The undeniable influence of Kanye WestKanye Omari West, an icon of hip-hop, pop culture, fashion and music in general. Kanye Omari West, a person belittled and subjected to a life of racism and hate. Born on June 8, 1977, Donda West, West's mother, always knew he was destined for greatness, but she knew her son would turn out to be Kanye West, a man lacking the respect he deserves for transforming much of the world the music we listen to today? West came onto the scene in the late '90s but didn't release The College Dropout until 2004, an album that took everyone by surprise. Kanye West changed the gangster rap genre by releasing his positive, soulful debut album, changing the way rappers dress and pioneering an entirely new style of introspective lyrics and soul-inspired rap production in mainstream.When West first showed up (late 90s and early 2000s), the world was a different place. Fans of the genre most likely listened to gangster-rap, artists such as: Jay Z, Notorious BIG, 50 Cent, Tupac, Ice Cube, Eazy E, NWA, Wu-Tang, Nate Dogg, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg ( Best Gangsta Rappers ), the type of music that dominated mainstream rap at the time. Rappers and rap fans were mostly in a gangster-influenced state of mind. West was alien to the idea of ​​being a “thug” or a “gangster.” West grew up in an ordinary home while his mother earned good money working as a professor in the English department at Chicago State University. He was well educated and attracted to more preppy fashions: sport coats, polo shirts and sunglasses, as opposed to what other rappers wore at the time. Like many rappers, West wrote about his daily experiences, experiences mostly… in the middle of the paper… titled “The Best Gangsta Rappers.” Ranker. Np, nd Web. 02 April 2014.Lynne, Douglas. Kanye West: Grammy-winning hip-hop artist and producer. Minneapolis, MN: ABDO, 2013. Print."The 10 Best Songs Kanye West Produced." Rap Dose RSS. Np, nd Web. 02 Apr. 2014. “Kanye West.” PEOPLE.com. Np, nd Web. March 31, 2014. “Polo Ralph Lauren.” Complex.com. Np, nd Web. March 31, 2014. "Kanye West: The Evolution of an Icon's Clothes." Esquirecom article. Np, nd Web. March 31, 2014. CM, Emmanuel. “Kanye West claims he is the most influential person in fashion of the last 10 years.” XXL. Np, nd Web. 31 March 2014. The editors of the Encyclopædia Britannica. “Kanye West (American producer and rapper).” Encyclopedia Britannica online. Encyclopedia Britannica, nd Web. 31 March 2014.Agard, Chancellor. The daily beast. Newsweek/Daily Beast and Web. 02 April. 2014.