Text: Kanye West. Big Brother.

Stadium status

My big brother was B.I.G's brother
Used to be Dame and B.I.G's brother
Who was hip hop brother, who was No I.D friend
No I.D. my mentor, now let the story begin

It's The Hard Knock Life Tour, sell out
Picture us in the mall coppin' iceberg and yell out Jigga
Yeah, that's what we'll yell out, yell out
You know the name do, I gotta spell out or tell 'bout?

J A Y and Ye' so shy
Now he won't even step to his idol to say hi
Standin' there like a mime and let the chance pass by
Back of my mind, he could change your life

With all these beats I did, at least let him hear
At least you can brag to your friends back at the gig
But he got me out my mama crib
Then he helped me get my mama a crib

Big brother was B.I.G's brother
Used to be Dame and B.I.G's brother
Who was hip hop brother, who was No I.D. friend
No I.D. my mentor, now let the story begin, begin
Let the story begin, the story begin
If you feel the way I feel why don't you wave your hands?

Fresh off the plane, I'm off the base line
Nothin' handed out, I'm 'bout to take mine
Round the same time of that 'Blueprint 1'
And these beats in my pocket was that blueprint for 'em

I played my little songs in that old back room
He'd bop his head and say, "Damn, oh, that's you?"
But by the 'Black Album', I was blackin' out
Party at S.O.B's and we had packed the crowd

Big brother got a show up in Madison Square
And I'm like, yeah, yeah, we gon' be there
But not only did I not get a chance to spit it
Carlene told me I could buy two tickets

I guess big brother was thinkin' a little different
And kept little brother at bay, at a distance
But everything that I felt was more bogus
Only made me more focused, only wrote more potent

Only thing I wanna know is why I get looked over
I guess I understand when I get more older
Big brother saw me at the bottom of the totem
Now I'm on the top and everybody on the scrotum

My big brother was B.I.G's brother
Used to be Dame and B.I.G's brother
Who was hip hop brother, who was No I.D. friend
No I.D. my mentor, now let the story begin, begin
Let the story begin, begin
If you feel the way I feel why won't you wave your hands?

Have you ever walked in the shadow of a giant?
Not only a client, the presedito
Hola' Hovito', the game gettin' foul
So here's a free throw

I was always on the other side of the people
Then I dropped 'Jesus Walks', now I'm on a steeple
And we know, New Jack City gotta keep my brother
But to be number one, I'ma beat my brother

On that 'Diamonds Remix', I swore I'd spaz
Then my big brother came through and kicked my ass
Sibling rivalry only I could see
It was the pride in me that was drivin' me

At the Grammy's I said I inspired me
But my big brother who I always tried to be
When I kicked the flow, it was like pick and roll
'Cause even if he gave me the ROC, it's give and go

I guess being styled was more of a slam dunk
And my shit was more like a finger roll
But I had them singles though
And them hoes at the show gon and mingle yo, y'all know

I told Jay I did a song with Coldplay
Next thing I know, he got a song with Coldplay
Back of my mind, I'm like, "Damn, no way"
Translate Espanyol, "No way, Jose"

Then I went and told Jay Brown
Should have known that was gonna come back around
Should have talked to you like a man, should have told you first
But I told somebody else and that's what made shit worse

My big brother was B.I.G's brother
So here's a few words from your kid brother
If you admire somebody, you should go 'head and tell em'
People never get the flowers while they can still smell em'

A idol in my eyes, God of the game
Heart of the city, Roc-A-Fella chain
Never be the same, never be another number one
Young Hov' or so my big brother

My Big brother was B.I.G's brother
Used to be Dame and B.I.G's brother
Who was hip hop brother, who was No I.D friend
No I.D. my mentor and that's where the story ends

Don't kill this shit