Kanye West, “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” | Rap BNGRZ 🔥

In the 18^th edition of Rap BNGRZ 🔥 (2022), we break down the banger status of “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” performed by Kanye West.

Bring

on the braggadocio, drip, sex, and kick-a$$ery – is that even a real word?  Regardless of whether it is or isn’t, you’ve entered Rap BNGRZ 🔥 territory! On Rap BNGRZ 🔥 (bangers, spelled properly), the premise is simple and like other columns gracing The Musical Hype (Outlandish Rock 🎸🤘 is its rock brotha from a different motha). BNGRZ provides background info and commentary on cocky, confident, ferocious hip-hop/rap songs. The bangers featured on BNGRZ can be brand-spanking-new or certified classics. In the 18^th  edition of Rap BNGRZ 🔥 (2022), we break down the banger status of 🎵 “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” performed by 🎙 Kanye West.

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Theme & Lyrics ✍

“La, la, la-la / Wait ‘til I get my money right.” Yes, 🎙 Kanye West is POLARIZING to the n^th degree.  Yes, Mr. West has said lots and LOTS of messed-up things (feel free to exchange ‘messed-up’ for a stronger phrase).  All that said, musically, the 🏆 Grammy-winner is an innovative musician who has consistently challenged the boundaries of hip-hop.  Yes, Ye is crazy, but he’s also incredibly talented.  One of my favorite West songs arrived on his 💿 Graduation album, which was released during my senior year of college in Fall 2007.  That West classic is 🎵 “Can’t Tell Me Nothing”.

At this point, despite Kanye West wasn’t full-on, um, crazy (no disrespect intended, I promise). Yes, he’d said the “President Bush doesn’t care about black people” comment already but he was still highly respected.  West was competing against 🎙 50 Cent for the top of their charts with their respective albums, a contest I knew West would win (50 was losing his luster).  This magnificent single helped West secure another no. 1 album. West produced this banger with 🎛 DJ Toomp – 🔥. Notably, it samples 🎵 “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)” performed by 🎙 Pete Rock and 🎙 C.L. Smooth, as well as 🎵 “I Got Money” performed by 🎙 Jeezy.  These repurposed joints help shape “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” into the elite rap cut it is. It didn’t perform exceptionally well on the pop charts, peaking at no. 41 on the Billboard Hot 100, but this quadruple-platinum single has stood the test of time.

The crème de la crème – the crowning achievement – is the chorus.  West exudes ample personality which means, yes, he’s confident AF.  But, even if he has an ego, this quasi-melodic hook is potent – even tuneful:

 “La, la, la-la

Wait ‘til I get my money right

La, la, la-la

Then you can’t tell me nothing, right?

Excuse me, was you saying something?

Uh uh, you can’t tell me nothing

You can’t tell me nothing

Uh uh, you can’t tell me nothing.”

Beyond the timeless chorus, Kanye flexes, flexes, and then, he flexes some more in the verses.  There are some vintage one-liners.  How about in the first verse where Ye asserts early on, “I had a dream I could buy my way to heaven / When I awoke, I spent that on a necklace.” Or, in the second when he raps, “But homie, this is my day / Class started two hours ago, oh, am I late? / No, I already graduated / And you can live through anything if Magic made it.” There’s also the bullet in the third verse: “Life is a–uh–depending how you dress her / So if the Devil wear Prada, Adam Eve wear nada / I’m in between, but way more fresher.” Woo!

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Final Thoughts 💭

Yes, Kanye West is A LOT.  Is he an asshole? Perhaps.  Regardless, the man is skilled when it comes to music, and 🎵 “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” ranks among his best.  All hail Ye!

Appears in 🔻:

• Songs Where Musicians Just Can’t, Vol. 1

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🎙 Kanye West • 💿 Graduation • 🏷 UMG Recordings, Inc. • 🗓 2007

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Kanye West, “Can’t Tell Me Nothing”: Rap BNGRZ 🔥 No. 18 (2022) [📷: Brent Faulkner, cottonbro, The Musical Hype, Pexels, RODNAE Productions, UMG Recordings, Inc., WoodysMedia]

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