Released: September 11, 2007

Songwriter: Kanye West Laura Nyro Yasiin Bey Mountain

Producer: Plain Pat Gee Robertson Kanye West

[Produced by Gee Roberson, Kanye West & Plain Pat]

[Intro: Kanye West & Laura Nyro sample]
In my soul
Gonna take you to the glory
Goal, in my mind I can't study war, yeah my
I can't study war, yeah my
I can't study war, yeah my
I can't study war, yeah my

[Chorus: Kanye West & Choir (with backing vocals from John Legend]
Now where the South Side
I can't study no, yeah my
I can't study no, yeah my
Now where the West Side
I can't study no, yeah my
I can't study no, yeah my

[Verse 1: Kanye West]
Can I talk my shit again?
Even if I don't hit again?
Dog, are you fucking kidding?
My hat, my shoes, my coat
Louis Vuitton stitch, with Donatella Versace
That's Louis Vuitton, bitch
I think Hennessy, I drink, I'm gone
Off that Bacardi Limon and Corona. I'm zonin'
Class back in session so I upped it a grade
In two years Dwayne Wayne became Dwyane Wade
And hey, please don't start me
I'm like Gnarls Barkley meets Charles Barkley
I'm pop the Barkers, I'm hood the Parkers
While y'all was in limbo I raised the bar up
I touched on everything
Married to the game, rock a chain 'steada wedding ring
Y'all bridesmaids catch the garter
On nights when 'Ye romance
Cameras flash so much
That I gotta do that Yayo dance
I'm on a world tour with Common, my man
After each and every show a couple dykes in the van
It's easy
The hood love to listen to Jeezy and Weezy
And, oh yeah, Yeezy
I did it for the glory

[Chorus: Kanye West & Choir (with backing vocals from John Legend]
Yeah my
I can't study no, yeah my
I can't study no, yeah my
The glory
I can't study no, yeah my
I can't study no, yeah my
I did it for the glory
I can't study no, yeah my
I can't study no, yeah my
The glory
I can't study no, yeah my
I can't study no, yeah my

[Verse 2: Kanye West]
What am I supposed to do now?
Man the game all messed up
How I'm suppose to stand out when everybody get dressed up?
So yeah, at the Grammys I went ultra Travolta
Yeah that tuxedo might have been a little guido
But with my ego
I can stand there in a Speedo
And be looked at like a fucking hero
The glory, the story, the chain, the polo, the night
The grind, the empty bottles of No-Doz
Tank on empty, whipping my mamma's Volvo
I spent that gas money on clothes with logos
The fur is Hermes, shit that you don't floss
The Goyard so hard man, I'm Hugo's boss
Why I gotta ask what that TUDOR cost?
House on the hill
Two doors from Tracey Ross
And I'm asking about her girlfriends
Yeah, the dark skin'ed ones
She asking about the speed boats yeah I admit we rented 'em
When you meet me in person what do you feel like?
I know, I know I look better in real life
I hear people compare themselves to big a lot
You know B.I.G. and Pac, you know to get it hot
I guess after I live I wanna be compared to B.I.G
Any one: Big Pun, Big L or Notorious
'Till then, get money and stunt and stay glorious
And I'm gonna stop killing these niggas soon as the chorus hit
Yeah I'mma stop killing these niggas soon as the chorus hit
These haters be killing themselves they wanna come and get the glory

[Chorus: Kanye West & Choir (with backing vocals from John Legend]
Yeah my
I can't study no, yeah my
I can't study no, yeah my
The glory
I can't study no, yeah my
I can't study no, yeah my
Now where the South Side
I can't study no, yeah my
I can't study no, yeah my
Now where the West Side
I can't study no, yeah my
I can't study no, yeah my

[Outro: Laura Nyro sample]
I can't study war, yeah my
I can't study war, yeah my
I can't study war, yeah my
I can't study war, yeah my

Kanye West

The ubiquitous Kanye West—from his famous quip, “George Bush doesn’t care about black people,” to “I'ma let you finish,” to marrying Kim Kardashian, to announcing that he’s running for President, and admitting his love for President Trump—you can see that he’s a staple of the tabloids and the entertainment world, industry-wide.

That certainly doesn’t take anything away from his music; as a matter of fact, it only seems to add to his fortuitous career. For instance, his 2010 album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, was universally praised by fans and critics alike; it was recorded during the backlash he received from the Swift interruption and during his break-up with then-girlfriend Amber Rose.

He has scored other well-known hits, as well, from each of his previous studio albums—such as “Stronger,” “Heartless,” and “Gold Digger.” Each of his albums has been massive critical and commercial successes, including his collaboration album with JAY-Z, Watch the Throne. As of 2020, West has won an astounding 21 Grammys, tied with JAY-Z as the most decorated hip-hop artist in Grammy history.