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Kanye West Quotes

Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, songwriter, entrepreneur and fashion designer. He is among the most acclaimed rappers of the 21st century, and is one of the best-selling artists of all time, having sold more than 100 million digital downloads and 21 million albums worldwide. He has won a total of 21 Grammy Awards, making him one of the most awarded artists of all time and the most Grammy-awarded artist to have debuted in the 21st century. Three of his albums have been included and ranked on Rolling Stone's 2012 update of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list. He has also been included in a number of Forbes annual lists. Time named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2005 and 2015.

Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West briefly attended art school before becoming known as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the early 2000s, producing hit singles for artists such as Jay-Z and Alicia Keys. Intent on pursuing a solo career as a rapper, West released his debut album The College Dropout in 2004 to widespread critical and commercial success, and founded the record label GOOD Music. He went on to pursue a variety of styles on subsequent albums Late Registration , Graduation , and 808s & Heartbreak . In 2010, he released his fifth album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy to rave reviews from critics, and the following year he released the collaborative album Watch the Throne with Jay-Z. West released his abrasive sixth album, Yeezus, to further critical praise in 2013. His seventh album, The Life of Pablo, was released in 2016.

West's outspoken views and life outside of music have received significant mainstream attention. He has been a frequent source of controversy for his conduct at award shows, on social media, and in other public settings. His more scrutinized comments include his off-script denunciation of President George W. Bush during a live 2005 television broadcast for Hurricane Katrina relief and his interruption of singer Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.

West's ventures as a fashion designer include collaborations with Nike, Louis Vuitton, and A.P.C. on both clothing and footwear, and have most prominently resulted in the YEEZY collaboration with Adidas beginning in 2013. He is the founder and head of the creative content company DONDA. His 2014 marriage to television personality Kim Kardashian has also been subject to widespread media coverage.

✵ 8. June 1977
Kanye West photo
Kanye West: 82   quotes 102   likes

Famous Kanye West Quotes

“I woke up early this morning”

Kanye West

Family Business
Lyrics, The College Dropout (2004)

“George Bush doesn't care about black people.”

Kanye West

Live on NBC’s “A Concert for Hurricane Relief“ on September 2 2005

“I refuse to accept other people's ideas of happiness for me. As if there's a "one size fits all" standard for happiness”

Kanye West

Source: Thank You and You're Welcome (2009), p.22

“Yo, Taylor, I'm really happy for you, I'ma let you finish, but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time! One of the best videos of all time!”

Kanye West

Video Music Awards 2009, Taylor Swift and Kanye West https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUHQpCM7yyY (video)

“I'm Kan, the Louis Vouitton don / Bought my mom purse, now she Louis Vuitton mom / I didn't play the hand I was dealt I changed my cards / I prayed to the skies and I changed my stars / I went to the malls and I balled too hard / Oh My God is that a Black card / I turned around and replied why yes, but I prefer the term African American Express”

Kanye West

Last Call
Lyrics, The College Dropout (2004)

“And I was almost famous, now everybody love Kanye
I'm almost Raymond”

Kanye West

Last Call
Lyrics, The College Dropout (2004)

Kanye West Quotes about life

“Last night I saw you in my dreams/Now I can't wait to go to sleep/And this life is all a dream/So my real life starts when I go to sleep.”

Kanye West

"Hey Mama", Live Grammy Performance, February 2008
Lyrics, 808s & Heartbreak (2008)

“And the weather so breezy/Man why can't life always be this easy?”

Kanye West

Flashing Lights
Lyrics, Graduation (2007)

“If you have the opportunity to play this game called life, you have to appreciate every moment. A lot of people don't appreciate their moment until it's passed.”

Kanye West

2005 Grammy acceptance speech

“For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with angels.”

Kanye West

Mark 8:35-37
Bible References

“I’m just giving of my body on the stage and putting my life at risk, literally. […] And I think about it. I think about my family and I’m like, wow, this is like being a police officer or something, in war or something.”

Kanye West

Interview for Saturday Night Online [3:12]. http://www.saturdaynightonline.com/media/play/24063493/

“Life is 5% what happens and 95% how you react!”

Kanye West

Source: p.13-14 Thank You and You're Welcome (2009)

Kanye West Quotes about people

“I know it's past visiting hours
But can I please give her these flowers
You know the best medicine go to people thats paid,
If Magic Johnson got a cure for A. I. D. S.
And all the broke muthafuckers past away
You telling me if my grandma was in the N. B. A.
Right now she'd be ok?
But since she was just a secretary
Working for the church
For thirty five years
Things sposed to stop right here”

Kanye West

Roses
Lyrics, Late Registration (2005)

“And I can't even go to the grocery store without some ones that's clean and a shirt with a team/It seems we living the American dream but people highest up got the lowest self esteem/The prettiest people do the ugliest things for the road to riches and diamond rings.”

Kanye West

All Falls Down
Lyrics, The College Dropout (2004)

“Know your worth! People always act like they're doing more for you than you're doing for them. Ask yourself this question, "Why would they do that?" Obviously, you bring something to the table for them to even do business with you”

Kanye West

Source: Thank You and You're Welcome (2009), p.3-4

“The music and the clothing are just as important. That's what makes you hip hop. You show people that you're hip hop by what you wear.”

Kanye West

2013 Interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S78tT_YxF_c

“Soon as they like you make 'em unlike you
Cause kissing people's ass is so unlike you.”

Kanye West

I Am a God
Lyrics, Yeezus (2013)

“My big brother was B.I.G.'s brother
So here's a few words from your kid brother
If you admire somebody you should go ahead tell 'em
People never get the flowers while they can still smell 'em.”

Kanye West

Big Brother
Lyrics, Graduation (2007)

Kanye West: Trending quotes

“I had dreams of the game/Someday I'd play Kobe/I'd walk up to Puff and he don't really know me.”

Kanye West

https://www.florperfumes.com.br/perfume-pulse-beyonce-feminino Perfume Pulse Beyonce
Ego
Lyrics, Above and Beyoncé: Video Collection & Dance Mixes (2009)

Dreams , Game

“God show me the way, because the Devil's trying 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's nothing I can do now to right my wrongs
I wanna talk to God, but I'm afraid 'cause we ain't spoke in so long.”

Kanye West

Jesus Walks
Lyrics, The College Dropout (2004)

God , Thinking , Way

“It seems, we living the American dream
But people highest up got the lowest self esteem.
The prettiest people do the ugliest things
For the road to riches and diamond rings.”

Kanye West

All Falls Down
Lyrics, The College Dropout (2004)

Dreams , People

Kanye West Quotes

“I hate when I'm on a flight and I wake up with a water bottle next to me like oh great now I gotta be responsible for this water bottle”

Kanye West

Tweet http://twitter.com/#!/kanyewest/status/27590685489

Hate , Water

“I still think I am the greatest.”

Kanye West

Accepting the Billboard Music Award for Artist of the Year

Thinking

“I'm tryin' to right my wrongs
But it's funny, them same wrongs helped me write this song.”

Kanye West

Touch the Sky
Lyrics, Late Registration (2005)

Help

“And I still won't grow up, I'm a grown-ass kid
Swear I should be locked up for stupid shit that I did
But I'm a champion, so I turned tragedy to triumph
Make music that's fire, spit my soul through the wire.”

Kanye West

Through the Wire
Lyrics, The College Dropout (2004)

Soul , Stupidity , Music

“Always said if I rapped, I'd say somethin' significant
But now I'm rapping 'bout money, hoes, and rims again.”

Kanye West

Breathe In Breathe Out
Lyrics, The College Dropout (2004)

Money

“Jay's favorite line: "Dog, in due time"
Now he look at me, like "Damn, dog, you where I am"
A hip hop legend.
I think I died in an accident, cause this must be heaven.”

Kanye West

Touch the Sky
Lyrics, Late Registration (2005)

Dogs , Thinking , Time

“Ain't nobody expect Kanye to end up on top
They expected that College Dropout to drop and then flop”

Kanye West

Last Call
Lyrics, The College Dropout (2004)

“Screams from the haters, got a nice ring to it
I guess every superhero need his theme music.”

Kanye West

Power
Lyrics, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)

Music

“My flow is in the pocket like Wallace
I got the bounce like hydraulics
I can't call it
I got the swerve like alcoholics”

Kanye West

Get Em High
Lyrics, The College Dropout (2004)

Alcohol

“I'd give all the Grammy plaques just to have my Granny back/You know she had that bad hip like a fanny pack.”

Kanye West

Forever
Lyrics, More Than a Game (2009)

“Told 'em I finished school, and I started my own business
They say, 'Oh you graduated?'
No, I decided I was finished”

Kanye West

"School Spirit"
Lyrics, The College Dropout (2004)

School , Business

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.”

Kanye West

Psalms 23:4
Bible References

Death , Fear , Evil

“I know everybody asked me the question, they wanted to know, 'What, Kan, I know he's gonna wile out, I know he's gonna do something crazy.' Everybody wanted to know what I would do, if I didn't win… I guess we'll never know!”

Kanye West

2005 Grammy acceptance speech

Question

“I am Warhol. I am the number 1 most impactful artist of our generation. I am Shakespeare in the flesh. Walt Disney. Nike. Google.”

Kanye West

2013 Interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S78tT_YxF_c&t=16m59s

“That's why I spit it in my songs so sweet
Like a photo of your granny's picture
Now that you're gone it hit us
Super hard on Thankgiving and Christmas, this can't be right”

Kanye West

Family Business
Lyrics, The College Dropout (2004)

Photo , Christmas

“And I'm a big tipper I don't need to be tripping?
This my first Rolex it don't even be ticking
This my first pair of earrings I can wear in the shower,
Without them clouding up in half an hour.”

Kanye West

My Baby, produced by Kanye West
Lyrics, Damita Jo (2004)

“How we stop the black panthers?
Ronald Reagan cooked up an answer Who gave Saddam anthrax?
George Bush got the answers”

Kanye West

Crack Music
Lyrics, Late Registration (2005)

Cooking

“It don't gotta be Mother's Day, or your birthday
For me to just call and say”

Kanye West

Hey Mama
Hey Mama
Lyrics, Late Registration (2005)

Birthday

“Would you believe in what you believe in if you were the only one who believed it?”

Kanye West

Source: p.19 Thank You and You're Welcome (2009)

Cute

“And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.”

Kanye West

2 Kings 2:11
Bible References

Horse

“I walk through the valley of the Chi where death is,
Top floor, the view alone will leave ya breathless.”

Kanye West

Jesus Walks, The College Dropout (2004)
Bible References

Death

“We'll buy a lot of clothes when we don't really need 'em/Things we buy to cover up what's inside/Cause they make us hate our-self and love they wealth.”

Kanye West

All Falls Down
Lyrics, The College Dropout (2004)

Love , Hate , Clothes , Wealth

“We still, pull up in Spreewells,
The ice sends me chills, like Gold Member, I love gold,
but what's the point to gain the world if ya lose ya soul?”

Kanye West

Fly Away, featuring Kanye west, The Hip Hop Violinist (2005)
Bible References

Love , World , Soul

“Time to take it too far now
Uh, Michael Douglas out the car now.”

Kanye West

I'm In It
Lyrics, Yeezus (2013)

Cars , Time

“Man, I promise I'm so self conscious/Thats why you always see me with at least one of my watches”

Kanye West

All Falls Down
Lyrics, The College Dropout (2004)

“You ain't got the answers Sway!”

Kanye West

In response to Sway suggesting he start a clothing company on his own. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S78tT_YxF_c&t=17m20s

“Make black history every day, I don't need a month
Ralph Lauren was borin' before I worn him.”

Kanye West

Brand New, featuring and produced by Kanye West
Lyrics, Blue Collar (2006)

History

“I hate the way they portray us in the media. You see a black family, it says, 'They're looting.' You see a white family, it says, 'They're looking for food.”

Kanye West

Live NBC’s “A Concert for Hurricane Relief“ on September. 2, 2005

Hate , Family , Food , Way

“I'm the Gap like Banana Republic and Old Navy”

Kanye West

Last Call
Lyrics, The College Dropout (2004)

“You don't remember when you was my sweetest
You don't remember I called you Reeces Pieces
Cause it's no wrong way to do you know what.”

Kanye West

Talk About Our Love, featuring Kanye West
Lyrics, Afrodisiac (2004)

Way

“I wanna fly, I wanna fly
I said I want my chariot to pick me up
And take me brother for a ride.”

Kanye West

Spaceship. The College Dropout (2004)
Bible References

Flying

“I open the debate… The 2nd verse of New Slaves is the best rap verse of all time…. meaning … OF ALL TIME IN THE HISTORY OF RAP MUSIC, PERIOD”

Kanye West

Twitter, July 20, 2013

Music , History , Time

“You spoiled little LA girl/you just an LA girl…”

Kanye West

Robocop
Lyrics, 808s & Heartbreak (2008)

Girl

“You know why my spirit's callin'
Darkness can't take light from me
Haven't you gone far enough?
Sacrificed the ones you love
Gave up on your sanity
Like some twisted fantasy
What would I say to everything?
Your actions cost everything.”

Kanye West

Never Abandon Your Family
Lyrics, Donda (2021)

Light , Love

“Mama, your son in the red hat
Had suffered set-backs, had 'shouldn't-have-said-thats'
Had made everyone mad Give 'em enough of they own rope to hang 'em with
The paparazzi never really got what my angle is
They treat my married life like some type of entanglement.”

Kanye West

Life of the Party
Lyrics, Donda (2021)

Suffering , Madness , Life

“Nothing worse than a hypocrite
Change, he ain't really different
He ain't even try to get permission
Ask for advice and they dissed him
Said I'm finna do a gospel album
What have you been hearing from the Christians?
They'll be the first one to judge me
Make it feel like nobody love me.”

Kanye West

Hands On
Lyrics, Jesus Is King (2019)

Change , Love , Feeling

“If you woke, then wake up
With Judas, kiss and make up
Even with the bitter cup
Forgave my brothers and drank up Everything old shall now become new
The leaves’ll be green, bearing the fruit
Love God and our neighbor, as written in Luke
The army of God, and we are the truth.”

Kanye West

Selah
Lyrics, Jesus Is King (2019)

God , Truth , Kiss , Love

“Sometimes I take all the shine
Talk like I drank all the wine
Years ahead but way behind
I'm on one, two, three, four, five
No half-truths, just naked minds
Caught between space and time
This not what they had in mind
But maybe someday...”

Kanye West

Ghost Town
Lyrics, Ye (2018)

Time , Truth , Way , Wine

“You tried to play nice, everybody just took advantage
You left your fridge open, somebody just took a sandwich.”

Kanye West

Wolves
Lyrics, The Life of Pablo (2016)

“See, before I let you go
One last thing I need to let you know
You ain't never seen nothing crazier than
This nigga when he off his Lexapro
Remember that last time in Mexico?
Remember that last time, the episode?”

Kanye West

FML
Lyrics, The Life of Pablo (2016)

Time

“Seem like the more fame, I only got wilder
Hands up, we just doing what the cops taught us
I've been outta my mind a long time
I've been outta my mind a long time
I be saying how I feel at the wrong time
Might not come when you want but I'm on time. Name one genius that ain't crazy.”

Kanye West

Feedback
Lyrics, The Life of Pablo (2016)

Time , Feeling

“We on an ultralight beam
This is a God dream
This is everything Deliver us serenity
Deliver us peace
Deliver us loving
We know we need it
That's why we need You now
Pray for Paris,
Pray for the parents.”

Kanye West

Ultralight Beam
Lyrics, The Life of Pablo (2016)

God , Peace , Dreams , Parent

“I know I got a bad reputation
'Walk around, always mad' reputation
'Leave a pretty girl sad' reputation
Start a Fight Club, Brad reputation Close your eyes and let the word paint a thousand pictures
One good girl is worth a thousand bitches
Bound.”

Kanye West

Bound 2
Lyrics, Yeezus (2013)

Painting , Girl , Bitch , Sadness

“Never was much of a romantic
I could never take the intimacy
And I know I did damage
'Cause the look in your eyes is killing me
I guess you knew of that advantage
'Cause you could blame me for everything
And I don't know how I'ma manage
If one day, you just up and leave.”

Kanye West

Runaway
Lyrics, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)

“Put your hands to the constellations
The way you look should be a sin, you're my sensation.”

Kanye West

Devil in a New Dress
Lyrics, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)

Way

“I'm so appalled, Spalding, ball
Balding Donald Trump taking dollars from y'all.”

Kanye West

So Appalled
Lyrics, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)

“I'm living in the future so the present is my past.
My presence is a present, kiss my ass.”

Kanye West

Monster
Lyrics, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)

Past , Future , Kiss

“I'm not loving you, way I wanted to
I can't keep my cool, so I keep it true
I got something to lose, so I gotta move
I can't keep myself and still keep you too No more wasting time, you can't wait for life
We're just racing time, where's the finish line?”

Kanye West

Love Lockdown
Lyrics, 808s & Heartbreak (2008)

Time , Waiting , Way , Love

“I'm a problem that'll never ever be solved I'm a monster, I'm a maven
I know this world is changing
Never gave in, never gave up
I'm the only thing I'm afraid of
No matter what, you'll never take that from me
My reign is as far as your eyes can see, it's amazing.”

Kanye West

Amazing
Lyrics, 808s & Heartbreak (2008)

Problem , World , Change

“Chased the good life my whole life long
Look back on my life, and my life gone
Where did I go wrong? And my head keeps spinning
Can't stop having these visions
I gotta get with it.”

Kanye West

Welcome to Heartbreak
Lyrics, 808s & Heartbreak (2008)

Life

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