West began making beats and rapping in the early 90s in his hometown of Chicago, Illinois, when he formed the rap group Go Getters with Chicago natives GLC and Really Doe. He later gained nationwide popularity through his work in New York, where he began producing tracks for artists such as Jay-Z, Twista, Mase, Talib Kweli and Alicia Keys.
West's style of production often utilizes pitched-up vocal samples, usually from soul songs, with his drums and instruments. The first major label song he produced was The Truth by Beanie Sigel, and his first major release featuring his trademark vocal sampling style was This Can’t Be Life, a track from Jay-Z’s The Dynasty: Roc La Familia. West said he sped up the drum beat of Dr. Dre’s Xxplosive to use as a replacement for his drums on This Can’t Be Life.
West has said that Wu-Tang Clan producer RZA influenced him in his style, and has said on numerous occasions that Wu-Tang rappers Ghostface Killah and Ol’ Dirty Bastard were some of his all-time favorites. Said Kanye West: “Wu-Tang? Me and my friends talk about this all the time… We think Wu-Tang had one of the biggest impacts as far as a movement. From slang to style of dress, skits, the samples. Similar to the [production] style I use, RZA has been doing that.”
In 2004 (after being pushed aside by many record companies who felt he wasn't a marketable hip-hop artist), he managed to release his debut solo album, The College Dropout on Roc-A-Fella Records. The album received critical acclaim, including 10 Grammy nominations and the awards for Album of the Year and Best Rap Album, as well as defining the style for which West would become known: "wordplay" and heavy sampling of the 70s soul and RnB tracks.
Not content to rest on his laurels, West invested two million dollars and hired a string orchestra to help with his latest effort, Late Registration (2005). West collaborated with Jon Brion to help develop the sound of the album, despite his lack of experience in hip hop production. The album received widespread acclaim like its predecessor and again claimed the Best Rap Album award at the Grammys.
West was no stranger to controversy, such as storming out at the 2004 American Music Awards after not receiving Best New Artist, but just days after the release of his second studio album, West began embroiled in a major controversy after going off-script during Hurricane Katrina broadcast, proclaiming "George Bush doesn't care about black people", which Bush claimed was "one the most disgusting moments of my presidency". In January 2006, West posed on the cover of Rolling Stone wearing a crown of thorns, once again attracting controversy.
For his third release, West was keen to produce songs that could be used more effectively when performing in arenas. For Graduation, the third and ultimately final entry into his 'Dropout Bear' series, West drew musical inspiration from The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash. In the lead up to the album he became involved in a friendly rivalry with 50 Cent over which of the two artists' upcoming albums would sell more, as they were both released on the same day. West ultimately sold 957,000 copies in the first week of release, outselling Curtis by a large margin. The albums lead single "Stronger" sampled Daft Punk, and was West's third number one on Billboard 200. Many proclaim West's 'victory' over 50 Cent to be the 'death' of gangster rap as the dominant hip hop subgenre.
Following the death of his mother, Donda West, and the end of his engagement to long term partner Alexis Phifer, West abandoned his initial plan to release a fourth album entitled Good Ass Job, and shocked his fans by releasing 808s and Heartbreak, which was full of autotune singing, extensive use of the TR-808 drum machine, themes of love, loss and loneliness and very little rapping. It received slightly more mixed reviews than his previous efforts, but many critics cite 808s and Heartbreak as the catalyst for a new wave of rappers, most prominently Drake, due to its themes which were uncommon in mainstream hip-hop.
West's grief seemed to lead to a spiral out of control which culminated in him storming on stage at the 2009 VMAs to interrupt Taylor Swift's award acceptance speech to proclaim that Beyoncé deserved the award instead, in a move that is infamous in pop culture and was vilified by the entire world in the aftermath. West disappeared from the public eye following this, and his upcoming tour with Lady Gaga was cancelled. The disgraced West, who was described as a 'jackass' by President Obama, seemed to have much work to do to return to the his former glory, but he was about to embark on what some critics consider to be the best run of his career.
West holed up in Hawaii for a few months and worked tirelessly to produce what many consider to be his magnum opus. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, West's fifth studio album, was released in November 2010 to rave reviews from critics, which solidified his comeback. In stark contrast to his previous effort, which featured a minimalist sound, Dark Fantasy adopts a maximalist philosophy and deals with themes of celebrity and excess. The record included the international hit All of the Lights, and Billboard hits Power, Monster, and Runaway, the latter of which accompanied a 35-minute film of the same name. During this time, West initiated the free music program G.O.O.D. Fridays through his website, offering a free download of previously unreleased songs each Friday of the week, a portion of which were included on the album. Dark Fantasy went on to go platinum in the United States, but its omission as a contender for Album of the Year at the 54th Grammy Awards was viewed as a "snub" by several media outlets.
Following a headlining set at Coachella 2011 that was described by The Hollywood Reporter as "one of greatest hip-hop sets of all time," West released the collaborative album Watch the Throne with Jay-Z. By employing a sales strategy that released the album digitally weeks before its physical counterpart, Watch the Throne became one of the few major label albums in the Internet age to avoid a leak. Niggas in Paris became the record's highest charting single, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2012, West released the compilation album Cruel Summer, a collection of tracks by artists from West's record label GOOD Music. Cruel Summer produced four singles, two of which charted within the top twenty of the Hot 100: Mercy and Clique. West also directed a film of the same name that premiered at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival in custom pyramid-shaped screening pavilion featuring seven screens.
Sessions for West's sixth solo effort begin to take shape in early 2013 in his own personal loft's living room at a Paris hotel. Determined to "undermine the commercial," he once again brought together close collaborators and attempted to incorporate Chicago drill, dancehall, acid house, and industrial music. Primarily inspired by architecture, West's perfectionist tendencies led him to contact producer Rick Rubin fifteen days shy of its due date to strip down the record's sound in favor of a more minimalist approach. Initial promotion of his sixth album included worldwide video projections of the album's music and live television performances.
Yeezus, West's sixth album, was released June 18, 2013 to rave reviews from critics. It became the rapper's sixth consecutive number one debut. Def Jam issued "Black Skinhead" to radio in July 2013 as the album's lead single. On September 6, 2013, Kanye West announced he would be headlining his first solo tour in five years, to support Yeezus, with fellow American rapper Kendrick Lamar, accompanying him along the way.
In November 2013, West stated that he was working on and recording his next studio album. The album was to be produced by Rick Rubin and Q-Tip.. Kanye released a single entitled "Only One", on December 31, 2014 featuring Paul McCartney, as well as collaborating with McCartney on the Rihanna track " FourFiveSeconds", released in January 2015. West appeared on the SNL 40th Anniversary Special on February 15th 2015 to debut a new song Wolves, featuring Sia Furler and Vic Mensa. Another single, entitled "All Day" was released on March 2, 2015, again featuring McCartney as well as Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom. In June of the same year, Kanye headlined the Glastonbury Festival in the UK, which garnered much outrage including a petition with 135,000 signatures against his appearance, leading to West declaring he was "the greatest living rock star on the planet" towards the end of his set, and the performance receiving a mixed reaction among fans and critics, due to its controversy. In September 2015, West performed {album artist kanye west]808s and Heartbreak in its entirety at the Hollywood Bowl over two nights, which received rave reviews a featured a 60 person orchestra, guests such as Kid Cudi and Mr Hudson, and over 70 dancers. West released "Facts" at the turn of the new year.
West had originally stated that his upcoming album would be called 'So Help Me God' before changing the title to 'SWISH' and announcing that it would be released on February 11th. In January 2016 he released "Real Friends" and "No More Parties in LA", featuring Kendrick Lamar. As well as renaming the album once again to "Waves", West became involved in several twitter controversies in the lead up to the album, including with rapper Wiz Khalifa after he suggested that West had stolen the idea of the wave from other artists and seemingly dissed Kim Kardashian, which later turned out to be a misunderstanding over the use of "KK". West again changed the name of the album just days before it's release, this time to "{album artist=kanye west]The Life of Pablo", and debuted it at Madison Square Garden on February 11, but delayed it's release for a few days. On February 14, West released the album are a performance on SNL. West initially claimed the album was to be a Tidal exclusive, but it was later released on other streaming platforms, although it is yet to receive a physical release. West continued to tinker with the mixing and production of the album even after it was released, and it was updated several times, including the final song "Saint Pablo" in June 2016. West had also made public his plans to release an album in the summer of 2016, entitled "Turbo Grafx 16", based on the 1990s games console, which never surfaced, although he did release a single thought to be from the upcoming G.O.O.D. Music album "Cruel Winter", called Champions. In the same month, a video for "Famous" was released, including nude wax figures of celebrities such as West, Kim Kardashian, Taylor Swift, Donald Trump, Chris Brown, Rihanna, Bill Cosby and George W. Bush.
In August 2016, West embarked on the ambitious Saint Pablo Tour, which included a mobile stage suspended from the ceiling. After the violent robbery of Kim's jewellery in Paris in October, West had to end a show early and postpone shows following it. In the following performances, West cancelled shows early and went on long winded rants against fellow artists such as Jay Z and Beyoncé among others, as well as making controversial political statements including implying his support for Donald Trump. On November 21st 2016, West cancelled the rest of the tour and was hospitalised due to sleep deprivation and extreme dehydration. Following this, West disappeared from social media, and only resurfaced 11 months later with a series of tweets which included many philosophical thoughts and the announcements two albums in June 2018, a solo album which would include 7 tracks on June 1, and a collaboration with Kid Cudi to be released on June 8.
On August 29th, 2021, Kanye released his 10th highly anticipated studio release Donda via GOOD Music and Def Jam Recordings after a series of three listening parties.
Personal life:
West was born in Atlanta, Georgia. When he was three years old (as mentioned in Hey Mama) his parents divorced, and he moved with his mother to Chicago, Illinois. His father, Ray West, was a former Black Panther; one of the first black photojournalists at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution; and is now a Christian counselor. Kanye’s late mother, Dr. Donda West, worked as a Professor of English at Clark Atlanta University, and the Chair of the English Department at Chicago State University before retiring to serve as Kanye’s manager. He was later raised in an upper middle class background, attending Polaris High School in suburban Oak Lawn, Illinois after living in Chicago.
After attending The American Academy of Art, a Chicago art school, West attended Chicago State University but eventually dropped out due to poor grades and to continue working on his music career. While attending school, West produced for local artists, including on rapper Grav’s debut album Down to Earth. He later gained fame by producing hit singles for major hip hop/R&B artists, including Jay-Z, Talib Kweli, Cam’ron, Paul Wall, Common, Mobb Deep, Jermaine Dupri, Scarface, The Game, Alicia Keys, Janet Jackson and John Legend among others. He also “ghost-produced” for his once mentor Deric Angelettie according to his song Last Call and the credits of Nas’ Poppa Was a Playa.
West was married to Kim Kardashian. Together they had four children: daughters named North (*2013) and Chicago (*2018); and sons named Saint (*2015) and Psalm (*2019). In 2021, Kardashian filed for divorce.
In 2020, West launched an unsuccessful independent presidential campaign that primarily advocated for a consistent life ethic. In 2022, he faced backlash and lost a number of sponsors and partnerships—including his collaborations with Adidas, Gap, and Balenciaga—after making antisemitic statements.
POWER
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Doing something mean to it
Do it better than anybody you ever seen do it
Screams from the haters, got a nice ring to it
I guess every superhero need his theme music
No one man should have all that power
The clock's ticking, I just count the hours
(21st-century schizoid man)
The system broken, and the school's closed, the prisons open
We ain't got nothin' to lose, ma'fucka, we rollin'
Huh? Ma'fucka, we rollin'
With some light-skinned girls and some Kelly Rowlands
In this white man's world, we the ones chosen
So goodnight, cruel world, I'll see you in the mornin'
Huh? I'll see you in the mornin'
This is way too much, I need a moment
No one man should have all that power
The clock's ticking, I just count the hours
Stop tripping, I'm tripping off the power
'Til then, fuck that, the world's ours
And they say, and they say
And they say, and they say
And they say, and they say
(21st-century schizoid man)
Fuck SNL and the whole cast
Tell 'em Yeezy said they can kiss my whole ass
More specifically, they can kiss my asshole
I'm an asshole? You niggas got jokes
You short-minded niggas thoughts is Napoleon
My furs is Mongolian, my ice brought the goalies in
Now I embody every characteristic of the egotistic
He knows he so fuckin' gifted
I just needed time alone, with my own thoughts
Got treasures in my mind but couldn't open up my own vault
My childlike creativity, purity and honesty
Is honestly being crowded by these grown thoughts
Reality is catching up with me
Taking my inner child, I'm fighting for custody
With these responsibilities that they entrusted me
As I look down at my diamond encrusted piece
Thinkin', no one man should have all that power
The clock's ticking, I just count the hours
Stop tripping, I'm tripping off the powder
'Til then, fuck that, the world's ours
And they say, and they say
And they say, and they say
And they say, and they say
(21st-century schizoid man)
Colin Powells, Austin Powers
Lost in translation with a whole fuckin' nation
They say I was the abomination of Obama's nation
Well that's a pretty bad way to start the conversation
At the end of the day, goddammit, I'm killin' this shit
I know damn well y'all feeling this shit
I don't need your pussy, bitch, I'm on my own dick
I ain't gotta power trip, who you goin' home with?
How 'Ye doing? I'm surviving
I was drinking earlier, now I'm driving
Where the bad bitches, huh? Where y'all hiding?
I got the power make your life so exciting
Now this will be a beautiful death
I'm jumping out the window
I'm letting everything go
I'm letting everything go
Mmm, now this will be a beautiful death
I'm jumping out the window
I'm letting everything go
I'm letting everything go
Now this will be a beautiful death
Jumping out the window
Letting everything go
Letting everything go
You got the power to let power go?
(21st-century schizoid man)
The lyrics to Kanye West's song "Power" explore themes of fame, power, and identity. The song begins with West acknowledging his status as a powerful figure in the 21st century and boasting about his ability to do things better than anyone else. He goes on to address the broken systems and inequalities in the world, suggesting that he and other marginalized individuals have nothing to lose and are therefore "rollin'" with the punches. However, West also acknowledges the weight of responsibility that comes with having power, and hints at the struggle to balance his childlike creativity with the pressures of adulthood.
The hook of the song, "No one man should have all that power," is a recurring reminder of the dangers of unchecked power and serves as a warning against hubris. West ends the song with a series of provocative lines, including references to Colin Powell and Austin Powers, and controversial statements about his relationship to former President Barack Obama. The repeated refrain of "21st-century schizoid man" adds an additional layer of meaning, connecting West's personal struggles with those of a chaotic modern world.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm living in that 21st century
Kanye is living in modern times
Doing something mean to it
He's doing something great and dominating the world
Do it better than anybody you ever seen do it
He's doing what he does better than anyone else
Screams from the haters, got a nice ring to it
Haters fuel his success
I guess every superhero need his theme music
Every successful person needs inspiration
No one man should have all that power
No one person should have too much power
The clock's ticking, I just count the hours
He's aware of the passage of time
Stop tripping, I'm tripping off the power
He's high on power and its effects
(21st-century schizoid man)
The system broken, and the school's closed, the prisons open
Society is messed up and failing the people
We ain't got nothin' to lose, ma'fucka, we rollin'
When you have nothing to lose, you can take risks
With some light-skinned girls and some Kelly Rowlands
He's partying with women
In this white man's world, we the ones chosen
Black people are the chosen ones in a society where white people dominate
So goodnight, cruel world, I'll see you in the mornin'
He's escaping from the harsh reality that is the world
This is way too much, I need a moment
He's overwhelmed and needs a break to process everything
'Til then, fuck that, the world's ours
Until then, he's taking over the world
Fuck SNL and the whole cast
He's expressing his dislike for Saturday Night Live and its cast
Tell 'em Yeezy said they can kiss my whole ass
He's telling them to kiss his buttocks
More specifically, they can kiss my asshole
They can kiss his rectum
I'm an asshole? You niggas got jokes
He's aware of what people say about him
You short-minded niggas thoughts is Napoleon
He believes people who insult him are short-sighted
My furs is Mongolian, my ice brought the goalies in
He has expensive clothing and jewelry
Now I embody every characteristic of the egotistic
He has become the embodiment of an egotistical person
He knows he so fuckin' gifted
He is aware of his talent
I just needed time alone, with my own thoughts
He needed some alone time to think
Got treasures in my mind but couldn't open up my own vault
He has a lot of great ideas but struggles to express them
My childlike creativity, purity and honesty
He possesses qualities that are associated with children
Is honestly being crowded by these grown thoughts
His creativity is being challenged by the seriousness of adult thinking
Reality is catching up with me
He's becoming aware of what's really happening around him
Taking my inner child, I'm fighting for custody
He's trying to reclaim his childlike imagination and creativity
With these responsibilities that they entrusted me
The people around him have given him responsibilities
As I look down at my diamond encrusted piece
He's admiring his expensive jewelry
Thinkin', no one man should have all that power
He's contemplating whether he should have so much power
'Til then, fuck that, the world's ours
For now, he's taking over the world
Colin Powells, Austin Powers
He's naming some famous people
Lost in translation with a whole fuckin' nation
There is miscommunication between him and the nation
They say I was the abomination of Obama's nation
Some people believe he was a disgrace to the Obama administration
Well that's a pretty bad way to start the conversation
He's acknowledging that this is not a great way to begin a discussion
At the end of the day, goddammit, I'm killin' this shit
Despite the hate, he's doing really well
I know damn well y'all feeling this shit
He's confident that people like his music
I don't need your pussy, bitch, I'm on my own dick
He doesn't need anyone's approval or help
I ain't gotta power trip, who you goin' home with?
He doesn't need power to attract women
How 'Ye doing? I'm surviving
He's still alive and well
I was drinking earlier, now I'm driving
He's admitting to drinking and driving
Where the bad bitches, huh? Where y'all hiding?
He's looking for attractive women
I got the power make your life so exciting
He believes he can make someone's life exciting
Now this will be a beautiful death
He sees death as a beautiful thing
I'm jumping out the window
He's taking a leap of faith
I'm letting everything go
He's letting go of everything that holds him back
You got the power to let power go?
He's questioning whether someone has the ability to relinquish power
(21st-century schizoid man)
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jeff Bhasker, Kanye West, Robert Fripp, Ian Mcdonald, Greg Lake, Nathan Perez, Michael Giles, Peter Sinfield, Malik Yusef Jones, Larry Griffin, Francois Bernheim, Gerard Bergman, Mike Dean, Jean Pierre Lang
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
BEDAN KE
LYRICS
I'm living' in that 21st century
Doing something mean to it
Do it better than anybody you ever seen do it
Screams from the haters, got a nice ring to it
I guess every superhero need his theme music
No one man should have all that power
The clock's ticking', I just count the hours
Stop tripping', I'm tripping' off the power
(21st century schizoid man)
The system broken, the school's closed, the prisons open
We ain't got nothing' to lose, ma' fucka', we rolling
Huh? Ma'fucka', we rollin'
With some light-skinned girls and some Kelly Rowlands
In this white man's world, we the ones chosen
So goodnight, cruel world, I see you in the mornin'
Huh? I'll see you in the mornin'
This is way too much, I need a moment
No one man should have all that power
The clock's tickin', I just count the hours
Stop trippin' I'm trippin' off the power
'Til then, fuck that, the world's ours
And then they say (hey) and then they say
And then they say (hey) and then they say
And then they say (hey) and then they say (21st century schizoid man)
Fuck SNL and the whole cast
Tell 'em Yeezy said they can kiss my whole ass
More specifically, they can kiss my asshole
I'm an asshole? You niggas got jokes
You short-minded niggas thoughts is Napoleon
My furs is Mongolian, my ice brought the goldies in
Now I embody every characteristic of the egotistic
He knows, he so, fuckin' gifted
I just needed time alone, with my own thoughts
Got treasures in my mind but couldn't open up my own vault
My childlike creativity, purity and honesty
Is honestly being crowded by these grown thoughts
Reality is catchin' up with me
Takin' my inner child, I'm fighting for custody
With these responsibilities that they entrusted me
As I look down at my diamond encrusted piece
Thinkin', no one man should have all that power
The clock's tickin', I just count the hours
Stop trippin', I'm trippin' off the powder
'Til then, fuck that, the world's ours
And then they say (hey) and then they say
And then they say (hey) and then they say
And then they say (hey) and then they say (21st century schizoid man)
Colin Powells, Austin Powers
Lost in translation with a whole fuckin' nation
They say, I was the abomination of Obama's nation
Well that's a pretty bad way to start the conversation
At the end of day, goddammit I'm killin' this shit
I know damn well y'all feelin' this shit
I don't need your pussy, bitch I'm on my own dick
I ain't gotta power trip, who you goin' home with?
How 'Ye doin? I'm survivin'
I was drinkin' earlier, now I'm drivin'
Where the bad bitches, huh? Where ya hidin'?
I got the power, make yo' life so exciting (so exciting)
Now this will be a beautiful death
Jumping out the window
Letting everything go
Letting everything go
Now this will be a beautiful death
Jumping out the window
Letting everything go
Letting everything go
Now this will be a beautiful death
Jumping out the window
Letting everything go
Letting everything go
You got the power to let power go?
(21st century schizoid man)
Ladiesman217
I just needed time alone, with my own thoughts
Got treasures in my mind but couldn't open up my own vault
My childlike creativity, purity and honesty
Is honestly being crowded by these grown thoughts
Reality is catchin' up with me
Takin' my inner child, I'm fighting for custody
With these responsibilities that they entrusted me
As I look down at my diamond encrusted piece
Thinkin', no one man should have all that power
Damn.
Sir Cartier ♪
I embody every characteristic of the egotistic
He knows he's so fuckin' gifted
I just needed time alone with my own thoughts
Got treasures in my mind, but couldn't open up my own vault
My childlike creativity, purity, and honesty
Is honestly being crowded by these grown thoughts
Reality is catching up with me
Taking my inner child, I'm fighting for custody
With these responsibilities that they entrusted me
As I look down at my diamond-encrusted piece
This Is The Greatest Verse Of All Time.
Battumur Danzan
[Intro: Kanye West]
I'm living in that 21st century, doing something mean to it
Do it better than anybody you ever seen do it
Screams from the haters got a nice ring to it
I guess every superhero need his theme music
[Chorus: Kanye West]
No one man should have all that power
The clock’s ticking, I just count the hours
Stop tripping, I'm tripping off the power
(21st-century schizoid man)
[Verse 1: Kanye West]
The system broken, the school's closed, the prison's open
We ain't got nothing to lose, motherfucker, we rolling
Huh? Motherfucker, we rolling
With some light-skinned girls and some Kelly Rowlands
In this white man world, we the ones chosen
So goodnight, cruel world, I'll see you in the morning
Huh? I'll see you in the morning
This is way too much, I need a moment
[Chorus: Kanye West]
No one man should have all that power
The clock's ticking, I just count the hours
Stop tripping, I'm tripping off the power
'Til then, fuck that, the world's ours
And they say, and they say
And they say, and they say
And they say, and they say
(21st-century schizoid man)
[Verse 2: Kanye West]
Fuck SNL and the whole cast
Tell them Yeezy said they can kiss my whole ass
More specifically, they can kiss my asshole
I'm an asshole? You niggas got jokes
You short-minded niggas' thoughts is Napoleon
My furs is Mongolian, my ice brought the goalies in
I embody every characteristic of the egotistic
He knows he's so fuckin' gifted
I just needed time alone with my own thoughts
Got treasures in my mind, but couldn't open up my own vault
My childlike creativity, purity, and honesty
Is honestly being crowded by these grown thoughts
Reality is catching up with me
Taking my inner child, I'm fighting for custody
With these responsibilities that they entrusted me
As I look down at my diamond-encrusted piece
[Chorus: Kanye West]
Thinking no one man should have all that power
The clock's ticking, I just count the hours
Stop tripping, I'm tripping off the powder
'Til then, fuck that, the world’s ours
And they say, and they say
And they say, and they say
And they say, and they say
(21st-century schizoid man)
[Verse 3: Kanye West]
Colin Powells, Austin Powers
Lost in translation with a whole fuckin' nation
They say I was the abomination of Obama's nation
Well, that's a pretty bad way to start the conversation
At the end of the day, goddamnit, I'm killing this shit
I know damn well y'all feeling this shit
I don't need your pussy, bitch, I'm on my own dick
I ain't gotta power trip, who you goin' home with?
How Ye doing? I'm survivin'
I was drinkin' earlier, now I'm drivin'
Where the bad bitches, huh? Where you hidin'?
I got the power make your life so excitin'
[Outro: Kanye West & Dwele]
Now this will be a beautiful death
I'm jumping out the window, I'm letting everything go
I'm letting everything go
Mmm, now this will be a beautiful death
I'm jumping out the window, I'm letting everything go
I'm letting everything go
Now this will be a beautiful death
Jumping out the window, letting everything go
Letting everything go
You got the power to let power go?
(21st-century schizoid man)
hello ppl
I'm living' in that 21st century
Doing something mean to it
Do it better than anybody you ever seen do it
Screams from the haters, got a nice ring to it
I guess every superhero need his theme music
No one man should have all that power
The clock's ticking', I just count the hours
Stop tripping', I'm tripping' off the power
(21st century schizoid man)
The system broken, the school's closed, the prisons open
We ain't got nothing' to lose, ma' fucka', we rolling
Huh? Ma'fucka', we rollin'
With some light-skinned girls and some Kelly Rowlands
In this white man's world, we the ones chosen
So goodnight, cruel world, I see you in the mornin'
Huh? I'll see you in the mornin'
This is way too much, I need a moment
No one man should have all that power
The clock's tickin', I just count the hours
Stop trippin' I'm trippin' off the power
'Til then, fuck that, the world's ours
And then they say (hey) and then they say
And then they say (hey) and then they say
And then they say (hey) and then they say (21st century schizoid man)
Fuck SNL and the whole cast
Tell 'em Yeezy said they can kiss my whole ass
More specifically, they can kiss my asshole
I'm an asshole? You niggas got jokes
You short-minded niggas thoughts is Napoleon
My furs is Mongolian, my ice brought the goldies in
Now I embody every characteristic of the egotistic
He knows, he so, fuckin' gifted
I just needed time alone, with my own thoughts
Got treasures in my mind but couldn't open up my own vault
My childlike creativity, purity and honesty
Is honestly being crowded by these grown thoughts
Reality is catchin' up with me
Takin' my inner child, I'm fighting for custody
With these responsibilities that they entrusted me
As I look down at my diamond encrusted piece
Thinkin', no one man should have all that power
The clock's tickin', I just count the hours
Stop trippin', I'm trippin' off the powder
'Til then, fuck that, the world's ours
And then they say (hey) and then they say
And then they say (hey) and then they say
And then they say (hey) and then they say (21st century schizoid man)
Colin Powells, Austin Powers
Lost in translation with a whole fuckin' nation
They say, I was the abomination of Obama's nation
Well that's a pretty bad way to start the conversation
At the end of day, goddammit I'm killin' this shit
I know damn well y'all feelin' this shit
I don't need your pussy, bitch I'm on my own dick
I ain't gotta power trip, who you goin' home with?
How 'Ye doin? I'm survivin'
I was drinkin' earlier, now I'm drivin'
Where the bad bitches, huh? Where ya hidin'?
I got the power, make yo' life so exciting (so exciting)
Now this will be a beautiful death
Jumping out the window
Letting everything go
Letting everything go
Now this will be a beautiful death
Jumping out the window
Letting everything go
Letting everything go
Now this will be a beautiful death
Jumping out the window
Letting everything go
Letting everything go
You got the power to let power go?
(21st century schizoid man)
Akkar
The transition to “so excited” to “suicide” is so genius that I’m very surprised that Kanye managed to do that. And when King Crimson busted in the song out of nowhere, I was really happy. Overall, really good song!
daveeD
It's even more insane when you realize it took 12 years for that part of the song to be solved, since Never See Me Again was discovered 12 years after both it and Power were produced
Nero
I notice it everytime. It legit goes “so exciting” then he starts slurring words and it turns into suicide it’s crazy
Another Point of View
@Gabe Eason Not writing.
odd_monke
3:21 because he forgot to add wheres that part it
yayayayayaya
jesus this song is just so fucking insane. its so goddamn lush. you can listen to this 1000 times and still find new things in the beat, instrumentation, lyrics... god.
Ash Ketchum
It took 5,000 man-hours to make. Your comment certifies it 😄🌷
Kanye Bear
This applies to every song hes made except for a select few
anonymous2024
yes!!
rue
The line "Jumping out the Window" hits different when you know what he was going through and if he proceeded to do it we would've never got this beautiful masterpiece of an album.
Thank you Kanye for inspiring me to keep on living and many others even when times seem to never light up.