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.

Skit #3
Kanye West Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

This was founded years ago
By broke slaves, years ago
Who did not have, years ago
By broke brothas in the '20s, years ago
Who did not have when we could not eat
Hmm, remember that?
Eating all of our cereal with forks because we wanted to save the milk
Do you remember that? Hmm?

Do you remember all those Christmases when your Mama walked in the room

And pretended she was the tree, huh?
Remember that?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Kanye West's song Skit #3 reflect on the roots and struggles of African Americans in the past. The phrase "this was founded years ago" suggests that the current state of African Americans' lives has been in the making for a long time. The next line "by broke slaves, years ago" highlights the fact that African Americans were once slaves and did not have anything to their name. This struggle to survive and provide for themselves is further emphasized in the line "who did not have when we could not eat." The lyrics take us back to the 1920s and highlight the struggles of "broke brothas" who also did not have much to their name.

The mention of having to eat cereal with forks to save milk is an indication of how little resources were available to them. This struggle is further highlighted with the question "do you remember all those Christmases when your Mama walked in the room and pretended she was the tree?" It suggests that even the celebration of Christmas was limited to what they had and nothing more. The lyrics are a profound reminder of the struggles of African American people in the past and their journey towards freedom and equality.

Line by Line Meaning

This was founded years ago
Referring to the foundation of African-American culture and community, which has its roots in the struggles and hardships experienced by black people in America over many years.

By broke slaves, years ago
A recognition that the foundations of black culture in America were laid by slaves who were oppressed and financially destitute.

Who did not have, years ago
These early black communities were characterized by a lack of resources and opportunity due to systemic racism and oppression.

By broke brothas in the '20s, years ago
Acknowledging the legacy of black poverty and struggle in the 20th century, despite the gains made during the Harlem Renaissance and other movements.

Who did not have when we could not eat
Highlighting the ways in which black poverty has often led to hunger and malnutrition, even in times when there was an abundance of food available.

Hmm, remember that?
A rhetorical question, emphasizing the importance of not forgetting the experiences and struggles of black people in America throughout history.

Eating all of our cereal with forks because we wanted to save the milk
A specific example of the resourcefulness and resilience required to survive in impoverished black communities, where basic necessities such as milk were often in short supply.

Do you remember that? Hmm?
Reiterating the importance of remembering and honoring the experiences of black people, both positive and negative, in order to build a stronger community and society.

Do you remember all those Christmases when your Mama walked in the room And pretended she was the tree, huh?
Recalling a common experience among black families, where holiday traditions had to be improvised or adapted due to limited resources or cultural barriers. This highlights the cultural richness of black experience, even in the face of adversity.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Kanye Omari West

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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