Kanye West
Beyond
Kanye West (vocals); Joi Campbell, Tony Williams (backing vocals); Helbertien Hylkema, Marisa Kuney, Judith Schouten, Yfke de Jong (violin); Atie Aarts, Sarah Wijzenbeek (cello); Nelleke Post (harp); DJ A-Trak;
Sun 16 July 2006 22:30 - 23:45 Nile
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Chicago's Kanye West is more than your average razzle-dazzle hooked hiphop artist: that's what he proved from the moment he started establishing himself as a solo artist. As a producer West was at first the man behind the successes of Jay-Z, Talib Kweli and Common. After a severe accident, in which he was wounded badly, he realized he had to choose for his own music. 2004 for was the year of his breakthrough. He didn't only win all the important prizes at the MOBO and Grammy Awards, but he also started preaching the gospel like modern days' prophet. Kanye West's hiphop often contains a message. He's known for his political points of view concerning social issues like racism, aids and recently hurricane Katrina and the government's disgraceful proceedings in the aftermath. West also opts for an authentic acoustic sound. At the beginning of the year he gave a free example of that approach by entering the Amsterdam Paradiso stage with a string quartet, a harp and two cello's. NRC Handelsblad printed 'that he effortlessly succeeded in interweaving the mechanical beats of a DJ with the acoustic instruments' ethereal sounds'.
