Kanye West took the road to redemption through twisted fictions and sick addictions creating a hostile gospel out of inter century anthems based off inner city tantrums. After four groundbreaking albums (The College Dropout in 2004, Late Registration in 2005, Graduation in 2007, and 808s & Heartbreak in 2008), the mercurial hip hop artist decided to take a break from music and pursue fashion in the wake of controversy surrounding his stagecrashing during the MTV Video Music Awards. He withdrew to Hawaii, where he began working on his next album, flying out collaborators and producers in what he called "rap camp". Keeping engineers on call twenty-four hours a day and sleeping in the studio, he spent millions over several months working out the songs in the studio.
Most of 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' was recorded at Avex Recording Studio in Honolulu, with additional work done in Burbank at Glenwood Place Studios, as well as Electric Lady Studios and Platinum Sound Recording Studios in New York City. West co-produced the sessions with Jeff Bhasker, Bink, DJ Frank E, Emile, Lex Luger, Mike Caren, Mike Dean, No I.D., RZA, and S1. In addition, Jay-Z, Kyambo Joshua, L.A. Reid, and Gee Roberson were executive producers alongside West. The sessions included imput from dozens of artists, some of which did not make it to the final album.
'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' soared to number nineteen in Germany; eighteen in Ireland; sixteen in the UK; ten in New Zealand and Switzerland; six in Australia; and number one in Canada and on the US Rap, R&B, and pop album charts. It made its debut at the top of the album chart in the US. 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. Despite almost universal critical acclaim, it was not nominated for Best Album. http://www.kanyewest.com/ lyrics: http://genius.com/albums/Kanye-west/My-beautiful-dark-twisted-fantasy Runaway (Full-length Film)
All of the Lights was nominated for a Grammy for Song of the Year; and won Grammys for Best Rap Song, and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration.
Power
'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' full album:
1."Dark Fantasy" (Kanye West Robert Diggs Ernest Wilson Jeff Bhasker Mike Dean Malik Jones Jon Anderson Mike Oldfield) 2."Gorgeous" (featuring Kid Cudi and Raekwon)(West Wilson Dean Jones Che Smith Corey Woods Scott Mescudi Gene Clark Roger McGuinn) 3."Power" (West Larry Griffin, Jr. Dean Bhasker Andwele Gardner Ken Lewis Francois Bernheim Jean-Pierre Lang Boris Bergman Robert Fripp Michael Giles Greg Lake Ian McDonald Peter Sinfield) 4."All of the Lights (Interlude)" 5."All of the Lights" (West Bhasker Jones Warren Trotter) 6."Monster" (featuring Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj and Bon Iver)(West Shawn Carter Patrick Reynolds Dean William Roberts II Onika Maraj Justin Vernon Bhasker) 7."So Appalled" (featuring Swizz Beatz, Jay-Z, Pusha T, Cyhi the Prynce and RZA)(West Wilson Dean Carter Terrence Thornton Cydel Young Kaseem Dean Diggs Manfred Mann) 8."Devil in a New Dress" (featuring Rick Ross)(West Roosevelt Harrell Dean Roberts II Jones Carole King Gerry Goffin) 9."Runaway" (featuring Pusha T)(West Emile Haynie Thornton Bhasker Dean Jones John Branch) 10."Hell of a Life" (West Mike Caren Wilson Dean Sylvester Stewart Tony Joe White Terence Butler Anthony Iommi John Osbourne William Ward) 11."Blame Game" (featuring John Legend) (West Justin Franks Khloe Mitchell Dean John Stephens Richard James) 12."Lost in the World" (featuring Bon Iver)(West Bhasker Manu Dibango Vernon Gil Scott-Heron) 13."Who Will Survive in America" (West Bhasker Scott-Heron)
Kanye West made the move through the wire from producer to rapper with the breathless bohemian ballerific baptism of this classic hip hop concept album. He began producing in the mid-90's before making the move to Roc-A-Fella Records where he helped to jump start Jay-Z's career. He also put together hit songs for Ludacris, Alicia Keys, and Janet Jackson. Along the way he made the decision to give up his studies at Chicago State and pursue his passion in music. West secured a contract as a rapper from Roc-A-Fella after trying to get one from Capitol. A major turning point occurred when West was involved in a car accident after leaving the studio, shattering his jaw. West revealed: "I feel like the album was my medicine. It would take my mind away from the pain - away from the dental appointments, from my teeth killing me, from my mouth being wire shut, from the fact that I looked like I just fought Mike Tyson...The record wouldn't have been as big without the accident. I nearly died. That's the best thing that can happen to a rapper." 'The College Dropout' was recorded at The Record Plant in Los Angeles, California utilizing beats and samples that West had been working on for years. The album credits Jacob Andrew as engineer; Darrin Asemota as A&R; Thomassina Atkins on vocals; Burt Bacharach as composer; Rich Balmer as engineer; Miri Ben-Ari as arranger, producer, piolin; Shalik Berry on A&R; The Boys Choir of Harlem as featured artist, guest artist, primary artist, vocalist; Candis Brown on vocals; Albert E. Brumley as composer; Kareem "Biggs" Burke as executive producer; Jay-Z as executive producer, writer, primary artist; Common as featured artist, guest artist, primary artist; Consequence as featured artist, primary artist; Dave Dar as engineer; Damon Dash as executive producer; Andrew Dawson as engineer; Eric Duvauchelle on art direction, design; Michael Eleopoulos as engineer; Evidence as producer; Jamie Foxx as featured artist, guest artist, primary artist; Ramses Francois on A&R; Aretha Franklin as composer; Freeway as featured artist, primary artist; Marcus Fuller as engineer; GLC as featured artist, performer, primary artist; Mike Godshall on art direction, design; Francis Graham as engineer; Terrence Hardy on vocals; L.D. Harris as composer; Lauryn Hill as composer; Diamond Alabi Isama on vocals; J. Ivy on featured artist; Eric Johnson on guitar; Syleena Johnson as featured artist, guest artist; Kyambo Joshua on A&R, executive producer; Tom Keane as composer; Anthony Kilhoffer as engineer; James Knight on vocals; Brent Kolatalo as engineer; Brandi Kuykenvall on vocals; Talib Kweli as featured artist, guest artist, primary artist; Darcell Lawrence as financial director; John Legend on vocals, backing vocals, piano; Ken Lewis on bass, guitar, instrumentation, keyboards, percussion, sampling; Ludacris as featured artist, guest artist, primary artist; Manny Marroquin on mixing; Beverly A. McCargo on vocals; Lavel Mena on vocals; B. Miller as composer; C.C. Mitchell as composer; Tim Morris on art direction, design; Mos Def as featured artist, guest artist, primary artist; Bobby Naugle on logo design; Jason Rauhoff as engineer; Patrick Reynolds on A&R; Lauri Rowe on art; Tatsuya Sato as engineer; Eddy Schreyer on mastering; Kevin Shannon on vocals; Tiera Singleton on vocals; Keith Slattery as engineer, keyboards; Dante Smith as composer; Tracie Spencer on backing vocals; Eugene Toale on vocals; Tarrey Torae on vocals; Twista as featured artist, primary artist; Aisha Tyler on vocals; Tony Vanias as recording coordinator; Cynthia Weil as composer; Kanye West as main composer, executive producer, primary artist; Tony Williams on vocals; Cam Wilson as composer; R. Wilson as composer; Carlisle Young as engineer; and Josh Zandman on piano.
'The College Dropout' was an immediate hit, establishing West as a major new talent. It reached ninety-eight in France, ninety-six in Switzerland, seventy-seven in Germany, fifty-three in the Netherlands, thirty-nine in Sweden, thirteen in Ireland, twelve in the UK, two on the US Billboard 200 album chart, and number one on the US rap albums chart and the US R&B album chart. It won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album and has sold over four million copies worldwide. 'Jesus Walks' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8AyHupByuU Yo, we at war We at war with terrorism, racism And most of all, we at war wit ourselves (Jesus walks) God show me the way because the Devil's trying to break me down (Jesus walks with me) You know what the Midwest is? Young &Restless Where restless niggaz might snatch yo' necklace And next these niggaz might jack yo' Lexus Somebody tell these niggaz who Kanye West is I walk through the valley of the shadow of death is Top floor, the view alone will leave you breathless (Uhhh!) Try to catch it (Uhhh!) It's kinda hard Getting choked by the detectives yeah yeah now check the method They be asking us questions, harass and arrest us Saying, "We eat pieces of shit like you for breakfast" Huh? Ya'll eat pieces of shit? What's the basis? We ain't going nowhere but got suits and cases A trunk full of coke, rental car from Avis My momma used to say, Only Jesus can save us Well momma, I know I act a fool But I'll be gone till November, I got packs to move, I hope (Jesus walk) God show me the way because the Devil's tryna to break me down (Jesus walk with me) The only thing that I pray is that my feet don't fail me now (Jesus walk) And I don't think there's nothing I can do now ta right my wrongs (Jesus walk with me) I wanna talk to God but I'm afraid cause we ain't spoke in so long God show me the way because the Devil's tryna to break me down The only thing that I pray is that my feet don't fail me now And I don't think there is nothing I can do now ta right my wrongs I want to talk to God but I'm afraid cause we ain't spoke in so long So long, so long (Jesus walk with me) To the hustlas, killas, murderas, drug dealas, even tha strippers (Jesus walks with them) To the victims of welfare for we living in hell here, hell yeah (Jesus walks with them) Now hear ye, hear ye, want to see Thee more clearly I know He hear me when my feet get weary 'Cuz we're the almost nearly extinct We rappers as role models, we rap we don't think I ain't here to argue about his facial features Or here to convert atheists into believers I'm just trying to say the way school need teachers The way Kathy Lee needed Regis, that's the way I need Jesus So here go my single dawg radio needs this They say you can rap about anything except for Jesus That means guns, sex, lies, video tape But if I talk about God my record won't get played, huh? Well if this take away from my spins Which will probably take away from my ends Then hope it take away from my sins And bring the day that I dream about Next time I'm in the club everybody screamin' out (Jesus walk) God show me the way because the Devil's tryna break me down (Jesus walk with me) The only thing that I pray is that my feet don't fail me now http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYF7H_fpc-g
