West's second and third studio albums, Late Registration (2005) and Graduation (2007), both debuted at the top of the Billboard 200, with the latter becoming his most commercially successful to date. Three of his subsequent albums—808s & Heartbreak (2008), My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010), and The Life of Pablo (2016)—were certified triple platinum, while Yeezus (2013) was certified double platinum. Although not as well-received critically as his previous works, Ye (2018), Jesus Is King (2019), and Donda (2021) continued West's streak of consecutive number-one debuts on the Billboard 200. West has also released collaborative albums including Watch the Throne (2011) with Jay-Z, Kids See Ghosts (2018) with Kid Cudi, and Vultures 1 and Vultures 2 (2024) with Ty Dolla Sign. In fashion design, he has collaborated with Nike, Inc., Louis Vuitton, and Gap Inc. on clothing and footwear, and led the Yeezy collaboration with Adidas.
One of the world's best-selling music artists with 160 million records sold, West has won 24 Grammy Awards, the joint 11th-most of all time and the most awarded for any hip hop artist along with Jay-Z. His other accolades include a Billboard Artist Achievement Award, a joint-record three Brit Awards for Best International Male Solo Artist, and the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. West holds the joint record with Bob Dylan for most albums (four) topping the annual Pazz & Jop critic poll. Time named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2005 and 2015. West's first six solo albums were included on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list in 2020, with the same publication naming him one of the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time.
West's outspoken views have received significant media coverage. He has been a frequent source of controversy due to his conduct on social media, at award shows, and in public settings, as well as his comments on the music and fashion industries, U.S. politics, race, and slavery. His Christian faith, high-profile marriage to Kim Kardashian, and mental health have also been topics of media attention. In 2020, West launched an unsuccessful independent presidential campaign that advocated for a consistent life ethic. In October 2022, he was widely condemned and lost many sponsors and partnerships, including his collaborations with Adidas, Gap, and Balenciaga, after making a series of antisemitic statements, including denying the Holocaust.
Fire
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Won't be gettin' sleep tonight
And I'm crying as I write this
Prayin' for my brothers
Locked up, fighting fires
My heart goes out to all the daughters
Missin' all our fathers
‘Cause the prisoners fighting fires
(My soul)
And I might be biased
But I feel God standin' by us
And the prisoners fighting fires (My soul)
And I might be biased, but my soul
Needs you Lord, Jesus come now, take control
(Take control of my soul)
Oh, woah, woah, woah, woah, woah, woah
What if I start off the track
Hum the beginning mutter the middle part
And mumble the ending?
It just feels better in my humblе opinion
Much more n-words, but humble beginnings
Makе you act like the n-word
That's why you stayed injured
That's why you stay in court and
Go to the pen for it
Before I forget, let me go get a pen for it
Cancel culture, before I get censored
All I really meant for is you to get mentored
Before you get sentenced
Before you get sent for it
Remember this sentence, remember repentance
(My Soul)
Only God can judge you, only Jesus is Lord
Over in Thanville, Stateville, Taylorville
Lanyard we're mass targeted, mass marketed
Mass incarceration
Massive police stations, mass incorporated
Take control of my soul (My soul)
And I might be biased
But I feel God standin' by us (My soul)
And I might be biased, but my soul
Needs you Lord, Jesus come now, take control
(Take control of my soul)
And I might be biased
But I feel God standin' by us (My soul)
And I might be biased, but my soul
Needs you Lord, Jesus come now, take control
(Take control of my soul)
Oh, woah, woah, woah, woah, woah, woah oh
In "Fighting Fires," Kanye West reflects on the plight of prisoners, specifically those who have been trained to fight fires but are still incarcerated. This song, featuring the Sunday Service Choir, is a commentary on the prison-industrial complex and the impact it has on the lives of those who are affected by it, from those who are incarcerated to their families and loved ones.
The chorus sung by the choir serves as a prayer for those who are living in correctional facilities, separated from their loved ones. The heartache is palpable in the lyrics “My heart goes out to all the daughters/Missin' all our fathers/Never seen their loved ones/‘Cause the prisoners fighting fires”. Here, West is expressing empathy with those who are separated from their families and the pain that it causes.
The remainder of the lyrics serves as a call to action, with West urging his listeners to be mindful of their biases and to work towards helping those who are unfairly targeted by the prison system. He also calls on Jesus to "take control of his soul," highlighting the spiritual nature of the track while also reminding us that there is still hope amidst the bleak reality of mass incarceration.
Overall, "Fighting Fires" by Kanye West and the Sunday Service Choir is a powerful song that speaks truth to power. Through its lyrics, it highlights the urgent need for prison reform and the importance of empathizing with those who are impacted by mass incarceration.
Line by Line Meaning
My soul, my soul
The innermost part of my being is troubled
Won't be gettin' sleep tonight
I'll be restless and unable to sleep tonight
And I'm crying as I write this
I'm shedding tears while putting my thoughts into words
Prayin' for my brothers
I'm asking for God's help and protection for my fellow men
Locked up, fighting fires
Those who are imprisoned, fighting wildfires put their lives on the line every day
My heart goes out to all the daughters
I empathize with all the daughters who are without their fathers
Missin' all our fathers
We feel the absence of our fathers greatly
Never seen their loved ones
Many prisoners have never had the chance to see or spend time with their loved ones
‘Cause the prisoners fighting fires
The prisoners who are fighting fires are often unable to see their families
And I might be biased
It's possible that my views could be slanted
But I feel God standin' by us
I sense that God is watching over and supporting us
And the prisoners fighting fires (My soul)
Those who are in prison but fighting fires are present in my thoughts
And I might be biased, but my soul
Although my perspective may not be completely objective, I feel strongly that
Needs you Lord, Jesus come now, take control
I require divine intervention to put things right
(Take control of my soul)
I relinquish control to a higher power
Oh, woah, woah, woah, woah, woah, woah
Vocalization
What if I start off the track
Suppose I began the song in a certain way
Hum the beginning mutter the middle part
I hum the start and mumble the middles of the music
And mumble the ending?
What if I mumble through the last part?
It just feels better in my humble opinion
It's simply how I feel, and I'm expressing it modestly
Much more n-words, but humble beginnings
There's plenty of variation, even if some words have been censored
Make you act like the n-word
Still, sometimes life can make you feel like you're nothing
That's why you stayed injured
You're hurt, and that's why you can't move forward
That's why you stay in court and
This is why you keep appearing in court
Go to the pen for it
And why you end up in prison
Before I forget, let me go get a pen for it
Before I forget my thoughts, let me jot them down
Cancel culture, before I get censored
I fear being silenced by cancel culture
All I really meant for is you to get mentored
The true intention of my message is for you to receive guidance
Before you get sentenced
Prior to being found guilty
Before you get sent for it
Before you're sentenced to prison
Remember this sentence, remember repentance
Remember what you've been told, and consider changing your ways
(My Soul)
Reiteration of earlier lyric's meaning
Only God can judge you, only Jesus is Lord
No one but God can pass judgment upon you, and only Jesus is the true authority
Over in Thanville, Stateville, Taylorville
These prisons can be found in different towns
Lanyard we're mass targeted, mass marketed
Prisoners are being deliberately pursued and exploited
Mass incarceration
There are a massive amount of people being locked up
Massive police stations, mass incorporated
There is a mass amount of police resources being deployed for this
Take control of my soul (My soul)
A plea to give over control of oneself to a higher power
And I might be biased
There is a potential for me to be skewed in my thinking
But I feel God standin' by us (My soul)
Despite my potential biases, I believe that God is looking after us
And I might be biased, but my soul
Again addressing potential bias, but reinforcing the strength of personal conviction
Needs you Lord, Jesus come now, take control
Reiteration of plea for divine intervention
(Take control of my soul)
Reiteration of giving over control
Oh, woah, woah, woah, woah, woah, woah oh
Vocalization
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@albla1973
This gives a whole new meaning to: "man that song was fire".
@Manoverated
🤣
@Manoverated
@@midsizesedan7620 I'm sorry but I lost brain cells trying to read that
@Kathakathan11
Demonic practice
@DemureDarlings
KAYNE IS THE MAIN CHARACTER IN ALL HIS MOVIES 🎥
@ln5378
Kanyes plastics:
@geeguy7429
No shit
@samsonchaziya5568
That's so Kanye.
@badenialshreebley91
You people are sheep
@DemureDarlings
@@badenialshreebley91 BHAHHHHHH 🐑