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 albumsโ808s & Heartbreak (2008), My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010), and The Life of Pablo (2016)โwere 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.
Two Words (feat. Mos Def Free
Kanye West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's only two places you end up, either dead or in jail
Still nowhere to go (nowhere to go)
Still nowhere to go (nowhere to go)
Now throw your hands up
Hustlers, busters, boosters, hoes
Everybody, fuck that
Still nowhere to go (nowhere to go)
(Listen)
Two words, United States, no love, no breaks
Low brow, high stakes, crack smoke, Black folks
Big Macs, fat folks, ecstasy capsules
Presidential scandals, everybody move
Two words, Mos Def, K West, hot shit
Calm down, get back, ghetto people got this
Game 'pon lock shit, gun 'pon cock shit
We won't stop shit, everybody move
Two words, BK, NY, Bed-Stuy
Two harsh, too hungry, too many, that's why
These streets know game, can't ball, don't play
Heavy traffic, one lane, everybody move
Two words, Mos Def, Black Jack, hot shit
Calm down, get back, ghetto people got this
Game 'pon lock shit, gun 'pon cock shit
We won't stop, everybody move
Now throw your hands up (throw your hands up high)
Hustlers, busters, boosters, hoes
Everybody, fuck that
Still nowhere to go (nowhere to go)
Still nowhere to go (nowhere to go)
And keep your hands up ('til they reach the sky)
Hustlers, busters, boosters, hoes
Everybody, fuck that
Still nowhere to go (nowhere to go)
Still nowhere to go (nowhere to go)
Ayo, two words, Chi-Town, Southside, worldwide
'Cause I rep that 'til I fuckin' die
One neck, two chains, one waist, two gats
One wall, twenty plaques, dues paid, gimme that
I am limelight, Blueprint, five Mics
Go-Getters rhyme like, should've been signed twice
Most imitated, GRAMMY nominated
Hotel accommodated, cheerleader, prom-dated
Barbershop player-hated, mom and pop bootlegged it
Felt like it rained 'til the roof caved in
Two words, Chi-Town, raised me, crazy
So I live by two words, "Fuck you, pay me"
Screaming, "Jesus, save me"
You know how the game be, I can't let 'em change me
'Cause on Judgment Day, you gon' blame me
Look, God, it's the same me
And I basically know now, we get racially profiled (throw your hands up high)
Cuffed up and hosed down, pimped up and ho'd down
Plus, I got a whole city to hold down
From the bottom, so the top's the only place to go now
Now throw your hands up (throw your hands up high)
Hustlers, busters, boosters, hoes
Everybody, fuck that
Still nowhere to go (nowhere to go)
Still nowhere to go (nowhere to go)
Two words, Freeway, two letters, A-R
Turn y'all rap niggas into two words, fast runners
Like Jackie Joyner, you better sleep with your burner
The heat skeet, blow a reef through your car, my God
Two words, no guns, break arms
Break necks, break backs, Steven Seagal
Free, young boss, freshman of the Roc
With the beef in the pot, Jay sent for his dogs to brawl
Forget your squad, better fend for yourself
Have you screamin' out four words, "Send for the law," uh
Two words, Freeway, slightly retarded
Fuck around, throw a clip in your artist, leave with his broad
Red, white blue, black (throw your hands up)
Calm down, move back (throw your hands up)
Motherfuckers askin', "Who is that?" (Throw your hands up)
You know it's the almighty Black Jack (throw your hands up)
Mos Def, K West (throw your hands up)
Ghetto people, get this shit off your chest (throw your hands up)
North to the south, to the east, to the west (throw your hands up)
Black Jack Johnson, it's no contest (throw your hands up)
And show it to 'em like
In the song Two Words by Kanye West, the lyrics describe the harsh realities of living in the street and the dangers that come with it. The opening lines, "We in the streets, playa, get your mail, It's only two places you end up, either dead or in jail," paint a bleak picture of life in the street, with no escape. Throughout the song, the lyrics are raw, gritty and unapologetic, with Kanye and Mos Def delivering powerful verses that speak about how their upbringing in the streets of Brooklyn and Chicago have shaped who they are.
The title of the song, Two Words, refers to the two words that define their lives - "fuck you" and "pay me." This is evident in Kanye's lyrics, "So I live by two words, 'Fuck you, pay me,' Screaming, 'Jesus, save me,' You know how the game be, I can't let 'em change me," where he speaks about how he refuses to be changed by the industry and its expectations.
The song also speaks about racial profiling and the difficulties faced by people of colour. This is summed up in the lyrics, "I basically know now, we get racially profiled (throw your hands up high), Cuffed up and hosed down, pimped up and ho'd down, Plus, I got a whole city to hold down, From the bottom, so the top's the only place to go now."
Overall, the song is a powerful and unflinching depiction of the harsh realities of life in the street and the struggles faced by people of colour.
Line by Line Meaning
We in the streets, playa, get your mail
We are in the streets, man, you better get your money
It's only two places you end up, either dead or in jail
There are only two possible outcomes in the streets - death or imprisonment
Still nowhere to go (nowhere to go)
We still have no direction, no escape from the streets
Now throw your hands up
Raise your hands and show that you are with me
Hustlers, busters, boosters, hoes
All kinds of people are in the streets trying to make a living
Everybody, fuck that
I don't care about anyone else's opinions
Two words, United States, no love, no breaks
In this country, there is no love or mercy for those struggling in the streets
Low brow, high stakes, crack smoke, Black folks
We are low class, but the risks we take are high, and drugs are all we have
Big Macs, fat folks, ecstasy capsules
We indulge in fast food and drugs to escape our lives
Presidential scandals, everybody move
Even the people in power have scandals, so we need to keep moving forward
Two words, Mos Def, K West, hot shit
Me and Mos Def are killing it with our music
Calm down, get back, ghetto people got this
Even though we come from the ghetto, we can still make it and handle our business
Game 'pon lock shit, gun 'pon cock shit
We've got the game on lock and are ready to take on any challenge
We won't stop shit, everybody move
We won't give up, we'll keep pushing and moving forward
Two words, BK, NY, Bed-Stuy
Brooklyn, New York, represent Bed-Stuy
Two harsh, too hungry, too many, that's why
The streets are rough and full of people struggling, which is why it's hard to survive
These streets know game, can't ball, don't play
The streets know what's up, if you can't handle it, don't even try
Heavy traffic, one lane, everybody move
We're all trying to get ahead, but it's tough with so many obstacles in our way
Two words, Mos Def, Black Jack, hot shit
Me and Mos Def are making great music and tearing it up
Ayo, two words, Chi-Town, Southside, worldwide
From Chicago's South Side to the world - that's where I belong
'Cause I rep that 'til I fuckin' die
I will always represent where I come from, no matter what happens
One neck, two chains, one waist, two gats
I'm heavily armed and protected, with two chains around my neck
One wall, twenty plaques, dues paid, gimme that
I've achieved great success and recognition, and I deserve it
I am limelight, Blueprint, five Mics
I am in the spotlight now, with a classic album and top ratings
Go-Getters rhyme like, should've been signed twice
My crew Go-Getters can really spit, we should have been signed twice
Most imitated, GRAMMY nominated
People try to copy my style, and I've even been nominated for a Grammy
Hotel accommodated, cheerleader, prom-dated
I'm living the good life, staying in hotels and dating cheerleaders
Barbershop player-hated, mom and pop bootlegged it
I may have haters, but even your mom and pop are buying my music
Felt like it rained 'til the roof caved in
I've been through some tough times, but I won't give up
Two words, Chi-Town, raised me, crazy
Chicago raised me, and it was a crazy upbringing
So I live by two words, 'Fuck you, pay me'
I have to look out for myself and demand payment for my work
Screaming, 'Jesus, save me'
Sometimes life gets really tough, and all I can do is call for help
You know how the game be, I can't let 'em change me
I can't let the game change who I am as a person
'Cause on Judgment Day, you gon' blame me
I'll be held accountable for my actions, so I need to stay true to myself
Look, God, it's the same me
I haven't changed who I am, even with all my success
And I basically know now, we get racially profiled (throw your hands up high)
I've come to realize that no matter what I do, people still see me as a Black man and racially profile me
Cuffed up and hosed down, pimped up and ho'd down
The police can arrest me and treat me like a criminal, and women can be treated like objects
Plus, I got a whole city to hold down
I have a responsibility to my city and the people in it
From the bottom, so the top's the only place to go now
I started from the bottom, so the only place to go from here is up
Two words, Freeway, two letters, A-R
Shoutout to my buddies Freeway and AR
Turn y'all rap niggas into two words, fast runners
My rap skills are so good, I can make other rappers look inferior
Like Jackie Joyner, you better sleep with your burner
Just like Jackie Joyner, you need to have protection on you at all times
The heat skeet, blow a reef through your car, my God
I've got a deadly aim and can shoot through anything
Two words, no guns, break arms
I don't need a gun to take someone down, I can just use my bare hands
Break necks, break backs, Steven Seagal
I'm so powerful, I can take down people like Steven Seagal does in action movies
Free, young boss, freshman of the Roc
I'm a young, successful boss, and I'm part of Roc Nation
With the beef in the pot, Jay sent for his dogs to brawl
When there's trouble, Jay-Z has my back and will send his team to help
Forget your squad, better fend for yourself
Don't rely on others to protect you, you need to take care of yourself
Have you screamin' out four words, 'Send for the law,' uh
If things get really bad, you might have to call for the police to intervene
Two words, Freeway, slightly retarded
Freeway is a bit slow, but he's still my friend and a great rapper
Fuck around, throw a clip in your artist, leave with his broad
If you mess around with me, I'll take your artist and your girl
Red, white blue, black (throw your hands up)
This song represents America and the struggles of Black people
Calm down, move back (throw your hands up)
Everyone needs to calm down and move back to let this song and its message take over
Motherfuckers askin', 'Who is that?' (Throw your hands up)
People who don't know who I am need to ask around and find out
You know it's the almighty Black Jack (throw your hands up)
Everyone should know about me and my music
Mos Def, K West (throw your hands up)
Me and Mos Def are a force to be reckoned with
Ghetto people, get this shit off your chest (throw your hands up)
People in the ghetto need to speak up and make their voices heard
North to the south, to the east, to the west (throw your hands up)
No matter where you are, you should be raising your hands and listening to this music
Black Jack Johnson, it's no contest (throw your hands up)
I'm the best out there, hands down
And show it to 'em like (throw your hands up)
Let's show them what we're made of, together
Lyrics ยฉ Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Leslie Pridgen, Dante Smith, Kanye West, Louis B. Wilson, Ricardo Wilson, Carlos Delano Wilson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@NicholasBenjaminAmato
Listen: Two words, United States, no love, no breaks,
lowbrow, high stakes, crack smoke, black folks,
Big Macs, fat folks, Ecstasy capsules,
presidential scandals; everybody MOVE!
Two words, Mos Def, K. West, hot shit,
calm down, get back, ghetto people, got this,
game 'pon lock shit, gun 'pon cock shit,
we won't stop shit; everybody MOVE!
Two words, BK, NY, Bed-Stuy,
too harsh, too hungry, too many, that's why,
these streets know game, can't ball, don't play,
heavy traffic, one lane; everybody MOVE!
Two words, Mos Def, Black Jack, hot shit,
calm down, get back, ghetto people, got this,
game 'pon lock, gun 'pon cock,
we won't stop; everybody MOVE!
@ClassixsBeats
One of the most underrated Hip Hop tracks of all time. Incredible.
@anesthesia05
Classixs Beatsย This is fire!
@bloontsyfloontsy1725
I know that this comment was 4 months ago, but I also think so many of The College Dropout's songs are underrated too. Majority of Kanye's songs are underrated because everyone pays attention to his mainstream songs...
@Freyyyr
+John 4 Reason Totally agree. And question, why do you have this picture of Tokyo as your cover photo, i have seen so many people on youtube with the same image, just WHY?
@bloontsyfloontsy1725
ClemBย I honestly have no clue haha..I never thought about changing it and I guess it's just the default cover photo.
@Freyyyr
ok thx!
@VitruvianVictor
Kanyes most underrated song
@mrmartywaring
Agreed!!!
@diobrando5896
Victor Gonzalez under rated as fuck. meaningful lyrics and and sick beat.
@na3na3shyt
what else would you consider? i think "good night" ,but what album songs/ non-singles?