Podcast
The Kanye Story
Hosted by BBC Sounds · ENGLISH
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.
9episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
8. Misguided, Misinformed, Dangerous
Jun 28, 202300:30:58Tap to summarizeMobeen 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 LieberForest Sounds for the BBC
Transcribe →7. Jesus is King and I wanna be the President
Jun 28, 202300:30:43Tap to summarizeMobeen 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 HillPresenter: Mobeen Azhar Producer: Ashley Clivery Assistant Producer: Edith Rousselot Executive Producer: Peter Sale Sound Mixing: Adam LieberForest Sounds for the BBC
Transcribe →6. A Fashion Show, a Heist and a Breakdown
Jun 28, 202300:30:40Tap to summarizeMobeen 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 LieberForest Sounds for the BBC
Transcribe →5. Jesus Christ and the Kardashians
Jun 28, 202300:31:01Tap to summarizeMobeen 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 LieberForest Sounds for the BBC
Transcribe →4. A Big Head and A Broken Heart
Jun 28, 202300:31:02Tap to summarizeMobeen 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 - MTVPresenter: Mobeen Azhar Producer: Ashley Clivery Assistant Producer: Edith Rousselot Executive Producer: Peter Sale Sound Mixing: Adam LieberForest Sounds for the BBC
Transcribe →3. End of an Era
Jun 28, 202300:30:49Tap to summarizeMobeen 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 LieberForest Sounds for the BBC
Transcribe →2. The Victory Lap
Jun 28, 202300:30:57Tap to summarizeMobeen 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 LieberForest Sounds for the BBC
Transcribe →1. The Blueprint
Jun 28, 202300:31:08Tap to summarizeMobeen 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 LieberForest Sounds for the BBC
Transcribe →Introducing The Kanye Story
Jun 21, 202300:02:41Tap to summarizeWhat 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.
Transcribe →