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.
Go Hard
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And we go by the runners
(I think it's time for me to go hard as the hood I'm from, ay)
DJ Khaled, we the best
(I think it's time for me to go hard as the hood I'm from, ay)
I'm goin in, I'm goin in
I do it for the hood, cause the hood told me I should
(I think it's time for me to go hard as the hood I'm from, ay)
If the they hatin' on you don't stress,
Tell them niggas that we the best
(I think it's time for me to go hard as the hood I'm from, ay)
You can't stop this
Fuck the best, we run this game
Kanye West, Khaled, and Pain
[Chorus: T-Pain]
If you could you would get rid of me
What you gonna do when a nigga got to go hard?
But I won't let you get to me,
You should already figure I'mma go hard
If you was as real as me,
You would never let another nigga step in yo yard
Makin money ain't shit to me
Cause it's in my veins and it gets to my heart
So I am, I will, I gots to go
You got another way to live, you gots to go hard
I am gettin it in until the end,
I got to go, go, go, go hard
[Verse 1: Kanye West]
I go the hardest
Flow so retard
I'm disgusted with myself
I mean ughh, where do I start?
First I spin around and vomit
Then I shit up on it
Fuck the beat up so bad won't nobody get up on it, I
Flow sick, nigga how sick, sea sick
Got your hand out, don't look at me bitch
You lookin' at who made me rich
You lookin' at who made me rich
I have some wins, some losses
Just a life of a god damn boss's
With the top off, lookin' for a girl with a ass as fat as Tracy Ross's
This is dope as it get,
Dope as a mother fuckin' acid trip,
Fly as 57 passengers
This finna be another classic bitch
Everybody know I got it, if you want it, then get at it
But I ain't gon have it,
No I ain't gon have it
[Chorus: T-Pain]
If you could you would get rid of me,
What you gonna do when a nigga got to go hard?
But I won't let you get to me,
You should already figure Imma go hard
If you was as real as me,
You would never let another nigga step in yo yard
Makin money ain't shit to me,
Cause it's in my veins and it gets to my heart
So I am, I will, I gots to go,
You got another way to live, you gots to go hard
I am gettin it in until the end,
I got to go, go, go, go hard
[Verse 2: Kanye West]
I ain't ever been scared
Never been a type to bite my words
When I came up ya'll gave me shit
Now I'm finna make ya'll eat them terds
Always said what the fuck I felt
Gon' head, spit that murder I wrote
Man I don't care what you felt,
Fuck you nigga, I know I'm dope
Felt Like I couldn't really give it my all,
Felt like I had to play the fly on the wall,
Felt like niggas was stuntin' on me,
Funny how I'm flyer than them all
Now I'm at the top, ain't no where to go now
Instead of me, she gon' go down
Maybe I would have slowed down if I knew what I know now
I'm scooby, I know I'm dumb
It could get fuckin' old, well it's good I'm young
'Fore my heart get cold as the hood I'm from
Tell me what it take to be number one?
I guess it's gon' be what it's gon' be
But here's one thing ya'll got to hear
I'mma tell you like George Bush told me,
Fuck ya'll niggas, I'm out of here
[Chorus: T-Pain]
If you could you would get rid of me
What you gonna do when a nigga got to go hard?
But I won't let you get to me
You should already figure Imma go hard
If you was as real as me,
You would never let another nigga step in yo yard
Makin money ain't shit to me
Cause it's in my veins and it gets to my heart
So I am, I will, I gots to go
You got another way to live, you gots to go hard
I am gettin it in until the end,
I got to go, go, go, go hard
The song "Go Hard" by Kanye West, DJ Khaled, and T-Pain is a self-affirming anthem about staying true and working hard for oneself, regardless of what others say or think. The song starts with the intro by the Runners, followed by DJ Khaled's famous "We The Best" tagline. The chorus sung by T-Pain sets the tone for the entire song, where he talks about going hard and giving it his all without letting anyone bring him down. In the first verse, Kanye West talks about his disgust with his own talent and how he goes so hard that no one else can top him. In the second verse, he talks about his rise to fame and how he never let anyone tell him he couldn't do something. He also references former President George W. Bush in the last line, telling his haters that he doesn't care what they think and he's moving on.
The song's simple yet catchy hook "If you was as real as me, You would never let another nigga step in yo yard, Makin money ain't shit to me, Cause it's in my veins and it gets to my heart, So I am, I will, I gots to go" speaks to the mindset of hustlers who work hard to achieve their goals without letting anything stand in their way. The lyrics are relatable to anyone who's ever faced criticism or doubted their abilities. The song's energy is unmatched, with T-Pain's soulful voice coupled with Kanye West's unmatchable flow.
Line by Line Meaning
And we go by the runners
DJ Khaled and his team are successful and hardworking individuals.
I think it's time for me to go hard as the hood I'm from, ay
Kanye West wants to work as hard as the people in his community to succeed.
I'm goin in, I'm goin in
Kanye West is fully committed to his work and ready to put in maximum effort.
I do it for the hood, cause the hood told me I should
Kanye West is motivated to succeed by the support and expectations of his community.
If you rep yo' hood and you goin' hard
Kanye West believes that working hard and representing your community are important traits.
If the they hatin' on you don't stress,
Kanye West advises not to let negative opinions affect his work and motivation.
Tell them niggas that we the best
Kanye West believes that he and his team are the best in the industry.
You can't stop this
Kanye West and his team are unstoppable and will succeed no matter what.
Fuck the best, we run this game
Kanye West and his team are not satisfied with just being the best and aim to dominate the industry.
Kanye West, Khaled, and Pain
Referring to the artists featured on the track.
If you could you would get rid of me
Other people may want to get rid of Kanye West because they see him as a threat.
What you gonna do when a nigga got to go hard?
Kanye West is asking what people can do when he is putting in his maximum effort.
But I won't let you get to me,
Kanye West is determined not to let the negative opinions of others affect his work and motivation.
You should already figure I'mma go hard
Kanye West's hard work and motivation are already expected and understood.
If you was as real as me,
Kanye West believes that he is real and genuine in his work ethic and motivation.
You would never let another nigga step in yo yard
Kanye West believes that true hard workers would not let others take what they have worked hard for.
Makin money ain't shit to me
Kanye West is not motivated by money, but by his passion for success.
Cause it's in my veins and it gets to my heart
Kanye West's motivation for success is ingrained in him and is an important part of who he is as a person.
So I am, I will, I gots to go
Kanye West is fully committed and determined to put in maximum effort to succeed.
I go the hardest
Kanye West believes that he puts in more effort than anyone else.
Flow so retard
Kanye West's flow is unique and different from others, and he takes pride in that.
I'm disgusted with myself
Kanye West is unhappy with his own performance or progress.
I mean ughh, where do I start?
Kanye West doesn't know where to begin with fixing or improving his performance.
First I spin around and vomit
Kanye West is exaggerating his disgust with himself by saying he would vomit.
Then I shit up on it
Kanye West is saying he makes the situation worse instead of improving it.
Fuck the beat up so bad won't nobody get up on it, I
Kanye West is saying his performance is so bad it ruins the entire track.
Flow sick, nigga how sick, sea sick
Kanye West's flow is so unique and different, even the listener can become sick from it.
Got your hand out, don't look at me bitch
Kanye West doesn't want people begging for success from him.
You lookin' at who made me rich
Kanye West is saying that he is responsible for his own success and nobody else.
I have some wins, some losses
Kanye West has experienced both success and failure in his career.
Just a life of a god damn boss's
Kanye West is living the life of a boss, with all the responsibility and pressure that comes with it.
With the top off, lookin' for a girl with a ass as fat as Tracy Ross's
Kanye West is on the lookout for a beautiful woman with an attractive figure.
This is dope as it get,
Kanye West believes that his performance and success are as good as they can get.
Dope as a mother fuckin' acid trip,
Kanye West is saying that his success and performance are incredibly trippy and mind-blowing.
Fly as 57 passengers
Kanye West's performance is incredibly smooth and cool, like a luxury private jet.
This finna be another classic bitch
Kanye West is saying that this song is going to be another classic hit.
Everybody know I got it, if you want it, then get at it
Kanye West is saying that everyone knows he has the talent and success, and if you want it, you have to work for it.
But I ain't gon have it,
Kanye West is saying that he won't let anyone take away his success.
No I ain't gon have it
Reiterating that Kanye West won't let anyone take away his success.
I ain't ever been scared
Kanye West is saying that he has never been afraid to put in maximum effort and succeed.
Never been a type to bite my words
Kanye West is saying that he never holds back or censors himself when expressing his thoughts or opinions.
When I came up ya'll gave me shit
Kanye West is saying that he faced criticism and negativity when he first started out in the industry.
Now I'm finna make ya'll eat them terds
Kanye West is saying that he will prove his critics wrong and make them take back their negativity.
Always said what the fuck I felt
Kanye West has always been honest about his opinions and feelings, and expresses them openly.
Gon' head, spit that murder I wrote
Kanye West is saying that he wants his lyrics to be so powerful and impactful, they are like a murder in written form.
Man I don't care what you felt,
Kanye West is saying that he doesn't care about negative opinions or criticisms from others.
Fuck you nigga, I know I'm dope
Kanye West is confident in his own talent and success, despite negative opinions from others.
Felt Like I couldn't really give it my all,
Kanye West is saying that he felt restricted or held back in the past in terms of giving his all.
Felt like I had to play the fly on the wall,
Kanye West is saying that he felt like he had to blend in with everyone else and not stand out too much.
Felt like niggas was stuntin' on me,
Kanye West is saying that he felt like others were trying to dominate or show off more than him.
Funny how I'm flyer than them all
Kanye West is saying that he is actually better and more successful than the people who were trying to show off more than him.
Now I'm at the top, ain't no where to go now
Kanye West is at the peak of his success and can only continue to work hard to maintain it.
Instead of me, she gon' go down
Referring to a woman who may have been less successful but will become more successful due to her relationship with Kanye West.
Maybe I would have slowed down if I knew what I know now
Kanye West may have made different choices if he had the knowledge he has now when he first started out.
I'm scooby, I know I'm dumb
Kanye West is making a reference to the cartoon character Scooby-Doo, who is known for being simple and innocent.
It could get fuckin' old, well it's good I'm young
Kanye West acknowledges that his simplistic and ignorant mindset may become tiring, but he is young and has time to grow and learn.
'Fore my heart get cold as the hood I'm from
Kanye West wants to maintain his passion and motivation for success, without becoming cynical or jaded like his surroundings in his community.
Tell me what it take to be number one?
Kanye West is asking what it takes to achieve the highest level of success.
I guess it's gon' be what it's gon' be
Kanye West accepts that success may be unpredictable and out of his control.
But here's one thing ya'll got to hear
Kanye West has important advice or knowledge to share.
I'mma tell you like George Bush told me,
Kanye West is making a reference to a controversial moment when George Bush was criticized for his response to Hurricane Katrina.
Fuck ya'll niggas, I'm out of here
Kanye West is done with the negativity and criticism, and is leaving the situation behind.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Andrew Harr, Faheem Najm, Jermaine Jackson, Kanye West, Khaled Khaled
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Waz_WRLD
this Ye was untouchable.
@okaydmuzikkk6771
Yep. This the kanye I grew up on.. not this new one 😂😂
@LHefner
Yeezy
@mm.1108
This was Kanye West 🙏🏼
@tammydickerson8656
Stilllll
@zzluna0112
The old Kanye had more balls than just bs
@angelh6345
This song still goes hard.
🔥
Used this song as motivation to teach myself to walk again
@Arcange93iam
Get better💯
@Boistyle34
Dope!
@yeaimbackatit2
🔥🔥🔥🔥