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gq: Portuguese is the official language of Portugal. Portuguese is a Romance language that originated in what is now Galicia and Northern Portugal, originating from Galician-Portuguese, which was the common language of the Galician and Portuguese people until the independence of Portugal. Particularly in the North of Portugal, there are still many similarities between the Galician culture and the Portuguese culture. Galicia is a consultative observer of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries. According to the Ethnologue of Languages, Portuguese and Spanish have a lexical similarity of 89% - educated speakers of each language can communicate easily with one another. | Question: What is the official name of Portugal? Question: What type of language is Portuguese? Question: Where did Portuguese originate? Question: What was the common name of the Galician and Portuguese people? |
gq: The Portuguese language is derived from the Latin spoken by the romanized Pre-Roman peoples of the Iberian Peninsula around 2000 years ago—particularly the Celts, Tartessians, Lusitanians and Iberians. In the 15th and 16th centuries, the language spread worldwide as Portugal established a colonial and commercial empire between 1415 and 1999. Portuguese is now spoken as a native language in five different continents, with Brazil accounting for the largest number of native Portuguese speakers of any country (200 million speakers in 2012). | Question: From what language is Portuguese derived? Question: By what group of people is Portuguese derived? Question: Between what years did Portugal establish a colonial and commercial empire? Question: In how many continents is Portuguese spoken as a native language? Question: What country has the largest number of native Portuguese speakers? |
gq: The total adult literacy rate is 99 percent. Portuguese primary school enrollments are close to 100 percent. According to the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2009, the average Portuguese 15-year-old student, when rated in terms of reading literacy, mathematics and science knowledge, is placed at the same level as those students from the United States, Sweden, Germany, Ireland, France, Denmark, United Kingdom, Hungary and Taipei, with 489 points (493 is the average). Over 35% of college-age citizens (20 years old) attend one of the country's higher education institutions (compared with 50% in the United States and 35% in the OECD countries). In addition to being a destination for international students, Portugal is also among the top places of origin for international students. All higher education students, both domestic and international, totaled 380,937 in 2005. | Question: What is the adult literacy rate in Portugal? Question: Portuguese primary school enrollment is close to what percent? Question: What percentage of college-age citizens attend a higher education institution in Portugal? Question: What percentage of college-age citizens attend a higher education institution in the United States? |
gq: Portuguese universities have existed since 1290. The oldest Portuguese university was first established in Lisbon before moving to Coimbra. Historically, within the scope of the Portuguese Empire, the Portuguese founded the oldest engineering school of the Americas (the Real Academia de Artilharia, Fortificação e Desenho of Rio de Janeiro) in 1792, as well as the oldest medical college in Asia (the Escola Médico-Cirúrgica of Goa) in 1842. The largest university in Portugal is the University of Lisbon. | Question: Since when have Portuguese universities existed? Question: Where was the oldest Portuguese university established? Question: Where did the oldest Portuguese university relocate to? Question: What is the oldest engineering school of the Americas? Question: What is the oldest medical college in Asia? |
gq: The Bologna process has been adopted, since 2006, by Portuguese universities and poly-technical institutes. Higher education in state-run educational establishments is provided on a competitive basis, a system of numerus clausus is enforced through a national database on student admissions. However, every higher education institution offers also a number of additional vacant places through other extraordinary admission processes for sportsmen, mature applicants (over 23 years old), international students, foreign students from the Lusosphere, degree owners from other institutions, students from other institutions (academic transfer), former students (readmission), and course change, which are subject to specific standards and regulations set by each institution or course department. Most student costs are supported with public money. However, with the increasing tuition fees a student has to pay to attend a Portuguese state-run higher education institution and the attraction of new types of students (many as part-time students or in evening classes) like employees, businessmen, parents, and pensioners, many departments make a substantial profit from every additional student enrolled in courses, with benefits for the college or university's gross tuition revenue and without loss of educational quality (teacher per student, computer per student, classroom size per student, etc.). | Question: When was the Bologna process adopted? Question: Over what age are higher education applicants considered mature? Question: What are most higher education student costs supported with? |
gq: The Ministry of Health is responsible for developing health policy as well as managing the SNS. Five regional health administrations are in charge of implementing the national health policy objectives, developing guidelines and protocols and supervising health care delivery. Decentralization efforts have aimed at shifting financial and management responsibility to the regional level. In practice, however, the autonomy of regional health administrations over budget setting and spending has been limited to primary care. | Question: What is the Ministry of Health responsible for? Question: How many regional health administrations exist in Portugal? Question: What are the regional health administrations in charge of? |
gq: Similar to the other Eur-A countries, most Portuguese die from noncommunicable diseases. Mortality from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) is higher than in the eurozone, but its two main components, ischaemic heart disease and cerebrovascular disease, display inverse trends compared with the Eur-A, with cerebrovascular disease being the single biggest killer in Portugal (17%). Portuguese people die 12% less often from cancer than in the Eur-A, but mortality is not declining as rapidly as in the Eur-A. Cancer is more frequent among children as well as among women younger than 44 years. Although lung cancer (slowly increasing among women) and breast cancer (decreasing rapidly) are scarcer, cancer of the cervix and the prostate are more frequent. Portugal has the highest mortality rate for diabetes in the Eur-A, with a sharp increase since the 1980s. | Question: What do most Portuguese people die from? Question: What are the two main components of cardiovascular disease? Question: What is the biggest killer in Portugal? Question: What percentage of Portuguese people die less often from cancer than in the Eur-A? Question: Who is cancer more common among in Portugal? |
gq: People are usually well informed about their health status, the positive and negative effects of their behaviour on their health and their use of health care services. Yet their perceptions of their health can differ from what administrative and examination-based data show about levels of illness within populations. Thus, survey results based on self-reporting at the household level complement other data on health status and the use of services. Only one third of adults rated their health as good or very good in Portugal (Kasmel et al., 2004). This is the lowest of the Eur-A countries reporting and reflects the relatively adverse situation of the country in terms of mortality and selected morbidity. | Question: What survey results complement on data on health status? Question: What number of Portuguese adults rated their health as good or very good? |
gq: Portugal has developed a specific culture while being influenced by various civilizations that have crossed the Mediterranean and the European continent, or were introduced when it played an active role during the Age of Discovery. In the 1990s and 2000s (decade), Portugal modernized its public cultural facilities, in addition to the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation established in 1956 in Lisbon. These include the Belém Cultural Centre in Lisbon, Serralves Foundation and the Casa da Música, both in Porto, as well as new public cultural facilities like municipal libraries and concert halls that were built or renovated in many municipalities across the country. Portugal is home to fifteen UNESCO World Heritage Sites, ranking it 8th in Europe and 17th in the world. | Question: Portugal modernized its public cultural facilities during what two decades? Question: In what year was the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation established? Question: Where was the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation established? Question: What are some examples of Portugal's public cultural facilities? Question: How many UNESCO World Heritage Sites is Portugal home to? |
gq: Traditional architecture is distinctive and include the Manueline, also known as Portuguese late Gothic, a sumptuous, composite Portuguese style of architectural ornamentation of the first decades of the 16th century. A 20th-century interpretation of traditional architecture, Soft Portuguese style, appears extensively in major cities, especially Lisbon. Modern Portugal has given the world renowned architects like Eduardo Souto de Moura, Álvaro Siza Vieira (both Pritzker Prize winners) and Gonçalo Byrne. In Portugal Tomás Taveira is also noteworthy, particularly for stadium design. | Question: What is the Manueline style also known as? Question: What is the Manueline style? Question: What is Soft Portuguese style? Question: Who are some of the most renowned architects to come from Portugal? Question: For what is Tomas Taveira particularly noteworthy for in Portugal? |
gq: Portuguese cinema has a long tradition, reaching back to the birth of the medium in the late 19th century. Portuguese film directors such as Arthur Duarte, António Lopes Ribeiro, António Reis, Pedro Costa, Manoel de Oliveira, João César Monteiro, António-Pedro Vasconcelos, Fernando Lopes, João Botelho and Leonel Vieira, are among those that gained notability. Noted Portuguese film actors include Joaquim de Almeida, Daniela Ruah, Maria de Medeiros, Diogo Infante, Soraia Chaves, Ribeirinho, Lúcia Moniz, and Diogo Morgado. | Question: In which period was cinema born? Question: In which period was cinema born? Question: Who are some examples of Portuguese film directors? Question: Who are some examples of Portuguese film directors? Question: Who are some noted Portuguese actors? Question: Who are some noted Portuguese actors? |
gq: Adventurer and poet Luís de Camões (c. 1524–1580) wrote the epic poem "Os Lusíadas" (The Lusiads), with Virgil's Aeneid as his main influence. Modern Portuguese poetry is rooted in neoclassic and contemporary styles, as exemplified by Fernando Pessoa (1888–1935). Modern Portuguese literature is represented by authors such as Almeida Garrett, Camilo Castelo Branco, Eça de Queiroz, Fernando Pessoa, Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen, António Lobo Antunes and Miguel Torga. Particularly popular and distinguished is José Saramago, recipient of the 1998 Nobel Prize in Literature. | Question: Who was Luís de Camões? Question: What epic poem did Luís de Camões write? Question: What was Luís de Camões main influence? Question: What styles are modern Portuguese poetry rooted in? Question: Who are some modern Portuguese authors? |
gq: Portuguese cuisine is diverse. The Portuguese consume a lot of dry cod (bacalhau in Portuguese), for which there are hundreds of recipes. There are more than enough bacalhau dishes for each day of the year. Two other popular fish recipes are grilled sardines and caldeirada, a potato-based stew that can be made from several types of fish. Typical Portuguese meat recipes, that may be made out of beef, pork, lamb, or chicken, include cozido à portuguesa, feijoada, frango de churrasco, leitão (roast suckling pig) and carne de porco à alentejana. A very popular northern dish is the arroz de sarrabulho (rice stewed in pigs blood) or the arroz de cabidela (rice and chickens meat stewed in chickens blood). | Question: What is dry cod known as in Portuguese? Question: Other than bacalhau, what are two other popular fish recipes in Portugal? Question: What is caldeirada? Question: What meats are often used in Portuguese recipes? Question: What are two popular Northern Portugal dishes? |
gq: Typical fast food dishes include the Francesinha (Frenchie) from Porto, and bifanas (grilled pork) or prego (grilled beef) sandwiches, which are well known around the country. The Portuguese art of pastry has its origins in the many medieval Catholic monasteries spread widely across the country. These monasteries, using very few ingredients (mostly almonds, flour, eggs and some liquor), managed to create a spectacular wide range of different pastries, of which pastéis de Belém (or pastéis de nata) originally from Lisbon, and ovos moles from Aveiro are examples. Portuguese cuisine is very diverse, with different regions having their own traditional dishes. The Portuguese have a culture of good food, and throughout the country there are myriads of good restaurants and typical small tasquinhas. | Question: What are three examples of fast food dishes in Portugal? Question: Where does the Portuguese art of pastry have its origins? Question: What are the main ingredients used to make pastries in the monasteries? Question: What are two examples of Portuguese pastries? |
gq: Portuguese wines have enjoyed international recognition since the times of the Romans, who associated Portugal with their god Bacchus. Today, the country is known by wine lovers and its wines have won several international prizes. Some of the best Portuguese wines are: Vinho Verde, Vinho Alvarinho, Vinho do Douro, Vinho do Alentejo, Vinho do Dão, Vinho da Bairrada and the sweet: Port Wine, Madeira Wine, the Moscatel from Setúbal and Favaios. Port and Madeira are particularly appreciated in a wide range of places around the world. | Question: Since when have Portuguese wines garnished international recognition? Question: With which Roman God was Portugal associated with? Question: What are some of the best Portuguese wines? Question: Which two Portuguese wines are especially enjoyed around the world? |
gq: Portugal has several summer music festivals, such as Festival Sudoeste in Zambujeira do Mar, Festival de Paredes de Coura in Paredes de Coura, Festival Vilar de Mouros near Caminha, Boom Festival in Idanha-a-Nova Municipality, Optimus Alive!, Sumol Summer Fest in Ericeira, Rock in Rio Lisboa and Super Bock Super Rock in Greater Lisbon. Out of the summer season, Portugal has a large number of festivals, designed more to an urban audience, like Flowfest or Hip Hop Porto. Furthermore, one of the largest international Goa trance festivals takes place in central Portugal every two years, the Boom Festival, that is also the only festival in Portugal to win international awards: European Festival Award 2010 – Green'n'Clean Festival of the Year and the Greener Festival Award Outstanding 2008 and 2010. There is also the student festivals of Queima das Fitas are major events in a number of cities across Portugal. In 2005, Portugal held the MTV Europe Music Awards, in Pavilhão Atlântico, Lisbon. | Question: What are a couple examples of Summer music festivals held in Portugal? Question: What are a couple examples of non-Summer music festivals in Portugal? Question: What is the Boom Festival? Question: What international awards have been won by the Boom Festival? Question: In which year did Portugal hold the MTV Europe Music Awards? |
gq: In the classical music domain, Portugal is represented by names as the pianists Artur Pizarro, Maria João Pires, Sequeira Costa, the violinists Carlos Damas, Gerardo Ribeiro and in the past by the great cellist Guilhermina Suggia. Notable composers include José Vianna da Motta, Carlos Seixas, João Domingos Bomtempo, João de Sousa Carvalho, Luís de Freitas Branco and his student Joly Braga Santos, Fernando Lopes-Graça, Emmanuel Nunes and Sérgio Azevedo. Similarly, contemporary composers such as Nuno Malo and Miguel d'Oliveira have achieved some international success writing original music for film and television. | Question: What are some examples of classical pianists from Portugal? Question: What are some examples of classical violinists from Portugal? Question: Who are some notable musical composers from Portugal? Question: Who are some contemporary composers from Portugal? |
gq: The 20th century saw the arrival of Modernism, and along with it came the most prominent Portuguese painters: Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso, who was heavily influenced by French painters, particularly by the Delaunays. Among his best-known works is Canção Popular a Russa e o Fígaro. Another great modernist painters/writers were Carlos Botelho and Almada Negreiros, friend to the poet Fernando Pessoa, who painted his (Pessoa's) portrait. He was deeply influenced by both Cubist and Futurist trends. Prominent international figures in visual arts nowadays include painters Vieira da Silva, Júlio Pomar, Helena Almeida, Joana Vasconcelos, Julião Sarmento and Paula Rego. | Question: In which century did Portugal see the arrival of Modernism? Question: By what group was Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso most heavily influenced by? Question: What is one of Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso's best known works? Question: Who are some of the most prominent modern visual artists in Portugal? |
gq: Football is the most popular sport in Portugal. There are several football competitions ranging from local amateur to world-class professional level. The legendary Eusébio is still a major symbol of Portuguese football history. FIFA World Player of the Year winners Luís Figo and Cristiano Ronaldo who won the FIFA Ballon d'Or for 2013 and 2014, are among the numerous examples of other world-class football players born in Portugal and noted worldwide. Portuguese football managers are also noteworthy, with José Mourinho, André Villas-Boas, Fernando Santos, Carlos Queiroz and Manuel José among the most renowned. | Question: What is the most popular sport in Portugal? Question: What is still a major symbol of Portuguese football history? Question: What award did both Luís Figo and Cristiano Ronaldo win? Question: Who are two examples of the top football players born in Portugal? Question: Who are some of the most renowned football managers in Portugal? |
gq: SL Benfica, FC Porto, and Sporting CP are the largest sports clubs by popularity and by number of trophies won, often known as "os três grandes" ("the big three"). They have won eight titles in the European UEFA club competitions, were present in many finals and have been regular contenders in the last stages almost every season. Other than football, many Portuguese sports clubs, including the "big three", compete in several other sports events with a varying level of success and popularity, these may include roller hockey, basketball, futsal, handball, and volleyball. The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) – Federação Portuguesa de Futebol – annually hosts the Algarve Cup, a prestigious women`s football tournament that has been celebrated in the Algarvian part of Portugal. | Question: What are the three largest sports clubs by popularity in Portugal? Question: What are the three largest sports club by popularity in Portugal known as? Question: How many titles in the European UEFA club competitions have "the big three" won? Question: Other than football, what other sports are popular in Portugal? Question: By what entity is the Algarve Cup hosted? |
gq: Kanye Omari West (/ˈkɑːnjeɪ/; born June 8, 1977) is an American hip hop recording artist, record producer, rapper, fashion designer, and entrepreneur. He is among the most acclaimed musicians of the 21st century, attracting both praise and controversy for his work and his outspoken public persona. | Question: What is Kanye West's middle name? Question: When is Kanye West's birthday? Question: What year was Kanye born? Question: What kind of music does Kanye West perform? |
gq: Raised in Chicago, West briefly attended art school before becoming known as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the early 2000s, producing hit singles for artists such as Jay-Z and Alicia Keys. Intent on pursuing a solo career as a rapper, West released his debut album The College Dropout in 2004 to widespread commercial and critical success, and founded record label GOOD Music. He went on to explore a variety of different musical styles on subsequent albums that included the baroque-inflected Late Registration (2005), the arena-inspired Graduation (2007), and the starkly polarizing 808s & Heartbreak (2008). In 2010, he released his critically acclaimed fifth album, the maximalist My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, and the following year he collaborated with Jay-Z on the joint LP Watch the Throne (2011). West released his abrasive sixth album, Yeezus, to further critical praise in 2013. Following a series of recording delays and work on non-musical projects, West's seventh album, The Life of Pablo, was released in 2016. | Question: Where did Kanye West live as a child? Question: What was Kanye West's first job title after art school? Question: What was the first label that Kanye produced for? Question: Who are some well known artists that Kanye produced for early in his career? Question: With which artists that Kanye formerly produced for did he go on to collaborate with? Question: What year did Kanye West release his first rap CD? Question: How many albums has Kanye released since starting his solo career in 2004? Question: How many total CDs has Kanye West released in his career so far? |
gq: West is one of the best-selling artists of all time, having sold more than 32 million albums and 100 million digital downloads worldwide. He has won a total of 21 Grammy Awards, making him one of the most awarded artists of all time and the most Grammy-awarded artist of his age. Three of his albums rank on Rolling Stone's 2012 "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list; two of his albums feature at first and eighth, respectively, in Pitchfork Media's The 100 Best Albums of 2010–2014. He has also been included in a number of Forbes annual lists. Time named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2005 and 2015. | Question: How many albums has Kanye sold? Question: How many albums does Kanye have on the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list? Question: How many CDs has Kanye West sold? Question: How many of Kanye West's albums were recognized by Rolling Stone Magazine? Question: How many downloads do Kanye's tracks have across the globe? Question: How many Grammy Awards has Kanye West won? Question: Kanye is known for having the most of what type of award for his age? Question: What popular magazine placed Kanye on their annual list in 2005 and 2015? Question: Which years was Kanye West mentioned in Time Magazine? |
gq: Kanye Omari West was born on June 8, 1977 in Atlanta, Georgia. His parents divorced when he was three and he and his mother moved to Chicago, Illinois. His father, Ray West, is a former Black Panther and was one of the first black photojournalists at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Ray West was later a Christian counselor, and in 2006, opened the Good Water Store and Café in Lexington Park, Maryland with startup capital from his son. West's mother, Dr. Donda C. (Williams) West, was a professor of English at Clark Atlanta University, and the Chair of the English Department at Chicago State University before retiring to serve as his manager. West was raised in a middle-class background, attending Polaris High School in suburban Oak Lawn, Illinois after living in Chicago. | Question: What Georgia city was Kanye West born? Question: What was the name of the business that Kanye West helped fund in 2006? Question: What subject did Kanye's mother teach at her university? Question: Where did Kanye West's mother work before becoming his manager? Question: What was the name of Kanye West's high school? |
gq: At the age of 10, West moved with his mother to Nanjing, China, where she was teaching at Nanjing University as part of an exchange program. According to his mother, West was the only foreigner in his class, but settled in well and quickly picked up the language, although he has since forgotten most of it. When asked about his grades in high school, West replied, "I got A's and B's. And I'm not even frontin'." | Question: At what age did Kanye West relocate to China? Question: Where did Kanye and his mother relocate when he was 10? Question: What University was the cause of West's mother moving the family to China? Question: While staying in China, Kanye was the only what in his class? Question: How well did Kanye do in high school? |
gq: West demonstrated an affinity for the arts at an early age; he began writing poetry when he was five years old. His mother recalled that she first took notice of West's passion for drawing and music when he was in the third grade. Growing up in the city,[which?] West became deeply involved in its hip hop scene. He started rapping in the third grade and began making musical compositions in the seventh grade, eventually selling them to other artists. At age thirteen, West wrote a rap song called "Green Eggs and Ham" and began to persuade his mother to pay $25 an hour for time in a recording studio. It was a small, crude basement studio where a microphone hung from the ceiling by a wire clothes hanger. Although this wasn't what West's mother wanted, she nonetheless supported him. West crossed paths with producer/DJ No I.D., with whom he quickly formed a close friendship. No I.D. soon became West's mentor, and it was from him that West learned how to sample and program beats after he received his first sampler at age 15. | Question: What activity did Kanye West start doing when he was five? Question: What was Kanye creating when he was five? Question: What was one of the first tracks written by Kanye when he was 13? Question: What was the name of the song he wrote at age thirteen? Question: Who did Kanye meet early in his career who later mentored him? Question: What was the name of the producer that helped Kanye West? |
gq: After graduating from high school, West received a scholarship to attend Chicago's American Academy of Art in 1997 and began taking painting classes, but shortly after transferred to Chicago State University to study English. He soon realized that his busy class schedule was detrimental to his musical work, and at 20 he dropped out of college to pursue his musical dreams. This action greatly displeased his mother, who was also a professor at the university. She later commented, "It was drummed into my head that college is the ticket to a good life... but some career goals don't require college. For Kanye to make an album called College Dropout it was more about having the guts to embrace who you are, rather than following the path society has carved out for you." | Question: What school did Kanye West go to in 1997? Question: Where did Kanye receive a scholarship to attend? Question: What subject was Kanye West's focus at Chicago State University? Question: How old was Kanye when he dropped out of college? Question: At what age did Kanye West leave school to follow his musical passion? Question: What was the name of the CD that Kanye recorded based on his failed college experience? |
gq: Kanye West began his early production career in the mid-1990s, making beats primarily for burgeoning local artists, eventually developing a style that involved speeding up vocal samples from classic soul records. His first official production credits came at the age of nineteen when he produced eight tracks on Down to Earth, the 1996 debut album of a Chicago rapper named Grav. For a time, West acted as a ghost producer for Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie. Because of his association with D-Dot, West wasn't able to release a solo album, so he formed and became a member and producer of the Go-Getters, a late-1990s Chicago rap group composed of him, GLC, Timmy G, Really Doe, and Arrowstar. His group was managed by John "Monopoly" Johnson, Don Crowley, and Happy Lewis under the management firm Hustle Period. After attending a series of promotional photo shoots and making some radio appearances, The Go-Getters released their first and only studio album World Record Holders in 1999. The album featured other Chicago-based rappers such as Rhymefest, Mikkey Halsted, Miss Criss, and Shayla G. Meanwhile, the production was handled by West, Arrowstar, Boogz, and Brian "All Day" Miller. | Question: In what time period did Kanye begin producing? Question: When did Kanye West start his production career? Question: Who were the beats Kanye made in the 90's originally intended for? Question: What types of records did Kanye sample in his early career. Question: For which artist did Kanye West act as a ghost producer? Question: What music group did Kanye join when he couldn't release his solo album? Question: What late 1990s Chicago rap group was Kanye West a member of? Question: What firm managed Kanye West's rap group? Question: What year was the first Go-Getters album released? |
gq: West spent much of the late-1990s producing records for a number of well-known artists and music groups. The third song on Foxy Brown's second studio album Chyna Doll was produced by West. Her second effort subsequently became the very first hip-hop album by a female rapper to debut at the top of the U.S. Billboard 200 chart in its first week of release. West produced three of the tracks on Harlem World's first and only album The Movement alongside Jermaine Dupri and the production duo Trackmasters. His songs featured rappers Nas, Drag-On, and R&B singer Carl Thomas. The ninth track from World Party, the last Goodie Mob album to feature the rap group's four founding members prior to their break-up, was co-produced by West with his manager Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie. At the close of the millennium, West ended up producing six songs for Tell 'Em Why U Madd, an album that was released by D-Dot under the alias of The Madd Rapper; a fictional character he created for a skit on The Notorious B.I.G.'s second and final studio album Life After Death. West's songs featured guest appearances from rappers such as Ma$e, Raekwon, and Eminem. | Question: Kanye produced the third song from the second album of what artist? Question: Which U.S. Billboard 200 chart topper did Kanye West produce a song for? Question: What was the name of the CD produced by Kanye that was by a made-up character? Question: What rappers were featured in the songs that Kanye produced for Tell 'Em Why U Madd? |
gq: West got his big break in the year 2000, when he began to produce for artists on Roc-A-Fella Records. West came to achieve recognition and is often credited with revitalizing Jay-Z's career with his contributions to the rap mogul's influential 2001 album The Blueprint. The Blueprint is consistently ranked among the greatest hip-hop albums, and the critical and financial success of the album generated substantial interest in West as a producer. Serving as an in-house producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, West produced records for other artists from the label, including Beanie Sigel, Freeway, and Cam'ron. He also crafted hit songs for Ludacris, Alicia Keys, and Janet Jackson. | Question: In what year did Roc-A-Fella make Kanye West known? Question: What label did Kanye begin to work for in 2000? Question: What album did Kanye receive production credits on in 2001? Question: What was the name of the CD West produced for Jay Z in 2001? |
gq: Despite his success as a producer, West's true aspiration was to be a rapper. Though he had developed his rapping long before he began producing, it was often a challenge for West to be accepted as a rapper, and he struggled to attain a record deal. Multiple record companies ignored him because he did not portray the gangsta image prominent in mainstream hip hop at the time. After a series of meetings with Capitol Records, West was ultimately denied an artist deal. | Question: Although Kanye was achieving fame by producing, what did he actually want to be? Question: What career was Kanye's ultimate dream? Question: What did Kanye West not have that made record companies turn him down? Question: What label declined to work with Kanye after many meetings? Question: Which record company turned Kanye down after many meetings? |
gq: According to Capitol Record's A&R, Joe Weinberger, he was approached by West and almost signed a deal with him, but another person in the company convinced Capitol's president not to. Desperate to keep West from defecting to another label, then-label head Damon Dash reluctantly signed West to Roc-A-Fella Records. Jay-Z later admitted that Roc-A-Fella was initially reluctant to support West as a rapper, claiming that many saw him as a producer first and foremost, and that his background contrasted with that of his labelmates. | Question: Who almost picked up Kanye but was ultimately swayed? Question: What man was almost ready to give Kanye a record deal? Question: What label finally (although reluctantly) picked up Kanye? Question: What record company eventually signed Kanye West? Question: What did Kanye's peers see him as while he tried to pursue his rap career? |
gq: West's breakthrough came a year later on October 23, 2002, when, while driving home from a California recording studio after working late, he fell asleep at the wheel and was involved in a near-fatal car crash. The crash left him with a shattered jaw, which had to be wired shut in reconstructive surgery. The accident inspired West; two weeks after being admitted to the hospital, he recorded a song at the Record Plant Studios with his jaw still wired shut. The composition, "Through The Wire", expressed West's experience after the accident, and helped lay the foundation for his debut album, as according to West "all the better artists have expressed what they were going through". West added that "the album was my medicine", as working on the record distracted him from the pain. "Through The Wire" was first available on West's Get Well Soon... mixtape, released December 2002. At the same time, West announced that he was working on an album called The College Dropout, whose overall theme was to "make your own decisions. Don't let society tell you, 'This is what you have to do.'" | Question: What was the date of Kanye's car wreck? Question: What song did Kanye record about his experience with what happened after the wreck? Question: What track did Kanye compose and perform while injured from his accident? Question: What was the name of Kanye's 2002 mixtape that he wrote while in the hospital? Question: What was the name of the mixtape Kanye released in December of 2002? Question: After dropping his mixtape, Kanye revealed the name of his debut album to be what? |
gq: Carrying a Louis Vuitton backpack filled with old disks and demos to the studio and back, West crafted much of his production for his debut album in less than fifteen minutes at a time. He recorded the remainder of the album in Los Angeles while recovering from the car accident. Once he had completed the album, it was leaked months before its release date. However, West decided to use the opportunity to review the album, and The College Dropout was significantly remixed, remastered, and revised before being released. As a result, certain tracks originally destined for the album were subsequently retracted, among them "Keep the Receipt" with Ol' Dirty Bastard and "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" with Consequence. West meticulously refined the production, adding string arrangements, gospel choirs, improved drum programming and new verses. West's perfectionism led The College Dropout to have its release postponed three times from its initial date in August 2003. | Question: In what city did West finish recording his first album? Question: What happened to Kanye's debut album that caused him to remaster most of it? Question: What was supposed to be the original release date for The College Dropout? Question: How many times was the release date for Kanye's first album pushed back? Question: How many times was The College Dropout's release put off? |
gq: The College Dropout was eventually issued by Roc-A-Fella in February 2004, shooting to number two on the Billboard 200 as his debut single, "Through the Wire" peaked at number fifteen on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for five weeks. "Slow Jamz", his second single featuring Twista and Jamie Foxx, became an even bigger success: it became the three musicians' first number one hit. The College Dropout received near-universal critical acclaim from contemporary music critics, was voted the top album of the year by two major music publications, and has consistently been ranked among the great hip-hop works and debut albums by artists. "Jesus Walks", the album's fourth single, perhaps exposed West to a wider audience; the song's subject matter concerns faith and Christianity. The song nevertheless reached the top 20 of the Billboard pop charts, despite industry executives' predictions that a song containing such blatant declarations of faith would never make it to radio. The College Dropout would eventually be certified triple platinum in the US, and garnered West 10 Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year, and Best Rap Album (which it received). During this period, West also founded GOOD Music, a record label and management company that would go on to house affiliate artists and producers, such as No I.D. and John Legend. At the time, the focal point of West's production style was the use of sped-up vocal samples from soul records. However, partly because of the acclaim of The College Dropout, such sampling had been much copied by others; with that overuse, and also because West felt he had become too dependent on the technique, he decided to find a new sound. | Question: When was The College Dropout finally released? Question: What place on the Billboard chart did Kanye's album debut at? Question: How many publications voted The College Dropout for album of the year? Question: How many Grammy nominations did The College Dropout receive? Question: What song was the second released off of Kanye's The College Dropout album? Question: What was the name of the single off the debut album that gave Kanye mainstream attention? Question: What label did Kanye create following the success of his first album's release? Question: What was the name of the record label that West founded? |
gq: Beginning his second effort that fall, West would invest two million dollars and take over a year to craft his second album. West was significantly inspired by Roseland NYC Live, a 1998 live album by English trip hop group Portishead, produced with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Early in his career, the live album had inspired him to incorporate string arrangements into his hip-hop production. Though West had not been able to afford many live instruments around the time of his debut album, the money from his commercial success enabled him to hire a string orchestra for his second album Late Registration. West collaborated with American film score composer Jon Brion, who served as the album's co-executive producer for several tracks. Although Brion had no prior experience in creating hip-hop records, he and West found that they could productively work together after their first afternoon in the studio where they discovered that neither confined his musical knowledge and vision to one specific genre. Late Registration sold over 2.3 million units in the United States alone by the end of 2005 and was considered by industry observers as the only successful major album release of the fall season, which had been plagued by steadily declining CD sales. | Question: What English music group was an inspiration for Kanye West on his second album? Question: What kind of ensemble did Kanye hire to work on his second album? Question: What was the name of Kanye's second studio album? Question: What was the name of West's second album? Question: What composer worked alongside Kanye on the album's production? Question: How many copies of Late Registration sold in its first year? Question: How many copies of Late Registration were sold in the United States? |
gq: While West had encountered controversy a year prior when he stormed out of the American Music Awards of 2004 after losing Best New Artist, the rapper's first large-scale controversy came just days following Late Registration's release, during a benefit concert for Hurricane Katrina victims. In September 2005, NBC broadcast A Concert for Hurricane Relief, and West was a featured speaker. When West was presenting alongside actor Mike Myers, he deviated from the prepared script. Myers spoke next and continued to read the script. Once it was West's turn to speak again, he said, "George Bush doesn't care about black people." West's comment reached much of the United States, leading to mixed reactions; President Bush would later call it one of the most "disgusting moments" of his presidency. West raised further controversy in January 2006 when he posed on the cover of Rolling Stone wearing a crown of thorns. | Question: The loss of which award caused Kanye to leave the American Music Awards? Question: In which AMA category did Kanye lose in 2004? Question: Kanye participated alongside Mike Meyers in a relief benefit show for what natural disaster? Question: What broadcast for NBC was Kanye presenting for when he spoke negatively about President Bush? Question: Which actor was alongside Kanye West when he insulted President Bush? Question: What magazine did Kanye don a thorn crown for the cover of in 2006? Question: What magazine did Kanye West pose for in 2006 that caused another controversy? |
gq: Fresh off spending the previous year touring the world with U2 on their Vertigo Tour, West felt inspired to compose anthemic rap songs that could operate more efficiently in large arenas. To this end, West incorporated the synthesizer into his hip-hop production, utilized slower tempos, and experimented with electronic music and influenced by music of the 1980s. In addition to U2, West drew musical inspiration from arena rock bands such as The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin in terms of melody and chord progression. To make his next effort, the third in a planned tetralogy of education-themed studio albums, more introspective and personal in lyricism, West listened to folk and country singer-songwriters Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash in hopes of developing methods to augment his wordplay and storytelling ability. | Question: What band did Kanye tour with for a year? Question: Which band did Kanye West travel with for the Vertigo Tour? Question: What setting did Kanye want his next tracks to perform well in? Question: What decade of music inspired Kanye West after his tour with U2? Question: Other than U2 and Led Zeppelin, what other band inspired Kanye West? Question: Who did Kanye study in order to develop his lyrical skills? Question: What other country singer besides Johnny Cash did Kanye listen to? |
gq: West's third studio album, Graduation, garnered major publicity when its release date pitted West in a sales competition against rapper 50 Cent's Curtis. Upon their September 2007 releases, Graduation outsold Curtis by a large margin, debuting at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and selling 957,000 copies in its first week. Graduation once again continued the string of critical and commercial successes by West, and the album's lead single, "Stronger", garnered the rapper his third number-one hit. "Stronger", which samples French house duo Daft Punk, has been accredited to not only encouraging other hip-hop artists to incorporate house and electronica elements into their music, but also for playing a part in the revival of disco and electro-infused music in the late 2000s. Ben Detrick of XXL cited the outcome of the sales competition between 50 Cent's Curtis and West's Graduation as being responsible for altering the direction of hip-hop and paving the way for new rappers who didn't follow the hardcore-gangster mold, writing, "If there was ever a watershed moment to indicate hip-hop's changing direction, it may have come when 50 Cent competed with Kanye in 2007 to see whose album would claim superior sales." | Question: What was the name of Kanye's third album? Question: What was the name of Kanye West's third CD? Question: Kanye released Graduation at the same time of what other famous rapper, thus drawing media comparison? Question: What artist was Kanye's third album release competing against? Question: How many copies did Graduation sell in its first week of release? Question: What famous electronic duo did Kanye sample on his third album? Question: What music group was in Kanye's first release off of Graduation? |
gq: West's life took a different direction when his mother, Donda West, died of complications from cosmetic surgery involving abdominoplasty and breast reduction in November 2007. Months later, West and fiancée Alexis Phifer ended their engagement and their long-term intermittent relationship, which had begun in 2002. The events profoundly affected West, who set off for his 2008 Glow in the Dark Tour shortly thereafter. Purportedly because his emotions could not be conveyed through rapping, West decided to sing using the voice audio processor Auto-Tune, which would become a central part of his next effort. West had previously experimented with the technology on his debut album The College Dropout for the background vocals of "Jesus Walks" and "Never Let Me Down." Recorded mostly in Honolulu, Hawaii in three weeks, West announced his fourth album, 808s & Heartbreak, at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards, where he performed its lead single, "Love Lockdown". Music audiences were taken aback by the uncharacteristic production style and the presence of Auto-Tune, which typified the pre-release response to the record. | Question: In what year did Kanye West's mother pass away? Question: Following the loss of his mother, who did Kanye end his long-term relationship with? Question: What was the name of Kanye's ex-fiance? Question: What was the name of Kanye's 2008 music tour? Question: What vocal technology did Kanye pick up for his next set of artistic endeavors? Question: In what state did Kanye West record them majority of his fourth album? Question: What was the first song released off of Kanye's fourth album? |
gq: 808s & Heartbreak, which features extensive use of the eponymous Roland TR-808 drum machine and contains themes of love, loneliness, and heartache, was released by Island Def Jam to capitalize on Thanksgiving weekend in November 2008. Reviews were positive, though slightly more mixed than his previous efforts. Despite this, the record's singles demonstrated outstanding chart performances. Upon its release, the lead single "Love Lockdown" debuted at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a "Hot Shot Debut", while follow-up single "Heartless" performed similarly and became his second consecutive "Hot Shot Debut" by debuting at number four on the Billboard Hot 100. While it was criticized prior to release, 808s & Heartbreak had a significant effect on hip-hop music, encouraging other rappers to take more creative risks with their productions. | Question: Which album by Kanye West featured the song "Love Lockdown"? Question: The major usage of musical machine on 808s was described as eponymous? Question: What label pushed out Kanye's fourth studio album? Question: 808s & Heartbreak was released by what company? Question: When was 808s & Heartbreaks released? Question: What was the second song released off of 808s? |
gq: In 2012, Rolling Stone journalist Matthew Trammell asserted that the record was ahead of its time and wrote, "Now that popular music has finally caught up to it, 808s & Heartbreak has revealed itself to be Kanye’s most vulnerable work, and perhaps his most brilliant." | Question: What journalist gave "808s and Hearbreak" critical acclimation 4 years after its release? Question: What was the name of the journalist that wrote about Kanye's album in 2012? |
gq: West's controversial incident the following year at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards was arguably his biggest controversy, and led to widespread outrage throughout the music industry. During the ceremony, West crashed the stage and grabbed the microphone from winner Taylor Swift in order to proclaim that, instead, Beyoncé's video for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", nominated for the same award, was "one of the best videos of all time". He was subsequently withdrawn from the remainder of the show for his actions. West's tour with Lady Gaga was cancelled in response to the controversy, and it was suggested that the incident was partially responsible for 808s & Heartbreak's lack of nominations at the 52nd Grammy Awards. | Question: Where did Kanye's famous mic-grab incident occur at? Question: In what year did Kanye's biggest controversy so far take place? Question: From who did Kanye grab the mic from to make his statement? Question: What artist did Kanye West interrupt Taylor Swift to defend? Question: Kanye's tour with what artist was cancelled following his outburst at the VMA's? Question: Which artist was Kanye supposed to tour with, but couldn't due to the Taylor Swift controversy? Question: What awards ceremony did Kanye not receive any nominations for after the MTV controversy? |
gq: Following the highly publicized incident, West took a brief break from music and threw himself into fashion, only to hole up in Hawaii for the next few months writing and recording his next album. Importing his favorite producers and artists to work on and inspire his recording, West kept engineers behind the boards 24 hours a day and slept only in increments. Noah Callahan-Bever, a writer for Complex, was present during the sessions and described the "communal" atmosphere as thus: "With the right songs and the right album, he can overcome any and all controversy, and we are here to contribute, challenge, and inspire." A variety of artists contributed to the project, including close friends Jay-Z, Kid Cudi and Pusha T, as well as off-the-wall collaborations, such as with Justin Vernon of Bon Iver. | Question: What industry did Kanye turn to after taking a break from recording music? Question: Where did Kanye base himself to create his next album? Question: What state did Kanye West hide in while writing his next album? |
gq: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, West's fifth studio album, was released in November 2010 to rave reviews from critics, many of whom described it as his best work that solidified his comeback. In stark contrast to his previous effort, which featured a minimalist sound, Dark Fantasy adopts a maximalist philosophy and deals with themes of celebrity and excess. The record included the international hit "All of the Lights", and Billboard hits "Power", "Monster", and "Runaway", the latter of which accompanied a 35-minute film of the same name. During this time, West initiated the free music program GOOD Fridays through his website, offering a free download of previously unreleased songs each Friday, a portion of which were included on the album. This promotion ran from August 20 - December 17, 2010. Dark Fantasy went on to go platinum in the United States, but its omission as a contender for Album of the Year at the 54th Grammy Awards was viewed as a "snub" by several media outlets. | Question: What is the name of Kanye's album released in 2010? Question: What was the name of Kanye's fifth album? Question: When was Kanye West's fifth album debuted? Question: What song off of Kanye's fifth album was a hit internationally? Question: What was the name of the free music promotion on Kanye's website in 2010? Question: What award was My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy omitted from? |
gq: Following a headlining set at Coachella 2011 that was described by The Hollywood Reporter as "one of greatest hip-hop sets of all time", West released the collaborative album Watch the Throne with Jay-Z. By employing a sales strategy that released the album digitally weeks before its physical counterpart, Watch the Throne became one of the few major label albums in the Internet age to avoid a leak. "Niggas in Paris" became the record's highest charting single, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2012, West released the compilation album Cruel Summer, a collection of tracks by artists from West's record label GOOD Music. Cruel Summer produced four singles, two of which charted within the top twenty of the Hot 100: "Mercy" and "Clique". West also directed a film of the same name that premiered at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival in custom pyramid-shaped screening pavilion featuring seven screens. | Question: What festival did Kanye headline in 2011? Question: What event did Kanye headline in 2011? Question: What was the name of the joint album Kanye made with Jay Z? Question: With what other hiphop artist did Kanye collaborate with? Question: What was the top single off the album "Watch the Throne"? Question: In what year was "Cruel Summer" released? Question: What film festival did Kanye West premier a film called "Cruel Summer"? Question: Where did Kanye premier a film directed by himself in 2012? |
gq: Sessions for West's sixth solo effort begin to take shape in early 2013 in his own personal loft's living room at a Paris hotel. Determined to "undermine the commercial", he once again brought together close collaborators and attempted to incorporate Chicago drill, dancehall, acid house, and industrial music. Primarily inspired by architecture, West's perfectionist tendencies led him to contact producer Rick Rubin fifteen days shy of its due date to strip down the record's sound in favor of a more minimalist approach. Initial promotion of his sixth album included worldwide video projections of the album's music and live television performances. Yeezus, West's sixth album, was released June 18, 2013 to rave reviews from critics. It became the rapper's sixth consecutive number one debut, but also marked his lowest solo opening week sales. Def Jam issued "Black Skinhead" to radio in July 2013 as the album's lead single. On September 6, 2013, Kanye West announced he would be headlining his first solo tour in five years, to support Yeezus, with fellow American rapper Kendrick Lamar accompanying him along the way. | Question: In what year did Kanye West begin working on his sixth album? Question: Where did Kanye begin production on his sixth album? Question: What was the inspiration behind Kanye West's decision to call Rick Rubin? Question: What became the name of his sixth studio album? Question: What was the name of Kanye's sixth album? Question: On what date was Yeezus released? Question: Who did Kanye tour alongside of in order to promote the efforts of Yeezus? Question: What artist did Kanye go on tour with while promoting album number six? |
gq: In June 2013, West and television personality Kim Kardashian announced the birth of their first child, North. In October 2013, the couple announced their engagement to widespread media attention. November 2013, West stated that he was beginning work on his next studio album, hoping to release it by mid-2014, with production by Rick Rubin and Q-Tip. In December 2013, Adidas announced the beginning of an official apparel collaboration with West, to be premiered the following year. In May 2014, West and Kardashian were married in a private ceremony in Florence, Italy, with a variety of artists and celebrities in attendance. West released a single, "Only One", featuring Paul McCartney, on December 31, 2014. "FourFiveSeconds", a single jointly produced with Rihanna and McCartney, was released in January 2015. West also appeared on the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special, where he premiered a new song entitled "Wolves", featuring Sia Furler and fellow Chicago rapper, Vic Mensa. In February 2015, West premiered his clothing collaboration with Adidas, entitled Yeezy Season 1, to generally positive reviews. This would include West's Yeezy Boost sneakers. In March 2015, West released the single "All Day" featuring Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom and Paul McCartney. West performed the song at the 2015 BRIT Awards with a number of US rappers and UK grime MC's including: Skepta, Wiley, Novelist, Fekky, Krept & Konan, Stormzy, Allan Kingdom, Theophilus London and Vic Mensa. He would premiere the second iteration of his clothing line, Yeezy Season 2, in September 2015 at New York Fashion Week. | Question: Who is the mother of Kanye's first child? Question: What was the name of Kanye's first child with Kim Kardashian? Question: What is Kanye West's first child's name? Question: What brand set to collaborate on an apparel line with Kanye? Question: In what Italian city were Kim Kardashian and Kanye West wed? Question: What famous British artist worked with Kanye on multiple singles? Question: What musician joined Kanye West on the song "Only One"? Question: What was the name of the Adidas clothing line by Kanye West that he released in 2013? Question: Where did Kanye perform his single "All Day" with a menagerie of other artists? |
gq: Having initially announced a new album entitled So Help Me God slated for a 2014 release, in March 2015 West announced that the album would instead be tentatively called SWISH. Later that month, West was awarded an honorary doctorate by the School of the Art Institute of Chicago for his contributions to music, fashion, and popular culture, officially making him an honorary DFA. The next month, West headlined at the Glastonbury Festival in the UK, despite a petition signed by almost 135,000 people against his appearance. At one point, he told the audience: "You are now watching the greatest living rock star on the planet." Media outlets, including social media sites such as Twitter, were sharply divided on his performance. NME stated, "The decision to book West for the slot has proved controversial since its announcement, and the show itself appeared to polarise both Glastonbury goers and those who tuned in to watch on their TVs." The publication added that "he's letting his music speak for and prove itself." The Guardian said that "his set has a potent ferocity – but there are gaps and stutters, and he cuts a strangely lone figure in front of the vast crowd." | Question: What was the original name of Kanye's album "SWISH"? Question: What did Kanye change the title of his next planned album from So Help Me God to? Question: What school awarded Kanye west an honorary doctorate? Question: From which institution did Kanye receive an honorary doctorate? Question: How many people signed a petition to keep Kanye from performing at Glastonbury Festival? Question: How many people petitioned his show at the Glastonbury Music Festival in the UK? |
gq: In December 2015, West released a song titled "Facts". He announced in January 2016 on Twitter that SWISH would be released on February 11, after releasing new song "Real Friends" and a snippet of "No More Parties in L.A." with Kendrick Lamar. This also revived the GOOD Fridays initiative in which Kanye releases new singles every Friday. On January 26, 2016, West revealed he had renamed the album from SWISH to Waves, and also announced the premier of his Yeezy Season 3 clothing line at Madison Square Garden. In early 2016, several weeks prior to the release of his new album, West became embroiled in a short-lived social media altercation with rapper Wiz Khalifa on Twitter that eventually involved their mutual ex-partner, Amber Rose, who protested to West's mention of her and Khalifa's child. The feud involved allegations by Rose concerning her sexual relationship with West, and received significant media attention. As of February 2, 2016, West and Khalifa had reconciled. Several days ahead of the album's release, West again changed the title, this time to The Life of Pablo. On February 11, West premiered the album at Madison Square Garden as part of the presentation of his Yeezy Season 3 clothing line. Following the preview, West announced that he would be modifying the track list once more before its release to the public, and further delayed its release to finalize the recording of the track "Waves" at the behest of co-writer Chance the Rapper. He released the album exclusively on Tidal on 14 February 2016 following a performance on SNL. | Question: What song by West was debuted in December 2015? Question: What was the tentative release date announced for Kanye's next studio album? Question: What was Kanye's next album renamed again to? Question: On January 26, 2016, Kanye told the world he changed the name of his next album from SWISH to what? Question: What was the name of Kanye's clothing line premiered at Madison Square Garden? Question: With what other rapper did Kanye west have a Twitter feud with in early 2016? Question: What artist did Kanye West have a feud with over Amber Rose? Question: What became the final title of Kanye's next album? Question: What platform was The Life of Pablo officially released on? |
gq: West's musical career has been defined by frequent stylistic shifts, and has seen him develop and explore a variety of different musical approaches and genres throughout his work. When asked about his musical inspirations, he has named A Tribe Called Quest, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, George Michael, LL Cool J, Phil Collins and Madonna as early interests. He has further described musician David Bowie as one of his "most important inspirations," and named producer Puff Daddy as the "most important cultural figure in my life." Early in his career, West pioneered a style of production dubbed "chipmunk soul" which utilized pitched-up vocal samples, usually from soul and R&B songs, along with his own drums and instrumentation. His first major release featuring his trademark soulful vocal sampling style was "This Can't Be Life", a track from Jay-Z’s The Dynasty: Roc La Familia. West has said that Wu-Tang Clan producer RZA influenced him in his style, and has named Wu-Tang rappers Ghostface Killah and Ol' Dirty Bastard as inspirations. RZA spoke positively of the comparisons, stating in an interview for Rolling Stone, "All good. I got super respect for Kanye [...] [he] is going to inspire people to be like him." West further developed his style on his 2004 debut album, The College Dropout. After a rough version was leaked, he meticulously refined the production, adding string arrangements, gospel choirs, and improved drum programming. | Question: What English musician did Kanye cite as one of his biggest inspirations? Question: What artist was named by Kanye West to be his "most important inspiration"? Question: Who was Kanye's greatest cultural figure? Question: What name did Kanye's early production style coin. Question: What was the name of the song that first featured Kanye's "chipmunk soul" style? Question: Kanye has stated that members from which rap group influenced his early style? |
gq: For his second album, Late Registration (2005), he collaborated with film score composer Jon Brion and drew influence from non-rap influences such as English trip hop group Portishead. Blending West's primary soulful hip hop production with Brion's elaborate chamber pop orchestration, the album experimentally incorporated a wide array of different genres and prominent orchestral elements, including string arrangements, piano chords, brass flecks, and horn riffs among other symphonic instrumentation. It also incorporated a myriad of foreign and vintage instruments not typical in popular music, let alone hip hop, such as a celesta, harpsichord, Chamberlin, CS-80 analog synthesizer, Chinese bells and berimbau, vibraphones, and marimba. Rolling Stone described Late Registration as West claiming "the whole world of music as hip-hop turf" chronicling the album as "his mad quest to explode every cliché about hip-hop identity." Critic Robert Christgau wrote that "there's never been hip-hop so complex and subtle musically." For a period of time, Kanye West stood as the sole current pop star to tour with a string section, as audible on his 2006 live album Late Orchestration. | Question: What composer did Kanye collaborate with for his second record? Question: What composer did Kanye West work with for his second album? Question: What English trip-hop group helped influence Kanye on his second album? Question: What classical elements did Brion bring to the production of Kanye's album? Question: What sort of orchestra did Kanye tour with while promoting his second album? |
gq: With his third album, Graduation (2007), West moved away from the sound of his previous releases and towards a more atmospheric, rock-tinged, electronic-influenced soundscape. The musical evolution arose from him listening to music genres encompassing European Britpop and Euro-disco, American alternative and indie-rock, and his native Chicago house. Towards this end, West retracted much of the live instrumentation that characterized his previous album and replaced it with heavy, gothic synthesizers, distorted synth-chords, rave stabs, house beats, electro-disco rhythms, and a wide array of modulated electronic noises and digital audio-effects. In addition, West drew musical inspiration from arena rock bands such as The Rolling Stones, U2, and Led Zeppelin in terms of melody and chord progression. | Question: What was the name of Kanye's third record? Question: What year was Kanye West's third album released? Question: What musical direction did Kanye take with his third album? Question: Kanye drew inspiration from The Rolling Stones, U2, and Led Zeppelin in what ways? |
gq: West's fourth studio album, 808s & Heartbreak (2008), marked an even more radical departure from his previous releases, largely abandoning rap and hip hop stylings in favor of a stark electropop sound composed of virtual synthesis, the Roland TR-808 drum machine, and explicitly auto-tuned vocal tracks. Drawing inspiration from artists such as Gary Numan, TJ Swan and Boy George, and maintaining a "minimal but functional" approach towards the album's studio production, West explored the electronic feel produced by Auto-Tune and utilized the sounds created by the 808, manipulating its pitch to produce a distorted, electronic sound; he then sought to juxtapose mechanical sounds with the traditional sounds of taiko drums and choir monks. The album's music features austere production and elements such as dense drums, lengthy strings, droning synthesizers, and somber piano, and drew comparisons to the work of 1980s post-punk and new wave groups, with West himself later confessing an affinity with British post-punk group Joy Division. Rolling Stone journalist Matthew Trammell asserted that the record was ahead of its time and wrote in a 2012 article, "Now that popular music has finally caught up to it, 808s & Heartbreak has revealed itself to be Kanye’s most vulnerable work, and perhaps his most brilliant." | Question: What kind of sound did Kanye abandon a rap and hiphop one for with his fourth album? Question: Who did Kanye become inspired by while creating 808s & Heartbreak? Question: What other artist besides Gary Numan and TJ Swan helped inspire Kanye's fourth album? Question: What types of instruments are present on his fourth album? Question: What other type of 1980s group was Kanye's fourth album compared to other than new wave? Question: The article about Kanye's fourth album written by Matthew Trammell was published in what magazine? |
gq: West's fifth album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, has been noted by writers for its maximalist aesthetic and its incorporation of elements from West's previous four albums. Entertainment Weekly's Simon Vozick-Levinson perceives that such elements "all recur at various points", namely "the luxurious soul of 2004's The College Dropout, the symphonic pomp of Late Registration, the gloss of 2007's Graduation, and the emotionally exhausted electro of 2008's 808s & Heartbreak". Sean Fennessey of The Village Voice writes that West "absorb[ed] the gifts of his handpicked collaborators, and occasionally elevat[ed] them" on previous studio albums, noting collaborators and elements as Jon Brion for Late Registration, DJ Toomp for Graduation, and Kid Cudi for 808s & Heartbreak. | Question: What is Kanye's fifth album titled? Question: Which album by Kanye West has been talked about by writers for having maximalist aesthetic? Question: What journalist drew comparisons between My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and other Kanye albums? Question: Kid Cudi joined Kanye for which album? Question: What musician collaborated with Kanye West for his album Late Registration? Question: What artist worked with Kanye on his album Graduation? |
gq: Describing his sixth studio album Yeezus (2013) as "a protest to music," West embraced an abrasive style that incorporated industrial music, acid house, dancehall, punk, electro, and Chicago drill. Inspired by the minimalist design of Le Corbusier and primarily electronic in nature, the album features distorted drum machines and "synthesizers that sound like they're malfunctioning, low-resolution samplers that add a pixelated digital aura to the most analog sounds." To this end, the album incorporates glitches reminiscent of CD skips or corrupted MP3's, and Auto-Tuned vocals are modulated to a point in which they are difficult to decipher. It also continues West's practice of eclectic samples: he employs a sample of Nina Simone's "Strange Fruit," an obscure Hindi sample on "I Am a God", and a sample of 1970s Hungarian rock group Omega on "New Slaves". "On Sight" interpolates a melody from "Sermon (He'll Give Us What We Really Need)" by the Holy Name of Mary Choral Family. Rolling Stone called the album a "brilliant, obsessive-compulsive career auto-correct". | Question: What was the title of Kanye's sixth album? Question: In what year was Kanye West's sixth album released? Question: What did Kanye state that Yeezus was? Question: What artist did Kanye draw inspiration from when crafting Yeezus? |
gq: In September 2005, West announced that he would release his Pastelle Clothing line in spring 2006, claiming "Now that I have a Grammy under my belt and Late Registration is finished, I am ready to launch my clothing line next spring." The line was developed over the following four years – with multiple pieces teased by West himself – before the line was ultimately cancelled in 2009. In 2009, West collaborated with Nike to release his own shoe, the Air Yeezys, with a second version released in 2012. In January 2009, West introduced his first shoe line designed for Louis Vuitton during Paris Fashion Week. The line was released in summer 2009. West has additionally designed shoewear for Bape and Italian shoemaker Giuseppe Zanotti. | Question: When did Kanye West annouce his Pastelle Clothing line? Question: What did Kanye announce he would release after acquiring a Grammy in 2005? Question: What finally become of Kanye's clothing line in 2009? Question: What year was Kanye's Pastelle Clothing Line scrapped? Question: What company worked with Kanye in 2009 to create his own shoe line? Question: For what brand did Kanye design a shoe meant for Paris Fashion Week? |
gq: On October 1, 2011, Kanye West premiered his women's fashion label, DW Kanye West at Paris Fashion Week. He received support from DSquared2 duo Dean and Dan Caten, Olivier Theyskens, Jeremy Scott, Azzedine Alaïa, and the Olsen twins, who were also in attendance during his show. His debut fashion show received mixed-to-negative reviews, ranging from reserved observations by Style.com to excoriating commentary by The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, Elleuk.com, The Daily Telegraph, Harper's Bazaar and many others. On March 6, 2012, West premiered a second fashion line at Paris Fashion Week. The line's reception was markedly improved from the previous presentation, with a number of critics heralding West for his "much improved" sophomore effort. | Question: On what day was Kanye's women's clothing line debuted? Question: On what day was Kanye's women's line premiered at Paris fashion week? Question: Form whom was Kanye's 2011 fashion label designed for? Question: What was the name of Kanye West's women's clothing line? Question: What was the name of West's fashion line for women? Question: What kind of reviews did Kanye's fashion line spark? Question: The fashion line shown in Paris received what sort of reviews? Question: When did Kanye debut his second effort in the fashion world? Question: On what day did West release his second fashion line? |
gq: On December 3, 2013, Adidas officially confirmed a new shoe collaboration deal with West. After months of anticipation and rumors, West confirmed the release of the Adidas Yeezy Boosts with a Twitter announcement directing fans to the domain yeezy.supply. In 2015, West unveiled his Yeezy Season clothing line, premiering Season 1 in collaboration with Adidas early in the year. The release of the Yeezy Boosts and the full Adidas collaboration was showcased in New York City on February 12, 2015, with free streaming to 50 cinemas in 13 countries around the world. An initial release of the Adidas Yeezy Boosts was limited to 9000 pairs to be available only in New York City via the Adidas smartphone app; the Adidas Yeezy Boosts were sold out within 10 minutes. The shoes released worldwide on February 28, 2015, were limited to select boutique stores and the Adidas UK stores. He followed with Season 2 later that year at New York Fashion Week. On February 11, West premiered his Yeezy Season 3 clothing line at Madison Square Garden in conjunction with the previewing of his album The Life of Pablo. | Question: How many "seasons" of clothing did Kanye release? Question: What brand struck a deal with Kanye and sparked a new clothing line? Question: What were the shoes designed by Kanye and released by Adidas called? Question: What shoe was announced on Twitter by Kanye West? Question: In what year did Kanye premier his Season line? Question: How many pairs of shoes were sold in the initial release in New York City? Question: What album release coincided with Kanye's Yeezy Season 3 clothing line? |
gq: In August 2008, West revealed plans to open 10 Fatburger restaurants in the Chicago area; the first was set to open in September 2008 in Orland Park. The second followed in January 2009, while a third location is yet to be revealed, although the process is being finalized. His company, KW Foods LLC, bought the rights to the chain in Chicago. Ultimately, in 2009, only two locations actually opened. In February 2011, West shut down the Fatburger located in Orland Park. Later that year, the remaining Beverly location also was shuttered. | Question: How many restaurants did Kanye open? Question: How many of Kanye's Fatburger restaurants were actually opened? Question: What restaurant chain did Kanye aspire to open in his native Chicago? Question: What was the name of the restaurant Kanye annouced he was opening? Question: What is the name of Kanye West's food company? Question: When was Kanye's last Fatburger restaurant closed? Question: What happened to the Fatburger chains that Kanye established? |
gq: West founded the record label and production company GOOD Music in 2004, in conjunction with Sony BMG, shortly after releasing his debut album, The College Dropout. John Legend, Common, and West were the label's inaugural artists. The label houses artists including West, Big Sean, Pusha T, Teyana Taylor, Yasiin Bey / Mos Def, D'banj and John Legend, and producers including Hudson Mohawke, Q-Tip, Travis Scott, No I.D., Jeff Bhasker, and S1. GOOD Music has released ten albums certified gold or higher by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). In November 2015, West appointed Pusha T the new president of GOOD Music. | Question: What did Kanye call the label he founded in 2004? Question: What year did Kanye West open his GOOD Music production company and record label? Question: What other artist besides Kanye West and Common was among the first to record at GOOD Music? Question: As of 2015, who did Kanye choose as the new president of GOOD Music? Question: Who did Kanye name President of GOOD Music in 2015? |
gq: On January 5, 2012, West announced his establishment of the creative content company DONDA, named after his late mother Donda West. In his announcement, West proclaimed that the company would "pick up where Steve Jobs left off"; DONDA would operate as "a design company which will galvanize amazing thinkers in a creative space to bounce their dreams and ideas" with the "goal to make products and experiences that people want and can afford." West is notoriously secretive about the company's operations, maintaining neither an official website nor a social media presence. In stating DONDA's creative philosophy, West articulated the need to "put creatives in a room together with like minds" in order to "simplify and aesthetically improve everything we see, taste, touch, and feel.". Contemporary critics have noted the consistent minimalistic aesthetic exhibited throughout DONDA creative projects. | Question: On what date did Kanye go public with his DONDA company? Question: Kanye's creative content company DONDA was named after who? Question: What was the goal of Kanye's new creative company DONDA? |
gq: On March 30, 2015, it was announced that West is a co-owner, with various other music artists, in the music streaming service Tidal. The service specialises in lossless audio and high definition music videos. Jay Z acquired the parent company of Tidal, Aspiro, in the first quarter of 2015. Including Beyoncé and Jay-Z, sixteen artist stakeholders (such as Rihanna, Beyoncé, Madonna, Chris Martin, Nicki Minaj and more) co-own Tidal, with the majority owning a 3% equity stake. The idea of having an all artist owned streaming service was created by those involved to adapt to the increased demand for streaming within the current music industry, and to rival other streaming services such as Spotify, which have been criticised for their low payout of royalties. "The challenge is to get everyone to respect music again, to recognize its value", stated Jay-Z on the release of Tidal. | Question: What platform was Kanye named a co-owner of in 2015? Question: What music streaming service is Kanye West a co-owner of? Question: What is Tidal's specialization? Question: Which famous rapper bought Aspiro? Question: What longtime friend of Kanye acquired Tidal in 2015? Question: What music service is a huge competitor for Tidal? Question: What criticisms of other streaming platforms does Tidal stand to challenge? |
gq: West, alongside his mother, founded the "Kanye West Foundation" in Chicago in 2003, tasked with a mission to battle dropout and illiteracy rates, while partnering with community organizations to provide underprivileged youth access to music education. In 2007, the West and the Foundation partnered with Strong American Schools as part of their "Ed in '08" campaign. As spokesman for the campaign, West appeared in a series of PSAs for the organization, and hosted an inaugural benefit concert in August of that year. | Question: With the help of his mom, what foundation did Kanye create early in his career? Question: What was founded by Kanye West and his mother? Question: Where was the "Kanye West Foundation" founded? Question: What is the goal of the Kanye West Foundation? Question: What other mission besides dropout and illiteracy rates did the Kanye West Foundation seek to improve? Question: In What year did the Kanye West Foundation Partner with Strong American Schools? Question: What campaign did the Kanye West Foundation partner with in 2007? Question: In what month was the inaugural concert held for the "Ed in '08" campaign? |
gq: In 2008, following the death of West's mother, the foundation was rechristened "The Dr. Donda West Foundation." The foundation ceased operations in 2011. | Question: In what year did Kanye West's mother pass away? Question: What year did the foundation stop operating? Question: What was the Kanye West Foundation renamed to in 2008? Question: Kanye's foundation was changed to what name following his mother's death? Question: What year did the foundation end its run? |
gq: West has additionally appeared and participated in many fundraisers, benefit concerts, and has done community work for Hurricane Katrina relief, the Kanye West Foundation, the Millions More Movement, 100 Black Men of America, a Live Earth concert benefit, World Water Day rally and march, Nike runs, and a MTV special helping young Iraq War veterans who struggle through debt and PTSD a second chance after returning home. | Question: What are some charitable efforts Kanye west has participated in? |
gq: West has been an outspoken and controversial celebrity throughout his career, receiving both criticism and praise from many, including the mainstream media, other artists and entertainers, and two U.S. presidents. On September 2, 2005, during a benefit concert for Hurricane Katrina relief on NBC, A Concert for Hurricane Relief, West (a featured speaker) accused President George W. Bush of not "car[ing] about black people". When West was presenting alongside actor Mike Myers, he deviated from the prepared script to criticize the media's portrayal of hurricane victims, saying: | Question: On what day did the Kanye's famous George W. Bush criticism take place? Question: During what show did Kanye take an opportunity to criticize the efforts of a U.S. President? Question: Which U.S. President did Kanye criticize after the events of Hurricane Katrina? Question: Which President did Kanye West accuse of "Not caring for black people"? |
gq: Myers spoke next and continued to read the script. Once it was West's turn to speak again, he said, "George Bush doesn't care about black people." At this point, telethon producer Rick Kaplan cut off the microphone and then cut away to Chris Tucker, who was unaware of the cut for a few seconds. Still, West's comment reached much of the United States. | Question: Who did Kanye West say doesn't care about black people? Question: What happened after Kanye made his controversial statement? |
gq: Bush stated in an interview that the comment was "one of the most disgusting moments" of his presidency. In November 2010, in a taped interview with Matt Lauer for the Today show, West expressed regret for his criticism of Bush. "I would tell George Bush in my moment of frustration, I didn't have the grounds to call him a racist", he told Lauer. "I believe that in a situation of high emotion like that we as human beings don't always choose the right words." The following day, Bush reacted to the apology in a live interview with Lauer saying he appreciated the rapper's remorse. "I'm not a hater", Bush said. "I don't hate Kanye West. I was talking about an environment in which people were willing to say things that hurt. Nobody wants to be called a racist if in your heart you believe in equality of races." Reactions were mixed, but some felt that West had no need to apologize. "It was not the particulars of your words that mattered, it was the essence of a feeling of the insensitivity towards our communities that many of us have felt for far too long", argued Def Jam co-founder Russell Simmons. Bush himself was receptive to the apology, saying, "I appreciate that. It wasn't just Kanye West who was talking like that during Katrina, I cited him as an example, I cited others as an example as well. You know, I appreciate that." | Question: How did George W. Bush describe Kanye's controversial statement? Question: To which reporter did Kanye West express regret for his remark about President Bush? |
gq: In September 2013, West was widely rebuked by human rights groups for performing in Kazakhstan at the wedding of authoritarian President Nursultan Nazarbayev's grandson. He traveled to Kazakhstan, which has one of the poorest human rights records in the world, as a personal guest of Nazarbayev. Other notable Western performers, including Sting, have previously cancelled performances in the country over human rights concerns. West was reportedly paid US$3 million for his performance. West had previously participated in cultural boycotts, joining Shakira and Rage Against The Machine in refusing to perform in Arizona after the 2010 implementation of stop and search laws directed against potential illegal aliens. | Question: Kanye was criticized by human rights groups for performing in what country? Question: What country's President paid Kanye West to perform at his grandson's wedding? Question: How is Kazakhstan's human rights record compared to the rest of the world? Question: For what reason did Sting and other artists cancel their scheduled performances in Kazakhstan? Question: How much was Kanye paid to perform in Kazakhstan? Question: Kanye, Shakira, and Rage Against the Machine refused to perform in what state due to a new law against illegal aliens? |
gq: Later in 2013, West launched a tirade on Twitter directed at talk show host Jimmy Kimmel after his ABC program Jimmy Kimmel Live! ran a sketch on September 25 involving two children re-enacting West's recent interview with Zane Lowe for BBC Radio 1 in which he calls himself the biggest rock star on the planet. Kimmel reveals the following night that West called him to demand an apology shortly before taping. | Question: What person was Kanye's rant on Twitter directed at? Question: What TV show lampooned one of Kanye's BBC Radio 1 interviews? Question: The skit on JImmy Kimmel Live! was a depiction of Kanye West and what reporter? Question: On what radio station did Kanye West deem himself "the biggest rockstar on the planet"? Question: What did Kanye demand from Jimmy Kimmel in regards to the sketch? |
gq: During a November 26, 2013 radio interview, West explained why he believed that President Obama had problems pushing policies in Washington: "Man, let me tell you something about George Bush and oil money and Obama and no money. People want to say Obama can't make these moves or he's not executing. That's because he ain't got those connections. Black people don't have the same level of connections as Jewish people...We ain't Jewish. We don't got family that got money like that." In response to his comments, the Anti-Defamation League stated: "There it goes again, the age-old canard that Jews are all-powerful and control the levers of power in government." On December 21, 2013, West backed off of the original comment and told a Chicago radio station that "I thought I was giving a compliment, but if anything it came off more ignorant. I don’t know how being told you have money is an insult." | Question: On what day did Kanye do an interview about President Obama pushing policies in Washington? Question: What president did Kanye comment on as having trouble pushing policies while in office? Question: What type of people did Kanye state had more power than Black people? Question: On what day did Kanye take back his original comment about Jews? |
gq: In February 2016, West again became embroiled in controversy when he posted a tweet seemingly asserting Bill Cosby's innocence in the wake of over 50 women making allegations of sexual assault directed at Cosby. | Question: What celebrity knee-deep in controversy did Kanye endorse in a 2016 tweet? Question: What actor was Kanye defending on Twitter in February 2016? |
gq: In 2004, West had his first of a number of public incidents during his attendance at music award events. At the American Music Awards of 2004, West stormed out of the auditorium after losing Best New Artist to country singer Gretchen Wilson. He later commented, "I felt like I was definitely robbed [...] I was the best new artist this year." After the 2006 Grammy nominations were released, West said he would "really have a problem" if he did not win the Album of the Year, saying, "I don't care what I do, I don't care how much I stunt – you can never take away from the amount of work I put into it. I don't want to hear all of that politically correct stuff." On November 2, 2006, when his "Touch the Sky" failed to win Best Video at the MTV Europe Music Awards, West went onto the stage as the award was being presented to Justice and Simian for "We Are Your Friends" and argued that he should have won the award instead. Hundreds of news outlets worldwide criticized the outburst. On November 7, 2006, West apologized for this outburst publicly during his performance as support act for U2 for their Vertigo concert in Brisbane. He later spoofed the incident on the 33rd season premiere of Saturday Night Live in September 2007. | Question: To who did Kanye lose the Best New Artist award in 2004? Question: What artist did Kanye West lose "Best New Artist" to at the 2004 AMAs? Question: The video for what song failed to win an award for again in 2006, leading to an onstage outburst by Kanye? Question: Which Kanye West video failed to win Best Video at the MTV Europe Music Awards? Question: On what day did Kanye apologize for his ranting at the MTV Europe Awards? Question: What show did Kanye perform a spoof about the incident at the MTV Europe Awards? |
gq: On September 9, 2007, West suggested that his race had something to do with his being overlooked for opening the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) in favor of Britney Spears; he claimed, "Maybe my skin’s not right." West was performing at the event; that night, he lost all five awards that he was nominated for, including Best Male Artist and Video of the Year. After the show, he was visibly upset that he had lost at the VMAs two years in a row, stating that he would not come back to MTV ever again. He also appeared on several radio stations saying that when he made the song "Stronger" that it was his dream to open the VMAs with it. He has also stated that Spears has not had a hit in a long period of time and that MTV exploited her for ratings. | Question: What factor did Kanye West accuse of being the reason for his being excluded for the opening of the 2007 VMAs? Question: What did Kanye believe was a contributing factor in him not opening for the 2007 MTV VMAs? Question: What song was Kanye's dream to perform on the VMAs? Question: With what song did Kanye aspire to open the VMAs with? |
gq: On September 13, 2009, during the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards while Taylor Swift was accepting her award for Best Female Video for "You Belong with Me", West went on stage and grabbed the microphone to proclaim that Beyoncé's video for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", nominated for the same award, was "one of the best videos of all time". He was subsequently removed from the remainder of the show for his actions. When Beyoncé later won the award for Best Video of the Year for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", she called Swift up on stage so that she could finish her acceptance speech. West was criticized by various celebrities for the outburst, and by President Barack Obama, who called West a "jackass". In addition, West's VMA disruption sparked a large influx of Internet photo memes with blogs, forums and "tweets" with the "Let you finish" photo-jokes. He posted a Tweet soon after the event where he stated, "Everybody wanna booooo me but I'm a fan of real pop culture... I'm not crazy y'all, I'm just real." He then posted two apologies for the outburst on his personal blog; one on the night of the incident, and the other the following day, when he also apologized during an appearance on The Jay Leno Show. After Swift appeared on The View two days after the outburst, partly to discuss the matter, West called her to apologize personally. Swift said she accepted his apology. | Question: What artist's award reception did Kanye interrupt onstage at the 2009 MTV VMAs? Question: Which President called Kanye West a jackass for his behavior at the 2009 VMAs? Question: Which U.S. President criticized Kanye for his VMA outburst? |
gq: In September 2010, West wrote a series of apologetic tweets addressed to Swift including "Beyonce didn't need that. MTV didn't need that and Taylor and her family friends and fans definitely didn't want or need that" and concluding with "I'm sorry Taylor." He also revealed he had written a song for Swift and if she did not accept the song, he would perform it himself. However, on November 8, 2010, in an interview with a Minnesota radio station, he seemed to recant his past apologies by attempting to describe the act at the 2009 awards show as "selfless" and downgrade the perception of disrespect it created. In "Famous," a track from his 2016 album The Life of Pablo, West implies that this incident led to Swift's stardom, rapping, "I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex/ Why? I made that bitch famous." After some media backlash about the reference, West posted on Twitter "I did not diss Taylor Swift and I've never dissed her...First thing is I'm an artist and as an artist I will express how I feel with no censorship." He continued by adding that he had asked both Swift and his wife, Kim Kardashian, for permission to publish the line. | Question: When did Kanye West post to Twitter apoloizing to Taylor Swift? Question: When did Kanye take back his apology to Taylor Swift, saying that he was being "selfless"? Question: What song did Kanye end up writing that referenced his outburst against Taylor Swift? Question: What album by Kanye was released in 2016? Question: To which artist did Kanye profusely apologize to? |
gq: On February 8, 2015, at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards, West walked on stage as Beck was accepting his award for Album of the Year and then walked off stage, making everyone think he was joking around. After the awards show, West stated in an interview that he was not joking and that "Beck needs to respect artistry, he should have given his award to Beyoncé". On February 26, 2015, he publicly apologized to Beck on Twitter. | Question: Which artist's award reception did Kanye interrupt at the 57th Grammy Awards? Question: What artist's acceptance speech did Kanye interrupt by walking on stage at the 57th Grammys? Question: To who did Kanye state that Beck should hand his award over to? Question: What day did Kanye apologize to Beck on Twitter? |
gq: On August 30, 2015, West was presented with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the MTV Video Music Awards. In his acceptance speech, he stated, "Y'all might be thinking right now, 'I wonder did he smoke something before he came out here?' And the answer is: 'Yes, I rolled up a little something. I knocked the edge off.'" At the end of his speech, he announced, "I have decided in 2020 to run for president." | Question: What award did Kanye capture at the 2015 MTV VMAs? Question: What award was presented to Kanye West on August 30, 2015? Question: When does Kanye intend to run for president? |
gq: Music fans have turned to Change.org around the globe to try and block West's participation at various events. The largest unsuccessful petition has been to the Glastonbury Festival 2015 with 133,000+ voters stating they would prefer a rock band to headline. On July 20, 2015, within five days of West's announcement as the headlining artist of the closing ceremonies of the 2015 Pan American Games, Change.org user XYZ collected over 50,000 signatures for West's removal as headliner citing the headlining artist should be Canadian. In his Pan American Games Closing Ceremony performance, close to the end of his performance, West closed the show by tossing his faulty microphone in the air and walked off stage. | Question: What website have music fans been using to try to block Kanye West's performance at different events? Question: For what event was the largest amount of signatures collected in an attempt to keep Kanye from performing at it? Question: What festival was the largest failed petition to keep Kanye from performing? Question: What was another event that garnered a large amount of protest for Kanye's removal of headliner status? Question: How many signatures were gathered for Kanye's removal from the 2015 Pan American Games? |
gq: West began an on-and-off relationship with designer Alexis Phifer in 2002, and they became engaged in August 2006. The pair ended their 18-month engagement in 2008. West subsequently dated model Amber Rose from 2008 until the summer of 2010. West began dating reality star and longtime friend Kim Kardashian in April 2012. West and Kardashian became engaged in October 2013, and married on May 24, 2014 at Fort di Belvedere in Florence, Italy. Their private ceremony was subject to widespread mainstream coverage, with West taking issue with the couple's portrayal in the media. They have two children: daughter North "Nori" West (born June 15, 2013) and son Saint West (born December 5, 2015). In April 2015, West and Kardashian traveled to Jerusalem to have North baptized in the Armenian Apostolic Church at the Cathedral of St. James. The couple's high status and respective careers have resulted in their relationship becoming subject to heavy media coverage; The New York Times referred to their marriage as "a historic blizzard of celebrity." | Question: Kanye's first engagement was to which well-known designer? Question: How many children does Kanye have with Kim? Question: What year did Kanye West begin his relationship with Alexis Phifer? Question: When did Alexis Phifer and Kanye West get engaged? Question: What model did Kanye begin to date in 2008? Question: Who did Kanye date from 2008 to 2010? Question: Who has Kanye finally settled with an married in 2014? Question: When did Kanye West start dating Kim Kardashian? Question: Where in Jerusalem did Kardashian and West have their daughter North baptised? |
gq: On November 10, 2007, at approximately 7:35 pm, paramedics responding to an emergency call transported West's mother, Donda West, to the nearby Centinela Freeman Hospital in Marina del Rey, California. She was unresponsive in the emergency room, and after resuscitation attempts, doctors pronounced her dead at approximately 8:30 pm, at age 58. The Los Angeles County coroner's office said in January 2008 that West had died of heart disease while suffering "multiple post-operative factors" after plastic surgery. She had undergone liposuction and breast reduction. Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Andre Aboolian had refused to do the surgery because West had a health condition that placed her at risk for a heart attack. Aboolian referred her to an internist to investigate her cardiac issue. She never met with the doctor recommended by Aboolian and had the procedures performed by a third doctor, Jan Adams. | Question: At approximately what time did paramedics receive the call about Kanye West's mother, Donda? Question: How old was Kanye's mother when she died? Question: What condition along with complications for the plastic surgery caused the death of Donda West? Question: What doctor did Donda West ignore the recommendation of to invest her heart condition? Question: What doctor originally turned Donda West down for her plastic surgery operation? Question: What was the name of the doctor who performed the surgery that ended up killing Donda West? |
gq: Adams sent condolences to Donda West's family but declined to publicly discuss the procedure, citing confidentiality. West’s family, through celebrity attorney Ed McPherson, filed complaints with the Medical Board against Adams and Aboolian for violating patient confidentiality following her death. Adams had previously been under scrutiny by the medical board. He appeared on Larry King Live on November 20, 2007, but left before speaking. Two days later, he appeared again, with his attorney, stating he was there to "defend himself". He said that the recently released autopsy results "spoke for themselves". The final coroner's report January 10, 2008, concluded that Donda West died of "coronary artery disease and multiple post-operative factors due to or as a consequence of liposuction and mammoplasty". | Question: What was the name of the West's family's attorney during the incident surrounding the death of Donda West? Question: What reasons did West's family give for filing complaints against Adams and Aboolian? Question: What talk show did the doctor who performed Donda West's plastic surgery appear on? Question: On what show did Adams appear to "defend himself"? Question: On what day did the final coroner's report show that Donda died from heart disease and complications from surgery? Question: What was the final cause of Donda's death determined by the coroner? |
gq: The funeral and burial for Donda West was held in Oklahoma City on November 20, 2007. West played his first concert following the funeral at The O2 in London on November 22. He dedicated a performance of "Hey Mama", as well as a cover of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'", to his mother, and did so on all other dates of his Glow in the Dark tour. | Question: Where was Donda West's funeral? Question: In what city was the funeral and burial for Donda West held? Question: On what day was the funeral of Donda West? Question: What day was Kanye's first concert after the death of his mother? Question: What songs did Kanye dedicate to his late mother as his performance at The O2 in London? Question: On what tour did Kanye perform "Hey Mama" and his version of Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" in memory of his mother? |
gq: At a December 2008 press conference in New Zealand, West spoke about his mother's death for the first time. "It was like losing an arm and a leg and trying to walk through that", he told reporters. | Question: Where did Kanye first speak on his mother's death? Question: Where did Kanye West first speak about his mother's death? |
gq: California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the "Donda West Law", legislation which makes it mandatory for patients to provide medical clearance for elective cosmetic surgery. | Question: What famous governor signed legislation in honor of Donda West's death? Question: What governor passed a law in honor of Donda West? Question: What was the name of the law passed by Arnold Schwarzenegger? |
gq: In December 2006, Robert "Evel" Knievel sued West for trademark infringement in West's video for "Touch the Sky". Knievel took issue with a "sexually charged video" in which West takes on the persona of "Evel Kanyevel" and attempts flying a rocket over a canyon. The suit claimed infringement on Knievel's trademarked name and likeness. Knievel also claimed that the "vulgar and offensive" images depicted in the video damaged his reputation. The suit sought monetary damages and an injunction to stop distribution of the video. West's attorneys argued that the music video amounted to satire and therefore was covered under the First Amendment. Just days before his death in November 2007, Knievel amicably settled the suit after being paid a visit from West, saying, "I thought he was a wonderful guy and quite a gentleman." | Question: What famous stuntman sued Kanye for purported use of his likeness in 2006? Question: Which celebrity sued West in 2006 for trademark infrigement? Question: What was the name of the nickname Kanye West took on in his video "Touch the Sky"? Question: When was the suit settled? Question: When did Knievel settle the argument with West? |
gq: On September 11, 2008, West and his road manager/bodyguard Don "Don C." Crowley were arrested at Los Angeles International Airport and booked on charges of felony vandalism after an altercation with the paparazzi in which West and Crowley broke the photographers' cameras. West was later released from the Los Angeles Police Department's Pacific Division station in Culver City on $20,000 bail bond. On September 26, 2008, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said it would not file felony counts against West over the incident. Instead the case file was forwarded to the city attorney's office, which charged West with one count of misdemeanor vandalism, one count of grand theft and one count of battery and his manager with three counts of each on March 18, 2009. West's and Crowley's arraignment was delayed from an original date of April 14, 2009. | Question: On what day was Kanye West arrested at the Los Angeles International Airport? Question: What was the name of the bodyguard also accused of vandalism? Question: What was Kanye arrested for in 2008? Question: What were the charges filed against Kanye West? Question: How much was Kanye's bail bond? Question: What was the dollar amount of Kanye's bond? Question: What was Kanye finally charged with? |
gq: West was arrested again on November 14, 2008 at the Hilton hotel near Gateshead after another scuffle involving a photographer outside the famous Tup Tup Palace nightclub in Newcastle upon Tyne. He was later released "with no further action", according to a police spokesperson. | Question: What was the date of Kanye's second arrest? Question: Where was Kanye arrested at for the second time? Question: What was Kanye second arrest for? Question: At what location did the incident leading to West's second arrest take place? |
gq: On July 19, 2013, West was leaving LAX as he was surrounded by dozens of paparazzi. West became increasingly agitated as a photographer, Daniel Ramos, continued to ask him why people were not allowed to speak in his presence. West then says, "I told you don't talk to me, right? You trying to get me in trouble so I steal off on you and have to pay you like $250,000 and shit." Then he allegedly charged the man and grabbed him and his camera. The incident captured by TMZ, took place for a few seconds before a female voice can be heard telling West to stop. West then released the man, and his camera, and drove away from the scene. Medics were later called to the scene on behalf of the photographer who was grabbed. It was reported West could be charged with felony attempted robbery behind the matter. However, the charges were reduced to misdemeanor criminal battery and attempted grand theft. In March 2014, West was sentenced to serve two years' probation for the misdemeanor battery conviction and required to attend 24 anger management sessions, perform 250 hours of community service and pay restitution to Ramos. | Question: How many years' probation was Kanye supposed to serve for this altercation? Question: What paparazzi member did Kanye attack at LAX in 2013? Question: What was the name of the man who was hassling West outside of LAX that West later attacked? Question: How many hours of community service did Kanye receive? Question: What was Kanye convicted for after his paparazzi attack? Question: He had to attend 24 sessions of what kind of therapy? |
gq: After the success of his song "Jesus Walks" from the album The College Dropout, West was questioned on his beliefs and said, "I will say that I'm spiritual. I have accepted Jesus as my Savior. And I will say that I fall short every day." More recently, in September 2014, West referred to himself as a Christian during one of his concerts. | Question: "Jesus Walks" was on which of Kanye's albums? Question: What are Kanye's religious beliefs? Question: September of 2014, Kanye called himself a what during one of his concerts? |
gq: West is among the most critically acclaimed artists of the twenty-first century, receiving praise from music critics, fans, fellow musicians, artists, and wider cultural figures for his work. AllMusic editor Jason Birchmeier writes of his impact, "As his career progressed throughout the early 21st century, West shattered certain stereotypes about rappers, becoming a superstar on his own terms without adapting his appearance, his rhetoric, or his music to fit any one musical mold." Jon Caramanic of The New York Times said that West has been "a frequent lightning rod for controversy, a bombastic figure who can count rankling two presidents among his achievements, along with being a reliably dyspeptic presence at award shows (when he attends them)." Village Voice Media senior editor Ben Westhoff dubbed him the greatest hip hop artist of all time, writing that "he's made the best albums and changed the game the most, and his music is the most likely to endure," while Complex called him the 21st century's "most important artist of any art form, of any genre." The Guardian has compared West to David Bowie, arguing that "there is nobody else who can sell as many records as West does (30m-odd album sales and counting) while remaining so resolutely experimental and capable of stirring things up culturally and politically." | Question: How is Kanye viewed as a 21st century artist? Question: What reporter compared Kanye West to a lightning rod? Question: Who said Kanye West was the greatest hip hop artist of all time? Question: What magazine compared Kanye to David Bowie? Question: What famous English artist was Kanye compared to by The Guardian? |
gq: West's middle-class background, flamboyant fashion sense and outspokenness have additionally set him apart from other rappers. Early in his career, he was among the first rappers to publicly criticize the preponderance of homophobia in hip hop. The sales competition between rapper 50 Cent's Curtis and West's Graduation altered the direction of hip hop and helped pave the way for new rappers who did not follow the hardcore-gangster mold. Rosie Swash of The Guardian viewed the sales competition as a historical moment in hip-hop, because it "highlighted the diverging facets of hip-hop in the last decade; the former was gangsta rap for the noughties, while West was the thinking man's alternative." Rolling Stone credited West with transforming hip hop's mainstream, "establishing a style of introspective yet glossy rap [...]", and called him "as interesting and complicated a pop star as the 2000s produced—a rapper who mastered, upped and moved beyond the hip-hop game, a producer who created a signature sound and then abandoned it to his imitators, a flashy, free-spending sybarite with insightful things to say about college, culture and economics, an egomaniac with more than enough artistic firepower to back it up." His 2008 album 808s & Heartbreak polarized both listeners and critics upon its release, but was commercially successful and impacted hip hop and pop stylistically, as it laid the groundwork for a new wave of artists who generally eschewed typical rap braggadocio for intimate subject matter and introspection, including Frank Ocean, The Weeknd, Drake, Future, Kid Cudi, Childish Gambino, Lil Durk, Chief Keef, and Soulja Boy. According to Ben Detrick of XXL magazine, West effectively led a new wave of artists, including Kid Cudi, Wale, Lupe Fiasco, Kidz in the Hall, and Drake, who lacked the interest or ability to rap about gunplay or drug-dealing. | Question: What kind of background did Kanye West grow up in? Question: What overabundance of themes did Kanye criticize early in his career? Question: Who did Kanye West have a sales competition with during his album release of Graduation? Question: The shift away from what genre of rap is Kanye credited for? Question: Who said that Kanye West effectively led a new wave of artists that weren't only interested in rapping about gunplay or drug dealing? |
gq: A substantial number of artists and other figures have been influenced by, or complimented, West's work, including hip hop artists RZA of Wu-Tang Clan, Chuck D of Public Enemy, and DJ Premier of Gang Starr. Both Drake and Casey Veggies have acknowledged being influenced directly by West. Non-rap artists such as English singer-songwriters Adele and Lily Allen, New Zealand artist Lorde, rock band Arctic Monkeys, pop singer Halsey, Sergio Pizzorno of English rock band Kasabian and American indie rock group MGMT have cited West as an influence. Experimental and electronic artists such as James Blake Daniel Lopatin, and Tim Hecker have also cited West's work as an inspiration. Experimental rock pioneer and Velvet Underground founder Lou Reed, in a review of West's album Yeezus, wrote that "the guy really, really, really is talented. He's really trying to raise the bar. No one's near doing what he’s doing, it’s not even on the same planet." Musicians such as Paul McCartney and Prince have also commended West's work. Famed Tesla Motors CEO and inventor Elon Musk complimented West in a piece for Time Magazine's 100 most influential people list, writing that: | Question: Who complimented West in Time Magazine? Question: A number of artists have cited Kanye as being what to them? |
gq: West's first six solo studio albums, all of which have gone platinum, have received numerous awards and critical acclaim. All of his albums have been commercially successful, with Yeezus, his sixth solo album, becoming his fifth consecutive No. 1 album in the U.S. upon release. West has had six songs exceed 3 million in digital sales as of December 2012, with "Gold Digger" selling 3,086,000, "Stronger" selling 4,402,000, "Heartless" selling 3,742,000, "E.T." selling over 4,000,000, "Love Lockdown" selling over 3,000,000, and "Niggas in Paris" selling over 3,000,000, placing him third in overall digital sales of the past decade. He has sold over 30 million digital songs in the United States making him one of the best-selling digital artists of all-time. | Question: What was Kanye's fifth consecutive number one album? Question: As of 2012, how many downloads have there been of "Golddigger"? Question: How many songs has Kanye had that have exceeded 3 million digital sales? Question: How many of West's six albums have gone platinum? Question: What rank is West in total sales for the last decade? Question: How many songs has Kanye sold digitally in his career? Question: How many total digital songs has Kanye West sold in the US? |
gq: As of 2013, West has won a total of 21 Grammy Awards, making him one of the most awarded artists of all-time. About.com ranked Kanye West No. 8 on their "Top 50 Hip-Hop Producers" list. On May 16, 2008, Kanye West was crowned by MTV as the year's No. 1 "Hottest MC in the Game." On December 17, 2010, Kanye West was voted as the MTV Man of the Year by MTV. Billboard ranked Kanye West No. 3 on their list of Top 10 Producers of the Decade. West ties with Bob Dylan for having topped the annual Pazz & Jop critic poll the most number of times ever, with four number-one albums each. West has also been included twice in the Time 100 annual lists of the most influential people in the world as well as being listed in a number of Forbes annual lists. | Question: How many Grammies has Kanye won as of 2013? Question: In 2013, West had won how many total Grammy Awards? Question: What rank did About.com give Kanye "Top 50 Hip-Hop Producers" list? Question: On what day did MTV name Kanye as the year's Number 1 "Hottest MC in the Game."? Question: December 17, 2010 was the day Kanye was nominated by MTV for what? Question: With which artist does Kanye tie with for reaching the top of the annual Pazz & Jop Critic Poll? Question: What musician did West tie with for topping the annual Pazz & Jop critic poll 4 times each? Question: How many times has Kanye placed in the annual Time Magazine people list? |
gq: In its 2012 list of "500 Greatest Albums of All Time, Rolling Stone included three of West's albums—The College Dropout at number 298, Late Registration at number 118, and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy at number 353. | Question: How many of Kanye's albums placed on the 2012 Rolling Stone list? Question: How many of West's albums were included on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list? |
gq: The Pitchfork online music publication ranked My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy as the world's best album of the decade "so far"—between 2010 and 2014—on August 19, 2014, while Yeezus was ranked in the eighth position of a list of 100 albums. During the same week, the song "Runaway" (featuring Pusha T) was ranked in the third position in the publication's list of the 200 "best tracks" released since 2010. | Question: What online music publication ranked Kanye's album "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" as the world's best album so far? Question: Which one of Kanye's albums won The Pitchfork's Album of the Decade (so far) award? Question: What album was ranked 8 on a list of 100 albums? Question: What place did Yeezus secure on the list of 100 albums? Question: What song was ranked third in a list of 200 "best tracks" since 2010? |
gq: West's outspoken views and ventures outside of music have received significant mainstream attention. He has been a frequent source of controversy and public scrutiny for his conduct at award shows, on social media, and in other public settings. His more publicized comments include his declaration that President George W. Bush "doesn't care about black people" during a live 2005 television broadcast for Hurricane Katrina relief, and his interruption of singer Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. West's efforts as a designer include collaborations with Nike, Louis Vuitton, and A.P.C. on both clothing and footwear, and have most prominently resulted in the Yeezy Season collaboration with Adidas beginning in 2013. He is the founder and head of the creative content company DONDA. | Question: What President did Kanye West insult on air in 2005? Question: Whose speech did Kanye West ruin at the 2009 MTV Awards? Question: What fashion items does Kanye West design? Question: What year did Kanye West begin working with Adidas? Question: What company did Kanye West begin? |
gq: Buddhism /ˈbudɪzəm/ is a nontheistic religion[note 1] or philosophy (Sanskrit: धर्म dharma; Pali: धम्म dhamma) that encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs and spiritual practices largely based on teachings attributed to Gautama Buddha, commonly known as the Buddha ("the awakened one"). According to Buddhist tradition, the Buddha lived and taught in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent, present-day Nepal sometime between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE.[note 1] He is recognized by Buddhists as an awakened or enlightened teacher who shared his insights to help sentient beings end their suffering through the elimination of ignorance and craving. Buddhists believe that this is accomplished through the direct understanding and perception of dependent origination and the Four Noble Truths. | Question: What type of religion is Buddhism? Question: What type of religion is Buddhism? Question: What are the practices of Buddhism based on? Question: Who's teaching is Buddhism based upon? Question: Who's teachings is Buddhism based upon? Question: Buddhism is based on the teaching of who? Question: Who is "the awakened one" Question: Buddha was part of what subcontinent? Question: Where did the Buddha live? Question: Where did Buddha reside when he was alive? Question: Where was Buddha thought to live? Question: When approximately was Buddha alive? Question: When was Buddha alive? Question: How many noble truths are there? Question: What did the Buddha teach should be given up to end suffering? Question: How do Buddhists believe their suffering can be ended? |