Chicago rapper Kanye West continued his radio tour this week as he made an appearance on Peter Rosenberg and Cipha Sounds’ Juan Epstein podcast. The G.O.O.D. Music emcee, who has spoken extensively on his Yeezus tour and breaking into the product world, took time to speak on a handful of topics, including the late James “J Dilla” Yancey and being inspired to sing thanks to Michael Jackson.
While speaking on Dilla, Kanye referred to the producer as “a genius” and commented on his inability to top Dilla, Pharrell, Dr. Dre and other beatsmiths when it concerns drums.
“That man was a genius,” said Kanye. “Whatever he could to do tweak that MPC the way he worked. He worked it in a different type of way. Everybody had they—the real producers, everybody had they swag and they thing that they brought. I had this production where I would take these really infectious samples, put an infectious thought/idea that everyone can relate to—cause it felt like no one can relate to me or no one wanted to be me. Everybody wanted to be more gangster and stuff when I was coming [up]…My drums, if you listen to my sonics they wouldn’t compare to anything that Dilla was doing or anything that Dr. Dre was doing or anything that Swizz Beatz was doing or anything that Pharrell was doing.
“Even with ‘Stronger,’ I’d ask Pharrell, I’d ask Timbaland, ‘Help me redo these drums because it just don’t knock,’” he added. “We still be redoing the drums to this day. We still redo the drums to ‘Can’t Tell Me Nothing.’ ‘Can’t Tell Me [Nothing]’ don’t knock like—it don’t knock like Mike WiLL. It don’t knock like Travis Scott. I don’t knock like Young Chop.”
During his interview, Kanye also recalled meeting Michael Jackson at Lyor Cohen’s house and being inspired to sing on 808s And Heartbreak due to a comment the late singer made in regards to his “Good Life” record.
“Yeah, I sat with Michael Jackson,” he said. “I met him over Lyor Cohen’s house. And I just vibed out with him. And then like—I think Michael the one that put that battery in my back to do 808s. I played ‘Good Life’ and he was like ‘Who’s that singing right there? I like that voice.’ It was my voice. He gassed me up…I was like ‘Michael Jackson told me I could sing. Fuck all y’all.’”
Lastly, Kanye ended his interview with Rosenberg and Cipha Sounds with a few words for Rawkus Records founders Brian Brater and Jarret Myer. The pair reportedly turned down the rapper after he expressed interested in signing with the now-defunct record label.
“Aye, Jarret and Brian, this is Kanye West talking to you,” ‘Ye said. “This is the greatest moment of your Hip Hop life. You passed on signing me cause I didn’t have the look. I wasn’t official enough. You didn’t like the way I rapped. But guess what? I [thunk] myself to annihilate and become the most important, Hip Hop musician of all time. And I’m just getting started… I done already forgot your name and that’s even important to you.”
Audio from Kanye’s interview on the Juan Epstein podcast can be found below (via 2DopeBoyz).
RELATED: Kanye West Says He Can Make The Best Version Of Anything
this shit is old and theirs a video
kanye needs to do another interview with sway wearing his shirt
sound bombing 2 from rawkus is better than anything kanye put out
100%
^^^obviously you guys are morons, that are only riding the Kanye hate right now.
^No, they are correct. Kanye has ALWAYS been overrated. My favorite beats from him are pretty much entirely based on samples that have hardly been altered at all. Not to say he’s a bad producer or anything, but he’s not as good as people make him out to be (still great though). As a rapper, he’s got an OK flow at best and is very inconsistent lyrically. Even at his lyrical peaks, he isn’t that good, and when he’s bad, he’s terrible (see any Kanye guest feature of the past 3 years). His subject matter is usually a whole lot of bragging, and when he does get deep it is always hypocritical. Plus all his work is overrated to an extent (some of it is great though).
THANK YOU…Soundbombing 1 was better than anything he ever put out. I could name 100 albums better than anything he ever put out. It’s time to put this clown in his place.
yep
Rawkus missed out on Em he’s bigger than Kanye
Bullshit, you guys are faggots.
its always refreshing to hear kanye talk about hip-hop for a change
he know he sampled and time stretched MJ voice from human nature stop frontin kanye lol…nah good interview!
GIVE ME A CHANCE
Youtube is all about finding new artist, & though I been rapping for a while im still consider a new artist. I just want my music heard thats all, im not looking for no record deal, getting famous ‘r anything like that.! so please just spare a few sec. to check me out, & if you like what you heard please SUBSCRIBE so ill know you actually listen & support
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaSNK0pm4eY
this shouldve been longer. One of the best ye interviews ive heard.
The nerve of this bastard….Jay-Z really ought to sit him down and remind him of how he got there in the first place. Sean Carter is Hip-Hop’s only God…I’m a Nas fan and I can tell you that. Kanye, you need to cut the ego bullshit because we’re turning on you fast…
This site turns on everybody faggot. Also, if you think that Jay is Hip Hop’s “God”, then you’re delusional.
Rawkus diss is classic. “Real hip hop” heads are fainting
Aye, Jarret and Brian, this is Kanye West talking to you,
“I done already forgot your name and thats even important to you.
How do you name drop someone and THEN say you forgot their names?? He must not be over it if he still needs to bring them up
Yo DX I see 4 articles a day about what fuckin lipstick this fuckboy wears but no slim thugga boss life review get your shit together
They only write about top of the mainstream and media bitches and shit. I cant see coverage on most shit i heard this year, but reading hhdx made me know EVERYTHIN about famous rappers and singers like future(wtf) whom i dont even listen.
Slim Thug went to a Yeezus concert, you fucking moron. So it appears that your favorite rapper likes a “lipstick wearing bitch” or whatever the fuck you said. Dumbass.
Everytime there’s an article about Annoying West the writer is Danielle Harling!!!!! This chick is totally on KANYE NUTS!!!!!!
DX is GOSSIP. Time to go to another serious hiphopsite
Tommorrow on DX: Kanye West says his influence on music is bigger then the Beatles.
4 ARTICLES ON KANYE!!!! GET THAT CONDENSED INTO 1!
surely there’s more to report on than another kanye rant
man, ya’ll ain’t been shit since you became part of the complex network.
I find it appalling that these are our top news stories when, as a community, we are not speaking enough about Mandela and what he meant and means to our culture (hip hop included). I miss the days when PE and KRS had community focused efforts. Think about it before you smash my comment…Think deeply…This Kanye crying all the time is kinda wack when you think about it.
uhhh Scott nowadays everything is about money. Everytime we check this horrible hiphop site we get the most stupid articles. DX consist of people who get paid by advertising. There goal is to have everyday articles so that we come back, if there are no new articles everyday then most of the fans will look for other hiphopsites. Most hiphopfans are retarded and like to read an article about how Lil Wayne likes to fart in the studio or like to read that The Game is dissing 50 cent for the 100.000 time again for 8 years now.
my father in-law recently purchased a fantastic gold Chrysler 300 SRT8 from only workin online… blog here>>>>>> ..
Somewhere el-p is smiling at Kanye’s rawkus diss.
Well played, well played.
never gonnna be who he wants to be. not humble enough…just another hip hop artist and college dropout aint ever gonna jump into the top 25 hip hop albums of all time..never mind all genres
Spoken like a true retard.
PAC WASN’T HUMBLE… JAY AIN’T HUMBLE…
uptil I looked at the paycheck 4 $9172, I didn’t believe …that…my brother was like actually erning money in their spare time from their laptop.. there friends cousin had bean doing this for only fifteen months and resantly repayed the mortgage on there mini mansion and got a new Lexus LS400. visit this page… http://www.Fb39.com
How is Yeezus not nominated for album of the year but Macklemore’s is? These awards are so trash its honestly sad that they are considered to be so prestigious among popular culture.
just before I looked at the paycheck which had said $9918, I didn’t believe …that…my father in law was like they say realie erning money part-time from their computer.. there sisters roommate started doing this 4 only nine months and by now repaid the loans on their mini mansion and purchased a great new Dodge. Learn More……………….
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