"Mama's Boyfriend" (also known as "Mama's Boy"[1], "Momma's Boy" and "My Momma's Boyfriend"[2]) is an unreleased song by Kanye West that was created during production for My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010). It has become one of Kanye's most famous unreleased songs.
In the song, Kanye raps about hating his stepfather when he was a child, then ironically becoming a stepfather himself when he is an adult.
Background[]
Kanye had allegedly recorded the song as far back as winter of 2010 with a beat that was produced by Madlib. Q-Tip also helped write the song.[2] On July 27, 2010, Kanye performed an acapella of the song while standing atop a table at Facebook's headquarters.[3] He also performed the song with John Legend at The Box in New York City.[4] On June 13, 2011, a version of the song under the name "Mama's Boy" was leaked on the GOOD Music blog featuring a sample from Acoustic Alchemy's 2001 song, "The Velvet Swing". Kanye later stated that the leak was "bogus," and threatened legal action against anybody who distributed the song.[1][5][6] While Kanye's team stated that the leak was fake, it was played during an interview with Q-Tip 5 years later, implying that the leak is real. Another version of the song was leaked in 2023, this time with a heavy sample from Billy Joel's 1977 song, "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)".[7] However, since no versions of the song from any of Kanye's following albums were leaked, it's very likely that it was scrapped before MBDTF released.
Lyrics[]
Seems such a waste of time
If that's what it's all about
Mama if that's movin' up then I'm—
(Alright you n***as, al-alright)
(Alright you n***as, al-alright)
(Alright you n***as, al-alright)
(Alright you n***as, al-alright)
I never liked you n***as
Who knew, one day, I'd be just like you n***as?
Ugh-ugh-ugh, all right, you n***as
Ugh-ugh-ugh, all right, you n***as
When I become my mama's boyfriends?
He walked in our lives; I was only five
Superman pajamas, I was super-duper fly
Sitting there like, "Wow, he at least hooper size"
You know I scrutinize, like, "Who this newer guy?"
I'm my mama boyfriend, I'm her little husband
I was the man of the house when it wasn't
Tryna get to know me, homie? Just kill the charm
You ain't interested in me, you just tryna fuck my mom
We are the voices of our parents' bad choices
The aftermath of divorces, the kids of bitter split-ups
And babysitters, grandparents that don't know what do to with us
And the last thing I want to see is Mama's new n***a
You ol' Old Spice-wearing, short chain-wearing
Dress shoes and jogging pants-wearing, church sock-wearing
When you first stop caring about your appearance?
When you get here anyway? I already got parents
Don't try to put me in line, I already got crayons
My mama said I could do it, I already got clearance
Keep your hands off my mama, how Anita got Clarence
Yeah, I know she look good, but you need to stop staring
I drew a picture of her that'd make her proud
But the door was locked, and the TV up so loud
I scream out, "I ain't going to sleep no time soon!
And when I do, I'm sleeping in my mama room!"
"I don't like you, n***a
If I was old enough, I'd fight you, n***a
I want to run over you with my bike, you n***a
Don't go to sleep at night, you n***a"
When I become my mama's boyfriends?
When I become my mama's boyfriends?
Twenty years later: where has the time gone?
Now, a n***a dating, having problems of his own
And now, a n***a grown, and the tables turned around
I never thought I ever raise another n***a's child
He don't like his mama boyfriends, just like me
Don't wanna do the wrong thing, that's very un-Spike Lee
But he be like Deebo 'round his mama 'nem
'Cause when she here, he be quiet
When she leave, he be talking again
He be wilding again—be calm
I don't drink the drama or sip the Dom Tyler Perry-on
"You gon' marry my mom?"
"Look, I don't read palms, and I don't read Psalms"
But I did take lil' man to church, took lil' man to school
"Look, lil' man: Kids don't make the rules
Even though I ain't raise you, and you your mama angel
Don't get it twisted, baby boy—I'll Ving Rhames you"
I never liked you n***as
Who knew, one day, I'd be just like you n***as?
Ugh-ugh-ugh, all right, you n***as
Ugh-ugh-ugh, all right, you n***as
When I become my mama's boyfriends?
When I become my mama's boyfriends?
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://pitchfork.com/news/42864-kanye-west-says-mamas-boy-is-bogus/
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://www.complex.com/music/a/noah-callahan-bever/kanye-west-interview-2010-cover-story
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJMC2VGHQfw&ab_channel=InternetKilledCable
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hU7gwoiUbwI&ab_channel=JoeSmith
- ↑ https://krakenfiles.com/view/Pfk74m0ses/file.html
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgPhUw3Nx_Q&ab_channel=vm2707
- ↑ https://krakenfiles.com/view/tuCeARZiYg/file.html