kanye west Archives

Ghostface Killah Remixes The Weeknd For What May Be A Supreme Clientele 2 Preview (Audio)

In 2015, The Weeknd made an anthem out of "Can't Feel My Face." That's an attitude and descriptive that Ghostface Killah knows about, since long before he made 2006's "Kilo." To close out the year, G.F.K. extends the practice he and Kanye West have for jumping on remixes. This time,... Read more

December 8, 2015 Audio

Pusha T Named President Of Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music

Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music has appointed Pusha T to label president today (November 9). The announcement came via press release from Pusha's spokesperson. The Grammy-nominated veteran MC has released one album with the label, 2013's My Name Is My Name, after signing in 2010. Speaking with Billboard, Pusha T revealed... Read more

November 9, 2015 News

At A Time When So Many Are Angry, Travi$ Scott & Kanye West Can Really Relate (Video)

Travis $cott's Rodeo has been one of the most exciting debut albums—not only of 2015, but in some time. The Epic Records MC/singer/producer brought a ton of rawness to his Top 3 charting LP, which was largely held down by veteran producer Mike Dean (Scarface, Kanye West, Tha Dogg Pound).... Read more

October 30, 2015 Video

Chance The Rapper Takes Kanye’s “Family Business” & Runs With It. Carefully. (Video)

Chance The Rapper has this ability to cleverly take things that inspire him and make them his own. That could be something like the theme song to "Arthur" or in the latest case, a College Dropout cult favorite album cut. C.T.R. has made a fan out of Kanye West, so... Read more

October 14, 2015 Video

The Game Tells The Story of The Doctor’s Advocate & Why It’s His Best Album (Video)

This month, Compton, California MC Game is in the midst of releasing two discs to The Documentary 2. Featuring involvement from Dr. Dre, Kanye West, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, and Q-Tip (among others), the LP is an independent homage to Jayceon Taylor's 2005 breakthrough. Speaking with HipHopDX last... Read more

October 12, 2015 Video

The Game’s Documentary 2 Tracklist Packs The Same Star-Power As The First

In January, 2005, The Game—then a G-Unit member, made his major label debut with The Documentary. Executive produced by Dr. Dre and 50 Cent, the album was among the most profiled debut Hip-Hop albums of the 2000s. The Grammy-nominated, double-platinum LP produced major singles "How We Do" and "Hate It... Read more

September 18, 2015 Fresh

Just Blaze Has Made Smashes For Jay Z, Kanye West, T.I. & More. Watch How He Does It (Video)

Over the years, Just Blaze has powered some of Hip-Hop biggest hits and most revered classics. The superstar producer is responsible for defining records by Jay Z ("Girls, Girls, Girls," "Song Cry," "Public Service Announcement"), Kanye West ("Touch the Sky"), T.I. and more. Though his style varies, he is known... Read more

September 10, 2015 Video

Scarface Says Kanye West & Jay Z Wanted Him On Jesus Walks (Video)

Scarface and Kanye West worked together in the early 2000s. First on Jay Z's "This Can't Be Life," and then on a chunk of 'Face's own The Fix album, the then-Def Jam Records label-mates began a strong bond. In the 15 years since, Kanye West has closely worked with 20-plus-year... Read more

September 9, 2015 Video

Kanye West is the First MC to Ever Appear on the Cover of the ‘New Yorker’

Kanye West's career trajectory has never shied away of the audacious, memorable, and newsworthy. His announcement of a presidential bid in 2020 at this year's MTV Video Music Awards on August 30 was all three, and whether the plan ever comes to fruition is secondary to the fact that now,... Read more

September 4, 2015 News

Heartbreak Of Late: How Katrina, Taylor & A Tragic Loss Shaped Kanye West

In the last 15 years, has an artist used the medium of music videos as profoundly and as dynamically as Kanye West? At last night's (August 30) 2015 MTV Video Music Awards, Mr. West received the honorary Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, placing him in the company of not only... Read more

August 31, 2015 Food for Thought, Video

The Weeknd Does Away With His Demons in Highly-Conceptual ‘Tell Your Friends’ Mini-Movie (Video)

The Weeknd is having what is likely the most successful season of his career, and his new album hasn't even been released yet. On August 28, Beauty Behind The Madness is expected to drop and will certainly echo the success of "Can't Feel My Face," the album's lead single that... Read more

August 24, 2015 Video

Talib Kweli Points Out That One of His Major Features Was On the Wrong Part of the Beat (Video)

Beyond his extensive solo, Black Star, Idle Warship, and Reflection Eternal catalog, Talib Kweli's career has been decorated with poignant feature appearances. The Brooklyn, New York MC appeared on notable releases such as UGK's #1-charting Underground Kingz and Pharoahe Monch's critically-acclaimed P.T.S.D. However, Kweli garnered a Grammy Award for his... Read more

August 19, 2015 Video

Mike Dean Works With Rap’s Masters. So Who Does He Consider The Best? (Video)

Mike Dean is one of Rap's most prolific producers of the last 25 years. Dean has been responsible for much of Rap-A-Lot Records 1990s and early 2000s successes, before joining Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music production team, and relocating to New York City. From Scarface and Devin The Dude, to Seagram... Read more

August 10, 2015 Video

A$AP Rocky’s Jukebox Joints Visual Shows The Timeless Response To Good Music (Video)

From A$AP Rocky's At. Long. Last. A$AP, "Jukebox Joints" is a standout. The Kanye West and Che Pope (a longtime Dr. Dre ensemble producer)-created track infuses Soul sampling with Rocky's brand of psychedelia. Moreover, A$AP masters the ceremony with command in the single's lyrics. For the video, Kanye (who also... Read more

August 10, 2015 Video

CyHi The Prynce Attacks a Thunderous Beat Like a L.I.O.N. (Video)

Over the years, CyHi The Prynce has shown a penchant for concept projects. Since 2010, he's released several thematic mixtapes, from his Royal Flush series to the Ivy League collection to his Black Hystori Projects. Now, the G.O.O.D. Music MC has announced a new project, L.I.O.N. (Like It Or Not),... Read more

August 8, 2015 Video

CyHi The Prynce Puts Kanye West on Blast…But It’s All in the Family (Audio)

Over the years, Kanye West has gone on some memorable rants. Now, it appears the quality has rubbed off on his G.O.O.D. Music signee, CyHi The Prynce. Much like Kanye did with Jay Z on "Big Brother," CyHi takes Kanye to task for several transgressions he believes he's suffered over... Read more

August 5, 2015 Audio

Vic Mensa Ends All Questions About Why Jay Z Signed Him With This Freestyle Over Classic Biggie (Audio)

Over the past few months, Vic Mensa has been adding his own flavor to the work of others, including his re-imagining of Future's "Codeine Crazy," his "Breakfast Bars" segment attacking some vintage Ice Cube beats, and his chance to pay homage to his current boss, Jay-Z, by freestyling over the... Read more

July 30, 2015 Audio, Fresh

Are Comedians the Only Ones Keeping It Real on TV? Larry Wilmore Takes Down the Confederate Flag (Video)

In the ongoing conversation about racial injustice in this country, public discourse is moving at a breakneck speed, with daily occurrences adding layers of complexity to what is already a contentious debate. The latest hot-button issue is the Confederate flag and its history, role, and purpose. Opinions on the issue... Read more

June 24, 2015 News

Big Sean’s Powerful New Video Shows How One Person Can Change the World (Video)

Big Sean's Dark Sky Paradise continues to be a highlight within the 2015 album landscape. With catchy anthems, thematic singles, and signature wordplay-driven cuts, there's more. "One Man Can Change The World" is the pensive ambition. The song, a Getting Out Our Dreams ensemble, with Kanye West and John Legend,... Read more

June 19, 2015 Video

Twitter Is Making Moves. And Even Snoop Is Down For The Next Episode

Last week, Snoop Dogg jokingly tweeted "First Order of Business! Get that Moolah! #SnoopforCEO." He was referring to the recent news of a change in leadership at Twitter, where former CEO Dick Costolo stepped down amid a slump in the social media network's expansion as of late. Yes, the online... Read more

June 15, 2015 Lifestyle

Vic Mensa & Kanye West Make ‘Em Mad, But They Love It Though (Video)

Vic Mensa is hitting 2015's midpoint on a whole other level from where he started. The Save Money MC/vocalist went from Kids These Days to a Roc Nation solo deal in no easy steps. He made groundbreaking music, and Rap's elite took notice. While Jay Z inked Vic, Kanye West... Read more

June 9, 2015 Video

Common’s Be Turns 10 Years Old Today. Is It The Definitive Comeback Album?

One decade ago today (May 24, 2005), Common released his sixth album, Be. Although Common was then already a Grammy Award-winning, gold-certified MC, he was in an odd place. Comm' Sense was 11 years removed from his brilliant grassroots Hip-Hop commentary sophomore, Resurrection. The Chicago, Illinois MC was also five... Read more

May 24, 2015 Food for Thought

Kanye West Goes From College Dropout To Graduation, As Honorary Degree Recipient

Less than a dozen years ago, Kanye West self-identified as The College Dropout. Today, the music/pop culture superstar has a higher education diploma in hand. Mr. West received an honor doctoral degree in Fine Arts today (May 11) from the School Of The Art Institute Of Chicago. 'Ye was on... Read more

May 11, 2015 News

Yasiin Bey Explains His New Creative Process and Worldview in Detail (Video)

Yasiin Bey is a true creative anomaly. The artist formerly known as Mos Def spent the late 1990s and early 2000s churning out material, basking in the collaborative spirit, and touring relentlessly. The world responded, and the onetime Brooklyn, New York underground MC garnered gold plaques, Top 5 debuts, and... Read more

May 4, 2015 Video

N.O.R.E. Speaks For the First Time on Squashing His Beef With Nas (Video)

While being known as one Rap's lighter personalities, N.O.R.E. (f/k/a Noreaga) has had his share of rifts. From Nas to Prodigy, Cormega to partner Capone, the Lefrak City, Queens MC has had cold periods with several of his closest associates. Speaking with Doggie Diamonds TV, the onetime Def Jam Records... Read more

May 1, 2015 Video

Sean Price Borrows Kanye West’s Breakthrough Beat and Spits The Truth (Audio)

In a career that's 20 years old, Sean Price has been very calculated with mixtape releases. Three times, the Brownsville, Brooklyn MC has offered up a non-album release, and starting with 2004's Donkey Sean, Jr., (before Monkey Barz) each time they have been a warning shot before an album that's... Read more

April 28, 2015 Audio

Kanye West Reportedly Joins Puff Daddy’s Hitmen

This past weekend Puff Daddy made an unforeseen announcement via Instagram that he is now back in the studio with his production team The Hitmen (a/k/a Puffy's Hitmen). This is Sean Comb's first album since releasing Last Train To Paris in 2010 and he is now back in the studio with members Chucky Thompson, Deric "D-Dot"... Read more

April 20, 2015 News

TIME Names Kanye West 1 of the 100 Most Influential People. Hate Him or Love Him, It’s True (Video)

Kanye West has come a long way from lobbying Dame Dash and Jay Z for a record deal as an artist. Since his debut album, The College Dropout, in 2004, he has re-shaped the sound of Hip-Hop, and all music, time and time again. Not one to settle, West has... Read more

April 16, 2015 Video

The Full Version of Kanye West’s All Day Remix Featuring Kendrick Lamar Is Here (Audio)

Snippets have leaked of Kendrick Lamar's verse from a remix of Kanye West's "All Day" single, and now the full version of the song has been released. The remix starts off like the original song, with Kanye West spitting the first verse, but then K-Dot replaces Theophilus London on the... Read more

April 15, 2015 Audio

Imagine Nas Over Some of Kanye West’s Hardest Beats…Now Take a Listen (Mixtape)

Over the years, while Nas has rocked over some classic beats, one of the few criticisms levied against the iconic MC has been his beat selection. With a catalog that sports classic tracks from DJ Premier, Large Professor, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, No I.D. and more, there have also been records... Read more

April 12, 2015 Mixes

Vic Mensa Releases the Official Version of His Kanye West Collaboration. U Mad? (Audio)

Vic Mensa has been steadily putting in grind time for more than 6 years. The Chicago MC burst onto the scene in 2009 as part of the Hip-Hop band, Kids These Days. While a member of the group, Mensa and the Kids released a dark and stirring version of Kanye... Read more

April 10, 2015 Audio

Has GLC’s Time Finally Come? Kanye West & Dame Dash To Back His Sophomore Album

Fresh after Dame Dash announced Kanye West's production involvement in DD172/Blu Roc Films' Loisaidas, the Roc-A-Fella Records co-founder and the Roc's biggest signee of the 2000s are getting back to musical ventures. According to The Fader, 'Ye and Dame are both working on GLC's upcoming sophomore studio album, The Book... Read more

April 5, 2015 News

Listen to the Best Hip-Hop of March 2015 All in One Playlist (Audio)

Along with the start of Spring, the month of March brought much to celebrate in Hip-Hop. Action Bronson released Mr. Wonderful, his major label debut album. DJ EFN hit Heads off with a slew of amazing collaborations on his Another Time LP. Earl Sweatshirt fired the latest salvo from Odd... Read more

April 3, 2015 Audio

Hit-Boy Is Not Your Average Producer/MC. His Lessons From Early Kanye Show (Video)

Fifteen years ago, Kanye West came into Hip-Hop producing for MCs who had very different surroundings and inspiration than him (Beanie Sigel, Jay Z, Dilated Peoples). By the time it came to record his own music, the same quality sounds were there, but 'Ye's message and story stood apart in... Read more

March 25, 2015 Video

Finding The GOAT (Round 3): Kanye West vs. Mos Def…Who You Got

We have reached the third round in the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time). With 42 MCs remaining, we are asking you to help us rank who is the greatest MC to pick up a mic. We will take over 35 years of Hip-Hop into... Read more

March 16, 2015 Fresh

Da Brat Rhymes on Big Sean’s Blessings and ABSOLUTELY SMASHES IT (Audio)

MC Lyte. Queen Latifah. Lauryn Hill. Missy. Those names are often mentioned in the discussion of great MCs who happen to be women, but now-a-days people act like they forgot about Da Brat...The first lady of So So Def Records was actually the first solo female rapper to have an... Read more

March 12, 2015 Audio

Listen to the Best Hip-Hop of February 2015 All in One Playlist (Audio)

The month of February had less days, but it was not short on good music. The tight four weeks brought new songs from Kendrick Lamar, Ghostface Killah, Scarface, Method Man, Redman, Talib Kweli, Logic, Big K.R.I.T., Slum Village, Rah Digga, Action Bronson, Kanye West, Cannibal Ox, Drake, GZA, Fashawn, Nas,... Read more

March 4, 2015 Audio

Are There 3 Hotter Rappers In 2015 Than Big Sean, Drake & Kanye West? (Video)

Although 2015 is only in its third month, are there three bigger Rap artists for the current calendar than Big Sean, Drake, and Kanye West? Kanye's latest media swarm has everybody abuzz, leading up to God Help Me. Drake shocked the universe last month with his second gold-selling mixtape, If... Read more

March 3, 2015 Video

Kanye West is Back to Rapping and He’s Spitting Harder Than He Has in Years (Audio)

Kanye West has garnered a lot of attention this year, but none of it has been for rapping...The talented Mr. West has released three songs on which he is singing, he's released the hottest line of sneakers in the World, and he's embarked on a media tour that has shown... Read more

March 2, 2015 Audio

Kanye West Asks For Help On His Seventh Album Title & Releases Artwork

The cat is out of the bag...or in other words, "Mike Douglas out the car now." After a one-month media cycle, Kanye West has finally released the most pertinent detail surrounding his seventh solo album—its title. So Help Me God, will reportedly be the Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam Records superstar's release name.... Read more

March 1, 2015 News

Get to Know the Kinder, Gentler Kanye West in this Candid Interview (Video)

On The Low End Theory, Q-Tip famously rapped about "the way things work in cycles." That being said, Kanye West is hitting specific media spots, and doing complete 180's from his late 2013 campaign. Once perceived as angry, arrogant, and easily aggravated during his post-Yeezus run, 'Ye is righting his... Read more

February 26, 2015 Video

Dame Dash & Kanye West Share A Glimpse Of Their Film In Segments Starring The LOX, Smoke DZA & More (Video)

In Hip-Hop, film and music videos are often of blurred lines. From Krush Groove to Murder Was The Case, plots often pause to show artists expressing themselves in cinematic vignettes. Loisaidas, the new film executive produced by Damon Dash and Kanye West is no exception. In a 17-minute reel-style "episode,"... Read more

February 26, 2015 TV/Film, Video

Kanye West Uses His Platform as a BET Visionary Honoree to Discuss Race and Classism (Video)

After a very "humbling" introduction from Dame Dash, Kanye West was given the Visionary Award at the 2015 BET Honors, which aired earlier (2/23). When presented with the award, rather than talk about his accomplishments or the characteristics that make him a visionary, West took the opportunity to discuss Race... Read more

February 24, 2015 Video

Rhymefest Now Has A Grammy & An Oscar. Is He One Of The Ghostwriter Greats?

Remember that time Rhymefest beat Eminem in a Rap battle at the 1997 Scribble Jam? Unless you were there, likely not. It seems now that the two Midwest MCs have more in common all these years later. During the 87th Academy Awards this past weekend, Rhymefest and Common simultaneously became... Read more

February 24, 2015 News

Kanye West Says His Next Album Returns To Music, Opens Up About Class, Religion & Dame Dash (Video)

A lover of surprises, Kanye West popped in on The Breakfast Club this morning (February 20), and the superstar sat in the hot seat for nearly an hour. In a particularly light mood (especially compared to his November 2013 visit), 'Ye takes any and all questions—including some penetrating inquiries from... Read more

February 20, 2015 Video

Inspiration Is The Theme Behind Big Sean, Kanye West & John Legend’s Next Hit (Audio)

Things may look pretty easy for Big Sean these days. The G.O.O.D. Music/Def Jam sensation is living the good life, running at the top, with more industry movers and shakers in his corner than ever before. However, Sean is from Detroit, Michigan, and not so many years removed from just... Read more

February 17, 2015 Audio

Ever See This Real Hip-Hop Moment with Mos Def, De La Soul, Nas, Will.I.Am & More (Video)

Update: Here's an extended version of the clip, with additional performances from Nas and Mos Def (now known as Yasiin Bey). Sometimes the best moments in life are those that are unplanned. Here's a look back at what has to be one of the most epic after parties of all-time.... Read more

February 15, 2015 Video

88-Keys Has Helped Shape Sounds For Q-Tip, Kanye West & Black Star, Here’s His Story (Audio)

Whether he's breaking ground with artists like Theophilus London with "Can't Stop," putting heat down for Jay Z & Kanye West's Watch The Throne album or helping architect songs that remain heavy in conversation after more than 15 years (see: Black Star "Thieves In The Night") 88-Keys' production credits make him... Read more

February 14, 2015 Audio, Fresh

Drake Upstages Everybody With The Ultimate Sneak Attack Move

Despite all the major fanfare transpiring in Manhattan tonight with NBA All Star activities and the march to Fashion Week, Drake (who was in attendance at Roc City Classic) may be out for the gusto. Just as he did more than five years ago, Drizzy delivered a mixtape, cleverly titled... Read more

February 12, 2015 News

Kanye West Previews a Brand New Song Featuring Vic Mensa and Sia (Video)

This is a big week for Kanye West. He performed not once, but twice at this year's Grammy Awards, both solo and with Rihanna and Paul McCartney. He later created a bit of a firestorm by taking the awards show to task for not respecting true artistry. Today (2/12), he... Read more

February 12, 2015 Video