Through the Wire: Lyrics & Illuminations

By Kanye West and Bill Plympton

This is a rare partnership between two geniuses at the top of their crafts -- Kanye West, who was named "the smartest man in hip-hop" by Time magazine, and Bill Plympton, an Academy Award-nominated animator, cartoonist, and illustrator.

Through the Wire is a graphic memoir that illustrates the lyrics of twelve Kanye West songs to tell his story, from his decision to drop out of college to pursue his dreams in music, through his days spent folding chinos at the Gap while struggling at night to make a name as a producer, through the pivotal car accident that eventually set him on the course to stardom and the epiphany of realizing exactly who he had become:

"...They say people in your life are like seasons
And anything that happens is for a reason..."

Plympton illustrates each of the songs in detail, his vision of Kanye's world. The songs are annotated with explanations of the references in the songs, biographical components that illuminate the lyrics, and their meaning on a deeply personal level.

The result is a one-of-a-kind book that initially grabs you and stays with you forever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Atria Books
• Release date: Nov 10, 2009
• ISBN: 9781439181188

Kanye West

Kanye West is an American rapper, record producer, and fashion designer. He was born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago. He is known as one of the world’s best-selling music artists and has won twenty-two Grammy Awards.

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Through the Wire

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Copyright © 2008 by Kanye West

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or

portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information address

Atria Books Subsidiary Rights Department,

1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020

First Atria Books hardcover edition November 2008

ATRIA BOOKS and colophon are trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

For information about special discounts for bulk purchases,

please contact Simon & Schuster Special Sales at

1-800-456-6798 or [e-mail].

Designed by Joel Avirom and Jason Snyder

Manufactured in China

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.

ISBN-13: 978-1-4165-3775-5

ISBN-10:         1-4165-3775-9

eISBN-13: 978-1-4391-8118-8

Due to space limitations, lyric permissions appear on page 119

and should be considered an extention of this copyright page.

CONTENTS

Through the Wire

School Spirit

Spaceship

All Falls Down

Touch the Sky

The New Workout Plan

Jesus Walks

Champion

Gold Digger

Heard ’Em Say

Hey Mama

Homecoming

CREDITS

Through the Wire

On October 23, 2002, I was in a car accident in Vegas. That’s the whole thing. My whole story. I had a big time accident. My jaw was wired shut and that’s how I rapped Through the Wire–mumbling through the wire on my jaw.

So in this song, I’m recovering from the accident. You know, when your mouth is wired shut you can’t eat. But there’s this thing from Houston, sippin’ on sizzurp, a drink made from cough syrup. But here I use it with pancakes, like maple syrup.

At the time of the accident, I’d already done H to the Izzo for Jay-Z. That was my claim to fame.

YoG they can’t stop me from rapping can they?

Can they, huh?

Through the fire, to the limit, to the wall

For a chance to be with you, I’d gladly risk it all

Through the fire, through whatever come what may

For a chance at loving you, I’d take it all away

Right down through the

[Ethan West · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fantastic, 'bout the only thing could top it be a sequel, greater than a equal. Nostalgic, bottom line, send you ghosts from the past, leave you felling like your looking through the glass, Kanye West rose to the top, no longer last, truly blessed,

- Ethan West