Videos of Kanye West Performing Every Year Since 2003

Follow the evolution of one of our greatest live performers.

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Image via Getty/Stefan Gosatti

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Kanye West has us questioning our allegiances. We originally published this feature back in 2015, and decided in 2018 it was due for an update.

Whether or not you can separate an artist for their art is a question everyone must answer individually, as is whether their present should affect our perspective on their past. But regardless of who he is today, Kanye's ascendance is still an epic story of hard work and talent manifest. You could see his artistic vision taking shape year after year, as the stages got more ambitious and the music branched out in unexpected directions.

At this point, we can't say whether Kanye will ever tour again. But even in that worst case scenario, he's already given us 15 years of greatness. Here are videos of Kanye performing every year since 2003. 

2003

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Kanye performed at Howard University's homecoming in 2003, accompanied by a young John Legend on the keyboard. We see Kanye performing hits like "All Falls Down" and "Gold Digger" to a crowd that seemed to already know they were in the presence of greatness (the cameraperson's shaky hand is another indication).  Kanye also connects with the crowd by talking about his loans and running through some of his production hits to that point, like Ludacris' "Stand Up." 

2004

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2004 marked Kanye's entrance into the mainstream. "Jesus Walks" was just taking off, and Kanye arrived at Dave Chappelle's Block Party ready to keep the momentum going. 

This performance is one of the best parts of a great documentary—With some help from John Legend, Common, Questlove, and a full band (the performance is also intercut with marches from the Central State University Marching Band), Kanye fends off the rain and has the Brooklyn crowd dancing in their ponchos. 

2005

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Kanye spent the end of 2005 on the Touch The Sky tour, but in December, he made an unannounced stop at a Santa Monica high school. It's a simple setup—just a DJ, mic, and Ye—but that's all he needed. "Heard 'Em Say" is a highlight, but the real moment comes during "Jesus Walks," just before the eight-minute mark. Kanye leaves the stage to do some dancing in the grass, unbothered by the lax security or flimsy plastic fencing. A weird coincidence: Kanye's performing in front of a building that houses the "Drake Pool."

2006

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Kanye, Jamie Foxx, and a marching band performed a huge version of "Gold Digger" at the 2006 Grammy Awards. Kanye's star was rising fast, and he was more than ready to deliver the theatrics to match. The drumline marches through the crowd and Foxx plays the hype man before Kanye makes his entrance, complete with a baton and shako with extra plumage.

2007

LeBron James was on hand to introduce Kanye for what would accidentally become a legendary performance. Mr. West was on Saturday Night Live performing "Everything I Am" when he tripped up during the second verse.

He quickly recovered, but rather than perform the recorded lyrics, Kanye started freestyling. References to LeBron and Kanye's security guard Barry prove this is indeed off top, and he wins the crowd over as a result. It's one of Kanye's more human and endearing moments. 

2008

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2008 Kanye was in a darker place, after losing his mother and breaking up with fiancée Alexis Phifer. But he was still capable of creating incredible art, evidenced by 808s & Heartbreak and this elaborate, white-tuxed performance at the Europe Music Awards. This was a moment of foreshadowing, where Kanye's passion put any questions about his music on ice. That variation at 1:05 should have made it into the final cut. 

2009

2009, otherwise known as the year Kanye cut off Taylor Swift at the VMAs. Seven months before he turned heel, Kanye performed "Swagga Like Us" with M.I.A., Jay Z, and T.I. at the Grammys. Kanye was already embracing his braggadocious personality, and this performance—flanked by the biggest stars in music—was the perfect in-your-face celebration. 

2010

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2010 marked the release of what is largely regarded as Kanye's best album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Here's his first performance of "Runaway" at the 2010 VMAs, where he brought out Pusha T and a whole crew of ballet dancers. The combination of stage setup and song made this one of the best award show performances ever.

2011

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Kanye and Jay-Z performed "Otis" from Watch the Throne on MTV's VMA Awards. They paid homage to the song's iconic video in the process—the album had been released a couple of weeks earlier, and Jay and Kanye were on top of the world. Here's hoping we see these two share the stage again soon. 

2012

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The leather pants Kanye was in full effect in 2012. Watch The Throne had been out for months, and the accompanying tour had Kanye reaching back into is discography—especially when Rihanna joined him onstage in London. They unleash a fiery version of  "All Of The Lights," and there's even an early Kim Kardashian sighting—catch her watching from the side of the stage around the 2:30 mark. 

2013

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Back on Saturday Night Live, Kanye performed an unreleased song off of Yeezus, "New Slaves." It was a very different Kanye that took the stage this time—a more serious Kanye, with a forceful message and an industrial, militant sound. There's no freestyling this time. He doesn't dance; he barely even moves. The minimal showmanship during the set allowed Kanye to highlight the song's powerful lyrics and important subject matter.

2014

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Kanye spent the end of 2013 and much of 2014 touring off Yeezus. It was the most ambitious and epic tour of his career to that point, complete with mountains, bejeweled masks, and Jesus. The attention to detail was truly impressive and fans were treated to the new album as well as classic from his catalog like "Mercy," "Can't Tell Me Nothing," and "Through The Wire." 

For the Sydney, Australia show, Kanye also brought out Pusha T as part of a 15-minute long version of "Runaway," later adding that this is the "best show of his life so har."

2015

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Kanye branched out into a number of different genres in 2015. He released contemplative songs like "Only One" and the Rihanna/Paul McCartney collab "FourFiveSeconds," but his best performance came in February at the BRIT Awards. There were rumors West would be performing new material, but nobody expected those flamethrowers. Or that he would bring out a mob of England's leading rap luminaries (Novelist, Skepta, and Stormzy among them). "All Day" never made it onto an album, but this performance left us picking our jaws off the floor. 

2016

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2016 was a pivotal year in Kanye West's career and life. He released The Life of Pablo, publicly admitted to owing millions in debt, saw his Yeezy fashion line endure criticism and fainting spells, cut a concert short upon learning his wife had been robbed and held at gunpoint, came out in support of Donald Trump, canceled the back end of a worldwide tour for health reasons, and was hospitalized in December.

It was also the year he redefined the live experience. The Saint Pablo tour was nothing short of astounding, and featured a first-of-its-kind flying stage that allowed Kanye to cover over his mosh-ready crowds. The video we chose isn't the greatest quality, but it gives you a good feel for the energy in the pit. Travis Scott, Kevin Durant, and DJ Khaled were among many big names who couldn't resist going under the stage, and the tour will be remembered as yet another groundbreaking moment for West. 

2017

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This was the first time we had seen Kanye since he endorsed Trump during the Saint Pablo tour's Sacramento stop in 2016. Cudi was playing the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago on his Passion, Pain, & Demon Slayin' tour, and the two artists played "Father Stretch My Hands Pt. I." It was a relief to see him on stage with a friend, in his hometown. 

2018

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The pair linked up again earlier this year. Back in February, everything seemed to be on the up—Kanye made a surprise appearance alongside Kid Cudi to perform "Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1" in L.A. during the NBA All-Star Game. 

Mr. West left the stage soon after the song, but the sighting was a reminder that these two have a friendship that can weather most storms, and that at the end of the day, Kanye can't stay away from the music.

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