Famous

"Famous" is a multifaceted and intentionally provocative song that explores themes of fame, notoriety, and public perception. At its core, the song is a commentary on the symbiotic and often toxic relationship between celebrities, the media, and the public. Kanye West uses his own experiences and controversies to deconstruct the very nature of celebrity culture in the 21st century. The most debated lyric, "I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex / Why? I made that bitch famous," serves as the song's controversial centerpiece. West argues that the infamous 2009 VMA incident, where he interrupted Taylor Swift's acceptance speech, was the catalyst for her ascent to superstardom. This claim, while inflammatory, is West's way of exploring the idea that conflict and drama are currencies in the modern media landscape, capable of creating and sustaining fame. The line is a brash assertion of his own cultural impact, suggesting he has the power to create celebrity. The song also delves into West's own ego and self-perception, with lines about his lifestyle and his declaration of being "hood famous," juxtaposing street credibility with mainstream success. The outro, sampling Sister Nancy's "Bam Bam," shifts the tone to celebration, functioning as a cathartic release and a defiant anthem of survival amidst the chaos of public life.

The song begins with a poignant vocal sample from Nina Simone, as sung by Rihanna, expressing the difficulty of loving someone complex and the desire for freedom. This sets a melancholic and reflective tone before transitioning abruptly into Kanye West's defiant and braggadocious verses, punctuated by ad-libs from Swizz Beatz.

West's first verse immediately ignites controversy with a direct and provocative reference to Taylor Swift, suggesting a continued sexual tension and claiming he is the reason for her fame. This line is a direct continuation of their storied and public conflict, which began at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. He extends his commentary on his relationships with women, addressing all the women he has been with and suggesting they should be grateful for the association. The verse pivots to a broader statement on fame, asserting that others are envious because they remain nameless, while he and his circle are "hood famous." He uses the imagery of someone trying to imitate his style but failing, reinforcing his status as a trendsetter.

The chorus, again featuring Rihanna's vocals over the Nina Simone sample, returns to the theme of a complex love, stating, "I've loved you better than your own kin did / From the very start." This line can be interpreted in multiple ways: as a message to a former lover, a commentary on his relationship with the public, or even a self-directed statement about his own internal conflicts.

In the second verse, West shifts to a portrayal of his opulent and carefree lifestyle. He paints pictures of floating in a Puerto Rican Day Parade and coasting in a Mercedes-Benz in Marina Del Rey. He mentions helping a woman who is studying to be a real estate agent with her car payment, a detail that grounds his larger-than-life persona with a touch of specific, almost mundane reality. The verse crescendoes into a triumphant declaration of immortality and invincibility: "Young and we alive, whoo! / We never gonna die, whoo!" He boasts about purchasing a jet to fly over personal debt, a symbolic act of rising above worldly troubles. This section is a celebration of life, success, and defiance in the face of adversity and criticism.

The song's structure then breaks down into its most iconic musical section: the outro. It features a heavily chopped and manipulated sample of Sister Nancy's 1982 dancehall classic "Bam Bam." This vibrant, rhythmic section completely changes the song's energy, moving from introspective hip-hop to an infectious, celebratory dance beat. Swizz Beatz's ad-libs encourage the listener to raise their lighters and middle fingers, channeling a spirit of rebellious joy and release. The song ends on this high-energy, cathartic note, leaving the lyrical controversies behind for a moment of pure musical expression.

"Famous" was created for Kanye West's seventh studio album, The Life of Pablo, with recording sessions spanning from 2013 to 2016 in various locations including Mexico, Italy, and the United States. The album itself had a chaotic and public creative process, with its title changing from So Help Me God to Swish, then Waves, before settling on The Life of Pablo. "Famous" was initially titled "Nina Chop" on early handwritten tracklists. The song was produced by a team including West, Havoc, Charlie Heat, Hudson Mohawke, and Swizz Beatz, among others. It features prominent guest vocals from Rihanna and ad-libs by Swizz Beatz. The track is built around two key samples: Nina Simone's 1968 cover of "Do What You Gotta Do" provides the melodic and emotional core for the hook sung by Rihanna, while the outro is famously constructed from a chopped sample of Sister Nancy's 1982 dancehall classic "Bam Bam." The creation was embroiled in controversy due to the lyrics concerning Taylor Swift. West claimed he had an hour-long phone conversation with Swift and received her blessing for the "I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex" line. His then-wife, Kim Kardashian, later released edited snippets of this call to support his claim. However, in 2020, the full unedited phone call leaked, revealing that while West did tell Swift about the "owe me sex" line (an earlier version), he did not mention the line "I made that bitch famous," which was Swift's primary objection. This revelation shifted the public narrative, confirming Swift's claim that she was never made aware of the full, and most offensive, lyric.

Kanye West's rhyming in "Famous" is primarily characterized by a confident, conversational flow that often prioritizes rhythmic impact over complex rhyme schemes. The verse structure is relatively loose, resembling free verse more than a strict, patterned scheme. West uses a combination of perfect rhymes (best/West, fresh/famous) and slant rhymes (coastin'/payment) to maintain momentum. His delivery is rhythmically dynamic, playing with syncopation and placing emphasis on key provocative words like "sex" and "famous." The first verse has a steady, aggressive cadence that matches the confrontational nature of the lyrics. The second verse, describing his luxurious lifestyle, has a slightly more relaxed, swaggering rhythm. The true rhythmic centerpiece of the song is the outro, built on the sample of Sister Nancy's "Bam Bam." The riddim from the original track, "Stalag 17," provides an infectious, syncopated dancehall groove that is highly percussive and rhythmically complex. This abrupt shift in tempo and rhythmic feel from the main hip-hop beat to the dancehall outro is a key structural element, providing a sense of catharsis and release after the lyrical tension of the verses.

Musically, "Famous" is a masterclass in stylistic juxtaposition and sample-based production, characteristic of Kanye West's work. The song is structured in two distinct halves. The first is a braggadocious hip-hop track featuring a hard-hitting beat, West's confrontational lyrical delivery, and ad-libs from Swizz Beatz. This section's aggression is starkly contrasted by the melodic, melancholic hook sung by Rihanna, which interpolates Nina Simone's "Do What You Gotta Do." This creates a tension between arrogance and vulnerability. The song's second half undergoes a dramatic sonic shift, abandoning the initial beat for a vibrant, chopped-up sample of Sister Nancy's dancehall classic "Bam Bam." This use of sampling is a hallmark of West's production style, taking elements from different genres and eras and recontextualizing them into something new. Lyrically, West employs a direct, declarative, and often confrontational narrative voice. The use of rhetorical questions ("Why?") and bold assertions ("I made that bitch famous") is designed to provoke and engage the listener directly. The vocal production varies from West's raw, almost conversational rapping to Rihanna's smooth, emotive singing and Swizz Beatz's energetic hypeman shouts, adding layers of texture to the track.

"Famous" had a monumental cultural impact, largely due to its incendiary lyrics about Taylor Swift and its provocative music video. The song reignited one of the most prominent celebrity feuds of the 21st century, which began at the 2009 VMAs. The line "I made that bitch famous" and West's claim of having Swift's approval led to a highly public back-and-forth involving West, Swift, and Kim Kardashian. Kardashian's release of an edited phone call led to widespread condemnation of Swift and the trending hashtag #TaylorSwiftIsASnake. The eventual leak of the full, unedited call in 2020 vindicated Swift and shifted the narrative again, cementing the song as a key artifact in modern celebrity warfare. The music video, featuring wax figures of naked celebrities, caused its own uproar and was widely debated for its artistic merit and its commentary on fame and privacy. It was inspired by Vincent Desiderio's 2008 painting "Sleep." Despite the controversy, or perhaps because of it, the song was critically acclaimed by many, with some calling it one of the best tracks on The Life of Pablo. It peaked at number 34 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a landmark track in West's discography, perfectly encapsulating his status as a "genius musician and a world-class provocateur." The song's use of samples from Nina Simone and Sister Nancy also brought renewed attention to those artists.

The most potent symbolism in "Famous" revolves around its notorious music video. Inspired by Vincent Desiderio's painting "Sleep," the video features lifelike wax figures of twelve famous individuals, including West, Kim Kardashian, Taylor Swift, Donald Trump, and Bill Cosby, lying naked together in a massive bed. This imagery serves as a powerful metaphor for the unsolicited intimacy and vulnerability that fame imposes. The shared bed symbolizes the public sphere, where the private lives of celebrities are exposed and consumed without their consent. It comments on how fame strips individuals of their privacy, lumping them together in the public consciousness regardless of their actual relationships. The figures are passive and asleep, representing their lack of control over their own public narratives. West described the video not as an endorsement or attack on any individual but as a "comment on fame." The act of watching these figures sleep creates a sense of voyeurism, implicating the viewer in the culture of celebrity surveillance. Lyrically, the line "I made that bitch famous" is a metaphor for West's perceived role as a cultural puppet master, capable of manufacturing celebrity through controversy.

The most significant recurring motif in "Famous" is the central, controversial claim: "I made that bitch famous." This phrase acts as the song's thesis statement, repeated for emphasis and becoming the focal point of the surrounding media storm. The introductory phrase "I feel like..." is used to frame his provocative statement about Taylor Swift, a rhetorical device that presents a bold assertion as a personal feeling or intuition. The line "I just wanted you to know," sung by Rihanna in the hook, is another key recurring element. It appears multiple times, creating a sense of poignant, almost regretful intimacy that contrasts sharply with the arrogance of the verses. This recurring line adds emotional depth and ambiguity to the song's message. Musically, the two primary samples function as powerful motifs. The melancholic melody from Nina Simone's "Do What You Gotta Do" represents a theme of complicated relationships and freedom, while the energetic "Bam Bam" sample from Sister Nancy becomes a motif of defiant celebration and resilience. The ad-lib "Goddamn" by Swizz Beatz is repeated after key lines, acting as an exclamation mark that amplifies their impact.