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.

Self Concious
Kanye West Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Chorus (Syleena Johnson):
A way that all, all falls down
I tell you oh, it all falls down
A way that all, all falls down
I tell you oh, it all falls down

Kanye West:
Man i promise she's so self conscious she has no idea what she's doing in college that major that she majored in don't make no money but she wont drop out her parents will look at her funny. Now tell me that aint insecurrr. The concept of school seems so securrr. Sophmore three yurrs aint picked a carurr. She like fuck it I'll just stay down hurr and do hair cause that's enough money to buy her a few pairs of airs cause her baby daddy don't really care. she's so precious with the peer pressure, couldnt afford a car so she named her daughter alexus. She had hair so long that it looked like weave then she cut it all off now she look like eve. And she be dealing with some issues that you can't believe single black female addicted to retail.and well

Chorus:

Kanye west:
Man i promise im so self conscious that's why you always see me with at least one of my watches rollies and poshers done drove me crazy i can't even pronounce nothing pass that ver-say-see. Then i spent 400 bucks on this just to be like nigga you aint up on this. And i can't even go to the grocery store without some ones that's clean and a shirt with a team it seems we living the american dream. But people highest up got the lowest self esteem. The prettiest people do the ugliest things for the road to riches and diamond rings. We shine because they hate us, floss cause they degrade us, we trying to buy back our 40 acres. And for that paper look how low we'll stoop even if you in a benz you still a nigga in a coupe.

Chorus:

Kanye West:
I say fuck the police that's how i treat em. We buy our way out of jail but we can't buy freedom. We'll buy a lot of clothes when we don't really need em things we buy to cover up what's inside. Cause they make us hate ourself and love they wealth that's why shortys hollering "where the ballas at". Drug dealer buy jordans crackhead buy crack and a white man get paid off of all of that. But i aint even gonna act holyer than thou just fuck it, i went to jacob with 25 thou before i had a house and i'd do it again cause i wanna be on 106th and park pushing a benz. I wanna act ballerific like it's all terrific i got a couple past due bills wont get specific. Got a problem with spendin before i get it. We all self conscious im just the first to admit it.

Chorus:

Till fades out

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Kanye West's "Self-Conscious" are an insightful commentary on society's obsession with wealth and status, and the insecurity that underlies this obsession. The song starts with the chorus sung by Syleena Johnson, "A way that all, all falls down, I tell you oh, it all falls down," which suggests that our pursuit of material things will ultimately lead to our downfall. Kanye West's verses explore this theme further, starting with the story of a young woman who is so insecure that she stays in college despite her major not leading to much money, simply because dropping out would make her parents look down on her. This line highlights the pressure that young people face to conform to society's expectations, even if it means sacrificing their own dreams and desires.

The song continues to draw attention to the issue of self-consciousness, with Kanye West acknowledging his own insecurities, such as his obsession with expensive watches and designer clothing. He also criticizes the way that society values wealth and status above all else, with the "prettiest people" doing the "ugliest things" to achieve success. By the end of the song, Kanye West has come to the conclusion that we are all self-conscious in some way, but he is the first to admit it. This line suggests that by acknowledging our own insecurities, we can begin to work through them and move towards a more fulfilling and authentic life.

Line by Line Meaning

A way that all, all falls down
The flawed nature of society will always bring about its destruction

I tell you oh, it all falls down
I'm warning you that society is fragile and flawed and will inevitably collapse

Man i promise she's so self conscious she has no idea what she's doing in college
She lacks confidence in herself and her ability to excel academically

that major that she majored in don't make no money but she wont drop out
Her major is not lucrative, but she doesn't have the self-assuredness to change course

her parents will look at her funny. Now tell me that aint insecurrr.
Her fear of losing the approval of her parents is driving her insecurity

The concept of school seems so securrr.
The structure and routine of education provides her with a sense of safety

Sophmore three yurrs aint picked a carurr.
Despite being in her third year of college, she hasn't chosen a career path

She like fuck it I'll just stay down hurr and do hair
She's settled for a career path that's easy and reliable, even if it's not fulfilling

cause that's enough money to buy her a few pairs of airs
She's content with a basic income that will allow her to buy a few luxuries

cause her baby daddy don't really care.
She's struggling to provide for her child because her partner is absent and uninvolved

she's so precious with the peer pressure,
She's sensitive to the opinions of others and feels pressure to conform

couldnt afford a car so she named her daughter alexus.
She lacks the resources to afford a car, so she gave her daughter a luxurious name

She had hair so long that it looked like weave then she cut it all off now she look like eve.
She changed her appearance drastically and challenged societal beauty standards

And she be dealing with some issues that you can't believe single black female addicted to retail.
She's struggling with personal issues that others might not comprehend, and has become addicted to shopping to cope

Man i promise im so self conscious that's why you always see me with at least one of my watches
I lack confidence and am trying to compensate by flaunting my wealth

poshers done drove me crazy i can't even pronounce nothing pass that ver-say-see.
Luxury brands have become so important to me that I can't even pronounce them correctly

And i can't even go to the grocery store without some ones that's clean and a shirt with a team
I'm so image-conscious that I can't even run errands without looking immaculate

it seems we living the american dream. But people highest up got the lowest self esteem.
We're pursuing the illusion of the American Dream, but even those with wealth and power are plagued by self-doubt

The prettiest people do the ugliest things for the road to riches and diamond rings.
People will sacrifice their integrity and do immoral things to attain wealth and status

We shine because they hate us, floss cause they degrade us, we trying to buy back our 40 acres.
We use material goods to assert our worth in a society that has traditionally oppressed us

And for that paper look how low we'll stoop even if you in a benz you still a nigga in a coupe.
We'll do whatever it takes to acquire wealth, even if it means putting ourselves in danger or using inappropriate language.

I say fuck the police that's how i treat em.
I have a negative and angry attitude towards law enforcement

We buy our way out of jail but we can't buy freedom.
We use wealth to evade consequences, but it cannot erase systemic injustices

things we buy to cover up what's inside.
Material possessions serve as a mask to hide our insecurities and inner struggles

Cause they make us hate ourself and love they wealth that's why shortys hollering 'where the ballas at'.
Society shapes us to hate ourselves and admire those with material wealth, which is why people are always searching for the rich and famous.

Drug dealer buy jordans crackhead buy crack and a white man get paid off of all of that.
The drug trade perpetuates systemic inequality and benefits the wealthy, white individuals who profit from it

But i aint even gonna act holyer than thou just fuck it,
I'm not pretending to be morally superior to others

I went to jacob with 25 thou before i had a house and i'd do it again cause i wanna be on 106th and park pushing a benz.
I spent a large sum of money on jewelry before buying a house because I wanted to project a wealthy image and appear on a popular TV show

I wanna act ballerific like it's all terrific
I want to flaunt my wealth and project an image of success regardless of the reality of my situation

i got a couple past due bills wont get specific.
I have financial responsibilities that I haven't met, but I won't say what they are

Got a problem with spendin before i get it.
I have a habit of overspending and living beyond my means

We all self conscious im just the first to admit it.
All of us are insecure in some way, but I'm the first to acknowledge it openly

Contributed by Carson J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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