When Kanye West was an outsider & other stories from Jensen Karp's rap life

Nowadays, it's safe to say that rapper and producer Kanye West is a big deal. And he's more than aware. The rapper places himself on the same level of cultural importance as Pablo Picasso and Walt Disney.

But back in the early 2000s, Kanye West was among many hip hop producers trying to cross over as a performer. It was then that West produced a track for an up-and-coming rapper Jensen Karp—or Hot Karl, as he was known back in those days.

Jensen describes the story of their meeting in his latest book, Kanye West Owes Me $300 & Other True Stories From a White Rapper Who Almost Made It Big. In 2000, Jensen had a record deal with one of the biggest labels in the country, Interscope. He was on the hunt for someone to help with the production when he stumbled across Kanye West's mixtape.

"Maybe one of the reasons he wants you to think he's so amazing is because he came from such humble beginnings as far as being 'cool'"- Jensen Karp on Kanye West

"Back in 2000, there was a thing with business cards for producers. You would get CDs that say a name on them, and then they'd say if you like it, rap to them, and if you want to buy it, you've got to call them. And one of them said 'K West' on it and it said 'For Hot Karl'," Jensen told CBC's Out in the Open.

He called West and together, they recorded vocals over a track from the "business card" CD. This is how Armand Assante came into being what Jensen now calls "by far the most obscure title [Kanye] has ever worked on."

The recording session ended up being a highlight of Hot Karl's short-lived rapping career. The album was never released —according to Jensen, likely because the label didn't want another white rapper competing with Eminem, one of its best-selling artists at the time.

As for working with Kanye West, one thing that stood out to Jensen was the producer's extreme self-confidence, even in the days when he wasn't the award-winning hip-hop star he is today.

"He's just a nerd. He's the dweebiest person I'd ever worked with in hip-hop. And for me to say that, I look like I could help you with your math homework any day!" Jensen told CBC's Out in the Open.

"And now you look back and it's cute, and it's maybe one of the reasons he wants you to think he's so amazing is because he came from such humble beginnings as far as being 'cool'."