preview

How Is Kanye West Impact On American Culture

Good Essays
Open Document

Music has the power to alter someone's mood, shift opinions, and inspire change. Kanye Omari West was born on June 8, 1977, in Atlanta, Georgia (Schaller 1). West later moved to Chicago, Illinois, after his parents’ divorce. The town of Chicago played a big role in Kanye West’s career, as he often mentions it in his music. Kanye West first started his career as a producer, making beats for popular artists such as Jay-Z and Dame Dash (Billboard). West is now one of the biggest artists in hip-hop, and his music is enjoyed by many. West is best known for his daring, bold style of music and his success in the industry totaling over 200 million records sold and 24 Grammys (ChartMasters). West has made an impact on American culture through modern-day …show more content…

In the early 2000s, artists like Jay-Z and 50 Cent were at the top of the Billboard charts. Their music was focused on the rough gangster side of hip-hop, and at the time, this was all rap was known as. This proves that his rise to fame was much more difficult than it is today. It is hard to imagine changing the course of music today, just because of how many people listen to music today. In West's third album, Graduation, he focused on his confidence, which is a character trait West is best known for. This album included hit records such as, “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” and “Stronger”, which express his success and freedom, but also the challenges and flaws he faced to get to where he is. Graduation was known as the bridge from hip-hop to rap. Another example is the day the album was published to the public. On September 11, 2007, Graduation was released the same day as 50 Cent’s album, Curtis. During this time, 50 Cent had already put out two massive albums, Get Rich or Die Tryin (2003) and The Massacre (2005) (Billboard). The two artists had a competition to see who would have more sales in the opening week. West outsold 50 Cent by 957,000 to 691,000

Get Access