Kanye West
A hip-hop artist who collaborated with Daft Punk on the opening track of Yeezus.
Kanye West is an American rapper whose sixth studio album, Yeezus (2013), features 'On Sight,' produced by Daft Punk and co-produced by West, with additional production by Mike Dean and others. Daft Punk were not the first people West involved with for the album; Thomas Bangalter said they were the first he and Guy-Manuel worked with, but West had already started the album with other producers like Rick Rubin.
Quick Facts
- Birth Name
- Kanye Omari West
- Birth Date
- 1977-06-08
- Birth Place
- Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
- Occupation
- Rapper / record producer / singer / songwriter / fashion designer / businessman
- Organization
- Donda · Yeezy
- Years Active
- 1993–present
- Children
- 4, including North
- Mother
- Donda West
- Relatives
- Devo Harris (cousin) / Tony Williams (cousin)
- Awards
- Full list
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Thomas Bangalter revealed that during the recording of Random Access Memories in April 2013, the duo worked with West on material for his next album. At the June 10 listening party, West stated he worked with them on three or four songs, though 'Black Skinhead' was the only track publicly known at the time to feature their involvement. In a July 2013 interview, Bangalter clarified that Daft Punk were the first people he and Guy-Manuel worked with for Yeezus, but West had already begun the album with other producers like Rick Rubin.
Reader's Guide
West worked with Daft Punk on 'On Sight,' which features electronic production crafted mostly by the duo. The song opens with a polarizing intro confirmed as intentional by Rick Rubin and includes a studio recreation of 'Sermon (He'll Give Us What We Really Need)' by Holy Name of Mary Choral Family. In the outro, West recalls the refrain from his 2007 single 'Stronger.' Critics widely praised the track's position as the album opener, with Jon Pareles noting the music hurls West's rhymes like a catapult.
Did You Know?
- The song contains lyrics about Parkinson's disease that were criticized as 'distasteful' by the American Parkinson Disease Association.
- 'On Sight' replaced 'Blood on the Leaves' as the opening track of Yeezus at the last minute.
- The track charted at number ten on the US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 and number 38 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts in 2013.
- Noah Goldstein stated that the song's sound is so unique it cannot be mistaken for another artist like J. Cole.
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