One of the most influential and critically lauded artists of the early 21st century, Chicago rapper/producer Kanye West went from hip-hop beatmaker to worldwide hitmaker as his production work for artists such as Jay-Z led to a major-label recording contract and, ultimately, a wildly successful solo career that counted an unbroken string of chart-topping, multi-platinum albums, and nearly two dozen Grammy Awards for classic sets like 2005's Late Registration, 2007's Graduation, and 2010's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Early on, West paired his beats with tongue-twisting raps and outspoken confidence. With a backpack and brightly colored polo shirt, his dapper fashion sense set him apart from many of his rap peers, while his attitude often came across as boastful and egotistical. This flamboyance made for good press, something that West enjoyed, for better or worse, throughout the course of his career. With his outsized personality, he courted plenty of controversies, posing for the cover of Rolling Stone as Jesus Christ, claiming that "George Bush doesn't care about black people" during a televised Hurricane Katrina fundraiser, and infamously interrupting an awards speech by Taylor Swift in 2009. And yet, his steady presence in the celebrity limelight couldn't eclipse his musical talent. His production abilities seemed boundless, as he not only racked up impressive hits for himself (including number-one singles "Gold Digger" and "Stronger") but also collaborated on smash hits with longtime collaborator Jay-Z (on their 2011 Watch the Throne track "Ni**as in Paris") and even Paul McCartney (along with Rihanna on 2015's "FourFiveSeconds"). As his career progressed throughout the early 21st century, West became a superstar on his own terms without adapting his appearance, his rhetoric, or his music to fit any one musical mold.
Following the flurry of activity in Wyoming, West released a pair of singles to close out the year. While the drug- and lust-filled "XTCY" was more of a B-side, its follow-up "I Love It" with Lil Pump took off on the charts and became a viral hit, boosted by a surreal music video and equally quirky live television performances. Certified double-platinum, the song was West's highest charting on the Hot 100 since 2015's "FourFiveSeconds." Riding the momentum of "I Love It," West announced that another album was imminent. Like the pre-Pablo SWISH and Waves buildup, the proposed Yandhi -- a sequel to Yeezus -- never materialized and, in 2019, West revealed the album would be titled Jesus Is King. To promote the effort, he expanded his "Sunday Service" gospel revival events across the U.S., playing early versions of the album to fans in Detroit, Chicago, and New York City.
--- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/soundaudits/support
Comentarios