Kanye West: Soul-Fired Hip-Hop (USA Today Lifeline Biographies)

Rapper, singer, and record producer Kanye West hails from Chicago, Illinois. He is the son of former Black Panther Ray West, who went on to be one of the first African American photo journalists for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Kanye West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on albums such as Jay Z s The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for many other artists. His style encompasses many musical genres including '70s R&B, baroque pop, trip hop, arena rock, folk, alternative, electronica, synth-pop, and classical music.