They Say
Kanye West Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

They say, "What's happenin'?"
We say the facts and then, they lie
We comin' back for them
They might say but they don't know
(They say, they say)
They don't know

They say a nigga lost his mind
But in the scheme of things I never lost a rhyme
The thin line between love and hatred
I'm the black pill in the Matrix, the saturated life
They say life is what you make it
So I wait quick on a spaceship so I can take it
As high as the stakes get when paper get low
I be tellin' Derick, "Tell Cara get us a show"
Little Com, I make righteous bitches get low
The richest man ain't necessarily the nigga with dough
They say, "You ripped", "Wow", yeah, that's what they say
My niggas couldn't tell it was me, like Jamie in Ray
Paintin' a day, with focused crime, broads, and good wine
They say, "Dope is sour so it's homework and hood crimes"
I stood mine, for forever and a day, so goodbye
They never could say, tell 'em, J

They say, "What's happenin'?"
We say the facts and then, they lie
We comin' back for them
They might say but they don't know
(They say, they say)
They don't know

Ah, the sweet taste of victory
Go 'head and breath it in like antihistamine
I know they sayin', "Damn, Ye' snapped with this beat"
Fuck you expect? I've got a history
Groupie love now, gotta be them wheels
Haters back down, gotta be that steel
I know they can't wait 'til ya outta ya deal
Look how they did D'Angelo, ask him, "How do it feel?"
My best friends worry 'bout me
'Cause they know when you famous
And you had made cash the media aims at us and you be up so high
If you ever fall off, it feel like a plane crash
But God don't ever give me nothin' I can't handle
So please don't ever give me records I can't sample
So I could vacay where it ain't no channels
But it's quite okay for a gangsta to wear sandals
They say because of the fame and stardom
I'm somewhere in between the church and insane asylum
I guess it's messin' with my health then
And this verse so crazy when I finish
I'm just gon' check myself in

They (again) say, "What's happenin'?"
We say the facts and then (uh), they lie (ha)
We comin' back for them
They might say but they don't know
(They say, they say)
They don't know

They say, "Dude think he righteous"
I write just to free minds, from Stony to Rikers
Amongst the lifeless, in a world crazy as Mike is
On my paper, whether it's weed or Isis
They say life is a game, so I play hard
Writin' for my life 'cause I'm scared of a day job
They say "Sef kept the hood together"
I tell the young, "We can't play the hood forever"
Play my cards right, they say I went too left
They showed me strange love, like I was Mr. F
Played chess in this game of pawns and knights
Now I claim "King" like Don, or Frank White
They say my life is comparable to Christ
The way I sacrificed and resurrected twice
They say, "The crochet pants and the sweater was wack"
Seen "The Corner", now they say, "That nigga's back," uh

They say, "What's happenin'?"
We say the facts and then, they lie
We comin' back for them
They might say but they don't know




(They say, they say)
They don't know

Overall Meaning

Kanye West's "They Say" is a powerful song that explores the dynamic between fame and criticism. The opening lines, "They say what's happenin'? We say the facts, and if they lie, we comin' back for them" establish the theme of the song, which is that Kanye and his fellows are going to call out those who criticize them, no matter what. The lyrics then describe the perception that Kanye has lost his mind, but he argues that in reality, he has never lost his ability to write compelling rhymes. The song also touches on the idea that fame is a double-edged sword, as it can boost an artist's profile but also subject them to intense scrutiny and criticism.


One of the most interesting aspects of "They Say" is the way that Kanye mixes hard-hitting social commentary with personal statements. For example, he talks about the pressures of fame and the difficulties of retaining a sense of self, but also makes references to his friends and his personal stylistic choices. This creates a sense of intimacy between the artist and the listener, while also conveying a broader message about the state of fame in modern society.


Another interesting facet of "They Say" is the way that Kanye incorporates elements of different musical styles, from R&B to rock. The song is built around a driving beat and a hypnotic guitar riff, which create a sense of urgency and momentum. The lyrics are delivered with an intense energy that can be both compelling and unsettling, depending on the listener's perspective. Overall, "They Say" is a thought-provoking song that challenges listeners to confront their own assumptions about fame, criticism, and creative expression.


Line by Line Meaning

They say what's happenin'?
People ask me what's going on in my life


We say the facts and if, they lie
I tell the truth and call out others when they lie


We comin' back for them
I'll stand up for myself and my beliefs


They might say, but they don't know!
Others may talk about me, but they don't really understand me


They say a nigga lost his mind
People think I'm crazy or have gone insane


But in the scheme of things I never lost a rhyme
Despite what people say, I haven't lost my talent for rapping


The thin line between love and hatred
There's a difficult balance between love and hate


I'm the black pill in the matrix, the saturated life
I see through the illusions of society and celebrity culture, which has become overwhelming


They say life is what you make it
People say that you control your own destiny


So I wait quick on a spaceship so I can take it
I'm impatiently waiting for my opportunity to seize my destiny


As high as the stakes get when paper get low
Money is important and can be all-consuming when you don't have a lot


I be telling derick, "tell kara get us a show"
I'm working hard to get my music out there and get more exposure


Little com, I make righteous bitches get low
I'm able to influence people and make them humble themselves


The richest man ain't necessarily the nigga wit dough
Wealth doesn't always define success or worth


They say "you ripped" "wow" yea, that's what they say
People are complimenting my rapping skills


My niggas couldn't tell it was me, like jamie in ray
My friends didn't recognize me at first, like a movie character in disguise


Painting a day, wit focused crime, broads, and good wine
I'm living my life without holding back


They say "dope is sour so it's homework and hood crimes"
People criticize my music for glorifying 'hood' culture


I stood mine, for forever and a day so goodbye
I've stood up for myself and my beliefs and won't back down


The sweet taste of victory
The feeling of success is so satisfying


Go head and breath it in like antihistamine
Enjoy the feeling of success as if it's medicine for your soul


I know they saying "damn, yea snapped wit this beat!"
People are impressed with my talent for making music


Fuck you expect? I've got a history
Of course I'm good at this, I've got a lot of experience and practice


Groupie love now, gotta be them wheels!
People are attracted to me now that I'm famous and have money


Haters back down, gotta be that steel!
I'll defend myself and my success against those who try to bring me down


I know they cant wait till ya outta ya deal!
People are eager for me to get out of my record contract


My best friends worry bout me
My closest friends are concerned for my well-being


Cause they know when you famous/fame-ass
Being famous can be dangerous and challenging


And you had made cash the media aims at us and you be up so high
The media will target wealthy celebrities with negative press


If you ever fall off, it feel like a plane crash
Losing success can feel devastating


But god don't ever give me nothing I cant handle
I trust that I can handle anything that comes my way


So please don't ever give me records I cant sample
I am confident in my ability to make music with any type of sample or beat


So I could vacate where it ain't no channels
I want to escape to a place where there's no media or distractions


But it's quite ok for a gangsta to wear sandals
I don't care that my fashion choices don't fit the stereotypical 'gangsta' image


They say because of the fame and stardom
Some people believe that my fame has changed me


I'm somewhere in between the church and insane asylum
I am struggling to balance my spiritual life with the craziness of fame


I guess it's messing with my health then
The stress of fame may be affecting my physical and mental health


And this verse so crazy when I finish
My lyrics are wild and intense in this song


I'm just going check myself in, again
I may need to take a break from everything and seek help again


I write just to free minds, from stoney to rikers
I use my music to inspire and empower people from all walks of life


Amongst the lifeless, in a world crazy as mike is
I am trying to make a positive impact in a world full of negativity and chaos


On my paper, whether its weed or isis
I write my thoughts and ideas down on paper, whether it's about drugs or politics


They say "life is a game," so I play hard
People say you need to take risks and fight hard to succeed in life


Writing for my life cause I'm scared of a day job
I'm so passionate about music that I'm afraid of having to work a regular job instead


They say "sef kept the hood together"
People credit me with holding my neighborhood community together


I tell the young, "we can't play the hood forever"
I want to inspire others to leave the 'hood' and seek a better future


Play my cards right, they say I went to left
If I make the right choices in life, people will be surprised at how successful I can be


They showed me strange love, like I was mr. f
People have shown me attention and affection that I find strange and uncomfortable


Played chess in this game of, pawns and knights
I'm strategic and thoughtful in my approach to the music industry


Now I claim "king" like don, or frank white
I see myself as a successful and powerful figure in the music industry


They say my life is comparable to christ's
Some people believe that my struggles and sacrifices are similar to those of Jesus Christ


The way I sacrificed, and resurrected, twice
I've made big sacrifices in my life and have come back stronger from difficult times


They say "the crochet pants and the sweater was wack"
People criticized my fashion choices for being strange or uncool


Seen "the corner", now they say "that nigga's back," uh
After some time out of the spotlight, people are now excited to see me making music again




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Thomas Randolph Bell, Linda Epstein, Lonnie Rashid Lynn, John Roger Stephens, Kanye Omari West

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

@chriscash1982

This was one of Kanye's hardest beats. The whole album was fire and a classic.

@jkashdamoneyman5870

This when dilla had super heavy influence on a lot of his beats, they were simple and nice

@chriscash1982

@@jkashdamoneyman5870 I’m sure Dilla influenced him but doesn’t sound like anything Dilla would do. The only beat beside Kanye on the album was Dilla though. Pretty cool

@brucegothamcity

​​@@jkashdamoneyman5870but the best beats on the album was made by Kanye though

@jkashdamoneyman5870

@@chriscash1982 lol comprehensión deficiencies are at an all time high, never said it sound exactly like something dilla made, that Kanye is dead anyway, new Kanye is a clone and beat thief

@robertclark1141

“ But god don’t ever give me nothing I can’t handle, So please don’t ever give me records I can’t sample” -Kanye 🔥

@wayneshamba6961

That Kanye verse is LEGENDARY!

@Gorguruga

I dunno man, to me Common completely destroyed him and made Kanye look like a rank amatuer with a wack verse. But it's all opinions at the end of the day.

@sergiohernandez8911

@Gorguruga they both hit hard

@ethos762

@Gorguruga you’re reaching hard asf, they both did extremely well

More Comments

More Versions