Tag Archives: Kanye West

Kanye West crashes ‘Late Night with Jimmy Fallon’ to perform “Bound 2”

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The late night host tweeted that earlier tonight and now you can watch the surprise performance right here! “Bound 2,” the final track on Ye’s Yeezus, is one of the album’s best; this live performance elevates the song exponentially as The Roots, a chorus of kids, and the incredible Charlie Wilson give it their all. Wilson, IMHO, steals the show here. Enjoy.

Kanye West & Jay Z announce separate North American tours

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Kanye West and Jay Z are going on tour again, but this time they are going their separate ways. The rap duo known together as The Throne are ready to hit the road to promote their respective new releases Yeezus and Magna Carta… Holy Grail.

Kanye West’s The Yeezus Tour will travel to 23 cities in North America starting October 19 in Seattle, WA and closing December 7 in Houston, TX. He’s touring with rising rapper Kendrick Lamar who is set to appear at nearly all venues. The few that he’s missing promise another special guest that is listed as “to be announced.” Tickets go on sale this Friday, September 13.

Jay Z’s Magna Carta World Tour hits 33 cities in North America; he’ll be performing at the NY Barclays Center in Brooklyn for two nights in January. The tour kicks off on November 30 in St. Paul, MN and ends on January 31 in State College, PA. Tix become available Thursday, September 12 at 10AM EST.

Jump after the break to view all tour dates for Ye and Jay’s shows. Above is the image featured on Kanye’s site hyping his tour. Below is the one Jay Z cobbled together. Continue reading Kanye West & Jay Z announce separate North American tours →

Kanye West goes CGI in leaked music video for “Black Skinhead” [Update: Final version with interactive twist is up]

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Kanye West opted out of a traditional marketing campaign when he launched his sixth studio album Yeezus last month. There was no lead single, there was no radio play. He performed two tracks when he visited Saturday Night Live, he previewed a number of songs at New York’s Governors Ball music festival, and he projected himself on buildings around the world leading up to the album’s release. Unorthodox, yes; but we’re talking about Kanye West here, remember.

The rapper is still tied to a record label (read: Universal Music Group) and so he’s likely been guided to select a track to become Yeezus‘s lead single. The winner is the harsh yet addicting romp “Black Skinhead;” it’s making its way onto the radio in edited form and a new music video for it has leaked onto the ‘Net. There’s no telling whether or not this is the real deal–it originally landed on a Universal Music staging site that is now password protected–but nevertheless it’s provocative and worth a watch. In it a CGI West with major muscles raps shirtless (and at times pants-less) inside a black void that’s pixelated and made to look homemade. It borrows the dark imagery from his SNL performance and still manages to reel you in and not let go until the very end. It’s bizarre, it’s different, it’s Kanye.

Update (7/9): A day after the leak Kanye addressed it on Twitter claiming it is not the final version of the music video. Across six tweets he said, “The BLKKK SKKKN HD video that leaked yesterday was not the official version. Me and Nick Knight have been working on this video for 5 months and for creatives it’s heartbreaking when something like this happens. The final version will be ready within the next week. So any website that may have the unapproved / unfinished ruff. I ask you to please take it down. Allow me and Nick to give the world what we’ve been losing sleep over. And to who ever leaked the video… FUK YOU!”

In consideration, I’ve taken down the leaked cut and will post the final version when it launches soon. Even Rapdose, the source of the leak, removed it from their website. It’s still hanging around though (like at Billboard.com) if you’re curious.

Update (7/22): The final version of the “Black Skinhead” music video is up and it’s only accessible via kanyewest.com. That’s because there’s an interactive element to it; in addition to some aesthetic changes, the main difference between the leak and the final cut is that this one’s playing speed can be manipulated by the viewer. Using your curser which happens to be giving the finger you can speed up and slow down the clip as it’s rolling (the slight lag time is disappointing, though). There’s also a social element as well; viewers can snap photos at any time and post their pics to Twitter and the like. Give the Nick Knight-directed interactive experience a go at Kanye’s site.

Kanye West drops ‘Yeezus’ on Tuesday, exalts his achievements in NYT interview

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This Tuesday Kanye West releases his sixth studio album Yeezus. Pictured above is what the physical album will look like in stores. Its minimalist design features no album album artwork, only a transparent jewel case with some red tape. There is no link from iTunes or Amazon to preorder the album. It drops June 18 and that’s the day you can snag it. ‘Ye hasn’t done much in terms of promoting the album in the traditional sense. He performed on SNL and after that he projected images and sound on buildings around the world for fans to flock to and discover his new sound.

The most hype is emitting from a recent interview he conducted with The New York Times. In it ‘Ye opens up about his past mistakes, his problem with the Grammys, the inspiration behind previous albums 808s & Heartbreak and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, parenthood (his girlfriend Kim Kardashian gave birth to their daughter days after the interview posted), fashion, and more. Expectedly, Kanye stroked his ego more than once throughout the back-and-forth describing himself as “the Michael Jordan of music” and saying about his career “I knew I was going to make it this far; I knew that this was going to happen.” He also calls himself the “Steve [Jobs] of Internet, downtown, fashion, culture.” And he concluded the interview with this:

I think that’s a responsibility that I have, to push possibilities, to show people: “This is the level that things could be at.” So when you get something that has the name Kanye West on it, it’s supposed to be pushing the furthest possibilities. I will be the leader of a company that ends up being worth billions of dollars, because I got the answers. I understand culture. I am the nucleus.

It’s a must-read for fans of the undoubtedly talented artist who has certainly evolved in many ways since his 2004 debut The College Dropout. Read the interview in full here.

Now what can you expect from Yeezus? The Times‘ Jon Caramanica describes it as “a turn away from [Kanye’s] reliable maximalism to something more urgent and visceral.” He describes the songs as “becoming more skeletal and ferocious.” He goes on to say, “The music of Yeezus — spare, direct and throbbing — is, effectively, a palate cleanser after years of overexertion, backing up lyrics that are among the most serrated and provocative of his career.”

And even Mr. West, who thinks of himself as a “black new wave artist,” shared some of his influences: “It’s like trap and drill and house. I knew that I wanted to have a deep Chicago influence on this album, and I would listen to like, old Chicago house. I think that even “Black Skinhead” could border on house, “On Sight” sounds like acid house, and then “I Am a God” obviously sounds, like, super house.”

After the break, a brief clip of Kanye rapping new track “I Am A God” on headphones with an appearance by collaborator Rick Rubin. Under that, a short film inspired by the movie American Psycho starring Kourtney Kardashian’s boyfriend Scott Disick (who actually really does resemble the movie’s star Christian Bale) and Kim’s friend Jonathan Cheban in the role orignially made famous by Jared Leto.

Update (6/17): Yeezus is now available for digital download at kanyewest.com & iTunes, and you can purchase a physical copy at Amazon.

Update 2 (6/25): Yeezus debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 327,000 copies in its first week. For more stats surrounding Kanye’s latest release, head over to Billboard.com. Continue reading Kanye West drops ‘Yeezus’ on Tuesday, exalts his achievements in NYT interview →

Kanye West performs new material off upcoming album ‘Yeezus’ (video inside)

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Kanye West is about to explode onto the music scene once again, this time with his upcoming sixth studio album and the followup to his critically acclaimed 2011 release My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Over the past few months ‘Ye has been working hard on the album at an undisclosed recording studio in Paris, France. It was only until very recently that the rapper resurfaced with new material. His most public debut of two brand new tracks came last night when he performed “New Slaves” and “Black Skinhead” on Saturday Night Live. The album titled Yeezus has an overall dark tone according to those few who’ve heard samples from it already, and that description is immediately apparent upon hearing the new tracks. ‘Ye embodies a form of rage with distinct political flair here, a quality fans of the genre would typically attribute to Lupe Fiasco. See for yourself in the SNL performances embedded after the break.

A day before his visit to Studio 8H, Kanye tweeted a link to his website that provided fans with a map of highlighted cities around the world; 66 buildings located in cities like New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Berlin were specially marked for fans to flock to to get a first listen of ‘Ye’s new sound. A giant image of Kanye’s face was projected onto these buildings, looping the fresh track “New Slaves.” Though it hasn’t been confirmed, sources say Frank Ocean is featured singing towards the end of the track. See how the unique fan experience went down in a clip posted after the break.

Yeezus is expected to drop June 18. For a sneak peek at the “golden” album artwork, you know where to look. Continue reading Kanye West performs new material off upcoming album ‘Yeezus’ (video inside) →

Kanye West drops “White Dress” for RZA’s “Iron Fists” soundtrack

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Wu Tang Clan leader RZA is about to make his directorial debut with The Man with the Iron Fists, a martial arts film that promises a bloody good time. The cast is led by Russell Crowe, Lucy Lui, and RZA, and the pedigree behind it is high with Eli Roth writing (with RZA) and producing and Quentin Tarantino is credited as “presenting” the movie.

With RZA’s background in mind, it should come as no surprise that the soundtrack for Iron Fists features a lineup of great rappers. They include Ghostface Killah, Talib Kweli, Raekwon, Pusha T, and Kanye West. The track headlined by Kanye West and produced by West, RZA, Tapez, and Boogz is called “White Dress” and it sits above for your listening pleasure. If anything it will take you back to Ye’s College years as you’ll instantly recognize the classic sound.

After the break you’ll find the full soundtrack tracklist plus a trailer for the movie. The music releases October 23, and the The Man with the Iron Fists hits theatres November 2.

Update: The entire soundtrack is now available to stream for free here.

01 The Black Keys and RZA: “The Baddest Man Alive”
02 Ghostface Killah, M.O.P, and Pharoahe Monch: “Black Out”
03 Kanye West: “White Dress”
04 The Revelations: “I Forgot to Be Your Lover” [ft. Tre Williams]
05 Talib Kweli and RES: “Get Your Way (Sex as a Weapon)”
06 Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, and Kool G. Rap: “Rivers of Blood”
07 Method Man, Freddie Gibbs, and StreetLife: “Built for This”
08 24 Carat Black: “Poverty’s Paradise”
09 Killa Sin: “The Archer”
10 RZA and Flatbush Zombies: “Just Blowin’ in the Wind”
12 Corrine Bailey Rae: “Chains”
13 Pusha T and Raekwon: “Tick Tock”
14 Frances Yip: “Green is the Mountain”
15 The Wu-Tang Clan: “Six Directions of Boxing”
16 Mabel John: “Your Good Thing Is About to End”

G.O.O.D. Music’s ‘Cruel Summer’ up for preorder, see tracklist here

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Kanye West is cutting it close, but he’s just going to make it. His G.O.O.D. Music compilation album Cruel Summer is set to hit stores September 18, three days before the sweltering season comes to a close. Since the album is now available to preorder digitally at iTunes, the official tracklist is out in the open. You may be surprised to discover that ‘Ye reached out to artists outside his G.O.O.D. Music label to contribute to the album. Such guests include R. Kelly, The-Dream, and Ma$e. A total of 12 tracks make up Cruel Summer, and five of them we’ve already heard: Mercy, Cold, I Don’t Like, New God Flow, and Clique. Disappointing? Perhaps. Even more so is that Kid Cudi is only featured on a single track (all by himself) and Mr. Hudson is no where to be seen.

Jump after the break to view the full tracklisting. The video embedded above features an animated rendition of the artistic tri-fold packaging. [Preorder a digital copy at iTunes / Preorder a physical copy at Amazon]

Continue reading G.O.O.D. Music’s ‘Cruel Summer’ up for preorder, see tracklist here →

G.O.O.D. Music drops single “Clique” before ‘Cruel Summer’ release

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The latest single off Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music compilation album Cruel Summer is “Clique.” It features verses from Big Sean, Mr. West, and the other half of The Throne, Jay-Z. The track is produced by Hit-Boy and it’s a hot one. Hear it below and get ready for Cruel Summer due out September 18.

‘Watch the Throne’ documentary unearthed by creative Robert Lopuski

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Though this docu dropped over a year ago, Paradigm Magazine’s recent interview with filmmaker Robert Lopuski successfully launched the ten-minute behind-the-scenes look at the making of Kanye West and Jay-Z collab album into the wild for the masses to finally witness. The interview, which can be read in full here, tells the story of how Lopuski randomly bumped into West in New York City and how that act of fate fashioned the opportunity for the filmmaker to collaborate with the musician in Sydney, Australia during the production of Watch the Throne. Lopuski was forced to shoot most of the video with cheap Flip cams but the result is quite grand. West is known for his secrecy, and this is an exciting (even if very brief) glimpse into his life as he’s amongst friends (Jay, Beyonce, Russell Crowe, other producers) and making music. The best part, however, is when we get to see Kanye’s life-long mentor Jay in a rapper’s predicament as he practices his verse from “Why I Love You”; this starts at the 7:30 mark.

Lopuski shines a candid light on the typically private life of these rappers and the final product is definitely worth a look. The video attempts to bring things full circle as the WTT footage is mixed with archived clips from the early days when Jay was helping producer Kanye elevate his game as a solo rapper. Says Lopuski, “In the world of hip-hop, anybody who does something different is a genius, anybody who does something successful is making history; you know it all becomes these exaggerated, bombastic endeavors. And so, for me, I was not interested in that; I was more interested in the smaller moments. The quiet power of talent.”

[Via Paradigm Magazine]

Kanye West tags “Cold” music video with DJ Khaled’s “I Wish You Would” Rick Ross-assisted track

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A mouthful, isn’t it? But so is this two-part music video. DJ Khaled sixth studio album Kiss the Ring is out tomorrow (August 21) and to kick-start the hype machine he enlisted famed hip-hop clip director Hype Williams to shoot a music video for the album’s single “I Wish You Would” that features Rick Ross the boss and Kanye West. At 3:53 that track comes to a halt and ‘Ye’s controversial “Cold” (formally “Theraflu” and “So Cold”) starts up. Though the track is edited and gets cut short there is a brief cameo from West’s current girlfriend Kim Kardashian, so don’t blink. Though the clips are literally all over the place with shaky cam business, Williams did a good overall with it; I especially like the parts when West’s eyes go dark and are replaced with those glow-in-the-dark slits. How does it compare to the unofficial clip from Caleb Harper aka mini Kanye? Can your headphones go louder? Check it out.

Kanye West reveals ‘Cruel Summer’ cover art and album packaging

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Summer is about to turn cruel. On August 2 Kanye West took to Twitter to share the provocative, bright white, raised cover art for his upcoming G.O.O.D. Music collaboration album Cruel Summer. In addition to the art, he also posted a side shot of the album’s packing, revealing that it is of the tri-fold variety much like his previous release Watch The Throne. What’s inside? The CD, of course; but what else? That’s still a mystery. For now, eye the art above and jump the break for the angled shot.

Cruel Summer drops September 4, featuring the slick single “Mercy.” Swerve. Continue reading Kanye West reveals ‘Cruel Summer’ cover art and album packaging →