Watch Kanye West Rap at Fat Beats in 1996

Years before Kanye West was the tabloid target he is now, he was a skilled struggling rapper like many others. This recently-released video footage of a young Kanye rapping at a Fat Beats record store get-together is proof. During the festivities for the opening of the Fat Beats on Sixth Avenue in 1996, a hungry Kanye jumped in front of a crowd to spit a hardcore verse as a DJ supplied live boom-bap behind him. The Kanye showcased in this nearly-20-year-old clip was nowhere near the monolithic Yeezus figure we see today, but even as a young kid Kanye had a great deal of talent. You can watch the entire footage of Kanye’s performance at Fat Beats above.