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.
Selfish
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I gotta put me first
I gotta put me first, Lucious
I understand that, and I promise
Selfish, I just want you all to my own
These-these 'ches won't leave me alone
Damaged by the fact I'm alone
I put me first
I put me first, Lucian
What was it worth?
What was it worth in the end?
It was just a purse
It was just a purse, then again
I never seen a purse
Get took as personal as this
Don't make it worse
Don't make it worse than what it is
I spent a church
I spent a church on a Benz
I lost my shirt
Least now we playing shirts and skins
Shift to reverse
And then you skrrt off again
Lewinsky, treat me like the President
Don't look at me like I need medicine
Don't care what you heard, uh
Don't care what you heard, CNN
Even friends got a E-N-D at the end
Selfish, I just want you all to my own
These-these 'ches won't leave me alone
Damaged by the fact I'm alone
Selfish, I just want you all to my own
These-these 'ches won't leave me alone
Damaged by the fact I'm alone
In the song Selfish by Kanye West, he repeats the phrase “I gotta put me first” to emphasize the idea of prioritizing oneself. He then goes on to express a desire to have someone all to himself, admitting that he feels damaged by the fact of being alone. The next part of the verse brings attention to material possessions as he reflects on a purse he spent a disproportionate amount of money on, ultimately justifying it as something that makes him feel good. He speaks of losing his shirt, a metaphorical representation of losing money, and then shifts to a driving metaphor as he says “shift to reverse and then you skrrt off again,” suggesting a repeated cycle in relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
I gotta put me first
I have to prioritize myself above all others
Selfish, I just want you all to my own
I crave exclusive attention and affection from my lover
These-these 'ches won't leave me alone
Women keep pursuing me despite my relationship status
Damaged by the fact I'm alone
Being without my partner hurts me emotionally and psychologically
I put me first
I prioritize myself above other people
What was it worth? / It was just a purse
Spending a large amount of money on something materialistic was not worth the cost
I never seen a purse / Get took as personal as this
Losing a prized possession like a designer purse feels like a personal attack
Don't make it worse / Don't make it worse than what it is
Don't exaggerate the severity of a situation
I spent a church / I spent a church on a Benz
I spent a significant amount of money on a luxury car
I lost my shirt / Least now we playing shirts and skins
I lost a lot of money, but now I have to take off my shirt in a game
Shift to reverse / And then you skrrt off again
I quickly change directions and leave abruptly
Lewinsky, treat me like the President
Treat me like a VIP or leader, like Bill Clinton with Monica Lewinsky
Don't look at me like I need medicine
Don't judge me or treat me as if I have mental issues
Don't care what you heard, uh / Don't care what you heard, CNN
I disregard rumors or news reports about me
Even friends got a E-N-D at the end
All relationships, including friendships, eventually come to an end
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Kanye Omari West, Jahseh Dwayne Onfroy, John Cunningham
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@byron4622
Kanye’s productions in the early 2000s were dope af
@finessethaprofit7325
He’d never revisit this style but honestly it’s timeless, it could work in any era
@Pknowno
@@finessethaprofit7325 i can hear dilla in his joints
@nelsonfigueiredo3198
Damn right, it was clearly his prime !
@AmayaBartlett-wo2hm
😊😊😊
@AmayaBartlett-wo2hm
@gods❤face
@Vlaedx
I miss this era of hip hop
@Jac735
Facts we took it for granted at least now we have youtube music and can vibe to different genre now
@gravitymusicproductiongrou260
Me too
@dantegood2195
Everyone will be saying the same thing about this current era in 15 years. Appreciate the times you’re in today.