What have the artists said about the song?
A day prior to the release of this song T.I. posted on Instagram that:
“Yesterday Spent the day wit Kanye… Long term work in progress, no doubt. Still Optimistic. Something From our discussion gon STICK… I refuse to just give up on him. The Old Ye Too Important!!!”
This alludes to the content he’s rapping about in this track, as he goes back on forth with Kanye in a debate-type manner on their various political opinions.
After seemingly trolling Hot 97's Ebro Darden (and basically all of Twitter) with "Lift Yourself," Kanye West returned hours later with yet another new song, "Ye Vs. The People," featuring T.I., delivered to LA hip-hop station Power 106 on Friday night (April 27).
This one has lyrics that can actually be found in the dictionary and lines that seem ripped straight from Kanye's reactivated Twitter timeline. "You just reading the headlines, you don't see the fine print/ You on some choosing-sides shit, I'm on some unified shit."
T.I. acts as "The People" of the title, suggesting that Kanye's support of Donald Trump and conservative commentators like Candace Owens and Scott Adams is bigger than his own "selfish agenda" and that he's "representing dudes who seem cruel and cold-hearted."
But just like in West's text back-and-forth with longtime friend John Legend on Thursday, 'Ye stands his ground. "Bruh, I never, ever stop fighting for the people/ Actually, wearing the hat will show people that we equal," he spits, alluding to the photo he posted of himself wearing Trump's famous red "Make America Great Again" ball cap. Later in the song, he references his MAGA support again: "'Make America Great Again' had a negative perception/ I took it, wore it, rocked it, gave it a new direction/ Added empathy, caring, love and affection/ And y'all simply questioning my methods."
It's up to you whether you side with Kanye or his detractors. All that's available for now is a radio rip of the song from its Power 106 premiere, so stay tuned for its official release.
Mere hours ago, Kanye West unveiled a new tune with Atlanta OG T.I., titled “Ye VS. The People.” The track first came to light on Los Angeles radio station Power 106, and is available in low quality audio rips around the web.
On the new track, West gets political by stating “I never ever stop fighting for the people/ Actually wearing the hat is showing people that we’re equal” as T.I. responds “You gotta see the vantage point of the people / What makes you feel equal makes them feel evil.”
we got love pic.twitter.com/Edk0WGscp6 — KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) April 25, 2018
Genius has wasted no time in breaking down some of the key lyrics in the song, which you can read transcribed below. According to the site, West references a tweet from Chance, the Rapper when he rhymes “All Blacks gotta be Democrats, man, we ain’t made it off the plantation.” Later, West attempts to clear the air on his surprising choice to wear a “Make American Great Again” cap by saying “Make America Great Again had a negative perception / I took it, wore it, rocked it, gave it a new direction.”
Check out the lyrics in full below.
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
I had for us
Turned my dreams into dust
I watch a phone that, I had for us
Turned my dreams into dust
[Verse: Kanye West & T.I.]
I know Obama was Heaven-sent
But ever since Trump won, it proved that I could be President
Yeah you can, at what cost though?
Don’t that go against the teachings that Ye taught for?
Yo T.I.P., I hear your side and everybody talk though
But ain’t goin’ against the grain everything I fought for?
Prolly so, Ye, but where you tryna go with this?
It’s some shit you just don’t align with and don’t go against
You just readin’ the headlines, you don’t see the fine print
You on some choosin’-side shit, I’m on some unified shit
It’s bigger than your selfish agenda
If your election ain’t gon’ stop police from murderin’ niggas
Bruh, I never ever stopped fightin’ for the people
Actually wearin’ the hat’ll show people that we equal
You gotta see the vantage point of the people
What makes you feel equal makes them feel evil
See that’s the problem with this damn nation
All Blacks gotta be Democrats, man, we ain’t made it off the plantation
Fuck what you choose as your political party
You representin’ dudes who seem crude and cold-hearted
With blatant disregard for the people who put you in position
Don’t you feel an obligation to them?
I feel an obligation to show people new ideas
And if you wanna hear ’em, here go two right here
Make America Great Again had a negative perception
I took it, wore it, rocked it, gave it a new direction
Added empathy, care and love and affection
And y’all simply questionin’ my methods
What you willin’ to lose for the point to be proved?
This shit is stubborn, selfish, bullheaded, even for you
You wore a dusty ass hat to represent the same views
As white supremacy, man, we expect better from you
All them times you sounded crazy, we defended you, homie
Not just to be let down when we depend on you, homie
That’s why it’s important to know what direction you’re goin’ now
‘Cause everything that you built can be destroyed and torn down
You think I ain’t concerned about how I affect the past?
I mean, that hat stayed in my closet about a year and a half
Then one day I was like, “Fuck it, I’ma do me”
I was in the sunken place and then I found the new me
Not worried ’bout some image that I gotta keep up
Lot of people agree with me, but they’re too scared to speak up
The greater good of the people is first
Have you considered all the damage and the people you hurt?
You had a bad idea, and you’re makin’ it worse
Shit’s just as bad as Catholic preachers rapin’ in church
Y’all been leadin’ with hate, see I just approach it different
Like a gang truce, the first Blood to shake the Crip’s hand
I know everybody emotional
Is it better if I rap about crack? Huh? ‘Cause it’s cultural?
Or how about I’ma shoot you, or fuck your bitch?
Or how about all this Gucci, ’cause I’m fuckin’ rich
You’ll deal with God for the lack of respect
Startin’ to make it seem like Donnie cut you a check
Now you toyin’ with hot lava, better be careful with that
What’s it mean to gain the world if you ain’t standin’ for shit?
Okay I gotta say it, Ye, you sound high as a bitch
Yeah, genocide and slavery, we should just try and forget
All that free thought shit, find a better defense
But if Ye’s just stuck in his way, he can leave it at that
Fuck it
To stay updated, follow @Highsnobietymusic on Instagram.
Words by Chris Danforth Footwear Editor Vancouver-born, Berlin-based writer with a steady hand on the keyboard.
Kanye West is back with his second new song of the day, and unlike "Lift Yourself," this one doesn't even slightly resemble a troll. The track, which features T.I., is called "Ye vs. the People," and it finds both Yeezy and Tip going back and forth about 'Ye's recent surge of President Trump support.
The track was premiered by DJ Sourmilk and Justin Credible on L.A.'s Power 106 radio program, L.A. Leakers, on Friday night (April 27).
In the song, Yeezy turns in what's essentially his own musical form of his Twitter rants about Trump, groupthink and conformity. “That’s the problem with this damn nation/All Blacks gotta be Democrats/Man, we ain’t made it off the plantation,” 'Ye raps on the track.
For his part, Tip argues against Yeezy, explaining that what 'Ye believes to be empowering, others could see as degrading. It's a conversation you've really got to hear for yourself. "It's bigger than your selfish agenda if your election ain't gon' stop police from murdering niggas," T.I. rhymes.
As you might recall, it was just today that Tip revealed that he actually met with Yeezus on Thursday (April 26), and after their meeting, he explained that he refused to give up on the Chi-Town hero. Now, we might have a glimpse at what they're behind closed doors conversation might have looked like.
You can hear some of Kanye and Tip's new track "Ye vs. the People" for yourself below.
