Kanye West - Violent Crimes
This song explores a cycle of abuse from the perspective of a man who used to be abusive, and is now fearful for his daughter. Kanye West’s lyrics, like “No daddy don't play, not when it come to they daughters,” reveal how having a daughter has made him realize that women should be treated with respect. While he at least acknowledges how his opinions have changed, admitting that he deserves “karma,” it is still ridiculous that it took having his own daughter to realize that women are deserving of respect too. And, it is not only West who thinks this way. We hear all the time, "She's somebody's daughter, somebody's mom, somebody's sister, etc." Really, we should just be able to say, "She's somebody." Treating all people with dignity and decency should be a given—a woman should not be treated respectfully because she is a man’s daughter or a mother, but because she is a human. If all men believed this, maybe women would be treated with the level of respect they deserve.
While “Violent Crimes” has a catchy chorus, the story is meaningful and extremely important for listeners to hear. In the song, West makes it clear that he, too, has been one of the “creeps in the comments” or “pervs on the net”—detailing key examples of misogyny in everyday life. .
West also discusses his own abusive tendencies (underlined in blue) and explains the ways he wishes to protect his daughter, after possibly being an abuser in the past (highlighted in white). While this song is about a father wanting to protect his daughter, West's lyrics reveal that his mentality hasn’t fully changed. When he says, “Don't do no yoga, don't do pilates / Just play piano and stick to karate," he suggests that his daughter will be safer by policing her own behavior. Instead, West should be telling men not to be abusive.
West’s lyrics demonstrate an understanding of the damage he’s caused by his old ways, and suggest that he now feels guilty and would do anything to protect his daughter. Although he admits to abusing other women in the past, I believe this song has a positive message, because West explains what he went through, and how he is putting his effort into breaking this cycle of abuse for future generations of his family.
Analysis:
Fallin', dreamin', talkin' in your sleep
I know you want to cry all night, all night
Plottin', schemin', finding
Reason to defend all of your violent nights
Promise me you will see
Don't you grow up in a hurry, your mom'll be worried, aw
It was all part of the story, even the scary nights
Thank you for all of the glory, you will be remembered, aw
Thank you to all of the heroes of the night (night, night)
They gotta repeat the colors, the lie is wearin' off
Reality is upon us, colors drippin' off
Colors drippin' off
N***** is savage, n***** is monsters
N***** is pimps, n***** is players
'Til n***** have daughters, now they precautious
Father forgive me, I'm scared of the karma
'Cause now I see women as somethin' to nurture
Not somethin' to conquer
I hope she like Nicki, I'll make her a monster
Not havin' menages
I'm just being silly
I answered the door, like Will Smith and Martin
N***** do we have a problem?
Matter of fact Marlin, this ain't Meet the Fockers
I'll beat his ass, pray I beat the charges
No daddy don't play, not when it come to they daughters
Don't do no yoga, don't do pilates
Just play piano and stick to karate
I pray your body's draped more like mine and not like your mommy's
Just bein' salty, but n***** is nuts
And I am a n*****, I know what they want
I pray that you don't get it all at once
Curves under your dress, I know it's pervs all on the 'net
All in the comments, you wanna vomit
That's your baby, you love her to death
Now she cuttin' class and hangin' with friends
You break a glass and say it again
She can't comprehend the danger she's in
If you whoop her ass, she move in with him
Then he whoop her ass, you go through it again
But how you the devil rebukin' the sin?
Let's pray we can put this behind us
I swear that these times is the wildest
She got the scars, they serve as reminders
Blood still on her pajamas, but yesterday is dead, yeah
Moment of silence
Next she'll be off to college
And then at the altar
'Cause she know n***** is savage, n***** is monsters
N***** is pimps, n***** is players
'Til n***** have daughters, now they precautious
'Til n***** have daughters
Don't you grow up in a hurry, your mom'll be worried, aw
It was all part of the story, even the scary nights
Thank you for all of the glory, you will be remembered, aw
Thank you to all of the heroes of the night (night, night)
They gotta repeat the colors, the light is wearin' off
Reality is upon us, colors drippin' off
Colors drippin' off
I'm sayin' it like
I want a daughter like Nicki
Aww man, I promise
I'ma turn her to a monster, but no menagés
I don't know how you saying it, but let 'em hear this