Is Kanye West one of the most talented musicians of All Time?

[daballa13]

His production is RIDICULOUS and he's not a terrible rapper and he makes classics. What say you?

I can't come to grips with how amazing this beat is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YHu0sOM5N4&feature=channel&list=UL

[andgar923]

Re: Is Kanye West one of the most talented artists of All Time?

Fixed.

Yeah.... I'm nitpicking, but he's not a musician.

[Go Getter]

His production is RIDICULOUS and he's not a terrible rapper and he makes classics. What say you?

I can't come to grips with how amazing this beat is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YHu0sOM5N4&feature=channel&list=UL


I'm pretty sure he doesn't compose music from scratch so no. And even if he did he'll never be the best musician from Chicago seeing as though Curtis Mayfield is from Chicago.

[andgar923]

Just outta curiosity...

What do you (OP) mean by All time?

One of the best 10 artists of all time?
Best of 60 of all time?
Best of his era?
Best in hip hop?

Just curious that's all. Cause I can give a list of about 100 musicians that are better, and this list doubles if we wanna include 'artists'.

[flipogb]

one of the best hip-hop producers no doubt

[daballa13]

Just in terms of the musicians we have now, especially the mainstream ones. These so called 'big' artists have no talent whatsoever and some people assume that because Kanye is a big artist he's probably some untalented bum too but the guy is an amazing producer and artist. I'm just saying in terms of so called mainstream music this guy is easily the most talented artist in my eyes. I hate it when people call Kanye trash without knowing what the hell this man has done and does now.

[daballa13]

In terms of a comparison, I'd say Kanye is WAY more talented than Jay-Z and even more talented than Em. Kanye's rapping is decent and his production is top notch. Em does some production but let's be real Em's production is straight mediocre if not trash sometimes.

[flipogb]

Just in terms of the musicians we have now, especially the mainstream ones. These so called 'big' artists have no talent whatsoever and some people assume that because Kanye is a big artist he's probably some untalented bum too but the guy is an amazing producer and artist. I'm just saying in terms of so called mainstream music this guy is easily the most talented artist in my eyes. I hate it when people call Kanye trash without knowing what the hell this man has done and does now.
a lot will have a problem with the word "musician" , it kind if suggest an instrument or great vocals . as far as mainstream artists go tho I think you are right about him.

[andgar923]

Just in terms of the musicians we have now, especially the mainstream ones. These so called 'big' artists have no talent whatsoever and some people assume that because Kanye is a big artist he's probably some untalented bum too but the guy is an amazing producer and artist. I'm just saying in terms of so called mainstream music this guy is easily the most talented artist in my eyes. I hate it when people call Kanye trash without knowing what the hell this man has done and does now.

Well as far as artists that are currently releasing records in the mainstream, he's amongst the best can't argue with his success and impact no matter how hard wants too.

Having said that, there is gonna be a large group of people (myself included) that love to point out how weak today's era is musically. The standards have been lowered, that is not to say that he sucks or that there isn't some good artists out there. But when compared to past eras, this era is very thin.

Now... if we wanna include artists that are alive and have been active in this decade, then he takes a back seat in the actual 'music' department. His success is unmatched, but his music isn't that impressive.

Cats like Beck, Jack White, Eryka Badu, Shakira, Trent Reznor to name a few certainly deserve a consideration. Then there's bands that have continually dropped great shit such as Foofighters, Radiohead, Pearl Jam, again.... to name a few, that are mainstream and are better than he is.

But, you said "All time" which encompasses modern music history. Going up against artists/musicians such as Miles Davis, MJ, Prince, Beatles, Stevie, and that's just on the 'artist' side of things. If we wanna talk about 'musicians' then he falls tremendously as we have to put bassists, guitar players, pianists, drum players, etc.etc. above him and that list is almost endless. Which is why I asked for some sort of clarification, and you sorta did so I tried not being such a douche about it.

[Nick Young]

yes

[QUIZZLE]

yes

Go to hell

[blablabla]

he is one of the best hip hop producers of all time

[Brunch@Five]

when we're talking musicians, I'd have a really hard time ranking him above any decent composer or instrumentalist who has really mastered his craft.
Anyone in the NY Philharmonics is a better musician than Kanye West.
And that's not even talking about the soloists, Jazz musicians like Miles Davis or Chick Corea, guys like Leonard Bernstein who was a world class pianist, conductor AND composer.

He is one of the best hip-hop producers though. He's good at finding great music, but ultimately he's just taking what real musicians in the 60s and 70s have created. Sometimes it gets better, but he doesn't really create anything himself.

[RaininTwos]

I think 808's had ONE sample and it was still a great sounding album. It's not all the dude does is sample and sample.

[Yao Ming]

Brian Wilson>Kanye West

[SCREWstonRockets]

love kanye but NO

[IGOTGAME]

Quincy Jones on people comparing Kanye to him


Quincy Jones won't be sending Kanye West a Christmas card. One of the hottest producers of the 20th century has spoken out against the hottest producer of, er, late 2010, dismissing West as "just a rapper". "We come from two different sides of the planet," Jones said. "There's no comparison."

Jones has arranged, written for and produced artists including Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, Donna Summer and Sarah Vaughan. He has won 27 Grammy awards. Oh yes, and he produced a little album called Thriller. As for Kanye West? His Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is the highest-rated album of the year so far. But when Us magazine mentioned to Jones that people were comparing him to West, the 77-year-old launched into a furious rant.

"How, man?" he said. "No way. Did [Kanye] write for a symphony orchestra? Does he write for a jazz orchestra? Come on, man ... I'm not putting him down or making a judgment or anything, but we come from two different sides of the planet. I spent 28 years learning my first skill. I don't rap. It's not the same thing. A producer has to have some sort of skills that enable him to be a producer. It's a whole different mindset. No comparison. None."

[highwhey]

Quincy Jones on people comparing Kanye to him
what an old fart. kanye has "some skill/talent" that allows him to be a producer. whether he's sampling or not, he's a genius. this dude acting like kanye does samples only...:sleeping

[Go Getter]

what an old fart. kanye has "some skill/talent" that allows him to be a producer. whether he's sampling or not, he's a genius. this dude acting like kanye does samples only...:sleeping

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why we are doomed as a society.:facepalm


People aren't even trying to listen.

[RoseCity07]

I don't like Kanye but he is very good at what he does. I liked his earlier work. I rarely ever like the work of an artist beyond their first couple albums. Most artists change so much and I really don't understand people who like everything one artist does. How is that possible?

[RidonKs]

I don't like Kanye but he is very good at what he does. I liked his earlier work. I rarely ever like the work of an artist beyond their first couple albums. Most artists change so much and I really don't understand people who like everything one artist does. How is that possible?
the reverse criticism can be thrown right back in your face tho. point blank, its easier for a musician to stick with whats already worked for them, and it takes balls to throw that out and try something totally different. experimentation and versatility are what elevate the true masters over the merely really really good. artists that don't evolve get boring for teh most part, even if their early albums still sound great as a result of familiarity.

[RaininTwos]

I don't like Kanye but he is very good at what he does. I liked his earlier work. I rarely ever like the work of an artist beyond their first couple albums. Most artists change so much and I really don't understand people who like everything one artist does. How is that possible?
Artists change because they are people....its really not that hard of a concept unless you believe that people don't change. All in all while the sounds that Kanye has used over the year might have changed, most of his subject matter is still the same.

[SuperPippen]

:facepalm Are you seriously asking this question?

Then I'll give you a serious answer: **** no.

Is one of the best hip-hop producers ever? Yes. I've never liked his rapping, but no one can deny his talent for making beats.

But as a musician? God no. Kanye is not, in my opinion, a musician. And asking if he's one of the best ever is an insult to people who are actually talented musically.

Even suggesting that he is in the same stratosphere as guys like Stevie Wonder, Prince, Paul McCartney, Michael Jackson, etcetera, is an insult to those musical legends. And those are just a couple of popular music artists. Not to mention some extremely talented instrumentalists, and classical composers, as well as musicians from other genres.

Again, I stress that Kanye West is certainly not one of the most talented musicians ever.

[d.bball.guy]

:facepalm Are you seriously asking this question?

Then I'll give you a serious answer: **** no.

Is one of the best hip-hop producers ever? Yes. I've never liked his rapping, but no one can deny his talent for making beats.

But as a musician? God no. Kanye is not, in my opinion, a musician. And asking if he's one of the best ever is an insult to people who are actually talented musically.

Even suggesting that he is in the same stratosphere as guys like Stevie Wonder, Prince, Paul McCartney, Michael Jackson, etcetera, is an insult to those musical legends. And those are just a couple of popular music artists. Not to mention some extremely talented instrumentalists, and classical composers, as well as musicians from other genres.

Again, I stress that Kanye West is certainly not one of the most talented musicians ever.
This.

[rezznor]

:facepalm Are you seriously asking this question?

Then I'll give you a serious answer: **** no.

Is one of the best hip-hop producers ever? Yes. I've never liked his rapping, but no one can deny his talent for making beats.

But as a musician? God no. Kanye is not, in my opinion, a musician. And asking if he's one of the best ever is an insult to people who are actually talented musically.

Even suggesting that he is in the same stratosphere as guys like Stevie Wonder, Prince, Paul McCartney, Michael Jackson, etcetera, is an insult to those musical legends. And those are just a couple of popular music artists. Not to mention some extremely talented instrumentalists, and classical composers, as well as musicians from other genres.

Again, I stress that Kanye West is certainly not one of the most talented musicians ever.we need rep back. kanye is no musician

[ace23]

Lol @ guys saying Kanye is not a musician.

[RaininTwos]

How is Kanye not a musician? He plays instruments, produces his album. I understand that you may not like the guy for whatever reason, that's fine. Don't discredit the man over your petty beef.

[LJJ]

How is Kanye not a musician? He plays instruments, produces his album. I understand that you may not like the guy for whatever reason, that's fine. Don't discredit the man over your petty beef.

Pretty much all his stuff is just mixes of stuff. People don't really see producers as musicians. You never hear anyone talk about how great of a musician Rudy van Gelder is.

I don't think anyone thinks there is no skill involved with what Kanye is doing, but people are saying sampling a couple of songs together is a considerable step down from actually composing music. You can't slap together a Mendelssohn song and a Stravinsky song and then act like you are the genius musician who created that music.

[RaininTwos]

Pretty much all his stuff is just mixes of stuff. People don't really see producers as musicians. You never hear anyone talk about how great of a musician Rudy van Gelder is.

I don't think anyone thinks there is no skill involved with what Kanye is doing, but people are saying sampling a couple of songs together is a considerable step down from actually composing music.

I'm completely certain no one reads on this site because I just pointed out that Kanye pretty much made 808's and Heartbreak from scratch. I can only remember one sample.

[LJJ]

I'm completely certain no one reads on this site because I just pointed out that Kanye pretty much made 808's and Heartbreak from scratch. I can only remember one sample.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/808s_%26_Heartbreak#Personnel

Look at that shit kid.

All of those compositions are collaborations with many songwriters working on it. Kanye West wrote one song himself on the entire album.

[RaininTwos]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/808s_%26_Heartbreak#Personnel

Look at that shit kid.

All of those compositions are collaborations with many songwriters working on it. Kanye West wrote one song himself on the entire album.

....


That's not even point, I like how people here have to constantly reach in a desperate attempt to one up one another. You pointed out his constant sampling, I countered with 808's. You look and see that I'm right so you pull this bullshit out of your ass. Great.

Bottom line: He can play instruments(yes,he can) and put them into an arrangement that is pleasing to listen to. Plus he can write lyrics to complete song.

He's not Mozart, but Mozart isnt him either. They are in their own individual lane and cannot be compared to each other. Same with Quincy.

[LJJ]

....


That's not even point, I like how people here have to constantly reach in a desperate attempt to one up one another. You pointed out his constant sampling, I countered with 808's. You look and see that I'm right so you pull this bullshit out of your ass. Great.

You countered with an album where 10+ people have production and writing credit in addition to Kanye West.

How is that any different? The original point of Kanye simply using other people's compositions and songs is still alive and well. That's not countering the original argument at all.



And no he cannot be compared to Mozart. Mozart had infinitely more musical talent than Kanye West. This is not even debatable. Mozart was musically more advanced than Kanye West before he was even five years old.

[RidonKs]

if i can call the lowlife at the local bar who covers barenaked ladies and bon jovi and has written a couple shitty diddies 'a musician', everybody can call kanye one. since when has the bar for constituting a musician really been that high?

"creator of music", theres your definition. maybe one would have to competently play an acoustic instrument. regardless, kanye qualifies pretty fking easily. it just so happens his strongsuits are atypical of what the world tends to recognize as amazing musicianship.



also; did kanye west finally get an account at ish?

[RaininTwos]

You countered with an album where 10+ people have production and writing credit in addition to Kanye West.

How is that any different? The original point of Kanye simply using other people's compositions and songs is still alive and well. That's not countering the original argument at all.

So what you are saying is that he has to do it by himself in order to be a musician? This makes no sense. From what I've seen and heard he's actively involved in the process of making his music. This is almost as retarded as the "the man" argument in sports.


And no he cannot be compared to Mozart. Mozart had infinitely more musical talent than Kanye West. This is not even debatable. Mozart was musically more advanced than Kanye West before he was even five years old.[/QUOTE]

Bolded. Do you read? I said that they cannot be compared to each other. :rolleyes:

[RaininTwos]

if i can call the lowlife at the local bar who covers barenaked ladies and bon jovi and has written a couple shitty diddies 'a musician', everybody can call kanye one. since when has the bar for constituting a musician really been that high?

"creator of music", theres your definition. maybe one would have to competently play an acoustic instrument. regardless, kanye qualifies pretty fking easily. it just so happens his strongsuits are atypical of what the world tends to recognize as amazing musicianship.

You gotta be on the mount rushmore of music to be considered a musician. :facepalm



also; did kanye west finally get an account at ish?

yup

[LJJ]

So what you are saying is that he has to do it by himself in order to be a musician? This makes no sense. From what I've seen and heard he's actively involved in the process of making his music. This is almost as retarded as the "the man" argument in sports.



I'm not saying he has to. Kanye West can do whatever he wants. Neither am I saying it doesn't take any talent to do what he does. But he doesn't earn recognition as a really talented musician from me if he can't really compose music.





Bolded. Do you read? I said that they cannot be compared to each other. :rolleyes:

You are saying they can't be compared because they are in their "individual lane". But as musicians, the reason they can't be compared is because Mozart is so much more talented and skilled than Kanye.

There is no shame in that. Mozart is arguably the most talented and important musician in history. There has been no musician in the last 50 years who can hold a candle to Mozart. But let's not call it something different than what it truly is.

[RaininTwos]

I'm not saying he has to. Kanye West can do whatever he wants. Neither am I saying it doesn't take any talent to do what he does. But he doesn't earn recognition as a really talented musician from me if he can't really compose music.

think back to the origin on my stance. I was calling people out who said that Kanye wasnt even a musician.



You are saying they can't be compared because they are in their "individual lane". But as musicians, the reason they can't be compared is because Mozart is so much more talented and skilled than Kanye.

There is no shame in that. Mozart is arguably the most talented and important musician in history. But let's not call it something different than what it truly is.

I would say that Mozart>>>>>>Kanye no problem. That's fact.

[RidonKs]

why can't we just assume op meant artist and not musician?
because either way its a dumb question. the conversation took a turn to something only slightly more interesting so we're running with it.

[iggy>]

He's definitely the most talented hip hop artist IMO

[L.Kizzle]

Kanye West is talented in what he does, that is a fact.

Also, a musician can mean many of things. Do you mean musician as in the art of playing a musical instrument or a musician as someone involved in music?

If you mean the first, than the answer is a no. What instrument is he really known for? Now the later, I would say yes.

There are many artist who can ply the hell out of every instrument, but can't write a song to save their life. Than, you have great songwriter who never picked up an instrument.

[highwhey]

i see there are a lot of taylor swift fans on ish.

[Alamo]

Easily one of the best artists of all time. People don't have to admit it but everyone knows he's a genius.

[SuperPippen]

Easily one of the best artists of all time. People don't have to admit it but everyone knows he's a genius.

Nah.

[rodman91]

If you have bad music taste, he is one of the most talented ones...

[RidonKs]

Kanye West is talented in what he does, that is a fact.

Also, a musician can mean many of things. Do you mean musician as in the art of playing a musical instrument or a musician as someone involved in music?

If you mean the first, than the answer is a no. What instrument is he really known for? Now the later, I would say yes.

There are many artist who can ply the hell out of every instrument, but can't write a song to save their life. Than, you have great songwriter who never picked up an instrument.
kizzle does a tremendous job summarizing exactly what the past forty posts discussed at length

[RidonKs]

Easily one of the best artists of all time. People don't have to admit it but everyone knows he's a genius.
IF KANYE SAID IT, IT MUST BE TRUE