Ye, born Kanye Omari West on June 8, 1977, is an American rapper, singer, s… Read Full Bio ↴Ye, born Kanye Omari West on June 8, 1977, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. He is one of the most prominent figures in hip hop, known for his diverse musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After dropping out of college to pursue a career in music, West began producing for regional artists in the Chicago area. As an in-house producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, he co-produced albums including Jay-Z's The Blueprint (2001) before signing with the label as a recording artist. West's debut studio album, The College Dropout (2004), received critical acclaim and produced the Billboard Hot 100 number-one single "Slow Jamz." He topped the chart four other times with the singles "Gold Digger" (2005), "Stronger" (2007), "E.T." (2011, as a featured artist), and "Carnival" (2024).

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.

My Way
Kanye West Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Yeah
They say home is where the hate is, my dome is where fate is
I stroll where souls get lost like Vegas
Seen through the eyes of rebel glasses
Pray to God that my arms reach the masses
The young smoke grass in grassless jungles
Rubber band together in cashless bundles
We wear strugglin' chains, divided only hustle remains

Makin' sense of it we hustle for change
Revolution ain't a game it's another name, for life fightin'
Someone to stay in they corner like Mike Tyson
Hypes fightin' for hits to heighten they hell
Don't he know he could only get as high as he fell?
Show money becomes bail, relationships become jail
Children are unheld
I wish love was for sale, "Behold the Pale, Horse"
Got me trapped like R. Kell', I bail and it

"Might not be such a bad idea if I never, never went home again
I'm on my way home
I left three days ago, but no one seems to know I'm gone

Home is where the hatred is, home is filled with pain and it
Might not be such a bad idea if I never, never went home again"

Overall Meaning

Kanye West's song "My Way" talks about his experience growing up in Chicago and the realities that come with living in impoverished areas. The opening lines, "They say home is where the hate is, my dome is where fate is," suggest that West's surroundings have shaped who he is and dictate the path his life has taken. He describes the neighborhoods he walks through as places where souls get lost like Las Vegas, another nod to the idea that living in poverty can be a trap that is difficult to escape.

The theme of struggle continues as West talks about the young smoking weed in areas that lack greenery and the struggle to make ends meet. His mention of "struggling chains" and "cashless bundles" indicates that many in his community are trapped in a cycle of poverty and are unable to rise above it. Despite the difficulties, West believes in the power of change and believes in fighting for it as he raps, "Revolution ain't a game it's another name, for life fightin' / Someone to stay in they corner like Mike Tyson."

The chorus of the song features a sample from Gil Scott-Heron's "Home is Where the Hatred Is," which speaks to the pain and struggles one can experience in their own home. West echoes this sentiment throughout the song, admitting that he left home three days ago and no one seems to notice that he's gone. This implies that his home life may not have been loving or supportive. The lyrics "I wish love was for sale, 'Behold the Pale, Horse' / Got me trapped like R. Kell', I bail and it" further suggest that he feels trapped in his current situation and sees no other way out.

Line by Line Meaning

They say home is where the hate is, my dome is where fate is
People may say that one's home is where their burdens lie, but for Kanye, his mind is where he dictates his future and destiny.

I stroll where souls get lost like Vegas
Kanye is navigating environments where people often lose themselves, similar to how people lose their sense of self in Las Vegas.

Seen through the eyes of rebel glasses
Kanye is viewing everything with the perspective of rebellion.

Pray to God that my arms reach the masses
Kanye desires to use his artistic abilities to reach and speak to a large audience.

The young smoke grass in grassless jungles
Young people are indulging in drugs in impoverished environments without much hope of success or progress.

Rubber band together in cashless bundles
The community is banding together out of desperation, despite a lack of financial resources.

We wear strugglin' chains, divided only hustle remains
Their hardships may be shackling, but they are still able to unite through their shared drive to succeed and survive.

Makin' sense of it we hustle for change
They are working hard to find meaning and better their circumstances.

Revolution ain't a game it's another name, for life fightin'
Kanye understands that seeking change is a serious and dangerous task; it's a fight to stay alive.

Someone to stay in they corner like Mike Tyson
Everyone needs someone to support them, like a boxer requires a coach in their corner during a fight.

Hypes fightin' for hits to heighten they hell
Some artists are only fighting for fame and success, which will ultimately lead to their downfall.

Don't he know he could only get as high as he fell?
Kanye is questioning the actions of those who are self-destructive in their pursuit of fame, warning them that they can't climb any higher than the level they're currently at.

Show money becomes bail, relationships become jail
Money earned from performing is ultimately used to pay for legal bail, and romantic relationships can feel like imprisonment.

Children are unheld
Kanye is addressing the lack of parental guidance and support in impoverished communities.

I wish love was for sale, "Behold the Pale, Horse"
Kanye is expressing his desire for love to be more readily available and present in society, and the reference to the Pale Horse alludes to the biblical figure of Death, suggesting that love is scarce and dying.

Got me trapped like R. Kell', I bail and it
Kanye feels trapped in his current situation, like R. Kelly, but wants to escape and move on to a better future.

"Might not be such a bad idea if I never, never went home again I'm on my way home I left three days ago, but no one seems to know I'm gone Home is where the hatred is, home is filled with pain and it Might not be such a bad idea if I never, never went home again"
Kanye is describing the pain and suffocation of his home surroundings and the desire to never return, even if nobody seems to notice his absence.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Gil Scott Heron, Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Kanye West, Kanye Omari West

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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