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Biography
Kanye was born in a middle class household in Chicago and was a creative from an early age, often writing poetry and becoming part of the city’s hip hop scene at a young age. He briefly attended college but dropped out when it became detrimental to the creation of his music.
He began producing beats for local artists, developing a signature style that utilized sped-up soul samples and before long he received his first big break when he became an in-house producer for Roc A Fella Records and was responsible for the now classic Jay Z Album ‘The Blueprint’.
Despite his production success, Kanye had maintained a desire to make it as a rapper but due to his unconventional style and background had struggled to secure a deal. Dame Dash reluctantly signed Kanye to Roc A Fella however Kanye was involved in a car accident which he was lucky to survive. With his jaw still wired shut, Kanye channeled his emotions into ‘through The Wire’, a single which would appear on his debut album ‘The College Dropout’ in 2004. The album is considered one of the most important Hip Hop debuts and had a lasting effect on the genre.
With each subsequent album Kanye changed up his sound and broken new ground. On 2008’s ‘808 and Hearrtbreaks’ for example, he embraced auto-tune singing and, although many were unsure at the time, it influenced the future sound of Hip Hop and Rnb (laying the framework for the likes of Drake to become huge stars). In 2013 he stunned fans again with the jarring ‘Yeezus’, which, with its industrial minimalism, shocked the genre to its core and won praise from critics in the process.
Live reviews
I gotta give it to Yeezus. He's still got the juice and for him to pack the 'Bowl' while performing a seven year old album is a testament to that fact. Show started an hour late and I had the feeling there would be some tech glitches, but you definitely couldn't hate on the effort. There was a small orchestra section stage right and on stage left what appeared to be a few DJ's and dudes on drum machines. The center of the stage featured 3 grand white staircases that were reconfigured between songs. There were fireworks at times which didn't quite fit the tone of the album, but who doesn't like fireworks. It was a party atmosphere and I felt a real connection with other fans simply based on the fact that WE LOVE THIS FUCKING ALBUM. We sang, we yelled, we danced, we laughed, and we reminisced about a Kanye that took us back to bring us forward.
Most memorable moments:
Staircases rotate to reveal 60 or so black men in rags and covered in dust. Very striking visual that reminded me of a slave ship. He used what I'll call "human props" throughout the show, but I felt like this moment resonated most.
Jeezy came out for Amazing, but the tech was ALL CHEWED UP. Sound was cutting in and out, poor lighting, pianist was even confused at one point.
At one point Kanye states that this performance is actually more of a dress rehearsal. I figured as much and even debated going to the Saturday show, but there was something about the rawness of an opening night that I wanted to be part of. I'm sure Saturday's show will be way more on point.
docbrooks
I have never been a person who could pinpoint a moment in which divine providence had played some role in my life. That is, until I saw Kanye.
Watching Kanye West perform is a wholly religious experience. Someone you don't know and can barely see is instructing you to complete strange actions which seem nonsensical, like throwing your hands in there or singing lyrics or pointing your middle finger to the sky. Yet, you follow along. You are surrounded by thousands of people who share similar beliefs and interests as you. Everything is ridiculous expensive and you must pay your way in.
Kanye comes out pretty much an hour late, just because he can. When he finally emerges, it is on a platform suspended in the air. The platform rocks to and fro during the concert, bouncing right above the general admissions mosh pit. It is those in the mosh pit who are the most blessed. They seem positively energized by Kanye, dancing and thrashing for two hours straight.
When Kanye finishes his act, he performs "Ultralight Beam". Towards the end of the show, his platform lowers and he steps down onto the ground, showing us that the man we had seemingly worshiped with our screams and our expressions of adulation walks on the same ground we do. And maybe it was the weed smoke, or maybe the sheer excitement, but as I was swaying to the music, I felt a connection to a higher power, something greater than myself. It was a moment of absolute perfection where I didn't feel alone and hopeless in the world.
luciferthecat
Whether his messianic stature is bona fide or self-professed, one thing’s still for certain: an evening with Kanye West will blow your freaking mind.
Love him or loathe him, there are number of things we say about ‘Ye for certain. The guy boasts a repertoire of hits hotter than Seth Rogen’s motorcycle seat. This is a guy with the talent to dethrone his mentor, with the vision to produce the totally unexpected, and with the ego to say and do exactly what he wants. All in all, those ingredients synthesise to produce the greatest live music experience on offer in the modern age. Hands down.
However it’s what we can’t say for certain about West that polarises crowds the world over. The rants, the fights, the Jesus lookalikes; to some extent, it’s no great surprise that the rapper has found himself at loggerheads with audiences on multiple occasions.
But if that’s the price we have to pay to accept this visionary into our lives, then show me where to sign. When Kanye delivers, he arrives first class. “One of the greatest hip-hop sets of all time”, so said the Hollywood Reporter of Coachella 2011. “I am so credible and so influential and so relevant that I will change things”, so said Kanye of himself. Hear, hear, Mr. West.
us_kids_know
The sounds of hydraulic machinery filled Oracle Arena, as the stench of dirt weed mingled with the faux fog that had been pumping into the air over the past two hours. The opening samples of “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1” were slowed down and turned elastic, thus leaving alien chemtrails of sound in the wake of the shadowy figure tethered to the hovering spacecraft. With heads upturned in anticipation of first contact, the crowd was lost in darkness. Chants of “Kan-ye! Kan-ye!” filled every empty space, until the object of their affection shone his light down on the chosen few.
The party-sized hoverboard had traversed the entire length of the arena (from a height of about 10 feet above the tallest head), before blasting spotlights on those below; instantly creating the largest circle pit a hip-hop tour has ever seen.
“Just wanna feel liberated, I, I, I…”
Kanye West had arrived in Oakland, and while many outside the venue failed to understand the appeal, those who had been waiting patiently (well past start time) were losing their collective mind.
See more at http://ilistensoyoudonthaveto.com/2016/10/26/kanye-west-oracle-arena-10-22-16/
kmartini
Kanye was a lot more humble than I expected. I've always loved a lot of the lyrics of his songs as they speak about real stuff that's going on, like the media covering up on what's actually important and people higher up trying to make everyone conform. His concert was better than I thought it would be. He was entertaining, interactive with the crowd, tried to get the people on the floor to start a mosh pit (haha) and he talked about some shit in the media against him that wasn't true. The massive screen thing he had happening put an interesting twist to seeing Kanye as it was done in like negative colouring and you could only half see him a lot of the time, which was a bit frustrating but also added to the drama of him. I LOVED the freaky masks he wore half the time, very Kanye- all that bling. He played a good mix of his music from a bunch of new stuff right back to the older stuff. Almost the whole seated crowd were standing the whole time (something I've NEVER seen at a concert) I have a newfound respect for Kanye West and am really happy I finally got to see him. I'd definitely go back
kaylah-allanson
it was fucking horrible as shit like really kanye?
i, as well as everyone else who came to see your show in sacramento, were so hyped. it was literally going to be the highlight of my thanksgiving break. i bought your tickets for $70 as well as a shirt for $20, only for you to show up AN HOUR AND A HALF LATE, perform three songs that you didn't even finish, and to listen to your inaccurate rant about politics. honestly man, i respected you so much as an artist; you were and still are a musical genius and i will forever support your music career, but i lost all respect for you as a person yesterday. you disrespected your fans last night, who have been nothing but loyal to you throughout your career. that was a real shitty move, and to be honest with you man, i feel sorry for you. the money so up in your mind that you don't know who you are anymore.
we miss the old kanye
the socially woke kanye
the finish the show kanye
we hate the new kanye
walk off the stage kanye
the hella fake kanye...
cvtalina
The beginning of the TLOP tour was soo epic ! He plays the extended sample of Father stretch my hands, and when you hear "If young metro don't trust you" the whole stadium goes crazy !! If you want to have a top 5 concert experience download the playlist shown below, bump that with your friends the week of the concert and be ready to leave the concert with no voice lol !!!!
##################################
Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1
Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 2
Famous
Pop Style (Drake cover)
THat Part (ScHoolboy Q cover)
FACTS
All Day
Mercy
I Don’t Like
Black Skinhead
Power
Wolves
Feedback
Freestyle 4
I Love Kanye
Can’t Tell Me Nothing
FML
Blood on the Leaves
Jesus Walks
Amazing
Runaway
Devil in a New Dress
All Falls Down
Flashing Lights
All of the Lights
Good Life
Niggas in Paris
30 Hours
Highlights
Real Friends
Only One
Fade
#############################
eric-howard-5
The Saint Pablo Tour was by far the dopest energy in one place that I have felt at a venue the size of Verizon Center. The stage was suspended in air and the attendees with floor seats were actually a mosh pit! They stood the entire time fueling the energy as he floated above their heads and out stretched arms. Everyone in the building stood the entire concert. Everyone. Though the lights were dim and the big screen had an hallucination type effect, the lyrics and his movement came thru with Kanye precision. I had the time of my life at this concert. The cherry on the top was that I was invited as a surprise from my love. The hands down best surprise I've ever received!! I love the old Kanye. I love the new Kanye. I love Kanye. Period.
Alarsim
Soooooo, about that concert last night...
KANYE IS A BEAST!
No matter how completely NUTZ he his, his talents can not be denied!
The subliminal messages of his setup were incredible...
*smokey, ethereal environment
*floating stage that moved from END-to-END
*image on screen was always in a ghostly/God-like projection
*he was always looking down at his "followers"
He's INSANE but he managed to entertain by spewing HIT AFTER HIT! I would have preferred more lighting b/c we did pay to SEE him & I wasn't really interested in his GODLY presentation. BUT, the arena was almost packed & he has another show tonight.
He's #winning
Jorimama
What can I say about probably the most talked about person in the media?
This concert first off, was more of a staging experience but that definitely doesn't mean it's a bad thing at all. In fact, Mr. West creates this unique experience that no other artist has pulled off before with the lights accompanying this man's vast array of hits that can easily move any crowd to do his bidding, overall if you ever see him town, save up what you have and experience this tour before it ends.
MaceMoss
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