Kanye West is one of those people that it is difficult to give credit to because he will claim his flowers before someone can even pick out the bouquet. He is undeniably one of the most gifted and influential artists in Hip-Hop history, but his ego makes people not want to support him; that, along with his controversial political stances, anti-semitism, mistreatment of employees, and several other controversial actions.
This past weekend, he was the talk of the internet because he claimed that he created every style of music over the last 20 years. He specifically named The Weekend, Travis Scott, Drake, Future, and Young Thug as those whom he birthed musically, in large part due to his 2008 autotune album 808s & Heartbreak. “Now everyone they added what it was to it but now here’s a new genre it’s called ‘making your own money’ genre,” he said.
It’s a complicated quote to navigate because, again, he delivered it with so much bravado. That type of thing is what one of the artists should say about him rather than him claiming it. Of course, as a creator, you should be confident and speak positively about the things you have done. It’s just hard to hear it from Ye when he has been so egotistical throughout his career.
“I invented every style of music of the past 20 years. I created this genre. I created Weeknd’s genre, Trav, Drake. I’m gon’ head & say it, Future & Thug also….. It’s called ‘making your own money’ genre.” -Kanye West pic.twitter.com/6UNsG7rMUX
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod ?? (@big_business_) March 15, 2024
Here’s the thing though: he wasn’t entirely wrong. He has influenced many artists, including some of those that he named. While the autotune claim is a bit wild considering he began to use it after T-Pain, there are other aspects of his artistry that acts have embodied over the last 20 years. Let’s look back on a few artists that have admitted to being influenced by Kanye West.
Drake
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Drake and Kanye West‘s relationship has been complicated throughout the 6 God’s entire career, but especially within the last six years. Still, despite all of the reasons Ye has given the Toronto superstar to hate him, he never denies that West was one of his favorite artists and influential in his career.
“Before I ever got the chance to meet him, Kanye West shaped a lot of what I do, as far as music goes,” he told MTV in 2009. “I’d even go as far as to say he’s the most influential person as far as a musician that I’d ever had in my life.” He had a similar sentiment in 2016 during an Apple Music interview and in 2020 when he spoke to Elliott Wilson and Brian “B. Dot” Miller for Rap Radar.
Ye and Drake have collaborated on numerous occasions as artists, producers, and songwriters. The world may never get another joint effort between the two, but their impact on one another’s careers is indelible. And as frustrating as it may be for him to admit it, Drake acknowledges that Kanye West paved the way for him. A guy who didn’t possess the look of a gangster rapper but could hang with all of them while bearing his soul and emotions on his records, flipping all types of samples, and blending rap and melody.
Of course, this had been done before both of them began making music, but not to the level that they did it. That type of music is when both Drake and Kanye West are at their best. And, like it or not, Drake credits Ye for him doing it.
Sir Michael Rocks
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Sir Michael Rocks is another rapper who admitted that Kanye West paved the path for him to be who he wanted to be as opposed to trying to fit the gangster rapper archetype. It all began for him with Ye’s 2004 debut album The College Dropout.
“I felt like I was a part of it,” he told BET. “It gave me the confidence to be me, to be honest, to, you know, be proud of where I’m from, of what I do. You don’t have to be a certain way, and you don’t have to be super-gangster to rap.”
West’s artistry was especially impactful for Rocks as he is also from Illinois. There’s nothing more inspiring than seeing someone from your home state succeed at something that you also want to do.
Travis Scott
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There is no one with more claim to the title of Kanye West‘s “musical son” than Travis Scott. While the Houston enigma has been helpful to Ye, especially with his 2013 album Yeezus, Scott is a direct descendant of West’s style of immersive production, autotune melodies, and excelling as a rapper with simple lyrics.
“There is no Utopia without Kanye West,” Scott told the Circus Maximus crowd during a performance last August. “There is no Travis Scott without Kanye West.”
In 2015, Scott revealed that he stayed with Ye for days at a time while working on Rodeo. They would bounce ideas off one another and simply discuss life. Scott even told Billboard that West was like his stepdad.
Chance The Rapper
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Chance The Rapper is another Chicago act who looked up to Kanye West as he was figuring himself out as an artist. While he worked on his 2012 mixtape 10 Day, which he made as a senior in high school, he drew influence from the way Ye played around with sounds.
“I started to really think about rhythm, specifically, and on the other side, melody a lot more,” he told Stretch and Bobbito during a 2017 episode of their NPR podcast. Obviously, he went on to work with Ye on several occasions and delivered a show-stopping verse on The Life Of Pablo opener “Ultralight Beam.” However, he savored the opportunities to learn from the man who shaped Hip-Hop for him.
“I think it helped me find myself,” he told Teen Vogue in 2017 about his time working with Kanye West. “I’m a young dude from Chicago who grew up with Kanye as my image of hip-hop. Finding your voice in a room where you have to challenge Kanye is scary — but it’s also life-affirming.”
Logic
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Logic may be very critical of Kanye West‘s behavior and political stances in recent years, but he has been vocal about how much Ye inspired him early on.
“I’ve been so inspired by others from Kendrick to Drake to Cole to Kanye to everybody in a great way,” he told Complex in 2015. “Like, ‘Oh he did this, I wanna try something like this.’ There’s less and less [of that]. It’s still there, I’m not ashamed, I never will be, and I don’t think you should be. Those same people who be like, ‘You sound like whoever’ — Kendrick, Cole, Kanye, Drake — Yes! If you say that reminds [you] of that, I did my job because this person is so incredible and I could stir up a similar feeling.”
He interpolated Ye on his No Pressure record “Celebration,” directly referenced an early West record in his song “Heard Em Say” on that same album, and utilized the Taiko drums from “So Amazing” on his song “Contact.” Even when he was judging the controversial rapper for wearing a White Lives Matter shirt, he couldn’t help but to give him praise.
“Love Kanye by the way, [just a] stupid f**king idea,” he said in a vlog back in April 2023. “Let me preface that. I love Kanye West I think he’s a genius I wouldn’t be here without him. I can have a f**king opinion, and as long as my opinion is respectful and from the heart then it is what it is.” He admitted that he may not have been so open about one of his musical heroes for fear of missing out on a beat or feature, but enough became enough. Sometimes you have to challenge your heroes, and even with that, Logic will never dismiss the fact that he admires and draws inspiration from the man who disappointed him.
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