One Of The Most Influential. Rappers Of All Time: Kanye West

Kanye West is unquestionably the most influential musician of this generation and the hip-hop culture as a whole. In addition to inspiring people with his inventive musical approach, he certainly contributed to his popularity and admiration over the years with his bold and self-assured demeanor. From delivering legendary albums to making headlines for saying something out of the ordinary, Ye has made sure his name is associated with culture over the years. 

The Chicago rapper's debut studio album, "The College Dropout," was released on February 10th, 2004, sold 441,000 copies in its first week and debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200. It has influenced the work of numerous other producers, musicians, and others who continue to be inspired by Kanye's brilliance and originality. The same can be said of several of Kanye's early albums, including 808s and Heartbreak. Perhaps West's most significant album to date, 808s & Heartbreak, helped to elevate Kanye above the status of a rapper and into a true artist. West opens up about heartbreak and other personal issues in many of the emotional songs of his fourth studio album, which at the time wasn't common to hear rappers expressing themselves in that way. Although there were conflicting responses when 808s & Heartbreak was first released, its influence has clearly been more apparent over the years. Plenty of people favored the conventional form of rapping over listening to an album with a lot of auto tuned singing by a rapper. Later, and even to this day, Kanye's strategy with that body of work served as an inspiration for several artists and albums. 

Kanye received nominations for a total of 75 Grammys and out of those has won 24. In 2008, West became the very first solo artist to have his first three studio albums nominated for Album of the Year. He has garnered numerous awards and recognitions over the years. Kanye has also collaborated with a wide range of musicians who have contributed to many of the albums that he's been recognized for. One of West's most popular songs is "Gold Digger," which features singer and actor Jamie Foxx. Some of Kanye's biggest singles have also included many features from artists such as Rihanna, Kid Cudi, Jay-Z.  

Kanye never stopped making music, but he also opted to make an impact in fashion. On December 3, 2013, Adidas officially announced a new shoe collaboration with West. This collection was extremely successful, featuring popular limited edition sneakers such as the Yeezy Boost, Yeezy Foam Runners, and Yeezy Slides. Of course, having Ye's name linked to it would make it profitable, but I believe buyers were also drawn to the product's uncommon and futuristic appearance. Kanye later developed the Yeezy clothing line, which originally included a collaboration with Adidas. That collaboration ended in 2022, and although Kanye doesn’t release that often he still occasionally drops exclusive limited items through his brand Yeezy.

Kanye West has had several contentious moments, ranging from appearing in political campaigns to receiving criticism for saying things that are not necessarily politically correct.  His name has been mentioned in blogs and debates about a variety of topics other than music, to the point where it felt like we were continuously learning things about West that we hadn't asked for or didn't need to know. Kanye's rants and unexpected outbursts have left many people, even his fans, with a negative impression of the rapper. But has this actually ruined his career and accomplishments?

Kanye is without question one-of-a-kind, as well as extremely brilliant and gifted. I believe his unpredictable attitude and level of expression complement his music. I believe that what most people do not "like" about West is what makes him such a fascinating artist. His tremendous skill has inspired a generation, and he is an artist who will be remembered in music for years to come. Although some people aren't a huge fan of West’s personality, truthfully they don’t have to be. Someone's dislike for an artist's personality (a stranger they've never met) does not negate that artist's talent or discography. We live in a time where individuals worship musicians to the extent where they believe that as fans, they must also "like" the person's personality as much as their music. That's simply unrealistic and unfair. Whether they like it or not, we will always have to talk about Kanye West because of the impact he has had on music, in hip hop, and in culture in general.