It contains all the best elements of a classic Ye song. He is a merciful lord indeed. From the scintillating “Put your hands to the constellations/ The way you look should be a sin, you my sensation,” through to stereotypically wry, “That’s Dior Homme, not Dior Homie,” it’s Ye at his most acerbic. You can find more details and opt out at any time in our Privacy Policy, *If you submitted your e-mail address and placed an order, we may use your e-mail address to inform you lent their vocals to the track. One of the most nostalgic songs of all time. Juggling his love/hate relationship with his special others (fame/females), it also contains one of the best skits in hip-hop history from Chris Rock. This song was performed by Kanye West and JAY-Z 11 times in a row during their tour stop in the title’s namesake city. Nevertheless, West’s body of work remains immaculate; a run of earth-shattering, genre-defining work that has few – if any – worthy comparisons, certainly not in this millennium. Another triumphant banger from the pantheon of the best Kanye West songs. He’s confident enough to use a Daft Punk sample (later confident enough to hire them for a performance at the Grammys), and to say that he makes it work would be an understatement. The music video is a campy delight, featuring the forever iconic Anna Nicole Smith as well as Tracie Ellis Ross pretending to be a French video girl. Signé chez G.O.O.D Music entre 2008 et 2013, Cudder s’est évidemment inspiré du rappeur de Chicago pour construire son identité et son univers. It works so well that even Kanye’s most explicitly activist lyrics of his career fit into the picture without fuss. First and foremost of these is “Ghost Town,” the record’s dazzling emotional peak – it is the only time on the album that Kanye’s hubris feels justified by the craft on display. Like many others, my first association of Yeezus was sneaking out in the dark of night to catch one of the croppings of secret projections displayed on buildings around the world. relevant portions of the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 Level AA All of which accompanied an iconic, Spike Jonze-directed video, which sees Ye beginning to flex the creative muscles that now keep him firmly on the lips of even the deepest chasms of the internet. One of Kanye’s first mainstream hits, winning praise from Spike Lee and your friend’s cool dad alike, “Gold Digger” is an emblematic early Kanye track from his sophomore album. The 20 best Kanye West songs With the help of some Yeezy-loving musicians and writers (plus one footballer), we’ve picked the greatest Kanye West songs By Time Out London Music … Alongside the effervescent and on-form T-Pain, it remains one of Ye’s most uplifting tunes. It was immediately hailed as an instant-classic within days of its initial release, an assessment which – if possible – may have served to undersell its quality. Music and Kanye West best songs subgenre of his catalog. His message, taken seriously from the first, has become prophetic. Kanye West was first recruited by Damon Dash to produce songs for Roc-A-Fella Records. These are the 40 Best Kanye West Songs of All Time: Incredible piano riff, Chris Martin of Coldplay on the chorus, recorded at Abbey Road studios in London, likening his Chicago hometown to a long lost girlfriend, what more do you need from this classic Kanye cut? “Flashing Lights” was recorded in 2007, a decade removed from Kanye’s now monolithic status in style, music and popular culture. For the last few months of my high school career, I was late every single day. But the big band instrumentation utilized in John Barry’s James Bond score proved to fit in with fellow film composer Jon Brion’s work on Late Registration like pieces of a puzzle. Ye lays down the gauntlet from the get-go, “We at war with terrorism, racism and most of all, we at war with ourselves,” in what goes on to become what is perhaps Kanye’s most revered track. “Slow Jamz” immediately transports you back to the most halcyon of days whenever it’s played. Until light comes in the form of Mr. West, descending down from the heavens as a radiant chorus delivers him unto us, the mere mortals lost in endless suffering. Talib Kweli watched Kanye whip up the incredibly dank beat in 15 minutes, and ended up hopping on the track last minute, with Common’s verses already recorded. That full orchestra arrangement, those drums?! To put it in perspective, that’s less than Jay-Z, but more than others in the industry such as Drake. On “Mercy,” the outing is a pitch-black work of show and tell; no matter how absurdist the bars coming out of Big Sean, Pusha-T, and 2 Chainz are, their humor is obscured by the cryptically foreboding production that surrounds them. The song name itself pretty much spawned its own genre. It’s Kanye at his most transcendent; ultimately foreshadowing his transition into Yeezus himself. Kanye called The Life of Pablo his ‘gospel album,’ but that description really only applies to this track, one of the most experimental and haunting tracks he has ever put to tape. Kanye has become infamous for finding the most obscure samples to cull beats from, so for him to pluck a theme song as-is from a film in one of the most successful franchises in cinematic history makes this track something of an anomaly. Distinctly Chicago, distinctly superb. Even now, years later, I see his eyes as I listen, channeling a righteous and furious anger built from centuries of oppression. The man born Kanye Omari West … Originally hand-crafted by Kanye for Jay’s The Blueprint 3, Jay decided to gift the song to T.I. Quel duo que celui formé par Kanye West et Kid Cudi. To do this, we need your consent and confirmation that you are 16+ years old. Kanye West released five albums in the 2010s. Thank You 4 Your Service, King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude, "Credits / The Life of Pablo / Kanye West", Fame Kills: Starring Kanye West and Lady Gaga, Everyone Nose (All the Girls Standing in the Line for the Bathroom), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_songs_recorded_by_Kanye_West&oldid=1022913282, Lists of songs recorded by American artists, Articles needing additional references from September 2020, All articles needing additional references, Articles to be expanded from September 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Kanye West featuring Sunday Service Choir, Kanye West featuring Ty Dolla Sign and Ant Clemons, This page was last edited on 13 May 2021, at 07:05. Working with a retained accessibility consultant, it is planning to implement over time the Kanye West Feat. Remember when this song dropped on Ye’s SoundCloud before the album dropped? Linking up with DJ Premier for this motivational master-stroke, “Everything I Am” is one of Yeezy’s most-underrated songs from Graduation (and on this list.) “Good Life,” simply, was Kanye at his happiest. Kanye West has enjoyed one of the greatest ascents in the history of hip-hop. Utterly haunting and fucking brilliant. Kanye West Clifford Harris Lamont Dozier Brian Holland Edward Holland Jr. And despite functioning as an opening statement, he’s barely present; this song belongs to the awe-inducing work of gospel legends like Kirk Franklin and, of course, that king-making verse from Chance the Rapper. “Remember when we were so young, when I would hold you” he bemoans, plumbing the depths of his soul and serving it to us on a gilded platter. The incredible video with Pamela Anderson provides triumphant ’70s Evel Knievel vibes, foreshadowing the out-of-this-world trajectory Kanye would follow as a musician and pop culture icon in the years to follow. Above the mercilessly crushing beats, high above the ululations of that Nina Simone sample, even higher than the soaring lines of Autotune (an instrument West somehow redefines yet again), is the raw, emotional honesty that courses through each second of this song. Below you will find a list that includes work from almost all of his studio albums, his collaborative masterpiece with JAY-Z, Watch the Throne, and a standalone single here or there. Literally. Still, we have done it. In between vast silences that seem to last for hours, a synth warble resembling an underwater organ hazily floats to the surface. All together now, “WE WANT PRE-NUP, YEAH!”. The production was handled by West, with an extended outro co-produced with Mike Dean.The composition is electronic in nature, employing synthesizers as its prominent instrument. That beat stays the same, gliding evenly throughout the track even as it is attacked by bouts of forceful piano, hand-claps, drums, and Kanye casually revolutionizing a tool called Autotune. Bless you poor Mrs. Scales, but I could not possibly have made time to care about physics in my marijuana-addled days of being a 17-year old. And, if nothing else, it will forever be enshrined as a showcase for 070 Shake’s show-stopping guest spot. The name itself earmarked what he has endured throughout this decade – unprecedented media attention and unparalleled super-stardom – it’s all right there, summed up in its most succinct form. He’s now a certified SEO-goldmine for any publication – you’re now reading this article because ‘Kanye West’ was in the name of this piece. In an alternate universe, Ye fronts a punk band, and “Black Skinhead” is the best Kanye West song he’s ever produced. Good times. Beat. In a record full of self-flagellation, “Runaway” is the towering peak of Ye’s benediction, a shrieking wail from the depths of his soul acknowledging how far his mighty hubris had made him fall. Kanye West performs during Puff Daddy and Bad Boy Family Reunion Tour at Madison Square Garden on Sept. 4, 2016 in New York City. "Gold Digger" is a song recorded by American rapper Kanye West featuring guest vocals by Jamie Foxx. “There’s a fine line between good and bad music, I think,” Sad Night Dynamite’s Josh Greacen muses, recounting a story from the duo’s early years. A pop masterpiece, “Stronger” stands strong as one of the best Kanye West songs in the early years of his career and served to solidified Kanye’s position in the mainstream consciousness. ‘Instant-classic’ is also a term that feels inevitable for “Blood on the Leaves,” a towering pinnacle of anguish in an album full of it. By clicking subscribe I confirm I’m 16+ and I agree that Highsnobiety will use my email address to notify me regularly via email about new products (clothing, shoes, and other accessories), news and other relevant Highsnobiety content. And that spectral outro? (WCAG 2.0 AA) as its web accessibility standard or other standards to the extent required by the Americans But it’s the way Ye switches from a smooth flow to non-Autotuned vocals with ease that cements this as one of the best Kanye songs. While Kanye has a plethora of tracks exploring the depths of human existence, sometimes you just need a song to pass a joint around to, and “Get Em High” delivers. !” There has simply been no better anthem for pridefully having zero (zilch, nada) fucks to give written in this lifetime. A. We use MailChimp for sending and measuring the performance of our newsletter. The legendary video where Kanye goes through the X-Ray machine. More details can be found in our Privacy Policy. “Jesus Walks” is an anthemic masterpiece; both doggedly militaristic in tone while simultaneously holding a pertinent message, one that still rings true today. regularly about similar products without prior explicit consent. His satire of workout mixtapes is a certified jam, but also serves as a commentary on the ridiculous demands put on women to look good. Classic Chicago house samples and a dash of Autotune with an exultant drum breakdown. While the track’s gospel influences give it a somewhat peaceful feel, there are definitely times when I’m not sure what I’m listening to. “Famous” is production dynamite, with that Sister Nancy sample representing one of Ye’s best chops in recent times. Although less than three minutes long, it’s emblematic of Kanye’s constant quest to innovate not only his own tracks, but contemporary music as a whole. Brooke Crittendon (pictured below with Kanye) was an executive assistant at MTV News who dated Kanye between 2005-2006. Accompanied with a stellar feature from The Weeknd, who rides “FML”’s beat perfectly, the track is one of the most vivid journeys into the mesmerizing mindset of the musician—and one of the best Kanye songs yet. The opening track to Kanye’s seventh studio album, “On Sight” is a full-on audio assault of an introduction to the world of Yeezus. It then manifested into an utterly timeless tear-jerker after Ye performed the track at the Grammys in 2008, after Donda had just passed. disabilities. JAY-Z & Kanye West, also known as The Throne, are a hip-hop duo comprised of rappers and label-mates, JAY-Z and Kanye West. Because of the sheer visionary brilliance of tracks like “Flashing Lights.”. Yeezus‘ influence is unparalleled; whispers of its stylistic flourishes are ubiquitous in hip-hop and electronic music alike. Kanye West, contrary to what some of his lyrics may say, is just a mortal man. as screen readers and screen magnifiers, and with users with disabilities who use these technologies. with Disabilities Act (”ADA”). or call +49 (0)30 235 908 500. And props to T-Pain for shouting out his affectionate Grandma. Deciding on the top 10 alone took us hours of deliberation; when an artist makes nothing but masterpieces, it becomes increasingly challenging to critique one against the other. He also has been a … ... Kanye West The music video is composed from live concert footage of Jay-Z and West performing at the Staples Center during the last Los Angeles venue on their Watch the Throne Tour. For the best experience possible, we and our partners collect usage information and use cookies to show you relevant advertising. Best bar? Truly a team effort, The-Dream wrote the hook, and Rihanna, Fergie, Alicia Keys, La Roux and Elton John (?!) To paraphrase a line he would utilize a few albums down the road, “every superhero needs his back story,” and as far as origins go, you just can’t make this shit up. Yeezy taught us well. “It is a weepin’ and a moanin’ and a gnashing of teeth” goes what was surely the darkest sample to hover out of car radios in the summer of 2012. We rank all 10 of Kanye West’s unreleased albums ahead of the eventual release of ’Jesus is King.’ ... It’s why Kanye and JAY-Z are a great duo. This is the cream of the crop for the G.O.O.D. Looking back years later, it holds up as one of the best Kanye songs of all time and shows how revolutionary Ye was years before Autotune would take over music. It ends as it began, with that beat, a pressing reminder of the utter devastation that lies beneath it all. If, at any time, you have specific questions or concerns about the Please expand the article to include this information. The guitar-tinged tune allows Cudi to explain … XXL rounds up and ranks all of the Kids See Ghosts duo's collaborations, from best to worst. No wonder he has to end the song by jumping out the window. Benchmark-setting genius. It created social media bedlam, and uncontrollable excitement from even Ye’s harshest of critics. The double entendre of the title focuses on Ye’s lust and love – he’s arguably still not sure which one will conquer which. Each newsletter contains an unsubscribe link. The consent can be revoked at any time by using the unsubscribe link in the newsletter. “One time Archie [Blagden] played one of the songs we were writing to a girlfriend of his and she just laughed in his face!” “It was really embarrassing…” his bandmate chuckles. But what beauty he can spin from it. While West feels "Stronger" pales in comparison to the sampled Daft Punk original, the French duo were apparently delighted with the song. Stirring strings, archetypal bars about luxury and lust and a killer hook. Find Kanye West award information on AllMusic. His wild cackle is married to what can only be described as an air raid siren in the song’s opening moments, but it is at the end, after an excellent verse from Ye, that we are left with one of the album’s most mysteriously reflective ruminations, delivered atop a jarring beat: “Memories don’t live like people do.”. Pour sûr que sans son mentor, l’artiste de Cleveland n’aurait certainement pas pu autant s’épanouir artistiquement. And we accept his apology, because “Runaway” is nothing short of nine minutes of sheer perfection. This interview was their first American interview in many years as Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter donned their robot costumes to talk all things Daft Punk.One of the topics they discussed was Kanye West and … One cannot overlook the context of its creation; in which this song was the definitive statement in an album that was a true make-or-break moment in absolving his sins in the eyes of a public still reeling from that fabled mic theft. Sometimes Kanye’s got a sense of humor, and when he does it’s glorious. Kanye talking about materialism, societal flaws AND an introverted look at his own insecurities… in 2004? Unlike the rest of Yeezus, Kanye is back to his sampling ways with soaring gospel vocals, but he ingeniously juxtaposes the old school vibes with a blown-out bass line on the chorus. Armed with that knowledge, do we really need to explain how great it is? It’s tracks like this that re-affirm the fact that Ye was in a completely different stratosphere to any other artist when he dropped MBDTF. If you do encounter an accessibility issue, please specify the Web page(s) to Find Kanye West award information on AllMusic AllMusic. The unforgettable guitar riff. be aware that our efforts are ongoing. Alternatively, you can object to Remember when this track single-handedly ruined any credibility Taylor Swift ever had? “Hey Mama” was originally a beautiful dedication to his mother when Ye dropped it on Late Registration. Although the Clipse-esque beat isn’t representative of Kanye at his most inventive, it’s a damn good soundtrack to fill the room with smoke. Our website will be tested on a periodic basis with assistive technology such a. jam. Bon Iver’s on the intro and outro, JAY-Z and Rick Ross hop on the track, and Nicki Minaj comes in with one of the greatest verses of all time, ever. Bonus points for the percussion and Kanye’s laugh-out-loud bars. This is the cream of the crop for the G.O.O.D. Kanye Omari West (/ ˈ k ɑː n j eɪ /; born June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, record producer, businessman and fashion designer. Music and Kanye West best songs subgenre of his catalog. The company is committed to facilitating the accessibility and usability of its Web site for all people with The following is a list of all songs recorded by American rapper/producer Kanye West. One of the best Kanye West songs and videos of all time. The duo’s last tour was all the way back in 2007 and Variety just shared a formerly unpublished interview with the duo that touches on a wide range of subjects.. "Stronger" is a song by American rapper Kanye West, released as the second single from his third studio album, Graduation (2007). You can object to the use of your e-mail to the basic tariffs. Why? A requiem for the old Kanye, who has since become considered rap’s foremost iconoclast. Rihanna embodies fame itself on her brief appearances on the track, and Ye is at his braggadocious best on this bountiful beat. Never before, and never since, has his work ever been so ravishingly beautiful. Whether it’s facing the sort of life-changing event like the graduation of its lyrics or easing yourself out of a particularly rough patch, this song is here, a healing salve for all wounds. The duo got pretty well together that Kanye returned to her for another cycle of relationship after breaking up with Brooke Crittendon. But … It also happens to be the song that he frequently smashes his guitar to. What appeared was a ghoulish visage of Kanye’s face stretched to billboard size, rasping the lyrics to a song I’d later learn was called “New Slaves,” his eyes full of a purposeful fire. The thought of Kanye West featuring Adam Levine on one of his songs (A track that would also be further drawn out on a Maroon 5 album) might seem odd. After waltzing into the most controversial era of his career thus far (which is saying something) and a sharp turn into religious indoctrination, this fact has never been more clear. Perhaps the standout from Kanye’s most masterful album, it captures his unique style as a rapper. Showcasing his innate musical knowledge with a re-appropriated Ray Charles classic performed by Jamie Foxx and a surprise synth-coda that is a clear nod to Stevie Wonder’s mammoth-hit “Superstition,” the song deliriously upends decades of pop music into one lean, mean, unstoppable machine. It remains one of those songs you play with your day ones mid-session, bleary eyed as the morning light trickles in… head nods… not needing to say anything… just knowing looks aplenty.