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Whether you love him or hate him, it’s likely Kanye West has made you feel alive in some way. There’s Kanye the man: a loving father, husband, thinker, and tortured soul searching for some way to remedy the sudden loss of his dear mother, Donda West. Kanye the musician: a genius with words and production, boasting seven platinum albums and 21 Grammys. Kanye the designer: a relentless creator ranting and kicking his feet until the higher ups support his vision and give him a seat at the table. Each version of Kanye has provoked the world to speak, debate, have an opinion, and ultimately, grow. We’ve all learned so much through his angst, vulnerability, and that unwavering confidence you rarely find in people. A wise friend once asked, “Can you imagine what the world would be like if we all had that level of conviction and trust in ourselves?”
So, while we don’t necessarily love Kanye’s blond hair, the way he’s slut-shamed Amber Rose over the years, or his odd endorsement of #45, we have this unexplainable respect for him and the way he lives his truth. ‘Ye is a true and torn Gemini.
Today, Yeezy celebrates his 40th birthday. In honor of his genius, Team CASSIUS gathered 40 of our favorite Kanye West lyrics.
1. James Love: “Even if you in a Benz, you still a n-gga in a coupe.” (“All Falls Down”)
2. Bruce Goodwin: “You want a boss or an R&B nigga with a six pack?” (“Highlights”)
3. King Sukii: “I talked to God about you. He said he sent you an angel – and look at all that he gave you.” (“Only One”)
4. Xilla Valentine: “Treat me like the Prince and this my sweet brother Numpsay (Brother Numpsay!)” (“Gone”)
5. Bruce Goodwin: “Mayonnaise-colored Benz, I push miracle whips.” (“Last Call”)
6. James Love: “I never understood Planned Parenthood, ’cause I never met nobody planned to be a parent in the hood. Taking refills of that Plan B pill.” (“The Joy”)
7. Xilla Valentine: “I’ma tell you like George Bush told me, ‘Fuck y’all n-ggas, I’m out of here.” (“Go Hard,” DJ Khaled)
8. King Sukii: “Let up the suicide doors. This is my life, homie, you decide yours.” (“Can’t Tell Me Nothing”)
9. James Love: “The Lyor Cohen of Dior Homme. Thats “Dior Homme”… not Dior Homie.” (Devil In A New Dress”)
10. Bruce Goodwin: “Damn baby, p-ssy can’t be your only hustle, unless you bad as Naomi Russell.” (“Illest Motherf-cker Alive”)
11. Xilla Valentine: “What you think I rap for? To push a f-cking Rav 4?” (“Run This Town”)
12. Bruce Goodwin: “I ordered the jerk, she said ‘You are what you eat.'” (“Devil In A New Dress”)
13. King Sukii: “I know I was foul, baby, aye babe, lately you’ve been all on my brain.” (“Flashing Lights”)
14. Bruce Goodwin: “To whom much is given, much is tested.” (“Can’t Tell Me Nothing”)
15. Xilla Valentine: “Have you ever had shoes without shoe strings?” (“Run This Town”)
16. James Love: “I’m just trying to say the way school need teachers, the way Kathie Lee needed Regis, that’s the way I need Jesus.” (“Jesus Walks”)
17. Xilla Valentine: “Coke on her Black skin made it stripe like a zebra, I call that jungle fever. You will not control the threesome, just roll the weed up until I get me some.” (“No Church In The Wild”)
18. Bruce Goodwin: “I’ll turn this plane ’round, your ass keep complaining.” (“Bound 2”)
19. King Sukii: “Remember who you are. No you’re not perfect, but you’re not your mistakes.” (“Only “One)
20. Xilla Valentine: “What she order? Fish Filet?” (“Niggas In Paris”)
21. Bruce Goodwin: “I just talked to Jesus. He said ‘What’s up Yeezus?'” (“I Am A God”)
22. King Sukii: “Reality is catching up with me. Taking my inner child, I’m fighting for custody.” (“Power”)
23. Xilla Valentine: “You lookin’ at who made me rich, You lookin’ at who made me rich. I had some wins, some losses…
Just a life of a God damn boss’s.” (“Go Hard,” DJ Khaled)
24. King Sukii: “You will never need another lover, ’cause you a MILF and I’m a motherf-cker.” (“Drunk In Love” Remix, Beyonce & Jay Z)
25. James Love: “Bought more jewelry, more Louis V., my momma couldn’t get through to me.” (“Can’t Tell Me Nothing”)
26. Bruce Goodwin: “I got my fur on feelin’ like Jerome.” (“Illest Motherf-cker Alive”)
27. King Sukii: “Your titties, let ’em out free at last. Thank God almighty, they free at last.” (“I’m In It”)
28. James Love: “You can get through anything if Magic made it.” (“Can’t Tell Me Nothing”)
29. Bruce Goodwin: “As long as I’m in Polo smiling, they think they got me, but they would try to crack me if they ever see a Black me.” (“Gorgeous”)
30. Shani Saxon: “The people highest up got the lowest self-esteem. The prettiest people do the ugliest things… on the road to riches and diamond rings.” (“All Falls Down”)
31. Jada Gomez: “I’m a star, how could I not shine?” (“I Wonder”)
32. King Sukii: “You weren’t perfect but you made life worth it. Stick around, some real feelings might surface.” (“Blame Game”)
33. Shani Saxon: “When our heroes and heroines got hooked on heroin, crack raised the murder rate in DC and Maryland. We invested in that it’s like we got Merrill-Lynch and we been hanging from the same tree ever since.” (“Crack Music”)
34. James Love: “Lanvin thousand dollar tee with no logos” (“Illest Motherf-cker Alive”)
35. King Sukii: “P-ssy had me dead, might call Tupac over.” (“Hold My Liquor”)
36. King Sukii: “Baby girl, he’s a loner. Late night organ donor. After that he disown ya.” (“Hold My Liquor”)
37. Detavio Samuels: “I sold my soul to the devil it was a crappy deal, at least it came with a few toys like a happy meal.” (“Eyes Closed”)
38. Xilla Valentine: “There’s a lot of stars in here ain’t it, but you shine so much they don’t seem famous.” (“Walking on the Moon”)
39. Detavio Samuels: “I don’t know what’s better, getting laid or getting paid, I just know when I’m getting one, the other’s getting away.” (“This Way,” Dilated Peoples)
40. Xilla Valentine: “Damn, Yeezy and Hov, where the hell ya been? N-ggas talking real reckless; stuntmen. I adopted these nigg-s, Phillip Drummond them.” (“Otis,” The Throne)
