World tour by Kanye West | |
Associated album | Yeezus |
---|---|
Start date | October 19, 2013 |
End date | September 15, 2014 |
Legs | 3 |
No. of shows | 45 |
Kanye West concert chronology |
The Yeezus Tour was the fourth concert tour by American rapper Kanye West, in support of West's sixth solo studio album, Yeezus (2013). [1] The venture served as West's first solo concert tour in five years. Kendrick Lamar, A Tribe Called Quest, Travis Scott, and Pusha T served as opening acts on select dates. It had the second highest grossing leg of a tour in 2013, behind Paul McCartney's Out There! Tour. [2] It was the highest-grossing hip-hop tour of 2013, at $31.8 million from 33 shows. [3]
After the release of Yeezus on June 18, 2013, rumors began circulating that West would embark on a solo tour. Co-producer of the album Mike Dean reported that there would be a tour for the album and that he would be a backing producer for the show. [4] On September 6, 2013, West tweeted the word "TOUR" along with the promotional picture of the tour. All of the dates for the opening tour performances (all of which were in North America) became available via his official website. [5]
Kendrick Lamar served as a supporting act through the majority of the tour, with "special guests" replacing him on the dates he missed. At the October 25, 2013 show, GOOD Music signee Pusha T served as the opening act. [6] On October 15, 2013, it was revealed that two of the four New York shows would feature A Tribe Called Quest as supporting acts instead of Lamar. [7] These concerts were stated to be A Tribe Called Quest's final performances ever, which ultimately proved untrue as they reunited two years later. [8]
West said that the initial idea of The Yeezus Tour came from him thinking about the end of the world, which influenced explosions, fire, mountains, masked beings and Christian symbolism as prominent imagery during the show. Fashion was an important element of the tour's visual identity. Family New York, Vanessa Beecroft, Es Devlin and John McGuire created the scenography. The stage used during the tour heavily resembled a fashion catwalk. [9] Maison Martin Margiela and West worked together to create fashion pieces and outfits for the tour. Another influence for the stage setup, according to West, came from the 1973 film The Holy Mountain, a "biblical redemption story". This can be seen with one of the stages main features; a 50-foot high mountain, called Mount Yeezus by some, [9] [10] [11] that could change its appearance into that of a volcano. The foot of the mountain then lead to a secondary stage that elevated up to the pointed main stage, which was also motorized. Above the mountain, a 60-foot wide circular LED screen was placed along with a custom sound system by DONDA. [9]
The performances were separated into five parts, Fighting, Rising, Falling, Searching and Finding. The division serves to frame it in a theme of redemption. All performances featured 12 female dancers.
On October 30, 2013, while on the road to Vancouver, a truck carrying custom-made video screens and equipment for the show was involved in a car crash; the crash damaged the equipment beyond repair. Def Jam issued a statement on the issue:
This gear is central to the staging of The Yeezus Tour, and central to the creative vision put forth by Kanye West and his design team at DONDA. As a result of this event, it is impossible to put on the show and The Yeezus Tour will be postponed until these essential pieces can be reengineered and refabricated. Kanye West will not compromise on bringing the show, as it was originally envisioned and designed, to his fans. The Vancouver, Denver and Minneapolis dates have been postponed. [12]
The tour picked back up on November 16, 2013, at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. The missed Chicago and Detroit shows were rescheduled however, the rest of the missed dates were cancelled, Def Jam cites routing logistics as the reason. [13] On January 7, 2014, West added 9 new dates to the tour, starting on February 13 on Penn State University Park and ending on February 23 at Uniondale, New York. [14]
In February 2014, dates were announced for an Australian leg of the Yeezus Tour, beginning May 2 at Perth Arena. [15] However, in early April West postponed his Australian leg until September, using the months in-between to work on his seventh studio album, which later became The Life of Pablo . [16] The performances in Australia had a significantly more minimal visual production, compared to the previous shows.
The tour was met with rave reviews from critics. [17] [18] Rolling Stone described it as "crazily entertaining, hugely ambitious, emotionally affecting (really!) and, most importantly, totally bonkers." [17] Writing for Forbes , Zack O'Malley Greenburg praised West for "taking risks that few pop stars, if any, are willing to take in today's hyper-exposed world of pop", describing the show as "overwrought and uncomfortable at times, but [it] excels at challenging norms and provoking thought in a way that just isn’t common for mainstream musical acts of late." [19] NY Daily News wrote that "the show wasn’t about crowd-pleasing. It was about unyielding beats, hellish textures and a brusque flow, all delivered with an impact every bit as stunning as West's ego itself." [20] In 2019, Vivid Seats named it the 68th greatest tour of all time. [21]
The tour told a story of redemption through 5 stages. West performed every track from Yeezus , along with some songs from his previous records. [22]
The tour featured the unreleased track - "I Am Not Home", which was used as an opener for the sets, along with part of Mozart’s Lacrimosa.
Date | City | Country | Venue | Opening act | Attendance | Revenue | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
North America [23] [24] [25] | |||||||
October 19, 2013 | Seattle | United States | KeyArena | Kendrick Lamar | — | — | |
October 22, 2013 | San Jose | SAP Center | Kendrick Lamar E-40 | 10,557 / 10,557 | $670,603 | ||
October 23, 2013 | Oakland | Oracle Arena | Kendrick Lamar | — | — | ||
October 25, 2013 | Las Vegas | MGM Grand Garden Arena | Pusha T Travis Scott | 10,183 / 10,183 | $748,055 | ||
October 26, 2013 | Los Angeles | Staples Center | Kendrick Lamar | 28,332 / 28,332 | $2,875,505 | ||
October 28, 2013 | |||||||
November 16, 2013 | Philadelphia | Wells Fargo Center | — | — | |||
November 17, 2013 | Boston | TD Garden | |||||
November 19, 2013 | Brooklyn | Barclays Center | 25,062 / 25,062 | $2,349,202 | |||
November 20, 2013 | A Tribe Called Quest Busta Rhymes | ||||||
November 21, 2013 | Washington, D.C. | Verizon Center | Kendrick Lamar | — | — | ||
November 23, 2013 | New York City | Madison Square Garden | |||||
November 24, 2013 | A Tribe Called Quest | ||||||
November 27, 2013 | Nashville | Bridgestone Arena | Kendrick Lamar | ||||
November 29, 2013 | Miami | American Airlines Arena | |||||
November 30, 2013 | Tampa | Tampa Bay Times Forum | |||||
December 1, 2013 | Atlanta | Philips Arena | |||||
December 3, 2013 | Kansas City | Sprint Center | |||||
December 5, 2013 | New Orleans | New Orleans Arena | |||||
December 6, 2013 | Dallas | American Airlines Center | |||||
December 7, 2013 | Houston | Toyota Center | |||||
December 8, 2013 | San Antonio | AT&T Center | |||||
December 10, 2013 | Phoenix | US Airways Center | |||||
December 13, 2013 | Anaheim | Honda Center | 12,503 / 12,503 | $940,846 | |||
December 17, 2013 | Chicago | United Center | 30,010 / 30,010 | $2,687,476 | |||
December 18, 2013 | |||||||
December 19, 2013 | Auburn Hills | The Palace of Auburn Hills | 11,228 / 11,228 | $832,947 | |||
December 22, 2013 | Toronto | Canada | Air Canada Centre | — | N/A | ||
December 23, 2013 | |||||||
February 13, 2014 | University Park | United States | Bryce Jordan Center | — | |||
February 14, 2014 | Baltimore | 1st Mariner Arena | |||||
February 15, 2014 | Newark | Prudential Center | |||||
February 17, 2014 | Montreal | Canada | Bell Centre | 6,173 / 7,437 | $504,130 | ||
February 18, 2014 | Hamilton | Copps Coliseum | — | — | |||
February 19, 2014 | Albany | United States | Times Union Center | ||||
February 21, 2014 | Uncasville | Mohegan Sun Arena | |||||
February 22, 2014 | Atlantic City | Boardwalk Hall | 7,789 / 10,018 | $507,157 | |||
February 23, 2014 | Uniondale | Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum | — | — | |||
Australia [16] [26] [27] | |||||||
September 5, 2014 | Perth | Australia | Perth Arena | Pusha T | 12,902 / 12,902 | $1,421,860 | |
September 7, 2014 | Adelaide | Adelaide Entertainment Centre | — | — | |||
September 9, 2014 | Melbourne | Rod Laver Arena | 22,635 / 22,635 | $2,557,370 | |||
September 10, 2014 | |||||||
September 12, 2014 | Sydney | Qantas Credit Union Arena | 22,159 / 22,159 | $2,426,320 | |||
September 13, 2014 | |||||||
September 15, 2014 | Brisbane | Brisbane Entertainment Centre | — | — |
The following individuals were involved with the production:
In February 2014, West uploaded a trailer of a film connected with the tour to his website. [39] In October 2023, Hype Williams in an interview with Complex explained why the film was never released:
So we decided we're gonna do a partnership. His job was to clear everything and then get it a distributor. My job was to shoot it. So we went and shot it. And it's based on the tour. We shot in two cities, Chicago and Toronto. And then a dress rehearsal where we were allowed to film the entirety of the concert, but with no people in the stadium. So I was literally able to shoot the details and close-ups of every costume and of every part of the show as if it was a video. I had free rein to do it, and we filmed all these things and it kind of got lost in what he was meant to do in terms of the agreement. I had to deliver the film, and he had to deliver some things that fell by the wayside. So by the time we got together, he already did The Life of Pablo. And he was like, “Yo, let’s just make this part of Life of Pablo.” So then we went and shot an additional bunch of stuff, which was the “Highlights” video. We shot a “Waves” video. We shot in Scotland. All over Iceland.
Scooter Braun and I spent six months with IMAX to release it, and when it came to the signing of it, that’s exactly when all that shit happened with Kim in Paris, and he got lost in himself and the whole thing fell to the wayside again. So no one, even Kanye, has seen Yeezus. We shot it in 2014 by the way. This is like us having like The Rolling Stones concert or some shit, or like The Beatles’ A Hard Day's Night. Like, that’s the level of movie Yeezus is, and no one has even seen it. So it may come back in a big way because that Kanye doesn’t exist anymore. So it’s historic. And by the way, it's flawless. Like, this Yeezus movie is mind-blowing like. It’s like some Pink Floyd shit. I'm lucky he allowed me to just do it. Me, him, and Drake was onstage together in Toronto for that show. It was 2014. So it'll come up in some capacity, but now it's really rock ‘n’ roll history. [40]
A Tribe Called Quest was an American hip hop group formed in Queens, New York City, in 1985, originally composed of rapper and main producer Q-Tip, rapper Phife Dawg, DJ and co-producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and rapper Jarobi White. The group is regarded as a pioneer of alternative hip hop and merging jazz with hip hop, influencing numerous hip hop and R&B musicians.
Ye is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. A subject of widespread controversy and public interest, West is a significant figure in contemporary pop culture.
GOOD Music is an American independent record label founded by rapper Kanye West in 2004. The label entered an exclusive long-term worldwide distribution contract with the Island Def Jam Music Group in 2011. In 2012, the label released its only compilation album, Cruel Summer. In 2015, Pusha T was appointed president of the label by West, while record executive Steven Victor was appointed chief operating officer (COO). In late 2022, Pusha T stepped down from the position as he was no longer on speaking terms with West.
American rapper Kanye West has released 10 studio albums, three collaborative studio albums, one compilation album, one demo album, two live albums, one video album, and five mixtapes. All ten of his studio albums have been certified at least gold in the United States. As of June 2021, West has certified 25 million equivalent solo albums units in the United States, placing him among the highest-certified music artists in the United States.
"Hey Mama" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his second studio album, Late Registration (2005). The song includes additional vocals from John Legend. West composed the song in 2000, specifically intending for it to be included on the album. The song was produced by West and Jon Brion. A ballad, it contains a sample of Donal Leace's "Today Won't Come Again". In the lyrics of the song, Kanye pays tribute to his mother, Donda West.
The Watch the Throne Tour was a co-headlining concert tour by American rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West that began on October 28, 2011 in Atlanta and continued until June 22, 2012 with its final show scheduled in Birmingham. Originally scheduled for 23 performances, the tour was expanded to 34 performances in North America due to heavy demand for tickets; 29 shows were confirmed in the United States with 5 shows in Canada. Following massive success in the United States and Canada, Jay-Z & Kanye West announced the European leg of the tour on February 21, 2012 which featured 23 performances, bringing the number of shows to 57 at the time.
Yeezus is the sixth studio album by the American rapper Kanye West. It was released on June 18, 2013, through Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records. West gathered a number of artists and close collaborators for the production, including Mike Dean, Daft Punk, Noah Goldstein, Arca, Hudson Mohawke, and Travis Scott. The album also features guest vocals from Justin Vernon, Chief Keef, Kid Cudi, Assassin, King L, Charlie Wilson, and Frank Ocean.
Donda is a creative content company founded by American rapper and fashion designer Kanye West (Ye). The company was named after West's mother, Donda West, and shares the name with his tenth studio album, released in 2021.
"Hold My Liquor" is a song by American rapper Kanye West, from his sixth studio album Yeezus (2013). It was primarily produced by West and longtime collaborator Mike Dean, who also provides a guitar solo, with additional production from Arca and Noah Goldstein. It features vocals from rapper Chief Keef and singer-songwriter Justin Vernon of Bon Iver. It is a house ballad that is built upon a pulsating synth beat with metallic stabs. In the song, West stumbles into an ex-girlfriend's home for reckless sex, with lyrics that contain references to substance abuse and issues with relationships and self-image.
"Bound 2" is a song by American rapper Kanye West, featured as the final track from his sixth studio album, Yeezus (2013). It was produced by West and Che Pope, with additional production being handled by Eric Danchick, Noah Goldstein, No ID and Mike Dean. The song features vocals from American soul singer Charlie Wilson and serves as the album's second single. "Bound 2" incorporates samples from "Bound" by Ponderosa Twins Plus One and the lines "Uh-huh, honey" and "Alright" from Brenda Lee's "Sweet Nothin's". The song also interpolates Wee's "Aeroplane (Reprise)" for the bridge, sung by Charlie Wilson.
"Blood on the Leaves" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Kanye West from his sixth studio album Yeezus (2013). In the song, West presents his thoughts on how fame can cause the destruction of relationships, while making comparisons of contemporary times to the lynching of African Americans in the United States during the pre-civil rights era. West delivers his vocals through an Auto-Tune processor, like on his 2008 album 808s & Heartbreak. It contains samples of both singer Nina Simone's 1965 rendition of Billie Holiday's song "Strange Fruit", and "R U Ready" by the duo TNGHT, who co-produced the track.
Victor Kwesi Mensah, known professionally as Vic Mensa, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Chicago, he was a member of the regional hip hop groups Kids These Days and Savemoney prior to releasing his debut solo mixtape, Innanetape (2013). As a solo artist, Mensa has been signed to Virgin EMI Records, Def Jam Recordings, Capitol Records, and Roc Nation.
"Thank You" is a song by American rapper Busta Rhymes. It was released on November 7, 2013 by Cash Money Records and Republic Records as the intended second single from his tenth studio album, Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God. The album, released October 30, 2020 by Conglomerate and Empire, excluded both "Thank You" and "#Twerkit", the album's intended lead singles.
"I'm In It" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Kanye West, from his sixth studio album, Yeezus (2013). It was produced by West, Evian Christ, Dom Solo, Noah Goldstein, Arca and Mike Dean. The song features vocals from Justin Vernon and Assassin and a sample of "Lately" by Kenny Lattimore. In the song, West describes numerous sexual fantasies using very sexually explicit lyrics. The song has received mixed reviews from music critics, with its explicit lyrics receiving the most criticism. Despite charting in the United States in 2013, the song is one of the worst performing songs on Yeezus.
The Saint Pablo Tour was the fifth concert tour by American rapper Kanye West which ran from August 25, 2016 to November 19, 2016 in support of West's seventh solo studio album, The Life of Pablo (2016). The tour was originally planned to run until December 31, 2016, but was canceled prematurely on November 21, 2016 due to West's hospitalization. It was the 18th highest-grossing tour of 2016 in North America. The shows played at The Forum in Inglewood, California were the most lucrative.
"Guilt Trip" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Kanye West, from his sixth studio album Yeezus (2013). It was produced by West, Mike Dean, S1, with an additional production credit for Travis Scott and Ackeejuice Rockers for the samples of "Chief Rocka" by Lords of the Underground and "Blocka" by Pusha T featuring Popcaan and Travis Scott. The song's lyrics deal with looking back at a failed relationship, similar to fellow Yeezus track "Blood on the Leaves". West provides his vocals through rapping and singing through an Auto-Tune processor, reminiscent of his 2008 album 808s & Heartbreak. The song includes vocals from rapper Kid Cudi, who later expressed negative opinions about his feature due to his vocals being recorded years prior.
"Coldest Winter" is a song by American record producer and vocalist Kanye West from his fourth studio album, 808s & Heartbreak (2008). The song was produced by West, with co-production from No I.D. and Jeff Bhasker. The producers served as songwriters alongside Roland Orzabal, who received a writing credit as a result of music that he wrote being interpolated. In October 2008, the song was previewed via Power 106. An electropop number, it interpolates Tears for Fears' "Memories Fade". In the lyrics, Kanye mourns the death of Donda West.
Donda is the tenth studio album by the American rapper Kanye West, released through GOOD Music on August 29, 2021, with distribution handled by Def Jam Recordings, as his final release with the label. The album features a wide range of guest performances from artists including the Weeknd, Jay-Z, Marilyn Manson, Kid Cudi, Travis Scott, Lil Yachty, Baby Keem, Playboi Carti, Jay Electronica, Lil Baby, DaBaby, Roddy Ricch, Ty Dolla Sign, Fivio Foreign, Lil Durk, Pop Smoke and Young Thug, among others; vocals from Chris Brown were also included prior to the album being updated. A deluxe edition was released on November 14, 2021 and featured guest vocals from André 3000, Tyler, the Creator, and KayCyy. West himself, as well as BoozDaBeast, Dem Jointz, Mike Dean, and Ojivolta primarily helmed the albums production. West recorded much of the material at multiple locations in the summer of 2021, including Bighorn Mountain Ranch in Wyoming and Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
"No Child Left Behind" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his tenth studio album, Donda (2021). The song includes vocals from fellow American rapper Vory. It was performed by the Sunday Service Choir on Halloween 2021, with additional contributions from Justin Bieber. In July 2021, the song was used in a Beats by Dre commercial during Game 6 of the NBA Finals, which stars Sha'Carri Richardson.
"Hurricane" is a song by American rapper Kanye West and Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd featuring fellow American rapper Lil Baby, from the former's tenth studio album Donda (2021). The song features additional vocals from the Sunday Service Choir and KayCyy. It came from a jam session at Archwood Music Studio and was passed on by Chance the Rapper to West, who shared a preview in September 2018. The song was originally slated for inclusion on West's since scrapped album, Yandhi, and went through multiple reiterations prior to release, with the final version being debuted in July 2021. On August 8, 2021, it was accidentally made available via certain streaming services before being pulled less than 24 hours later, but was officially released with the rest of the album on August 29, 2021. It was also eventually sent to US rhythmic contemporary radio stations as the album's lead single on September 14, by GOOD Music and Def Jam. An R&B, hip hop, and pop jam with an atmospheric beat, it contains organs and bass.