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Kanye West Lyrics


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I brought you brothers here to start our own fraternity
Broke Phi Broke, we ain't got it
Broke Phi Broke (we ain't got it)
No, we have no money
We are sharin' jeans
If I go outside, I got the only clothing on
How many cars do we own? (None!)
How many cars do we own? (None, sir!)
Should we let our woman go and be with the cat in the car?
Yes, we will
Why? Because we can't afford gas, say it with me
(We can't afford no gas!)
Say it!




(We can't afford no gas!)
So we ain't drivin'!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the skit in "Broke Phi Broke" by Kanye West ft Paul Wall and GLC, are a satire on the life of struggling college students who are unable to afford even the most basic necessities. Kanye has brought his fellow "brothers" together to form a "fraternity" of their own, which is ironic given that they cannot afford any of the typical trappings of fraternities like fancy houses or cars.


The refrain "Broke Phi Broke, we ain't got it" is a repetition of their dire financial state. The verses go on to detail their lack of funds, sharing clothes and the fact that if anyone were to go outside, they would be the only one wearing clothing.


When the group is asked how many cars they own, the answer is none, which is followed by a call and response of "We can't afford no gas!" The skit highlights the financial struggles of young people, particularly those attending college, who have to choose between basic necessities and luxuries such as owning a car.


Overall, the song is a humorous take on a serious issue, shedding light on the struggles of many young people who are either in college or just starting out in adult life.


Line by Line Meaning

I brought you brothers here to start our own fraternity
I gathered you all here so that we can form our own brotherhood


Broke Phi Broke, we ain't got it
We don't have any money, we are poor


Broke Phi Broke (we ain't got it)
Again, we don't have any money


No, we have no money
We are broke, we don't have any money


We are sharin' jeans
We are so poor, we have to share clothes


If I go outside, I got the only clothing on
If I go outside, I am wearing the only clothes I have


How many cars do we own? (None!)
We don't own any cars


How many cars do we own? (None, sir!)
Still, we don't own any cars


Should we let our woman go and be with the cat in the car?
Should we allow our wives to leave us for a man who has a car?


Yes, we will
We will allow them to leave us


Why? Because we can't afford gas, say it with me
The reason is that we can't afford to buy gasoline, let's say it together


(We can't afford no gas!)
We cannot afford to buy any gasoline


Say it!
Repeat it after me


(We can't afford no gas!)
Again, we cannot afford to buy any gasoline


So we ain't drivin'!
Therefore, we cannot drive anywhere




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Kanye West

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

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All comments from YouTube:

@hiphopdx

There is something beautifully full circle of seeing Ye's daughter create something like this. And to see Ty and his daughter... Am I the only one tearing up right now?

@ashleytrentdg

Ye is a nazi.

@theyluvlilz

Round and round

@theyluvlilz

@expum5087

She wouldn't have any of this if her parents weren't Kanye and Kim. She's a nepo baby.

@vsopsleep5337

Nope😢

600 More Replies...

@meliabrooks12

To know Kanye lost his mom his #1 person in his life to now getting that unconditional love thru North is everything.

@fayelosophy

I appreciate the concept, but that's a lot to put on a child

@meliabrooks12

@@fayelosophy how? Do you have a kid or kids ? Your kids automatically give you unconditional love just like we love them unconditional.

@fayelosophy

@meliabrooks12  that is true. However comparing a child to a mother gives parentified child vibes. Confusing those roles can cause a slough of psychological issues. We have to be careful about the expectations we put on our kids. They are not here For Us or to fulfill Our Needs as Adults.

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