photo by steed media service

CHICAGO – Freshly removed from his very public bludgeoning of his hip-hop counterpart 50 Cent, an album sales war which reduced the gangsta rapper to loose pocket change, superstar Kanye West was honored by the Chicago chapter of the Recording Academy. The academy awarded the six-time Grammy winner for his brilliant and innovative contribution to the world of music. With his idol and legend at his side, producer virtuoso Jimmy Jam, West received a Chicago Chapter Recording Academy Honors 2007 Award, along with local legends; eclectic rock band Cheap Trick and Metro/Smart bar owner Joe Shanahan. West was recognized for his “use of vintage R&B samples and live instrumentation” and production wizardry. The 30-year-old multiplatinum West has collaborated and/or performed with pre-eminent cultural influencers of the modern musical era, including Janet Jackson, Jay-Z, Jamie Foxx, Eminem, Ludacris, U2 and the Police. West’s third album, Graduation, sold upwards of 1.5 million albums in its first week. - terry shropshire

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