Ye (born Kanye Omari West on June 8, 1977, in Atlanta, Georgia), profession… Read Full Bio ↴Ye (born Kanye Omari West on June 8, 1977, in Atlanta, Georgia), professionally known as Kanye West, is a Grammy award-winning American rapper, producer, singer, author, director, performance artist and fashion designer.

West began making beats and rapping in the early 90s in his hometown of Chicago, Illinois, when he formed the rap group Go Getters with Chicago natives GLC and Really Doe. He later gained nationwide popularity through his work in New York, where he began producing tracks for artists such as Jay-Z, Twista, Mase, Talib Kweli and Alicia Keys.

West's style of production often utilizes pitched-up vocal samples, usually from soul songs, with his drums and instruments. The first major label song he produced was The Truth by Beanie Sigel, and his first major release featuring his trademark vocal sampling style was This Can’t Be Life, a track from Jay-Z’s The Dynasty: Roc La Familia. West said he sped up the drum beat of Dr. Dre’s Xxplosive to use as a replacement for his drums on This Can’t Be Life.

West has said that Wu-Tang Clan producer RZA influenced him in his style, and has said on numerous occasions that Wu-Tang rappers Ghostface Killah and Ol’ Dirty Bastard were some of his all-time favorites. Said Kanye West: “Wu-Tang? Me and my friends talk about this all the time… We think Wu-Tang had one of the biggest impacts as far as a movement. From slang to style of dress, skits, the samples. Similar to the [production] style I use, RZA has been doing that.”

In 2004 (after being pushed aside by many record companies who felt he wasn't a marketable hip-hop artist), he managed to release his debut solo album, The College Dropout on Roc-A-Fella Records. The album received critical acclaim, including 10 Grammy nominations and the awards for Album of the Year and Best Rap Album, as well as defining the style for which West would become known: "wordplay" and heavy sampling of the 70s soul and RnB tracks.

Not content to rest on his laurels, West invested two million dollars and hired a string orchestra to help with his latest effort, Late Registration (2005). West collaborated with Jon Brion to help develop the sound of the album, despite his lack of experience in hip hop production. The album received widespread acclaim like its predecessor and again claimed the Best Rap Album award at the Grammys.

West was no stranger to controversy, such as storming out at the 2004 American Music Awards after not receiving Best New Artist, but just days after the release of his second studio album, West began embroiled in a major controversy after going off-script during Hurricane Katrina broadcast, proclaiming "George Bush doesn't care about black people", which Bush claimed was "one the most disgusting moments of my presidency". In January 2006, West posed on the cover of Rolling Stone wearing a crown of thorns, once again attracting controversy.

For his third release, West was keen to produce songs that could be used more effectively when performing in arenas. For Graduation, the third and ultimately final entry into his 'Dropout Bear' series, West drew musical inspiration from The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash. In the lead up to the album he became involved in a friendly rivalry with 50 Cent over which of the two artists' upcoming albums would sell more, as they were both released on the same day. West ultimately sold 957,000 copies in the first week of release, outselling Curtis by a large margin. The albums lead single "Stronger" sampled Daft Punk, and was West's third number one on Billboard 200. Many proclaim West's 'victory' over 50 Cent to be the 'death' of gangster rap as the dominant hip hop subgenre.

Following the death of his mother, Donda West, and the end of his engagement to long term partner Alexis Phifer, West abandoned his initial plan to release a fourth album entitled Good Ass Job, and shocked his fans by releasing 808s and Heartbreak, which was full of autotune singing, extensive use of the TR-808 drum machine, themes of love, loss and loneliness and very little rapping. It received slightly more mixed reviews than his previous efforts, but many critics cite 808s and Heartbreak as the catalyst for a new wave of rappers, most prominently Drake, due to its themes which were uncommon in mainstream hip-hop.

West's grief seemed to lead to a spiral out of control which culminated in him storming on stage at the 2009 VMAs to interrupt Taylor Swift's award acceptance speech to proclaim that Beyoncé deserved the award instead, in a move that is infamous in pop culture and was vilified by the entire world in the aftermath. West disappeared from the public eye following this, and his upcoming tour with Lady Gaga was cancelled. The disgraced West, who was described as a 'jackass' by President Obama, seemed to have much work to do to return to the his former glory, but he was about to embark on what some critics consider to be the best run of his career.

West holed up in Hawaii for a few months and worked tirelessly to produce what many consider to be his magnum opus. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, West's fifth studio album, was released in November 2010 to rave reviews from critics, which solidified his comeback. In stark contrast to his previous effort, which featured a minimalist sound, Dark Fantasy adopts a maximalist philosophy and deals with themes of celebrity and excess. The record included the international hit All of the Lights, and Billboard hits Power, Monster, and Runaway, the latter of which accompanied a 35-minute film of the same name. During this time, West initiated the free music program G.O.O.D. Fridays through his website, offering a free download of previously unreleased songs each Friday of the week, a portion of which were included on the album. Dark Fantasy went on to go platinum in the United States, but its omission as a contender for Album of the Year at the 54th Grammy Awards was viewed as a "snub" by several media outlets.

Following a headlining set at Coachella 2011 that was described by The Hollywood Reporter as "one of greatest hip-hop sets of all time," West released the collaborative album Watch the Throne with Jay-Z. By employing a sales strategy that released the album digitally weeks before its physical counterpart, Watch the Throne became one of the few major label albums in the Internet age to avoid a leak. Niggas in Paris became the record's highest charting single, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2012, West released the compilation album Cruel Summer, a collection of tracks by artists from West's record label GOOD Music. Cruel Summer produced four singles, two of which charted within the top twenty of the Hot 100: Mercy and Clique. West also directed a film of the same name that premiered at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival in custom pyramid-shaped screening pavilion featuring seven screens.

Sessions for West's sixth solo effort begin to take shape in early 2013 in his own personal loft's living room at a Paris hotel. Determined to "undermine the commercial," he once again brought together close collaborators and attempted to incorporate Chicago drill, dancehall, acid house, and industrial music. Primarily inspired by architecture, West's perfectionist tendencies led him to contact producer Rick Rubin fifteen days shy of its due date to strip down the record's sound in favor of a more minimalist approach. Initial promotion of his sixth album included worldwide video projections of the album's music and live television performances.

Yeezus, West's sixth album, was released June 18, 2013 to rave reviews from critics. It became the rapper's sixth consecutive number one debut. Def Jam issued "Black Skinhead" to radio in July 2013 as the album's lead single. On September 6, 2013, Kanye West announced he would be headlining his first solo tour in five years, to support Yeezus, with fellow American rapper Kendrick Lamar, accompanying him along the way.

In November 2013, West stated that he was working on and recording his next studio album. The album was to be produced by Rick Rubin and Q-Tip.. Kanye released a single entitled "Only One", on December 31, 2014 featuring Paul McCartney, as well as collaborating with McCartney on the Rihanna track " FourFiveSeconds", released in January 2015. West appeared on the SNL 40th Anniversary Special on February 15th 2015 to debut a new song Wolves, featuring Sia Furler and Vic Mensa. Another single, entitled "All Day" was released on March 2, 2015, again featuring McCartney as well as Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom. In June of the same year, Kanye headlined the Glastonbury Festival in the UK, which garnered much outrage including a petition with 135,000 signatures against his appearance, leading to West declaring he was "the greatest living rock star on the planet" towards the end of his set, and the performance receiving a mixed reaction among fans and critics, due to its controversy. In September 2015, West performed {album artist kanye west]808s and Heartbreak in its entirety at the Hollywood Bowl over two nights, which received rave reviews a featured a 60 person orchestra, guests such as Kid Cudi and Mr Hudson, and over 70 dancers. West released "Facts" at the turn of the new year.

West had originally stated that his upcoming album would be called 'So Help Me God' before changing the title to 'SWISH' and announcing that it would be released on February 11th. In January 2016 he released "Real Friends" and "No More Parties in LA", featuring Kendrick Lamar. As well as renaming the album once again to "Waves", West became involved in several twitter controversies in the lead up to the album, including with rapper Wiz Khalifa after he suggested that West had stolen the idea of the wave from other artists and seemingly dissed Kim Kardashian, which later turned out to be a misunderstanding over the use of "KK". West again changed the name of the album just days before it's release, this time to "{album artist=kanye west]The Life of Pablo", and debuted it at Madison Square Garden on February 11, but delayed it's release for a few days. On February 14, West released the album are a performance on SNL. West initially claimed the album was to be a Tidal exclusive, but it was later released on other streaming platforms, although it is yet to receive a physical release. West continued to tinker with the mixing and production of the album even after it was released, and it was updated several times, including the final song "Saint Pablo" in June 2016. West had also made public his plans to release an album in the summer of 2016, entitled "Turbo Grafx 16", based on the 1990s games console, which never surfaced, although he did release a single thought to be from the upcoming G.O.O.D. Music album "Cruel Winter", called Champions. In the same month, a video for "Famous" was released, including nude wax figures of celebrities such as West, Kim Kardashian, Taylor Swift, Donald Trump, Chris Brown, Rihanna, Bill Cosby and George W. Bush.

In August 2016, West embarked on the ambitious Saint Pablo Tour, which included a mobile stage suspended from the ceiling. After the violent robbery of Kim's jewellery in Paris in October, West had to end a show early and postpone shows following it. In the following performances, West cancelled shows early and went on long winded rants against fellow artists such as Jay Z and Beyoncé among others, as well as making controversial political statements including implying his support for Donald Trump. On November 21st 2016, West cancelled the rest of the tour and was hospitalised due to sleep deprivation and extreme dehydration. Following this, West disappeared from social media, and only resurfaced 11 months later with a series of tweets which included many philosophical thoughts and the announcements two albums in June 2018, a solo album which would include 7 tracks on June 1, and a collaboration with Kid Cudi to be released on June 8.

On August 29th, 2021, Kanye released his 10th highly anticipated studio release Donda via GOOD Music and Def Jam Recordings after a series of three listening parties.

Personal life:
West was born in Atlanta, Georgia. When he was three years old (as mentioned in Hey Mama) his parents divorced, and he moved with his mother to Chicago, Illinois. His father, Ray West, was a former Black Panther; one of the first black photojournalists at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution; and is now a Christian counselor. Kanye’s late mother, Dr. Donda West, worked as a Professor of English at Clark Atlanta University, and the Chair of the English Department at Chicago State University before retiring to serve as Kanye’s manager. He was later raised in an upper middle class background, attending Polaris High School in suburban Oak Lawn, Illinois after living in Chicago.

After attending The American Academy of Art, a Chicago art school, West attended Chicago State University but eventually dropped out due to poor grades and to continue working on his music career. While attending school, West produced for local artists, including on rapper Grav’s debut album Down to Earth. He later gained fame by producing hit singles for major hip hop/R&B artists, including Jay-Z, Talib Kweli, Cam’ron, Paul Wall, Common, Mobb Deep, Jermaine Dupri, Scarface, The Game, Alicia Keys, Janet Jackson and John Legend among others. He also “ghost-produced” for his once mentor Deric Angelettie according to his song Last Call and the credits of Nas’ Poppa Was a Playa.

West was married to Kim Kardashian. Together they had four children: daughters named North (*2013) and Chicago (*2018); and sons named Saint (*2015) and Psalm (*2019). In 2021, Kardashian filed for divorce.

In 2020, West launched an unsuccessful independent presidential campaign that primarily advocated for a consistent life ethic. In 2022, he faced backlash and lost a number of sponsors and partnerships—including his collaborations with Adidas, Gap, and Balenciaga—after making antisemitic statements.

Family Business
Kanye West Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

How's your son? (All, all, all the thang, thang)
He made the team this year? (All, all, the thang, thang)
Aight, they said he wasn't tall enough (all, all that glitters is not gold)
Ma, we here, we gon' cook this Sunday, okay? (And all gold is not reality)
So come by (real is what you lays on me)
That's your new girlfriend?

This is family business

And this is for the family that can't be with us
And this is for my cousin locked down, know the answer's in us
That's why I spit it in my songs so sweet
Like a photo of your granny's picture
Now that you're gone, it hit us
Super hard on Thanksgiving and Christmas, this can't be right
Yeah, you heard the track I did, man, "This Can't Be Life"
Somebody please say grace so I can save face
And have a reason to cover my face
I even made you a plate, soul food, know how granny do it
Monkey bread on the side, know how the family do it
When I brought it, why the guard have to look all to it?
As kids, we used to laugh
Who knew that life would move this fast?
Who knew I'd have to look at you through a glass?
And look, you tell me you ain't did it, then you ain't did it
And if you did, then that's family business

And I don't care about (all, all, diamond rings, diamond rings)
They don't mean a thing (all, all, the thang, thang)
All these fancy things (all, all, the thang, thang)
I tell you that all my weight in gold (all, all that glitters is not gold, all good is not reality)
Now all I know, I know all these things (real is what you lays on me)

Yeah, yeah, this is family business
And this is for everybody standin' with us
Come on, let's take a family GRAMMY picture
Abi, remember when they ain't believe in me?
Now she like, "See, that's my cousin on TV"
Now, we gettin' it and we gon' make it
And they gon' hate it and I'm his favorite
I can't deny it, I'm a straight rider
But when we get together be Electric Slidin'
Grandma, get 'em shook up
Aw naw, don't open the photo book up
I got an Aunt Ruth that can't remember your name
But I bet them Polaroids'll send her down memory lane
You know that one auntie, you don't mean to be rude
But every holiday nobody eatin' her food
And you don't wanna stay there 'cause them your worst cousins
Got roaches at their crib like them your first cousins
Act like you ain't took a bath with your cousins
Fit three in the bed if it's six of y'all
I'm talkin' 'bout three by the head and three by the leg
But you ain't have to tell my girl I used to pee in the bed

Rain, rain, rain, go away (uh)
Let the sun come out and all the children say (uh)
Rain, rain, rain, go away (yeah, yeah, uh)
Let the sun come out and all the children say (yeah)

I woke up early this mornin' with a new state of mind
A creative way to rhyme without usin' nines and guns
Keep your nose out the sky, keep your heart to God
And keep your face to the risin' sun
All my niggas from the Chi, is my family, dawg
And my niggas ain't my guys, they my family, dawg
I feel like one day you'll understand me, dawg
You can still love your man and be manly, dawg
You ain't gotta get heated at every housewarmin'
Sittin' here, grillin' people like George Foreman
Why Uncle Ray and Aunt Shiela always performin'?
Second she storm out then he storms in
Y'all gon' sit down, have a good time this reunion
And drink some wine like Communion
And act like everything fine and if it isn't
We ain't lettin' everybody in our family business, uh

(All, all, diamond rings, diamond rings)
They don't mean a thing (all, all, all the thang, thang)
They don't mean a thing (all, all, all the thang, thang, thang)
(All, all that glitters is not gold, all gold is not reality)
They don't mean a thing, a thing (real is what you lays on me)
And I don't care about (all, all, diamond rings, diamond rings)
They don't mean a thing (all, all, all the thang, thang)
All these fancy things (all, all, all the thang, thang, thang)
I tell you that all my weight in gold (all, all that glitters is not gold, all good is not reality)
Now all I know, I know all these things (real is what you lays on me)

All these things (all these things)
CLK Mercedes Benz
These things (all these things)
All these things (all these things)
All these things (these things)
A whole lotta money
All these things (all these things)
Mommy and daddy, can you please stop fighting?
These things (and I don't care about)
All these things (these things)
All these things (all these things)

These things
Let's get Stevie out of jail

Overall Meaning

In Kanye West's song "Family Business," the rapper fondly reminisces about his family and their traditions. The song speaks to the importance of family and the unbreakable bond between relatives, even in difficult times. The opening lines of the song show Kanye asking about his family member's son and congratulating him on making the team again. He then invites his mother over for Sunday dinner with the family and mentions the new girlfriend of one of his relatives.

The chorus of the song, "And I don't care about all these other things, all I know is what's real to me," speaks to the importance of real connections and relationships rather than material possessions. Kanye raps about family members locked in prison or deceased, and how their absence is felt greatly during holidays. He also touches on difficult family relationships, including relatives he doesn't get along with and the dynamics between his parents.

Line by Line Meaning

How's your son? (All, all, all the thang, thang)
Asking about the son, shows Kanye's interest in family and being connected.

He made the team this year? (All, all, the thang, thang)
Asks about his son's position on the team, showing that he wants the best for him.

Aight, they said he wasn't tall enough (all, all that glitters is not gold)
Acknowledges that the son may have difficulties but being tall isn't everything and that external glitz can be revealing.

Ma, we here, we gon' cook this Sunday, okay? (And all gold is not reality)
Inviting his mother over for a Sunday meal by confirming that reality is what matters, not material possessions.

So come by (real is what you lays on me)
Encourages his mother to stop by so that they can enjoy each other's company and reinforces this by saying that authenticity and genuineness are what matters in their relationship.

That's your new girlfriend?
Asking about a family member's new girlfriend, showing his concern and care for their family members.

This is family business
Singing the song's title, Kanye highlights that the song is about the importance of family and staying true to that bond.

And this is for the family that can't be with us
Dedicates the song to any absent family members who they dearly miss, showing Kanye's affection for the family.

And this is for my cousin locked down, know the answer's in us
Bringing attention to his cousin who is in jail by saying that the family will band together and overcome any challenges.

That's why I spit it in my songs so sweet / Like a photo of your granny's picture
Kanye says he sings about the significance of family so passionately, like how you would cherish a photo of your deceased grandmother.

Now that you're gone, it hit us / Super hard on Thanksgiving and Christmas, this can't be right
The absence of a family member is especially painful during the holidays, and Kanye is finding it difficult to cope with the enormity of his feelings.

Yeah, you heard the track I did, man, "This Can't Be Life"
Referring to one of his earlier songs, where he explores the grief and trauma associated with death and the impact it has on family members.

Somebody please say grace so I can save face / And have a reason to cover my face / I even made you a plate, soul food, know how granny do it / Monkey bread on the side, know how the family do it / When I brought it, why the guard have to look all to it?
Trying to hide his emotions at the dinner table, as he talks about offering grace to cover his pain. He also recounts when his family would gather for meals, emphasizing how food is a way to bond with and demonstrate love for one another

As kids, we used to laugh / Who knew that life would move this fast?
Reflecting on how fast time has passed and how simple it used to be back when he was growing up with his family.

Who knew I'd have to look at you through a glass?
Remembering his family members who are in jail, feeling disconnected and sad.

And look, you tell me you ain't did it, then you ain't did it / And if you did, then that's family business
Trying to put to rest any accusations or doubt between family members by saying that, if it was a mistake, they are family, and they would work through it.

And I don't care about (all, all, diamond rings, diamond rings) / They don't mean a thing (all, all, the thang, thang)
Material possessions have no real value in the context of family.

All these fancy things (all, all, the thang, thang) / I tell you that all my weight in gold (all, all that glitters is not gold, all good is not reality)
Reiterating that material possessions have no real value, and their connection as a family unit is worth much more

Now all I know, I know all these things (real is what you lays on me)
What Kanye values most are the genuine connections that exist within his family, not material possessions.

Yeah, yeah, this is family business / And this is for everybody standin' with us
Kanye acknowledges that other people stand with him and his family in times of difficulty, but fundamentally, he knows that family is the mainstay of support.

Come on, let's take a family GRAMMY picture
Kanye invites his family to take a picture, highlighting that they are as important as any other accomplishments or accolades.

Abi, remember when they ain't believe in me? / Now she like, "See, that's my cousin on TV"
Kanye celebrates his success and how far he has come, to the point where his own cousin now proudly talks about him on TV.

Now, we gettin' it and we gon' make it / And they gon' hate it and I'm his favorite
Acknowledging that some people will hate on his family's success, but ultimately, the family supports one another and takes care of each other.

I can't deny it, I'm a straight rider / But when we get together be Electric Slidin'
Despite being strong and independent, Kanye is able to enjoy himself and be sentimental with his family when they get together, reliving happy moments.

Grandma, get 'em shook up / Aw naw, don't open the photo book up
Kanye humorously expresses concern that showing family albums might reveal moments that they would prefer to leave in the past.

I got an Aunt Ruth that can't remember your name / But I bet them Polaroids'll send her down memory lane
Reminding himself that, even when family members forget things, photos can provide reminiscence and evoke warm feelings.

You know that one auntie, you don't mean to be rude / But every holiday nobody eatin' her food
Everyone has that one family member who struggles to cook and the rest of the family can't have her food without being politely averted.

And you don't wanna stay there 'cause them your worst cousins / Got roaches at their crib like them your first cousins
Even Kanye's worst cousins feel like family, and he is acknowledging that he wouldn't want any of them to feel excluded from this bond.

Act like you ain't took a bath with your cousins / Fit three in the bed if it's six of y'all / I'm talkin' 'bout three by the head and three by the leg / But you ain't have to tell my girl I used to pee in the bed
Reminiscing about the silly moments of childhood with his family and teasing his girlfriend at the same time.

Rain, rain, rain, go away (uh) / Let the sun come out and all the children say (uh)
Incorporating a children's nursery rhyme to show that sometimes the simplest things like a sunny day is what the family wants to see, a sign of hope.

I woke up early this mornin' with a new state of mind / A creative way to rhyme without usin' nines and guns / Keep your nose out the sky, keep your heart to God / And keep your face to the risin' sun
Reflecting on his own personal growth by saying that he has resolved to create new forms of art and poetry while shunning guns and emphasizing that faith and hope will guide him and his family.

And my niggas ain't my guys, they my family, dawg
Underscores his close-knit relationship with his friends, whom he regards as family.

You can still love your man and be manly, dawg
Throws light on how masculinity doesn't have to be toxic and that it is absolutely possible to be emotionally available and love someone while still being considered manly.

Why Uncle Ray and Aunt Shiela always performin'? / Second she storm out then he storms in
Noticing the typical argumentation and quarreling that one witnesses during family gatherings, and how there is always someone eager to cause a scene.

Y'all gon' sit down, have a good time this reunion / And drink some wine like Communion / And act like everything fine and if it isn't / We ain't lettin' everybody in our family business, uh
Urging his family to enjoy each other's company while emphasizing that, if there are any problems, they should work it out internally, without taking drama outside the family.

(All, all, diamond rings, diamond rings) / They don't mean a thing (all, all, the thang, thang)
Reiterates how family bonds and memories are of greater significance than material goods (in this case, diamond rings).

All these fancy things (all, all, the thang, thang) / All these things (all these things)
The accumulation of material things only obscures the deeper sense of meaning that encompasses family.

CLK Mercedes Benz / These things (all these things) / All these things (these things) / A whole lotta money / Mommy and daddy, can you please stop fighting? / These things (and I don't care about) / These things
Being sarcastic about how there is anything more important than a family crisis, even the luxurious life his career has bought him. Elsewhere in the song, he emphasizes that he doesn't care about such things anyway.

Let's get Stevie out of jail
Ends on a somber note by mentioning wanting to help a member of the family who is in jail. The song as a whole is a celebration of family, but this dark note serves as a reminder of the harsh realities that families can face.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Kanye West

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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