Kanye West: Life of the Progressive Hip-Hop Star

Web. 13 Feb. 2014. Kanye west and jay z conflict "Jay-Z Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d.

He has fought ever since to do exactly what he wanted to do—no matter what,” says Donda West, his mother in her book, Raising Kanye: Life Lessons from the Mother of a Hip-Hop Superstar. By the time West was ten, he was already creating his own raps, and according to the people around him, he was pretty good at it even at that young of an age. (Manheim, James M., and Carol Brennan) West was not too interested in school as he grew up, but he was able to get by because of his talent. If he dropped out of one ... ... middle of paper ... ...t is not one. It is very possible that West’s future could have changed for the better or the worse if he was a more caring and selfless person Works Cited Dockterman, Eliana.

"Elton John." Biography : EltonJohn.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar.

Kanye West changed the gangster filled rap genre by releasing his positive, soulful debut album, changing the way rappers dress, and paving the way for a whole new style of introspective lyrics and soul-inspired rap production in the mainstream. When West first showed up (late 90s and early 2000s), the world was a different place. Fans of the genre were most likely listening to gangster-rap, artists like: Jay Z, Notorious B.I.G, 50 Cent, Tupac, Ice Cube, Eazy E, N.W.A, Wu-Tang, Nate Dogg, Dr. Dre, and Snoop Dogg (Best Gangsta Rappers), the kind of music that dominated mainstream rap at the time. Rappers and fans of rap were mostly in a gangster-influenced mind state. West was foreign to the idea of being a “thug” or a “gangster”.

N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.

After the release of his first album, Infinite, Eminem developed his alter ego Slim Shady. He then created The Slim Shady EP which created many opportunities for Eminem, jump starting his career. He obtained a contract with Interscope Records and was introduced to Dr. Dre who became his mentor. His first album with Interscop Records was The Slim Shady LP in 1999 followed by The Marshall Mathers LP in 2000. The combination of these two albums proved that Eminem was one of the most important and popular pop artists of the time (Thomas, 2013).

Jay Z later on became a rap legend, and owns many of his own businesses. He is living happily married, now that his relationship with Beyonce is public, and they do not have to keep it a secret anymore. He still releases albums today, like his recent album, “Magna Carta Holy Grail,” which is now focused more on how being rich and famous changes people, and that he fears that he will loose himself in his wealth. It is amazing how a man who starts with nothing, ends up with so much power and wealth, however still battles the urge to let fame change him. Works Cited “Jay-Z Biography.” Starpulse : 1-1.

Jay Z references different songs and ideals on what he thinks makes a classic song, but is he really the right person to ask for insight on this topic? Jay Z is just a rapper, and we live in a time where it is more important for an artist to sell records than present a legitimate message, and the best way for one to that is to gain popularity. Jay Z may be one of the most popular rappers ever, but other than his business ventures he is only a rapper. Jay Z may have worked with many different kinds of artists and producers but he has no personal experience doing solo work outside his genre. Looking beyond the fact that he is solely a rapper, Jay Z has in fact sold millions of records.

The 1990’s showed people that the art forms of hip hop would be a permanent fixture in music and culture because at this point it existed for roughly twenty years. Minorities had always embraced hip hop since the beginning because they were the creators, but the 1990’s was important because this is when the music being made became more relatable. Artist such as Nas and the Wu-Tang clan embodied a lifestyle in their music that many minorities agreed with because it depicted the lives that those minorities were living. This is not to say that there was not music that was viewed as gimmicky and fabricated. The hip-hop culture was always seen as rebellious, but in the 1990’s it developed an even str... ... middle of paper ... ...onsidered miniscule today, they were the foundation for every form of rapping that is present today.

Web. 25 Nov. 2013.