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.

We Major )
Kanye West Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You motherfuckers better do your job and roll up and watch how we roll up and
I can't control it, can't hold it, it's so nuts
I take a sip of that yak, I want to fuck
I take a hit of that chronic, it got me stuck
But really what's amazing is how I keep blazing
Towel under the door smoke until the days end
Puff, puff then pass, don't fuck up rotation
Hypnotic for Henny, now nigga that's your chaser

Turn nothing to something now pimpin' that's a savior
Best things are green now pimp and get your paper
High off the ground instead of skyscraper
Too low thinkin' we local, come on homie, we major

We major (come on, homie, we major)

Feeling better than some head on a Sunday afternoon
Better than a chick that say yes to soon
Until you have a daughter, that's what I call karma
And you pray to god she don't grow breasts too soon.
Projects to' up, gang signs is thrown up
Niggas hats broke off that's how we grow up
Why else you think shorty's write rhymes just to blow up?
Get they first car and then IRS show up
He ain't never had shit but he had that nine
Nigga come through flickin' and he had that shine
Put two and two together in a little bad weather
Gon' be a whole family on that funeral line
Ask the reverend was the strip club cool if my tips help send a pretty girl through school
That's all I want like wino's want they good whiskey
I ain't in the Klan, but I brought my hood with me

You motherfuckers better do your job and roll up and watch how we roll up and
I can't control it, can't hold it, it's so nuts
I take a sip of that yak, I want to fuck
I take a hit of that chronic, it got me stuck
But really what's amazing is how I keep blazing
Towel under the door smoke until the days end
Puff, puff then pass, don't fuck up rotation
Hypnotic for Henny, now nigga that's your chaser
Turn nothing to something now pimpin' that's a savior
Best things are green now pimp and get your paper
High off the ground instead of skyscraper
Too low thinkin' we local, come on homie, we major

I heard the beat and I ain't know what to write
First line, should it be about the hos or the ice?
Four-four's or black Christ? Both flows would be nice
Rap about big paper or the black man's plight
At the studio console asked my man to the right
What this verse sound like, should I freestyle or write?
He said, Nas, what the fans want is Illmatic, Stillmatic
Picked up the pad and pencil and jotted what I feel
Been like 12 years since a nigga first signed
Now I'm a free agent
And I'm thinking it's time
To build my very own Motown
Cause rappers be deprived of executive 9 to 5s
And it hurts to see these companies be stealing the life
And I love to give my blood sweat and tears to the mic
So y'all copped the LPs and y'all fiends got dealt
I'm Jesse Jackson on the balcony where King got killed
I survived the livest niggas around
Lasting longer than more than half of you clowns
Look, I used to cook before I had the game took
Either way my change came like Sam Cooke

Feeling better than I ever felt before today
Like better late than never is orientation
Still we can make it better throwing all your cares away

You motherfuckers better do your job and roll up and watch how we roll up and
I can't control it, can't hold it, it's so nuts
I take a sip of that yak, I want to fuck
I take a hit of that chronic, it got me stuck
But really what's amazing is how I keep blazing
Towel under the door smoke until the days end
Puff, puff then pass, don't fuck up rotation
Hypnotic for Henny, now nigga that's your chaser
Turn nothing to something now pimpin' that's a savior
Best things are green now pimp and get your paper

High off the ground instead of skyscraper
Too low thinkin' we local, come on homie, we major

Overall Meaning

The song "We Major" by Kanye West featuring NaS is an anthem of self-confidence and success. It begins with Kanye urging his listeners to pay attention to how he rolls, and boasts about his ability to keep smoking and drinking without losing control. He acknowledges that his actions are "so nuts" but he can't hold back. What's remarkable is how he keeps going, blazing up until the day's end; he urges his audience to maintain the rotation so no one messes it up. NaS comes in on the second verse, reflecting on how hard it was to grow up. He speaks about the poverty, the gangbanging and the hurdles that young black men fight to overcome in order to get ahead. He also references how women who become whores always end up receiving a stroke of bad luck or karma. Kanye's final verse shows the extent of his love for music and how he wants to make a difference in the industry. He's been in the game for over a decade and now that he's in charge, he wants to create new opportunities for performers who are just starting out.

A key theme of "We Major" is the importance of keeping on, despite the obstacles that come your way. Kanye's self-assuredness and NaS's reflections on surviving the inner-city create a message of determination and resilience. Beyond the confidence and swagger, the song also highlights the role of karma and the need to help one another as you move towards your dreams.

Line by Line Meaning

You motherfuckers better do your job and roll up and watch how we roll up and
You guys better step up and pay attention to how we do things

I can't control it, can't hold it, it's so nuts
I'm so crazy and out of control

I take a sip of that yak, I want to fuck
When I drink that cognac, I get really turned on

I take a hit of that chronic, it got me stuck
When I smoke that marijuana, I get really high and can't move

But really what's amazing is how I keep blazing
What's astonishing is how I can keep smoking without ever stopping

Towel under the door smoke until the days end
I'll smoke until the day is over, and I even use a towel to keep the smoke in the room

Puff, puff then pass, don't fuck up rotation
When smoking with others, follow the round-robin and don't ruin the order

Hypnotic for Henny, now nigga that's your chaser
Use Hypnotic (a brand of liqueur) as a chaser for Hennessy (a type of cognac)

Turn nothing to something now pimpin' that's a savior
By becoming a pimp and using your skills, you can turn nothing into something

Best things are green now pimp and get your paper
The best things in life are money, so become a pimp to earn it

High off the ground instead of skyscraper
It's better to be high off drugs than in a tall building

Too low thinkin' we local, come on homie, we major
Just because we're from a small area, doesn't mean we're not important

Feeling better than some head on a Sunday afternoon
Feeling very good, like after receiving oral sex on a lazy Sunday afternoon

Better than a chick that say yes to soon
Feeling even better than a woman who agrees to have sex too quickly

Until you have a daughter, that's what I call karma
Having a daughter will make someone realize the consequences of their past actions

And you pray to god she don't grow breasts too soon.
A father hopes his daughter won't grow up too quickly or be sexualized too early

Projects to' up, gang signs is thrown up
The projects are run-down, and gang signs are being thrown to show territory

Niggas hats broke off that's how we grow up
Boys grow up so poor that their hats are worn and tattered

Why else you think shorty's write rhymes just to blow up?
Young women write rap lyrics to become successful and famous

Get they first car and then IRS show up
When someone becomes successful, the IRS will come after them for taxes

He ain't never had shit but he had that nine
He's never had anything, but he has a gun (nine millimeter pistol)

Nigga come through flickin' and he had that shine
A man would come through showing off his shiny possessions

Put two and two together in a little bad weather
In tough situations one can gain a new perspective

Gon' be a whole family on that funeral line
Violent actions can cause many family members to suffer and mourn

Ask the reverend was the strip club cool if my tips help send a pretty girl through school
If a man's tips could help a young woman pay for school, is it morally acceptable to spend money at a strip club, even if it benefits the workers?

That's all I want like wino's want they good whiskey
I want that one simple thing in life (like how a wine-enthusiast wants good whisky)

I ain't in the Klan, but I brought my hood with me
I'm not part of the KKK (Ku Klux Klan), but I brought my neighborhood with me wherever I go.

I heard the beat and I ain't know what to write
When I heard the music, I didn't know what lyrics to put with it

First line, should it be about the hos or the ice?
Should the first line be about women or jewelry?

Four-four's or black Christ? Both flows would be nice
Should I talk about guns or religion in my lyrics? Both would sound good

Rap about big paper or the black man's plight
Should I rap about money or about the struggles of black men?

At the studio console asked my man to the right
I asked my friend sitting next to me at the studio for advice

What this verse sound like, should I freestyle or write?
What should this verse sound like? Should I improvise or plan it out?

He said, Nas, what the fans want is Illmatic, Stillmatic
My friend advised me that my fans want music similar to my past albums Illmatic and Stillmatic

Picked up the pad and pencil and jotted what I feel
I grabbed a notepad and pen and started writing what I felt

Been like 12 years since a nigga first signed
It's been around 12 years since I first signed to a record label

Now I'm a free agent
Now I'm not signed to a record label

And I'm thinking it's time
And I think it's time to start something new

To build my very own Motown
To create a music company like Motown that's owned by African Americans

Cause rappers be deprived of executive 9 to 5s
Rappers don't have many opportunities for business jobs

And it hurts to see these companies be stealing the life
It's frustrating to see record labels taking advantage of artists

And I love to give my blood sweat and tears to the mic
I love working hard to create great music

So y'all copped the LPs and y'all fiends got dealt
So my fans purchased my albums and they received good music in return

I'm Jesse Jackson on the balcony where King got killed
I'm making a political and social statement in my music, like Jesse Jackson did on the balcony where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated

I survived the livest niggas around
I've survived being around dangerous people

Lasting longer than more than half of you clowns
I've been successful longer than many of my peers

Look, I used to cook before I had the game took
Back when I wasn't famous, I used to hustle by cooking drugs

Either way my change came like Sam Cooke.
Either way (legally or illegally), I've made money just like Sam Cooke did (a famous musician who also started in the gospel genre)

Feeling better than I ever felt before today
I'm feeling amazing right now

Like better late than never is orientation
It's better to start late than never start at all

Still we can make it better throwing all your cares away
We can still make things better by letting go of our worries

Lyrics © Ultra Tunes, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Warryn Campbell, Nasir Jones, Maureen Elizabeth Reid, Russell W Simmons, Lawrence Smith, W Trotter, Kanye Omari West, Anthony Williams, Antony Williams, Dontae Winslow

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS