Def Poetry Jam: Kanye West

Lurker

0 likes 17 Jun 2015

Have any of y'all caught this show? It's poetry, performed. And it's awe-inspiring. If you enjoy audios by our in-house poets (think avrgblkgrl, stephanie, and a whole host of others), I think you might be able to appreciate this. Also, if you're a fan of Kanye West...

See, I recently stumbled upon a few clips of Yeezy slammin' verses and it's absolutely blown me away. I grew up with his music but never really appreciated the sheer genius and artistry of his lines until much later. His delivery has some serious bite too. Just watch.

This first one is West performing 'Self Conscious'. These verses would later appear in his single, 'All Falls Down'.

Self Conscious
Man I promise, I'm so self conscious
That's why you always see me with at least one of my watches
Rollies and Pasha's done drove me crazy
I can't even pronounce nothing, pass that Versace!
Then I spent 400 bucks on this
Just to be like nigga you ain't up on this!
And I refuse go to the grocery store
Without some ones that's clean and a shirt with a team
It seems we living the american dream
But the people highest up got the lowest self esteem
The prettiest people do the ugliest things
For the road to riches and diamond rings
We shine because they hate us, floss cause they degrade us
We trying to buy back our 40 acres
And for that paper, look how low we a'stoop
Even if you in a Benz, you still a nigga in a coop

Man I promise, she's so self conscious
She has no idea what she's doing in college
That major that she majored in don't make no money
But she won't drop out, her parents will look at her funny
Now, tell me that ain't insecure
The concept of school seems so secure
Soph'more three years ain't picked a career
She like fuck it, I'll just stay down here and do hair
Cause that's enough money to buy her a few pairs of new Airs
Cause her baby daddy don't really care
She's so precious with the peer pressure
Couldn't afford a car so she named her daughter Alexis (A-Lexus)
She had hair so long that it looked like weave
Then she cut it all off now she look like Eve
And she be dealing with some issues that you can't believe
Single black female addicted to retail and

I say fuck the police, that's how I treat 'em
We buy our way out of jail, but we can't buy freedom
We'll buy a lot of clothes when we don't really need em
Things we buy to cover up what's inside
Cause they make us hate ourself and love they wealth
That's why shorty's hollerin' "Where the ballers at?"
Drug dealer buy Jordans, crackhead buy crack
And a white man get paid off of all of that

Guest

Lurker

0 likes 17 Jun 2015

This next one is 'Bitter Sweet'. Which is also the name of the single Yeezy dropped, featuring John Mayer - and these very verses.

('Bitter Sweet' really starts at the 2:18 mark, but the little rhymin' he did before that may have been even better, IMO!)

Bittersweet
[Hook]
Bittersweet
You're gonna be the death of me
I don't want you, but I need you
I love you, hate you at the very same time
Bittersweet
(See what I want so much should never hurt this bad)
(Never did this before, that's what the virgin says)
(We've been generally warned, that's what the surgeon says)
(God talk to me now, this is an emergency)

[Verse 1]
And she claims she only with me for the currency
You cut me deep bitch, cut me like surgery
And I was too proud to admit that it was hurting me
I'd never do that to you, at least purposely
We breaking up again, we making up again
But we don't love no more, I guess we fucking then
Have you ever felt you ever want to kill her?
And you mix them emotions with tequila
And you mix that with a little bad advice
On one of them bad nights, y'all have a bad fight
And you talk about her family, her aunts and shit
And she say "Motherfucker your momma's a bitch."
You know, domestic drama and shit, all the attitude
I'd never hit a girl, but I'll shake the shit out of you
But I'mma be the bigger man
Big pimpin' like Jigga man
Oh I guess I figure it's

[Hook]

[Verse 2]
And my niggas said I shouldn't let it worry me
I need to focus on the girls we gettin' currently
But I been thinkin' and it got me back to sinkin'
And this relationship it even got me back to drinkin'
Now this Hennessy
It's gonna be the death of me
And I always thought that you having my child was our destiny
But I can't even vibe with you sexually
Cause every time that I'd try you would question me
Saying, "You fucking them girls, disrespecting me
You don't see how your lies is affecting me?
You don't see how our life was supposed to be?
And I never let a nigga get that close to me
And you ain't cracked up to what you were supposed to be
You always gone, you always be where them ho's will be."
And this the first time she ever spilled her soul to me

(I fucked up and I know it G)
(I guess it's bittersweet poetry)

Guest

Lurker

0 likes 17 Jun 2015

Last one from Mr. West: '18 Years'. Now tell me that last verse from 'Gold Digger' is already playing in your head!

18 Years
She got one of your kids, got you for 18 years
I know somebody paying child support for one of his kids
His baby momma's car and crib is bigger than his
You will see him on TV any given Sunday
Win the Super Bowl and drive off in a Hyundai
She was supposed to buy your shorty Tyco with your money
She went to the doctor, got lipo with your money
She walking around looking like Michael with your money
Should've got that insured, Geico for your money
If you ain't no punk, holla, "We want prenup!"
"We want prenup!" (Yeah!)
It's something that you need to have
Cause when she leave your ass she gonna leave with half
18 years, 18 years
She got one of your kids, got you for 18 years
And on the 18th birthday he found out it wasn't his?!