Nothing like some inspiration from an outspoken, controversial Grammy Award-winning rapper, record producer and fashion designer. Yes, we are talking about the extremely famous Kanye West who continues to be one of the most respected and highest earning rapper-turned-entrepreneurs of the 21st century.
Kanye was born in Georgia in 1977 and initially made his mark on the music industry as a producer for leading artists. He showcased his own abilities as a rapper with his 2004 debut, College Dropout, and cemented his place atop the hip hop world via such chart-topping albums as Late Registration (2005), My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010), Yeezus (2013) and Ye (2018).
One of the world’s best-selling music artists, Kanye has sold more than 20 million albums and 140 million singles worldwide. He has won a total of 21 Grammy Awards which makes him one of the most awarded artists of all time.
His outspoken views and life outside of music have received significant media attention as he remains a frequent source of controversy for his conduct at award shows, on social media, and in other public settings. Kanye will not hesitate to drop comments on topics such as the music and fashion industries, U.S. politics, and race. And then there’s his marriage to American socialite Kim Kardashian which has seen it’s challenges and copious amounts of publicity.
Despite his ego and these public outbursts, you’ve got to admit he’s worked hard to get to where he is today. The artist has dropped some deep words of wisdom for those tough times in life we all seem to encounter.
1. For me, giving up is harder than trying.
2. Love your haters, they’re your biggest fans.
3. I will go down as the voice of this generation, of this decade, I will be the loudest voice.
4. I don’t care about what people think, because people don’t think.
5. You weren’t perfect, but you made life worth it.
6. I refuse to accept other people’s ideas of happiness for me. As if there’s a ‘one size fits all’ standard for happiness.
7. If you see a black family, it’s looting, but if it’s a white family they are looking for food.
8. Sometimes people write novels and they just be so wordy and so self-absorbed.
9. I care. I care about everything. Sometimes not giving a f#%k is caring the most.
10. Why, if someone is good in one field can they not be accepted or given the slightest opportunity to express and be creative in other fields?
11. Michael Jordan changed so much in basketball, he took his power to make a difference. It’s so much going on in music right now and somebody has to make a difference.
12. I still think I am the greatest.
13. I could let these dream killers kill my self-esteem, or use my arrogance as a steam to power my dreams.
14. My greatest award is what I’m about to do.
15. If you have the opportunity to play this game of life, you need to appreciate every moment. A lot of people don’t appreciate the moment until it’s passed.
16. Most people are slowed down by the perception of themselves. If you’re taught you can’t do anything, you won’t do anything. I was taught I can do everything.
17. Keep your nose out the sky, keep your heart to god, and keep your face to the raising sun.
18. My greatest pain in life is that I will never be able to see myself perform live.
19. People never change. They just become better at hiding who they really are.
20. Our work is never over.
21. I’m pretty calculating. I take stuff that I know appeals to people’s bad sides and match it up with stuff that appeals to their good sides.
22. Recognize and embrace your flaws so you can learn from them. Sometimes it takes a little polishing to truly shine.
23. I would hear stories about Steve Jobs and feel like he was at 100 percent exactly what he wanted to do, but I’m sure even a Steve Jobs has compromised. Even a Rick Owens has compromised. You know, even a Kanye West has compromised. Sometimes you don’t even know when you’re being compromised till after the fact, and that’s what you regret.
24. Justice could just be clearing a path for people to dream properly.
25. But for me to have the opportunity to stand in front of a bunch of executives and present myself, I had to hustle in my own way. I can’t tell you how frustrating it was that they didn’t get that. No joke – I’d leave meetings crying all the time.
26. I want people to feel like it’s okay to create. It’s okay to not be boxed in. I want people to feel like awesome is possible.
27. If you have the opportunity to play this game of life you need to appreciate every moment. a lot of people don’t appreciate the moment until it’s passed.
28. People will have a problem with whatever you do. At the end of the day, nobody can determine what you need to do in order to be successful and why would you listen to someone who is not successful tell you what you need to do?
29. I really appreciate the moments that I was able to win rap album of the year or whatever.
30. I’ll say things that are serious and put them in a joke form so people can enjoy them. We laugh to keep from crying.
31. Believe in your flyness…conquer your shyness.
32. Creative output, you know, is just pain. I’m going to be cliche for a minute and say that great art comes from pain.
33. I always feel like I can do anything. That’s the main thing people are controlled by: thoughts and perceptions of yourself…If you’re taught you can’t do anything, you won’t do anything.
34. I feel like I’m too busy writing history to read it.
35. Thirty-three-years-old, still creating art. It’s rage, it’s creativity, it’s pain, it’s hurt, but it’s the opportunity to still have my voice get out there through music.
36. Nothing in life is promised except death.
37. I don’t even listen to rap. My apartment is too nice to listen to rap in.
38. One of my biggest Achilles heels has been my ego. And if I, Kanye West, can remove my ego, I think there’s hope for everyone.
39. We all self-conscious. I’m just the first to admit it.
40. I was never really good at anything except for the ability to learn.
41. People always say that you can’t please everybody. I think that’s a cop-out. Why not attempt it? ‘Cause think of all the people that you will please if you try.
42. Know your worth! People always act like they’re doing more for you than you’re doing for them.
43. People say I have a bad reputation. I think I’ve got the best reputation in the building.
44. If I was just a fan of music, I would think that I was the number one artist in the world.
45. I think I do myself a disservice by comparing myself to Steve Jobs and Walt Disney and human beings that we’ve seen before. It should be more like Willy Wonka… and welcome to my chocolate factory.
46. I feel that I’m very blessed. But with great blessings come great responsibility.
47. My message isn’t perfectly defined. I have, as a human being, fallen to peer pressure.
48. I’m not comfortable with comfort. I’m only comfortable when I’m in a place where I’m constantly learning and growing.
49. Would you believe in what you believe in if you were the only one who believed it?
50. If I don’t scream, if I don’t say something then no one’s going to say anything.
51. You don’t have to be scared of me, because I am loyal. Why are people so scared of creative ideas and so scared of truth? All I want to do is do good.
52. Why are people so afraid of creative ideas and so scared of truth? All I want to do is do good.
53. I’m on the pursuit of awesomeness, excellence is the bare minimum.