We Major – English Lyrics

• By: Kanye West, Nas, Really Doe
• Album: Late Registration

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the lyrical depth and cinematic sound of "We Major." This seven-minute epic offers a masterclass in progressive rap songwriting, allowing you to learn aspirational vocabulary and cultural references about success, ambition, and the music industry. Pay close attention to Nas's reflective verse and the song’s powerful, brass-heavy hooks to fully appreciate this standout moment from a classic album.

[English]

You motherfuckers better do your job and roll up

And watch how we roll up, and

I can't control it, can't hold it, it's so nuts

I take a sip of that 'gnac, I wanna fuck

I take a hit of that chronic, it got me stuck

But really what's amazing is how I keep blazing

Towel under the door, we smoke until the day's end

Puff-puff, then pass, don't fuck up rotation

Hpnotiq for Henny? Now, nigga, that's a chaser

Turn nothing to something, now, pimpin', that's a savior

Best things are green, now, pimpin', get your paper

High off the ground, from stair to skyscraper

Cool out, thinking we local, come on, homie, we major

We major? Come on, homie, we major

We major? Come on, homie, we major

We major! Come on, homie, we major

We major! Come on

Feeling better than some head on a Sunday afternoon

Better than a chick that say "Yes" too soon

Until you have a daughter; that's what I call karma

And you pray to God she don't grow breasts too soon

Projects tore up, gang signs is thrown up

Niggas hats broke off, that's how we grow up

Why else you think shorties write rhymes? Just to blow up?

Get they first car and then, IRS show up

He ain't never had shit, but he had that nine

Nigga come through flicking and he had that shine

Put two and two together and a little bad weather

Gon' be your whole family on that funeral line

Asked the reverend, "Was the strip clubs cool?

If my tips helped send a pretty girl through school?"

That's all I want, like winos want they good whiskey

I ain't in the Klan, but I brought my hood with me

You motherfuckers better do your job and roll up

And watch how we roll up, and

I can't control it, can't hold it, it's so nuts

I take a sip of that 'gnac, I wanna fuck

I take a hit of that chronic, it got me stuck

But really what's amazing is how I keep blazing

Towel under the door, we smoke until the day's end

Puff puff, then pass, don't fuck up rotation

Hpnotiq for Henny? Now, nigga, that's a chaser

Turn nothing to something, now, pimpin', that's a savior

Best things are green, now, pimpin', get your paper

High off the ground, from stair to skyscraper

Cool out, thinking we local, come on, homie, we major

We major? Come on, homie, we major

We major? Come on, homie, we major

We major! Come on, homie, we major

We major! Come on, homie, we major

I heard the beat and I ain't know what to write

First line; should it be about the hoes or the ice?

Four-fours or Black Christ? Both flows'd be nice

Rap about big paper or the black man plight

At the studio console, asked my man to the right

"What this verse sound like? Should I freestyle or write?

He said, "Nas, what the fans want is Illmatic, still"

Looked at the pad and pencil, and jotted what I feel

Been like 12 years since a nigga first signed

Now, I'm a free agent, and I'm thinking it's time

To build my very own Motown

'Cause rappers be deprived of executive nine-to-fives

And it hurts to see these companies be stealing the life

And I love to give my blood, sweat and tears to the mic

So y'all copped the LPs and y'all fiends got dealt

I'm Jesse Jackson on the balcony when King got killed

I survived the livest niggas around

Lasted longer than more than half of you clowns

Look, I used to cook before I had the game took

Either way, my change came like Sam Cooke

Bah-dah-bah-bah (yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah)

Feeling better than I ever felt before today

Like better late than never; it's orientation

Still, we can make it better, throwing all your cares away

Oh, oh, oh, ooh

You motherfuckers better do your job and roll up

And watch how we roll up, and

I can't control it, I can't hold it, it's so nuts

I take a sip of that 'gnac, I wanna fuck

I take a hit of that chronic, it got me stuck

But really what's amazing is how I keep blazing

Towel under the door, we smoke until the day's end

Puff-puff, then pass, don't fuck up rotation

Hpnotiq for Henny? Now, nigga, that's a chaser (oh, oh, oh, ooh)

Turn nothing to something, now, pimpin', that's a savior

Best things are green, now, pimpin', get your paper

High off the ground, from stair to skyscraper

Cool out, thinking we local, come on, homie, we major

We major? (Come on, homie, we major)

We major? (Come on, homie, we major)

We major! (Come on, homie, we major)

We major!

Oh, oh, oh, ooh! Bah-dah-bah-bah

Feeling better than I ever felt before today

But better late than never; it's orientation

Still, we can make it better, throwing all your cares away!

...

Can I talk my shit again?

Can I talk my shit again?

I can't believe I'm back up in this motherfucker

I'ma be late, though

...

I gotta figure out what I'm finna wear

Yeah

The Roc is definitely in the building

G.O.O.D. Music's definitely in the building, ugh

I gotta say "What's up?" To Tony Williams

On the vocals

Sing, he sings quite beautifully, don't you agree?

Don't you agree?

Ugh

And Jon Brion on the keys right now

And Warryn Campbell on the keys right now

So they asked me

"Why you call it Late Registration, 'Ye?"

'Cause we takin' these motherfuckers back to school

La, la, la, la-la-la-la la

If you know this part right here, feel free to sing along

La-la-la-la-la, la-la-la

Bah-dah-bah-bah (oh)

Feeling better than I ever felt before today (if you feeling good)

But better late than never; it's orientation (it's orientation)

But we can make it better, throwing all your cares away

We want you to get used to this

Oh, oh, oh, ooh! Bah-dah-bah-bah

Ugh, they can't do what we do, baby

Uh-uh, uh-uh! They can't do what we do, baby

Uh-uh, uh-uh! They can't do what we do, baby

Yeah

Oh, oh, oh, ooh

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
major /ˈmeɪdʒər/ A2	adjective - important or significant
blazing /ˈbleɪzɪŋ/ A2	verb - burning brightly or intensely
chronic /ˈkrɒnɪk/ B1	adjective - persistent and long-lasting
rotation /roʊˈteɪʃən/ B1	noun - the act of rotating or the state of being rotated
chaser /ˈtʃeɪsər/ B1	noun - a drink taken after a shot of liquor
pimpin /ˈpɪmpɪŋ/ B2	noun - a person who controls prostitutes
skyscraper /ˈskaɪˌskreɪpər/ A2	noun - a very tall building
karma /ˈkɑrmə/ B1	noun - the spiritual principle of cause and effect
gang /ɡæŋ/ A2	noun - a group of people who associate together
plight /plaɪt/ B2	noun - a difficult, unfortunate, or dangerous situation
executive /ɪgˈzɛkjutɪv/ B1	adjective - relating to senior management in an organization
balcony /ˈbælkəni/ A2	noun - a platform projecting from the wall of a building
orientation /ˌɔriənˈteɪʃən/ B1	noun - the action of positioning someone or something relative to the points of a compass or other locations
freestyle /ˈfriːstaɪl/ B1	verb - to perform or create something spontaneously
console /kənˈsoʊl/ B1	noun - a control panel or device
fiends /fɪndz/ B2	noun - a person who is excessively interested in or addicted to a particular thing

Key Grammar Structures

• I can't control it, can't hold it, it's so nuts

  ➔ Contractions

  ➔ The use of "can't" (cannot) and "it's" (it is) demonstrates informal contractions common in spoken English.

• But really what's amazing is how I keep blazing

  ➔ Relative Pronoun

  ➔ The relative pronoun "what" introduces a relative clause that describes "is amazing".

• Turn nothing to something, now, pimpin', that's a savior

  ➔ Appositive

  ➔ "That's a savior" is an appositive that renames or explains "turning nothing to something".

• High off the ground, from stair to skyscraper

  ➔ Prepositional Phrase

  ➔ The prepositional phrase "from stair to skyscraper" indicates a range or progression.

• Until you have a daughter; that's what I call karma

  ➔ Semicolon Usage

  ➔ The semicolon connects two closely related independent clauses without a conjunction.

• I heard the beat and I ain't know what to write

  ➔ Double Negative

  ➔ The use of "ain't" (am not) with "know" creates a non-standard double negative, common in informal speech.

• Look, I used to cook before I had the game took

  ➔ Past Tense with 'Used To'

  ➔ "Used to cook" indicates a past habit or repeated action that is no longer true.

• Either way, my change came like Sam Cooke

  ➔ Simile

  ➔ The phrase "like Sam Cooke" is a simile comparing the speaker's change to the style or impact of Sam Cooke.