , and produced singles for Brandy , Common , Legend, and Slum Village . West invested $ 2 million and took over
17780-517: Was described by The Hollywood Reporter as "one of greatest hip-hop sets of all time", West released the collaborative album Watch the Throne with Jay-Z in August 2011. By employing a sales strategy that released the album digitally weeks before its physical counterpart, Watch the Throne became one of the few major label albums in the Internet age to avoid a leak . " Niggas in Paris " became
17920-411: Was eventually released in February 2004, reaching No. 2 on the Billboard 200 as his debut single, " Through the Wire " peaked at No. 15 while on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for five weeks. " Slow Jamz ", his second single, featuring Twista and Jamie Foxx , became the three musicians' first No. 1 hit. The College Dropout received critical acclaim, was nominated for the top album of
18060-479: Was folded (or rather rebranded) to the music division of Japanese electronic giant Sony , bringing Def Jam and Columbia with it. By 1992, despite recent multiple platinum selling releases from Public Enemy , and EPMD , Def Jam ran into major financial troubles and was faced with folding while at Sony. In 1994, PolyGram purchased Sony's 50% stake in Def Jam Recordings—subsequently bringing
18200-401: Was later announced by his former boss, Barry Weiss, that he would be in charge of the urban division at Def Jam's sister Universal Music label, Interscope Records . The-Dream served as Def Jam's executive vice president of A&R at Def Jam between 2012 and 2014. No I.D. held the position of executive vice president after helping to establish GOOD Music with Kanye West. He later became
18340-549: Was present during the sessions and described the "communal" atmosphere as thus: "With the right songs and the right album, he can overcome any and all controversy, and we are here to contribute, challenge, and inspire." A variety of artists contributed to the project, including close friends Jay-Z, Kid Cudi and Pusha T , as well as collaborations with artists including Justin Vernon of Bon Iver and Gil Scott Heron . My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy , West's fifth studio album,
18480-404: Was raised in a middle-class environment, attending Polaris School for Individual Education in suburban Oak Lawn, Illinois , after living in Chicago. At the age of 10, West moved with his mother to Nanjing, China , where she was teaching at Nanjing University as a Fulbright Scholar . According to his mother, West was the only foreigner in his class, but he settled in well and quickly picked up
18620-442: Was released in November 2010 to widespread acclaim from critics, many of whom considered it his best work and said it solidified his comeback. In stark contrast to his previous effort, which featured a minimalist sound, Dark Fantasy adopts a maximalist philosophy and deals with themes of celebrity and excess. The record included the international hit " All of the Lights ", and Billboard hits " Power ", " Monster ", and " Runaway ",
18760-438: Was released on August 29, 2021. West claimed the album was released early without his approval and alleged that Universal had altered the tracklist. He released a deluxe edition of Donda , including five new songs, to streaming services on November 14, 2021. On November 20, days after ending their long-running feud, West and rapper Drake confirmed that they would stage the "Free Larry Hoover " benefit concert on December 9 at
18900-412: Was released the following year and was co-executive produced by Stewart. The album's singles Go Crazy and Soul Survivor help push the album to double platinum status in America. Around this time, a bidding war for Jay-Z's contract began, and Reid appointed Jay-Z president of Def Jam on December 8, 2004. Long time label veterans LL Cool J and DMX (the latter of whom had five number one albums under
19040-615: Was released, a special-edition Bapesta from A Bathing Ape . In 2009, West collaborated with Nike to release his own shoe, the Air Yeezys , becoming the first non-athlete to be given a shoe deal with the company. In January 2009, he introduced his first shoe line designed for Louis Vuitton during Paris Fashion Week . The line was released in summer 2009. West has additionally designed shoewear for Italian shoemaker Giuseppe Zanotti . In fall 2009, West moved to Rome , where he interned at Italian fashion brand Fendi , giving ideas for
19180-523: Was reported that songs from West's unreleased album Yandhi were leaked online. The following month, Kim Kardashian announced that West's next album would be titled Jesus Is King , effectively scrapping Yandhi . By October, the entire unfinished album was available for a short time on streaming services Spotify and Tidal. On January 6, 2019, West started his weekly " Sunday Service " events, which included soul variations of both West's and others' songs and were attended by multiple celebrities, including
19320-426: Was reported to be in the process of recording his eleventh studio album, with two sources close to him stating that the release of new music was "imminent". On October 13, Billboard reported that West had finished recording a collaborative studio album with Ty Dolla Sign and was in the process of shopping the album to distributors, adding that the album was originally intended for an official release that day but
19460-597: Was titled Y3 , while also stating that he had contributed to the album in 2023. West has since denied working on an album titled Y3 . On February 10, 2024, hours after West held a listening party at UBS Arena, the first volume of the Vultures trilogy, entitled Vultures 1 , was officially released. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming West's eleventh consecutive and Ty Dolla Sign's first number one album, respectively. Vultures 2 released later that year on August 3. On September 28, during
19600-400: Was ultimately pushed back for unknown reasons and expected to drop within the coming weeks. The eponymous lead single for the album, " Vultures " featuring Bump J , was released on November 22, 2023. Throughout late 2023 and early 2024, West and Ty Dolla $ ign held several concerts previewing songs from the album. In a trailer for the album, West announced that Vultures would be released as
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