The Kanye Story

BBC Sounds
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Mobeen Azhar investigates the rise and fall of Kanye West, with the help of guests who've been close to the rapper and journalists who've followed every step of his career.

Episodes

  1. 06/21/2023

    Introducing The Kanye Story

    What took Kanye West from hit-maker to political agitator, spreading anti-Jewish hate? And where does he go next? Mobeen Azhar explores the rapper's rise and fall.

    3 min

  2. 06/28/2023

    1. The Blueprint

    Mobeen Azhar is joined by guests to unpack the early stages of Kanye’s life in music. Going back to his upbringing with activist parents, the panel discuss how a horrific car crash nearly derailed Kanye’s career. But he successfully moved from being a producer for other rappers like Jay-Z to signing a solo deal with Roc-A-Fella and winning a Grammy for his debut studio album College Dropout - a record that would write him into pop music history. What took Kanye West from hit-maker to a political agitator, spreading anti-Jewish hate? And where does he go next? Mobeen explores the rapper's rise and fall. Presenter: Mobeen Azhar Producer: Ashley Clivery Assistant Producer: Edith Rousselot Executive Producer: Peter Sale Sound Mixing: Adam Lieber Forest Sounds for the BBC

    31 min

  3. 06/28/2023

    2. The Victory Lap

    Mobeen Azhar and guests discuss Kanye’s career post College Dropout. His second album didn’t do the same numbers as his debut, but Late Registration is still a major hit. Away from music he’s making big headlines and after Hurricane Katrina strikes New Orleans, he tells the world that President George Bush "doesn’t care about Black people". What took Kanye West from hit-maker to a political agitator, spreading anti-Jewish hate? And where does he go next? Mobeen explores the rapper's rise and fall. Clip: Kanye talking about George Bush and Hurricane Katrina/NBC - A Concert for Hurricane Relief. Presenter: Mobeen Azhar Producer: Ashley Clivery Assistant Producer: Edith Rousselot Executive Producer: Peter Sale Sound Mixing: Adam Lieber Forest Sounds for the BBC

    31 min

  4. 06/28/2023

    3. End of an Era

    Mobeen Azhar is joined by guests to look at Kanye’s life and career in the period he made Graduation - a record that sat firmly in the mainstream with an A-list cast of contributors including Lil Wayne and Chris Martin. But the death of his mother Donda and the end of the relationship with his fiancée were moments that affected him significantly. What took Kanye West from hit-maker to a political agitator, spreading anti-Jewish hate? And where does he go next? Mobeen explores the rapper's rise and fall. Presenter: Mobeen Azhar Producer: Ashley Clivery Assistant Producer: Edith Rousselot Executive Producer: Peter Sale Sound Mixing: Adam Lieber Forest Sounds for the BBC

    31 min

  5. 06/28/2023

    4. A Big Head and A Broken Heart

    Mobeen Azhar and panel discuss My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and Kanye’s moves firmly into the world of celebrity. He storms the stage and takes the mic off Taylor Swift at the VMAs, telling the world that the award for best video should have gone to Beyoncé. President Obama calls him a ‘jackass’ for doing so. Another relationship breaks down and Kanye reconnects with Kim. What took Kanye West from hit-maker to a political agitator, spreading anti-Jewish hate? And where does he go next? Mobeen explores the rapper's rise and fall. Clip: Kanye West interrupting Taylor Swift/VMA Awards 2009 - MTV Presenter: Mobeen Azhar Producer: Ashley Clivery Assistant Producer: Edith Rousselot Executive Producer: Peter Sale Sound Mixing: Adam Lieber Forest Sounds for the BBC

    31 min

  6. 06/28/2023

    5. Jesus Christ and the Kardashians

    Mobeen and guests talk about the Yeezus stage of Kanye. He marries Kim and appears on Keeping Up With the Kardashians. He’s at the very centre of pop culture. He also embraces the fashion industry and starts his own Adidas brand - Yeezy. What took Kanye West from hit-maker to a political agitator, spreading anti-Jewish hate? And where does he go next? Mobeen explores the rapper's rise and fall. Presenter: Mobeen Azhar Producer: Ashley Clivery Assistant Producer: Edith Rousselot Executive Producer: Peter Sale Sound Mixing: Adam Lieber Forest Sounds for the BBC

    31 min

  7. 06/28/2023

    6. A Fashion Show, a Heist and a Breakdown

    Mobeen explores the Life of Pablo era of Kanye. Things start to unravel as public rants and no shows begin and Kim is robbed at gunpoint. Kanye is admitted to hospital and diagnosed with bipolar disorder. He becomes more involved in politics and supports Donald Trump. What took Kanye West from hit-maker to a political agitator, spreading anti-Jewish hate? And where does he go next? Mobeen explores the rapper's rise and fall. Presenter: Mobeen Azhar Producer: Ashley Clivery Assistant Producer: Edith Rousselot Executive Producer: Peter Sale Sound Mixing: Adam Lieber Forest Sounds for the BBC

    31 min

  8. 06/28/2023

    7. Jesus is King and I wanna be the President

    Mobeen and guests tell the next part of the Kanye Story. He announces online that he is now ‘Ye’ and is very public about his Christianity. He asks those working on his album to avoid premarital sex. He buys a ranch in Wyoming, visits Donald Trump and formally announces he’s standing for President. What took Kanye West from hit-maker to a political agitator, spreading anti-Jewish hate? And where does he go next? Mobeen explores the rapper's rise and fall. Clip - Kanye West's presidential campaign/The Hill Presenter: Mobeen Azhar Producer: Ashley Clivery Assistant Producer: Edith Rousselot Executive Producer: Peter Sale Sound Mixing: Adam Lieber Forest Sounds for the BBC

    31 min

  9. 06/28/2023

    8. Misguided, Misinformed, Dangerous

    Mobeen and panel look at how Kanye became an anti-Semite with anger management issues. He is very specifically stepping away from his music and embraces figures including white nationalists like Nick Fuentes. Fuentes is part of Ye’s 2024 presidential bid. He's also a Holocaust denier that believes in Christian supremacy and wants America to be a theocracy. Kanye says ‘Black Lives Matter is a scam” and posts anti-Semitic tweets. There are real world consequences to his words- a man shouts ‘Kanye 2024’ during an attack on a 63 year old Jewish man in Central Park. More broadly, the hashtag ‘Ye is right’ gets linked to anti-Semitic abuse and attacks. What took Kanye West from hit-maker to a political agitator, spreading anti-Jewish hate? And where does he go next? Mobeen explores the rapper's rise and fall. Clip: Tucker Carlson with Kanye West/Fox News Presenter: Mobeen Azhar Producer: Ashley Clivery Assistant Producer: Edith Rousselot Executive Producer: Peter Sale Sound Mixing: Adam Lieber Forest Sounds for the BBC

    31 min
  • 9 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

4
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Mobeen Azhar investigates the rise and fall of Kanye West, with the help of guests who've been close to the rapper and journalists who've followed every step of his career.

Information

  • Creator
    BBC Sounds
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    9
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © (C) BBC 2023
  • Show Website
    The Kanye Story

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