Southside Lyrics
[Part I: Southside]
[Intro: Kanye West]
La, la, la, la, la
And everybody say, say
La, la, la, la, la
I know you—I know you—
[Verse 1: Kanye West]
I know you thinking, thinking that it must be
Armor-All flow 'cause it never get rusty
I ain't gotta say it, man, dog, trust me
Bust somebody head, GLC, where was we?
Still rock the Prada—'fore that, rock the Starter
Niggas had the Georgetown, the Magic way harder
Thinking back to the projects, and they way they tore 'em all up
Like when I do a project, and come back and tear the mall up
[Chorus: Common & Kanye West]
We coming from the Southside, Southside
Southside, Southside
Southside, Southside
Southside, side of the Chi
[Verse 2: Common]
The broads, the cars, the half-moons, the stars
I'm like Jeff Fort the way I get behind bars
Burn CDs with no regard for the stars
Come to the crib with conflict diamonds and they ours
Back in '94, they called me Chi-town's Nas
Now, them niggas know I'm one of Chi-town's gods
We eating, Joe, you still talking no carbs
A conscious nigga with mack, like Steve Jobs
[Intro: Kanye West]
La, la, la, la, la
And everybody say, say
La, la, la, la, la
I know you—I know you—
[Verse 1: Kanye West]
I know you thinking, thinking that it must be
Armor-All flow 'cause it never get rusty
I ain't gotta say it, man, dog, trust me
Bust somebody head, GLC, where was we?
Still rock the Prada—'fore that, rock the Starter
Niggas had the Georgetown, the Magic way harder
Thinking back to the projects, and they way they tore 'em all up
Like when I do a project, and come back and tear the mall up
[Chorus: Common & Kanye West]
We coming from the Southside, Southside
Southside, Southside
Southside, Southside
Southside, side of the Chi
[Verse 2: Common]
The broads, the cars, the half-moons, the stars
I'm like Jeff Fort the way I get behind bars
Burn CDs with no regard for the stars
Come to the crib with conflict diamonds and they ours
Back in '94, they called me Chi-town's Nas
Now, them niggas know I'm one of Chi-town's gods
We eating, Joe, you still talking no carbs
A conscious nigga with mack, like Steve Jobs
[Chorus: Common & Kanye West]
We coming from the Southside, Southside
Southside, Southside
Southside, Southside
Southside, side of the Chi
[Verse 3: Kanye West]
Your fly is open, McFly
The crowd is open, I think I know why
I'm back from the future, seen it with my own eyes
And, yep! I'm still the future of the Chi
Back in college, I had to get my back up off the futon
I knew that I couldn't cop a coupe with no coupons
Look at that Neutron on his green like croutons
People asking him, "Do you have any Grey Poupon?"
[Chorus: Common & Kanye West]
We coming from the Southside, Southside
Southside, Southside
Southside, Southside
Southside, side of the Chi
[Verse 4: Common]
You in the building, but the building's falling
You wouldn't be balling if your name was Spalding
My mind get flooded, I think about New Orleans
'Bout to school y'all niggas; you should call him August
I'm the sun that goes down, but I'm still revolving
Southside, w—w—walk it out, while still, you're crawling
If rap was Harlem, I'd be James Baldwin
With money in the bank like G. Rap, we're calling
We coming from the Southside, Southside
Southside, Southside
Southside, Southside
Southside, side of the Chi
[Verse 3: Kanye West]
Your fly is open, McFly
The crowd is open, I think I know why
I'm back from the future, seen it with my own eyes
And, yep! I'm still the future of the Chi
Back in college, I had to get my back up off the futon
I knew that I couldn't cop a coupe with no coupons
Look at that Neutron on his green like croutons
People asking him, "Do you have any Grey Poupon?"
[Chorus: Common & Kanye West]
We coming from the Southside, Southside
Southside, Southside
Southside, Southside
Southside, side of the Chi
[Verse 4: Common]
You in the building, but the building's falling
You wouldn't be balling if your name was Spalding
My mind get flooded, I think about New Orleans
'Bout to school y'all niggas; you should call him August
I'm the sun that goes down, but I'm still revolving
Southside, w—w—walk it out, while still, you're crawling
If rap was Harlem, I'd be James Baldwin
With money in the bank like G. Rap, we're calling
[Chorus: Common & Kanye West]
We coming from the Southside, Southside
Southside, Southside
Southside, Southside
South side of the Chi
[Verse 5: Kanye West]
With niggas masked up like Phantom of the Opera
Dreaming of the day they push a phantom to the operas
Can't wait 'til they say, "'Ye ran up at the Oscars"
"Papa, I heard his life is like a movie"
Like when Em played him and Mekhi played a rasta
Mexicans gon' love it like it was for La Raza
But this is for the mobsters, holla
We some true Chi-town legends; accept no imposters (Ayy)
[Chorus: Common & Kanye West]
We coming from the Southside, Southside
Southside, Southside (Yeah)
Southside (Yeah), Southside (Ugh)
Southside, side of the Chi
[Verse 6: Common & Kanye West]
The un-American idol, tower like the Eiffel
Lean with it, rock with it, Black like the Disciples
Know when to use a bible and when to use a rifle
You rap like you should be on the back of a motorcycle
Caught a case of robbery, and beat it like Michael
Your career is a typo; mine was written like a haiku
I write to do the right things, like Spike do
Through conflicts that's Crucial and drama that's Psycho (Ayy)
We coming from the Southside, Southside
Southside, Southside
Southside, Southside
South side of the Chi
[Verse 5: Kanye West]
With niggas masked up like Phantom of the Opera
Dreaming of the day they push a phantom to the operas
Can't wait 'til they say, "'Ye ran up at the Oscars"
"Papa, I heard his life is like a movie"
Like when Em played him and Mekhi played a rasta
Mexicans gon' love it like it was for La Raza
But this is for the mobsters, holla
We some true Chi-town legends; accept no imposters (Ayy)
[Chorus: Common & Kanye West]
We coming from the Southside, Southside
Southside, Southside (Yeah)
Southside (Yeah), Southside (Ugh)
Southside, side of the Chi
[Verse 6: Common & Kanye West]
The un-American idol, tower like the Eiffel
Lean with it, rock with it, Black like the Disciples
Know when to use a bible and when to use a rifle
You rap like you should be on the back of a motorcycle
Caught a case of robbery, and beat it like Michael
Your career is a typo; mine was written like a haiku
I write to do the right things, like Spike do
Through conflicts that's Crucial and drama that's Psycho (Ayy)
[Chorus: Common & Kanye West]
We coming from the Southside, Southside
Southside, Southside
Southside, Southside
South side of the Chi
[Outro: Kanye West & Common]
La-la-la-la-la, la
La, la-la-la-la-la, la
La, la-la-la-la-la, la
La, la-la-la-la-la, la
We’re coming from the—Hey
Have to spice it up
You might have to spice it up
Spice it up, spice it up
Take your life and
Yo, ugh
We’re coming from the—Hey
We’re coming from the—hey
[Part II: Outro]
[Rhea Williams]
And this concludes our Chicago show
Please stay tuned
[Part III: Prelude Phone Message]
[Chillz]
Roughneck, what's up babe-ooh?
This your man, it's Real, a.k.a. Pharaoh
Captain Jack Sparrow
Just pulled up on the internet
Ooh, I see y'all in the mirror, shit
Washing off your face! This that shit
That's what I'm talking 'bout, son
Just getting rap! Word up!
What I'm saying, where the rock is, right?
I need some of that, son
That's that inspiration
Well shit, I just love you to death, bro-dog
We coming from the Southside, Southside
Southside, Southside
Southside, Southside
South side of the Chi
[Outro: Kanye West & Common]
La-la-la-la-la, la
La, la-la-la-la-la, la
La, la-la-la-la-la, la
La, la-la-la-la-la, la
We’re coming from the—Hey
Have to spice it up
You might have to spice it up
Spice it up, spice it up
Take your life and
Yo, ugh
We’re coming from the—Hey
We’re coming from the—hey
[Part II: Outro]
[Rhea Williams]
And this concludes our Chicago show
Please stay tuned
[Part III: Prelude Phone Message]
[Chillz]
Roughneck, what's up babe-ooh?
This your man, it's Real, a.k.a. Pharaoh
Captain Jack Sparrow
Just pulled up on the internet
Ooh, I see y'all in the mirror, shit
Washing off your face! This that shit
That's what I'm talking 'bout, son
Just getting rap! Word up!
What I'm saying, where the rock is, right?
I need some of that, son
That's that inspiration
Well shit, I just love you to death, bro-dog
About
Genius Annotation
“Southside” finds Chicago representatives Common and Kanye West trading verses over a sample of Don Covay’s “If There’s a Will, There’s a Way.” The song won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in 2007.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
- 1.Intro
- 3.The People
- 5.I Want You
- 6.Southside
- 7.The Game
- 9.So Far to Go
- 10.Break My Heart
- 11.Misunderstood
- 12.Forever Begins
Credits
Featuring
Producer
Writers
Synthesizer
Keyboards
Additional Vocals
Assistant Recording Engineer
Recording Engineer
Mixing Engineer
Mastering Engineer
Mixed At
Label
Copyright ©
Phonographic Copyright ℗
Distributor
Manufacturer
Publisher
Recorded At
The Record Plant (Los Angeles, CA), Sony Studios (New York City, NY) & Roundhead Studios (Auckland, NZ)
Released on
July 31, 2007
Southside Samples
Southside Remixes
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