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.

Number One
Kanye West Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

World's, world's, world's famous
World, world, world's famous
You're now listening to (girl)
Skateboard P and the Louis Vuitton Don (I'm back)
It's so unfair, it's so unreasonable
Let's go

I must've hurt your feelings (come on)

Your temper hit the ceiling (come on)
You know I wanna talk to you (get 'em P)
Oh girl, come on (come on)
But to maintain this livin' (come on, come on)
God knows it's not given (come on)
You know I got a lots to do (let's take 'em up)
Oh girl, come on (come on)
I know this part ain't pretty (come on, come on)
But you know I been busy (yeah)
That's why I can't talk long on the phone (uh-huh)
Oh girl, come on (come on)
So honey, if you with me (come on, come on)
Know I'll look for your pretty (yeah)
Face to smile when I get home
And when we make love you know it's gon' be amazin' (yeah)

'Cause you're my number one (baby girl, you and me)
Smash hit (that's a hit to me)
Off the charts (look how she get to me)
Classic (she might be nothin' to you but she the shit to me)
Soon as I'm done (tell me how you love that)
I'm dashin (number one, can't put nothin' above that)
Home to hold your heart (you deserve a verse from me)
And smash it (we gon' party like it's our anniversary, go)

Didn't I just tell ya (go)

That you're my Cinderella (get 'em p)
My dream ball ain't fixed one sight (come on)
Oh girl, come on (come on, come on)
Baby, you know I'd rather be where you are (world's famous)
You are my shining star
But last night, uh, that just wasn't right
Oh girl, come on (come on, come on)
I know this part ain't pretty (come on)
But you know I been busy
That's why I can't talk long on the phone (the international)
It's hard for you, baby girl, come on (world's famous)
So honey if you with me (yeah, yeah)
Know I'll look for your pretty (everybody)
Face to smile when I get home (I need you to sing along with me)
And when we make love you know it's gon' be amazin (this part, it's comin' up check it out)

Number one (baby girl, you and me)
Smash hit (that's a hit to me)
Off the charts (look how she get to me)
Classic (she might be nothin' to you but she the shit to me)
Soon as I'm done (tell me how you love that)
I'm dashin' (number one, can't put nothin above that)
Home to hold your heart (you deserve a verse from me)
And smash it (we gon' party like it's our anniversary, go)
Number one (baby girl, you and me)
Smash hit (that's a hit to me)
Off the charts (look how she get to me)
Classic (she might be nothin' to you but she the shit to me)
Soon as I'm done (tell me how you love that)
I'm dashin' (number one, can't put nothin above that)
Home to hold your heart (you deserve a verse from me)
And smash it (we gon' party like it's our anniversary, go)

Yesterday I was half the man you see
Baby that's because you the other half of me
You my number one hit on the line of the charts
I'ma FedEx my love and have you sign for my heart
For my number one I keep ya dumb fly
Fresh to death you like after death
I resurrected my gold Jesus of Nazareth
Now we fresh as a prince while they Jazzy Jeff
And you don't be sayin shit when they askin' questions
A-a-and you be givin' me my space a-a-and
You don't be runnin' on myspace a-a-and
You know some other shit I hate w-w-what
W-w-when they violate b-but
Tonight man I ain't in the mood for it
Don't matter who wore it, you wore it
Look how ya coordinated man that's my favorite
I love the way that it

Number one (fits on you)
Smash hit (baby girl, that's the shit on you)
Off the charts (look how she get to me)
Classic (she might be nothin' to you but she the shit to me)
Soon as I'm done (t-tell me how you love that)
I'm dashing (number one, can't put nothing above that)
Home to hold your heart (you deserve a verse from me)
And smash it (we gon' party like it's our anniversary)
Number one (come on, come on)
Smash hit (you're my number one girl)
Off the charts
Classic (you're my number one girl)
Soon as I'm done (come on, come on)
I'm dashin' (you're my number one girl)
Home to hold your heart
And smash it (you're my number one girl)

World's, world's, world's famous (you're my number one girl)
World, world, world's famous (you're my number one girl)
World's, world's, world's famous (you're my number one girl)
World, world, world's famous (you're my number one girl)

Overall Meaning

In Kanye West's "Number Ones," the singer is pleading with his significant other to not give up on their relationship despite his infidelity. The song opens with the singer promising to never cheat again and goes on to explain the various measures he's taken to hide his indiscretions, such as erasing his phone and keeping it out of town. He acknowledges that his partner may question his love for them because of his cheating, but assures them that there is no one above them, and that this is the last time he will cheat. He asks his partner not to "make [him] over" because he can be faithful, and that they are his "number one."

Throughout the song, the singer attempts to rationalize his actions and plead with his partner to stay with him. He tries to deflect their questions about the other person, saying that they don't need to know everything, and ends the song with a plea to not give up on their relationship. It's a complicated exploration of guilt, regret, and the lengths that people will go to in order to hold on to a relationship that they know is not healthy.

Line by Line Meaning

Ooh I promise not to do it again
I apologize for cheating and promise to not repeat the mistake

I promise not to do it
Reiterating the promise of not cheating in the future

You can't say I don't love you
Loving someone doesn't equate to being faithful

Just because I cheat on you
Acknowledging the infidelity

'Cause you can't see all I do
Not all actions are visible, like the efforts to keep the cheating hidden

To keep you from knowing the things I do
Admitting to the actions that are being kept hidden from the partner

Like erase my phone
Deleting evidence from the phone to avoid detection

And keep it out of town
Hiding the phone away from home to avoid suspicion

I keep it strapped up when I sleep around
Being more cautious and careful while cheating

Well I should have known one say you'd find out
Expecting the partner to eventually discover the infidelity

But you can't go and leave me now
Begging the partner to not leave despite the betrayal

You know that I love you
Reaffirming the love for the partner

There's no one above you
Expressing that the partner is a top priority

I said it the last time
Reminding that the same promise was made before

But this is the last time
Reiterating that there won't be any more infidelity

Don't make me over
Asking the partner to not judge or change them

'Cause I can be faithful
Assuring the partner of the capability to be loyal

Baby you're my number one
Expressing that the partner is the top priority

Now who is she?
Being defensive and diverting attention away from the affair

What's her name?
Trying to make it seem like it's not a significant other

You don't need to know about everything
Being secretive and not providing full disclosure

We fight about this
Acknowledging that arguments about infidelity occur

We fight about that
Not being clear about the reasons for arguments

You hang up the phone and call me right back
Possibly trying to cover up something by calling back immediately

Well I'll never be something I'm not
Admitting to the mistake and not pretending to be innocent

Please don't throw away what we've got
Asking to not end the relationship because of the mistake

'Cause we've been together for way too long
Highlighting the length of the relationship

I was playing around but I'm coming home
Confirming the intention to return to the partner

I keep you laced up so you ain't gotta borrow nothing
Boasting about providing for the partner's needs

From them broke ass friends who be bargain hunting
Disparaging the partner's friends' financial status

They say they shop on eBay - baby why is they frontin'?
Questioning the authenticity of the friends' claims to shop at a cheaper platform

They be on the internet but they never cop nothin'
Suggesting that the friends are not genuine in their shopping behavior

I keep you in Girl what is those on your toes?
Providing for the partner's luxury needs in the form of jewelry

And your neck staying froze off that rose colored gold
Boasting about providing expensive jewelry for the partner

I suppose you was told by them hoes I was cheatin'
Blaming others for revealing the affair

Thinkin' my heart don't got nothing to do with my penis
Claiming that infidelity doesn't correlate with lack of love for the partner

He got a mind of his own and he just be seeing shit
Making an excuse for the mistake and blaming the genitals for making bad decisions

And I don't want to cheat but I don't be saying shit
Expressing the difficulty in being faithful but still keeping quiet about the mistakes made

I try to jack off he ask me who is you playin' wit?
Joking about the penis acting like it has a personality of its own

But I know he love you he told me you was his favorite
Claiming that the genitals still have love for the partner and prefer them over anyone else

You're making it hard for me
Expressing the difficulty and stress caused by the arguments

You're messing up everything
Implying that the partner's reaction is causing issues

You tell me I gotta leave
Being threatened and told to leave the relationship

Say we over
Implying that the relationship is in danger of ending

You saw that she came over
Being called out for having another woman over

Came in the Range Rover
Possibly adding details to the situation

Left with a hangover
Showing that the situation didn't end well

I promise I won't cheat
Making the same promise again

I promise I won't lie
Adding the promise to not lie in the future

I promise I'll act right
Making a general promise to behave correctly

You can't tell me
Being defensive and possibly aggressive

I can't have you
Possibly insinuating that they have the power in the relationship

I can't have that
Possibly referring to freedom or choice

We ain't over
Expressing hope that the relationship can be saved

Hey, it ain't over baby
Repeating the hope for the relationship to not end

We ain't over
Reiterating the hope to salvage the relationship

Oh you don't need to go it's not over
Trying to prevent the partner from leaving

Oh?
Expressing surprise or confusion

We ain't over
Remaining hopeful and refusing to give up on the relationship

Oh it's gonna be alright now don't go now
Adding a sense of urgency to the situation and trying to prevent the partner from leaving

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Kanye Omari West, Pharrell L. Williams

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS