Kanye West Says He Knew One Lyric He Wrote Would Make Him Famous Worldwide

Kanye West has opened up about the one lyric he wrote which he instantly knew would make him famous.

West - now formally known as Ye - has had a rocky road with fame.

He first entered the spotlight as a result of his music career, followed by his record label and fashion collaboration with Adidas.

More controversially, though, the 45-year-old's political views and personal life have also come under scrutiny, particularly after his marriage to - and later divorce from - Kim Kardashian.

West has since revealed when he first knew he would be famous and it's all apparently down to one single lyric.

In an interview with James Corden as part of a '300,000-foot Carpool Karaoke' while on his way to his Sunday Service choir in October 2019, the rapper opened up about finding fame and the moment he knew his life would change forever.

Ye said he recalls being in a Virgin Megastore on an escalator when he had the revelation.

He continued: "I remember saying, 'Breathe in this moment, because this will be the last moment I can walk around in public'.

"Because I had written the line, 'She got a light-skinned friend look like Michael Jackson/ Got a dark-skinned friend look like Michael Jackson'."

Ye explained it was after that he knew he 'wouldn't be able to walk the streets for the rest of [his] life'.

When questioned by Corden as to whether he was 'seriously' that 'confident' the 2003 song 'Slow Jamz' would do well, Ye responded: "In the success of that line.

"I was like, 'I will be famous after this line'."

'Slow Jamz' was first released in 2003 by Atlantic and Roc-A-Fella Records.

The hip-hop, pop-rap, R&B soul track is by American rapper Twista and features Jamie Foxx as well as Ye.

It was the first number one song for each member of the trio, peaking at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 soon after its release.

On the UK Singles Chart, it peaked at number three and on the US's end-of-the-year chart in 2004 it came in at 16th place.

In 2004, the song was nominated for Best Collaboration at the 4th BET Awards. In 2005 at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards it was put forward for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration.

Alongside songs such as 'Gold Digger', 'Stronger', and 'Famous', 'Slow Jamz' is still widely seen as one of Ye's best hits to this day.

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Topics: Kanye West, Music, James Corden

Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck is a Senior Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from The University of Manchester in 2021 with a First in English Literature and Drama, where alongside her studies she was Editor-in-Chief of The Tab Manchester. Poppy is most comfortable when chatting about all things mental health, is proving a drama degree is far from useless by watching and reviewing as many TV shows and films as possible and is such a crisp fanatic the office has been forced to release them in batches.