Kanye West

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Originally from Chicago, Kanye West's rapid ascension to hip-hop's elite class began when he produced a string of hits for Jay-Z's The Blueprint, including "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)," "Never Change," and "The Takeover." The rapper has been in high demand ever since, contributing tracks to albums from Scarface, Ludacris, Beanie Sigel, and many others. Influenced by fellow Chi-town native No I.D. (who produced much of Common's early material), West's signature style is akin to that of the classic beat-makers of the early 1990s -- limited synths but heavy on the soul samples. He popularized the use of sped up vocal loops and sweeping strings, an approach imitated by countless others. In 2003, it seemed as though West was everywhere, as he fast became one of hip-hop's most sweated new artists. Unlike many other producers who step to the mic, Kanye is also an extremely talented emcee who flexes a relaxed but focused flow that's never short on clever lyrics. After a bad car accident, he released two top-notch mix tapes, Get Well Soon and I'm Good, which showcased his beats and rhyme skills and helped to further his reputation. His first solo single, the Chaka Khan-sampling "Through The Wire" on Roc-A-Fella records, found love from mainstream radio rap fans and underground connoisseurs alike, and his heavily anticipated debut, College Dropout, hit the streets in February 2004.