West’s use of rock tracks is part of this propensity to sample. Aside from his voice, the sample is his main weapon, allowing him to craft multi-faceted tracks and bodies of work that keep us on our toes. Drawing on everything from the funk of James Brown to obscure pieces of gospel as well as clips of figures such as Kamala Harris, the American rapper’s back catalogue is a great advert for the sample being used correctly. One of the most notable aspects of Kanye’s oeuvre is the vast amount of samples he’s used.

He has influenced a range of contemporary legends, including Drake, Nicki Minaj, Lorde, Arctic Monkeys and James Blake, reflecting just how extensive his effect on popular culture has been. From his debut album, 2004’s The College Dropout, to his most recent title, this year’s Donda 2, West has invariably dropped records that push the boundaries of rap music and has effectively raised the standards of all of his contemporaries by doing so.įrom the early cut ‘Gold Digger’ to the heady Jay-Z collaboration ‘No Church in the Wild’ and his more recent cuts such as ‘Life Of The Party’, Kanye West has produced an almost innumerable amount of highlights.

Concentrating solely on his music, Kanye’s back catalogue speaks for itself. Some of those who find themselves in this camp would also maintain that he’s a misunderstood genius, way too ahead of his time, and that his inconceivable behaviour will eventually start to make sense, as it’s all part of his grand scheme to make the world a better place. Following this, many would argue that he is one of the finest rappers and artists of all time. When discussing West, people seem to forget one thing: before all else, he is a musician.

Kanye is clearly a complex character, whether authentic or contrived. As for how this trend actually pans out, we will have to wait and see. In short, he’s a renegade, and this year he seems to have entered into a new era, one in which he appears to be alienating significant swathes of his fanbase. Elsewhere, as of late, West has kept himself in the headlines with comments about comedian Pete Davidson, longtime partner Adidas, and seeing his Instagram account removed for sharing anti-semitic sentiments.

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