John Legend Fondly Remembers "Bringing Hip Hop & Soul Together" With Kanye West

BY Erika Marie 2.9K Views
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Kanye West
The superstar singer reflected on the earlier days of his career when he and Ye were making magic in the studio.

They may not be as close as they once were, but John Legend can't refrain from giving Kanye West his due. At the inception of Legend's career, West was instrumental in aiding in the development of the singer into a superstar. It was a dynamic Chicago duo that made for great hits and classics that longstanding fans hold tight, and in a chat with Eddie Francis for Apple 1 Music this week, Legend reflected on those early days with a West.

“I've just been collaborating with so many dope artists throughout my career. I started with Kanye at G.O.O.D. Music and our whole thing was bringing Hip Hop and Soul together," said the Grammy winner.

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Legend suggested that those early days were also the catalyst to his working, collaborative relationship with Hip Hop artists.

"I was on a lot of [Kanye's] tracks... A lot of tracks he was producing for other people." Still, West made time to work on Legend's 2004 debut album, Get Lifted. "He was producing my tracks and connecting me with other people in Hip Hop so there's always been a lot of collaborations in my background."

The singer also spoke about working on his album with Rick Ross and mentioned the "good chemistry" they have. He said that he and the Florida icon have a "similar" taste.

"I've done a thousand tracks with Rick Ross, worked with so many great emcees over the years," said Legend. "I've just always thought collaboration was a great way to make music and when we do it together it can be better than when we do it separately. So I've just always had that spirit and that energy and I love working with dope people and we definitely did that with this album.”

Revisit Ye and Legend together below.

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About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

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