Kanye West

A famous producer and MC hailing from Chicago, Kanye West is believed to be one of the most attention grabbing individuals of our time. Either loved or absolutely abhorred, the name Kanye West provokes thoughts of soulful beats with sped-up samples of old soul/R&B classics, (his single "Through the Wire" used a sped-up sample of Chaka Khan's "Through the Fire") and an MC with a clear, somewhat cocky-sounding delivery and a slightly "chunky" flow. Kanye is also noted as a member of a 'new breed' in hip-hop, along with Common, and primarily Fonzworth Bentley, as one of those who have successfully shifted from the "bling-bling" image of hip-hop to dressing in good taste. He goes by a few nicknames, primarily "Kanye to the", and "Kan, the Louis Vuitton Don". He is a self-proclaimd "label whore", but can be seen wearing independent labels (most notably Japanese DJ Nigo's clothing line A Bathing Ape/BAPE.) Kanye is known for many controversial statements he's made in and out of the booth; his rhymes and philosophy are in ties with afrocentric philosophy. Many people appear to be turned off by his arrogant persona and his popularity seems to be declining, however his music has not taken a similar dive as he works hard to maintain his standards of quality in hip-hop production and hip-hop itself.