Lil Jimmy Skit was met with critical acclaim by critics, reaching many deca… Read Full Bio ↴Lil Jimmy Skit was met with critical acclaim by critics, reaching many decade-end lists. The writer of this wiki has 3000 plays on this song. There is no light or darkness, there is only Lil Jimmy Skit.

Lil Jimmy Skit
Kanye West Lyrics

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Hey, Jimmy, where you going?
I don't know where I'm going
My dad died, and uh, he left me his degrees
My mom would always say, "Dad, why don't you work?"
But he just kept learning
All the other kids parents were working and saving up money for school
And I was actually in school all while my dad was in school
He even, he was so greedy with degrees, he took my degree

And now I'm just glad he left me these
Because all the regular homeless people have newspaper, and look what I have
These are documented
My father left them to me
And I'm gonna leave them to my kids
I'm gonna learn too
I'm gonna get super smart, so I too can die without money

But I'll be the smartest dead guy
Who has that?

Overall Meaning

In Kanye West's song "Lil Jimmy Skit," a dialogue between Kanye and a young boy named Jimmy takes place. In the skit, Jimmy speaks about his father, who recently passed away and left him his degrees. Jimmy's father was always dedicated to learning and obtaining more degrees, to the point where he even took Jimmy's degree. Jimmy acknowledges his father's greed for knowledge but is grateful for the degrees his father left him behind. In his own pursuit of knowledge, Jimmy wants to become super smart, so he can die without money but be the smartest dead guy.

The lyrics of this skit offer a sharp critique of the American education system, which places a premium on degrees and credentials, often at the expense of creativity and critical thinking. It also highlights the importance of education in one's life, as Jimmy's father knew that knowledge was power and was committed to continuously learning. Jimmy's desire to follow in his father's footsteps by becoming the smartest dead guy is an unorthodox aspiration but speaks to the value of education and what it can offer.

Line by Line Meaning

Hey, Jimmy, where you going?
A person calls out to Jimmy, asking where he is headed

I don't know where I'm going
Jimmy is unsure and does not have a clear direction in life

My dad died, and uh, he left me his degrees
Jimmy's father passed away and left him his academic degrees

My mom would always say, "Dad, why don't you work?"
Jimmy's mother questioned why his father did not have a job

But he just kept learning
Jimmy's father continued to pursue education rather than work

All the other kids parents were working and saving up money for school
While other children's parents worked to save up for college, Jimmy's father was pursuing his own degrees

And I was actually in school all while my dad was in school
Jimmy was also attending school while his father was pursuing additional degrees

He even, he was so greedy with degrees, he took my degree
Jimmy's father was possessed with obtaining academic degrees so much that he even took Jimmy's degree

And now I'm just glad he left me these
Despite Jimmy's father taking his degree, he is grateful for being left with his father's academic degrees

Because all the regular homeless people have newspaper, and look what I have
Jimmy sees himself as having something special compared to average homeless people, who only have newspapers

These are documented
Jimmy cherishes his father's degrees because they are official documents evidencing his father's academic achievements

My father left them to me
Jimmy's father intentionally bequeathed his academic degrees to him

And I'm gonna leave them to my kids
Jimmy intends to pass on his father's degrees as a family heirloom

I'm gonna learn too
Jimmy also desires to pursue education and learn more

I'm gonna get super smart, so I too can die without money
Jimmy intends to gain extensive knowledge such that even if he dies without money, he will be considered intelligent

But I'll be the smartest dead guy
Jimmy wants to become so knowledgeable that he will still be considered intelligent even after his death

Who has that?
Jimmy questions who else has such an intellectual and academic legacy to leave behind

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

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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