Famous
Intro: Rihanna, Swizz Beatz & Kanye West
Man, I can understand how it might beKinda hard to love a girl like meI don't blame you much for wanting to be freeI just wanted you to knowWoo, wooSwizz told me let the beat rock (Oh)OhVerse 1: Kanye West & Swizz Beatz
For all my Southside niggas that know me bestI feel like me and Taylor might still have sexWhy? I made that bitch famous (Goddamn)I made that bitch famousFor all the girls that got dick from Kanye WestIf you see 'em in the streets, give 'em Kanye's bestWhy? They mad they ain't famous (Goddamn)They mad they still nameless (Talk that talk, man)Her man in the store tryna try his bestBut he just can't seem to get Kanye freshBut we still hood famous (Goddamn)Yeah, we still hood famousChorus: Rihanna & Swizz Beatz
I just wanted you to knowI've loved you better than your own kin didFrom the very startI don't blame you much for wanting to be free (Wake up, Mr. West)Refrain: Rihanna
I just wanted you to know (Oh, he's up)Verse 2: Kanye West & Swizz Beatz
I be Puerto Rican Day Parade floatin'That Benz Marina Del Rey coastin'She in school to be a real estate agentLast month, I helped her with the car paymentYoung and we alive (Woo)We never gonna die (Woo)I just copped a jet to fly over personal debtPut one up in the skyThe sun is in my eyes (Woo)Woke up and felt the vibe (Woo)No matter how hard they try (Woo)We never gonna die (Woo)Refrain: Rihanna & Swizz Beatz
I just wanted you to know (Get 'em)Bridge: Sister Nancy & Swizz Beatz
Bam, 'ey, 'ey, 'eyBam-bam, bam, bam-bam dillaBam-bam, 'ey, 'ey, 'eyWhat a bam, bam, bam-bam dilla (How you feelin' right now? Let me see your lighters in the air)Bam-bam, 'ey, 'ey, 'ey, 'ey, 'eyBam-bam, 'ey, 'ey, 'eyWhat a bam (Let me see your middle finger in the air)Bam, 'ey, 'ey, 'eyBam-bam, bam, bam-bam dilla (Let me see you act up in this motherfucker)Bam-bam, 'ey, 'ey, 'eyWhat a bam, bam, bam-bam dilla (How you feelin'? How you feelin'? How you feelin' in this mother— goddamn)Bam-bam, 'ey, 'ey, 'ey, 'ey, 'eyBam-bam, 'ey, 'ey, 'eyWhat a bam (One thing you can't do is stop us now)Bam, 'ey, 'ey, 'eyBam-bam-bam, bam-bam dilla (Ayy, you can't stop the thing now)Bam-bam, 'ey, 'ey, 'eyWhat a bam, bam, bam-bam dilla (Man, it's way too late, it's way too late, it's way too late, you can't fuck with us)Bam-bam, 'ey, 'ey, 'ey, 'ey, 'ey (Woo)Bam-bam, 'ey, 'ey, 'ey (Woo)What a bam (To the left, to the right)Bam, 'ey, 'ey, 'eyBam-bam-bam, bam-bam dilla (I wanna see everybody hands in the air like this)Bam-bam, 'ey, 'ey, 'eyWhat a bam, bam, bam-bam dillaBam-bam, 'ey, 'ey, 'ey, 'ey, 'eyBam-bam, 'ey, 'ey, 'eyWhat a bam, bamChorus: Nina Simone
I just wanted you to knowI've loved you better than your own kin didFrom the very startI don't blame you much for wanting to be freeRefrain: Nina Simone
I just wanted you to knowWhat the song means
"Famous" is a song about fame, pride, and the tension between love and ego. The intro is tender and apologetic: a voice admits that loving someone like the speaker is hard, and that the other person may want to be free. The first verse then turns sharply boastful. The speaker jokes about old rivals and claims credit for making a famous woman known, while he mocks people who envy his success. The second verse piles up images of wealth and escape, like a private jet and a luxury car, and ends on a celebratory note.
The middle of the song becomes a crowd-pleasing party. The bridge is built on a repeated chant, and the singer calls for raised hands and lighters, so the track feels like a live show. The mood swings between vulnerability and swagger, and the most important images are the claim to have "made" someone famous, which measures influence in terms of celebrity, and the jet "over personal debt," which suggests that money is a way to rise above problems. The song ends by returning to the soft chorus, so the boasting is framed by a more sincere and wistful message.
Key phrases explained
- hood famous
- famous in the neighborhood, locally known — Describes respect earned at home rather than mainstream fame; it closes the verse as a defiant claim.
- copped a jet
- bought a private plane — "Copped" is slang for "bought," and the line flaunts wealth as a way to fly above debt.
- Benz Marina Del Rey coastin'
- cruising in a Mercedes along the Marina del Rey shore — "Coastin'" means driving slowly and relaxed, which paints a picture of a carefree luxury lifestyle.
- mad they still nameless
- angry that they remain unknown — "Mad" is informal for "angry," and the line mocks rivals who envy the speaker's fame.
- felt the vibe
- sensed the good mood or energy — Casual slang for picking up on a positive atmosphere, used to set a confident, upbeat tone.
Song info
- Release date
- 2016-02-14
- Album
- The Life of Pablo
- Written by
- Kanye West, Chance the Rapper, CyHi, Swizz Beatz, Havoc, Andrew Dawson
- Produced by
- Kanye West, Havoc
- Featuring
- Rihanna
- Samples
- Il Rovescio Della Medaglia – Mi Sono Svegliato E...Ho Chiuso Gli Occhi, Sister Nancy – Bam Bam, Nina Simone – Do What You Gotta Do
- Interpolates
- Kanye West – Can’t Get Over Me, Kanye West – Fall Out of Heaven (Demo), Kanye West – Famous (Demo)
- Sampled in
- Kanye West – Famous (Original Version)
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