Get in line Chaka, the line of people who don’t like Kanye is getting more expansive by the week
Despite being one of the most successful singers and songwriters of the past 50 years, Chaka Khan is still holding a grudge about her sampled vocals used on the 2003 Kanye West song, “Through the Wire.”
Khan has previously expressed her disdain for the song in multiple interviews during the last decade. But during her interview with Fox 5 Washington DC, she took the opportunity to express it one more time while promoting her new song “Woman Like Me.”
When asked if she’s heard from West since her public criticism, she said, “I’m not looking to hear from Kanye, either. No, I’ve not heard from him and I’m not looking to hear from him. That’s what he did. That’s what he did with his music. I was upset about sounding like a chipmunk, ‘cause he didn’t put that when he asked [if] he could use my, sample my song. He didn’t mention that he was gonna speed it up three times its normal speed.”
That “chipmunk sound” that Chaka is referring to is the singer’s high-pitched octave on the song, which was popular with Kanye and other hip-hop producers at the time.
It’s wild that despite Chaka’s anger this entire time, she agreed to perform with Kanye at the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards. Apparently, she wasn’t mad enough then.
The popular song was the first hit record from West and launched the Chicago rapper into superstardom after the release of his debut album College Dropout. The song samples Chaka’s 1984 song, “Through the Fire.” Many consider it to be the most important song in the history of Kanye’s career.