Big Brother
Kanye West
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Stadium status My big brother was B.I.G's brother Used to be Dame and B.I.G's brother Who was hip hop brother, who was No I.D friend No I.D. my mentor, now let the story begin It's The Hard Knock Life Tour, sell out Picture us in the mall coppin' iceberg and yell out Jigga Yeah, that's what we'll yell out, yell out You know the name do, I gotta spell out or tell 'bout? J A why and Ye' so shy Now he won't even step to his idol to say hi Standin' there like a mime and let the chance pass by Back of my mind, he could change your life With all these beats I did, at least let him hear At least you can brag to your friends back at the gig But he got me out my mama crib Then he helped me get my mama a crib Big brother was B.I.G's brother Used to be Dame and B.I.G's brother Who was hip hop brother, who was No I.D. friend No I.D. my mentor, now let the story begin, begin Let the story begin, the story begin If you feel the way I feel why don't you wave your hands? Fresh off the plane, I'm off the base line Nothin' handed out, I'm 'bout to take mine Round the same time of that 'Blueprint 1' And these beats in my pocket was that blueprint for 'em I played my little songs in that old back room He'd bop his head and say, "Damn, oh, that's you?" But by the 'Black Album', I was blackin' out Party at S.O.B's and we had packed the crowd Big brother got a show up in Madison Square And I'm like, yeah, yeah, we gon' be there But not only did I not get a chance to spit it Carlene told me I could buy two tickets I guess big brother was thinkin' a little different And kept little brother at bay, at a distance But everything that I felt was more bogus Only made me more focused, only wrote more potent Only thing I wanna know is why I get looked over I guess I understand when I get more older Big brother saw me at the bottom of the totem Now I'm on the top and everybody on the scrotum My big brother was B.I.G's brother Used to be Dame and B.I.G's brother Who was hip hop brother, who was No I.D. friend No I.D. my mentor, now let the story begin, begin Let the story begin, begin If you feel the way I feel why won't you wave your hands? Have you ever walked in the shadow of a giant? Not only a client, the presedito Hola' Hovito', the game gettin' foul So here's a free throw I was always on the other side of the people Then I dropped 'Jesus Walks', now I'm on a steeple And we know, New Jack City gotta keep my brother But to be number one, I'ma beat my brother On that 'Diamonds Remix', I swore I'd spaz Then my big brother came through and kicked my ass Sibling rivalry only I could see It was the pride in me that was drivin' me At the Grammy's I said I inspired me But my big brother who I always tried to be When I kicked the flow, it was like pick and roll 'Cause even if he gave me the ROC, it's give and go I guess being styled was more of a slam dunk And my shit was more like a finger roll But I had them singles though And them hoes at the show gon and mingle yo, y'all know I told Jay I did a song with Coldplay Next thing I know, he got a song with Coldplay Back of my mind, I'm like, "Damn, no way" Translate Espanyol, "No way, Jose" Then I went and told Jay Brown Should have known that was gonna come back around Should have talked to you like a man, should have told you first But I told somebody else and that's what made shit worse My big brother was B.I.G's brother So here's a few words from your kid brother If you admire somebody, you should go 'head and tell em' People never get the flowers while they can still smell em' A idol in my eyes, God of the game Heart of the city, Roc-A-Fella chain Never be the same, never be another number one Young Hov' or so my big brother My Big brother was B.I.G's brother Used to be Dame and B.I.G's brother Who was hip hop brother, who was No I.D friend No I.D. my mentor and that's where the story ends Don't kill this shit
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Written by: JEREMY PETER NOLAN DAVIS, MERVYN GOLDSWORTHY, PETER STEWART JUPP, JAMES MITCHELL KIRKPATRICK, STEPHEN MARK OVERLAND
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
14 facts about this song
Song Inspiration"Big Brother" by Kanye West was inspired by his relationship with Jay-Z, whom he considered a mentor and older brother figure in the music industry.
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Album InclusionThe song is part of Kanye West's third studio album, "Graduation," which was released in 2007.
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Lyrics MeaningThe lyrics narrate events from Kanye's career, including a tour with U2 and disputes with Def Jam. He also acknowledges how Jay-Z's success motivated him.
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Song Length"Big Brother" is one of the longest tracks on the "Graduation" album, with a duration of approximately 4 minutes and 47 seconds.
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Production TeamThe song was produced by Kanye West and DJ Toomp.
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Song AnalysisThis track is mostly seen as Kanye West’s letter of assurance to Jay-Z. He expresses his frustrations, adoration, jealousy, and gratitude toward Jay-Z, emphasizing his role as a guiding figure.
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Live Performance"Big Brother" has been performed live by Kanye West on multiple occasions, including on his "Glow in the Dark" tour in 2008.
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Album Success"Graduation" album, which included "Big Brother," was a massive success, debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200 and selling over 957,000 copies in its first week.
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Critical ReceptionThe song was received positively by many critics and fans, with particular praise going to its emotional and open-hearted lyrics.
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Sampling"Big Brother" doesn't feature any samples, a rarity for Kanye West. The song has a simple melody, displaying Kanye's ability to create great tracks without relying on samples.
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Music VideoEven though “Big Brother” is one of the most discussed songs from the album, it never had an official music video. The only video available is the live performance from the tour.
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Chart PerformanceDespite its popularity, "Big Brother" did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100. However, it reached number 61 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard) chart.
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Jay-Z's ResponseJay-Z was reportedly touched by the song when he heard it. He appreciated Kanye's honesty in expressing both admiration and occasional envy. This song, in turn, deepened their relationship.
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Personal ElementBeyond the music industry, the song reflects Kanye's deep personal emotions and vulnerability, making it one of his most personal and honest tracks.
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Citation
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