Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees
Blood on the leaves

I just need to clear my mind now
It's been racin' since the summertime
Now I'm holdin' down the summer now
And all I want is what I can't buy now
'Cause I ain't got the money on me right now
And I told you to wait
Yeah I told you to wait
So I'mma need a little more time now
'Cause I ain't got the money on me right now
And I thought you could wait
Yeah, I thought you could wait
These bitches surroundin' me
All want somethin' out me
Then they talk about me
Would be lost without me
We could've been somebody
Thought you'd be different 'bout it
Now I know you not it
So let's get on with it

We could've been somebody
Instead you had to tell somebody
Let's take it back to the first party
When you tried your first molly
And came out of your body
And came out of your body
Running naked down the lobby
And you was screamin' that you love me
Before the limelight tore ya
Before the limelight stole ya
Remember we were so young
When I would hold you
Before the glory
I know there ain't wrong with me
Something strange is happening

You could've been somebody
We could've ugh, we could've been somebody
Or was it all our first party
When we tried our first molly
And came out of our body
And came out of our body
Before they call lawyers
Before you tried to destroy us
How you gon' lie to the lawyers?
It's like I don't even know ya
I gotta bring it back to the 'Nolia

Fuck them other niggas 'cause I'm down with my niggas
Fuck them other niggas 'cause I'm down with my niggas
Fuck them other niggas 'cause I'm down with my niggas
I ride with my niggas, I'll die for my

To all my second string bitches, tryna get a baby
Trying to get a baby, now you talkin' crazy
I don't give a damn if you used to talk to Jay-Z
He ain't with you, he with Beyoncé, you need to stop actin' lazy
She Instagram herself like #BadBitchAlert
He Instagram his watch like #MadRichAlert
He only wanna see that ass in reverse
Two-thousand-dollar bag with no cash in your purse
Now you sittin' courtside, wifey on the other side
Gotta keep 'em separated, I call that apartheid
Then she said she impregnated, that's the night your heart died
Then you gotta go and tell your girl and report that
Main reason 'cause your pastor said you can't abort that
Now your driver say that new Benz you can't afford that
All that cocaine on the table you can't snort that
That going to that owing money that the court got
On and on that alimony, uh, yeah yeah, she got you homie, yeah
'Til death but do your part, uh, unholy matrimony

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of "Blood on the Leaves" by Kanye West, "Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees, Blood on the leaves," refer to the lynching of Black people in the southern United States. "Strange fruit" evokes the body of a Black victim hanging from a tree, while "blood on the leaves" suggests the aftermath of a violent act. The reference to lynching is significant in that it is an act of racial terrorism perpetrated to enforce white supremacy. The image of the strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees is used to suggest that the South is still steeped in a history of racism and violence, regardless of any progress made.

The rest of the lyrics of the song dwell on different themes, including the failure of relationships, the pursuit of money and fame, and the drugs and party culture. The song begins with the singer clearing his mind and holding down the summer, a symbol of good times and relaxation. However, the singer quickly becomes obsessed with the lack of money that keeps him from fulfilling his desires. He is surrounded by women who only want something from him, and he becomes disillusioned with their empty promises. He longs for a time when he could have been someone different, someone who made different choices. He regrets the way fame has changed him and the people around him.

The song is a commentary on the price of success and the danger of pursuing it untempered. It warns about the dehumanizing effect of a life of fame and the way it can alienate people from their true selves. It also points out the persistence of racism in America and the unjust treatment of Black people by the criminal justice system.

Line by Line Meaning

Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees
Referencing the bodies of black men hanging from trees as if they were strange fruit, a haunting image of racism and violence.

Blood on the leaves
A reference to the blood that was shed during lynching and violence against black people in America.

I just need to clear my mind now
Kanye is feeling overwhelmed and needs to refresh his thoughts.

It's been racin' since the summertime
Kanye has been living in a highly stressful state for a long time now, dating back several months.

Now I'm holdin' down the summer now
He is owning up to his perceived failure at keeping the world calm when he said he would.

And all I want is what I can't buy now
Kanye is grappling with his limits and the notion that there are things he cannot acquire even if he had the money.

'Cause I ain't got the money on me right now
He does not possess the necessary funds currently to acquire his wants.

And I told you to wait
Kanye presumably asked for patience from someone and they did not give it to him.

These bitches surroundin' me / All want somethin' out me
Kanye is surrounded by women who are trying to take advantage of or use him.

Then they talk about me / Would be lost without me
Women gossip amongst themselves about him and speak as if they rely on him.

Thought you'd be different 'bout it / Now I know you not it
Someone, possibly a romantic partner, disappointed Kanye by not showing up in the way he hoped or thought.

When you tried your first molly / And came out of your body
Kanye recalls a time when a girl used drugs at a party and lost control of herself.

Before the limelight tore ya / Before the limelight stole ya
Kanye is referencing his own journey to fame that involves a sense of losing oneself in the process.

Fuck them other niggas 'cause I'm down with my niggas / I ride with my niggas, I'll die for my
Kanye is pledging loyalty to his group – his closest friends and family members.

I don't give a damn if you used to talk to Jay-Z / He ain't with you, he with Beyoncé, you need to stop actin' lazy
Kanye is admonishing a woman who is bragging about past connections to important men, arguing that she needs to move on and stop expecting favors from them.

Now your driver say that new Benz you can't afford that / All that cocaine on the table you can't snort that
The song ends with a final warning against excessive materialism and drug use, emphasizing the negative consequences of surrendering oneself to social pressures and unhealthy habits.

Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, Ultra Tunes, WARP MUSIC LIMITED, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING, Hipgnosis Songs Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Craig Stephen Lawson, Antony Von Williams, Lewis Allen, Ross Birchard, Calvin Broadus, Mike Dean, Awood Magic Johnson, Jr., Malik Yusef Jones, Craig Miller, Lunice F. Pierre, Elon Rutberg, Kanye Omari West, Cydel Young

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