How's your son? (All, all, all the thang, thang)
He made the team this year? (All, all, the thang, thang)
Aight, they said he wasn't tall enough (all, all that glitters is not gold)
Ma, we here, we gon' cook this Sunday, okay? (And all gold is not reality)
So come by (real is what you lays on me)
That's your new girlfriend?

This is family business
And this is for the family that can't be with us
And this is for my cousin locked down, know the answer's in us
That's why I spit it in my songs so sweet
Like a photo of your granny's picture
Now that you're gone, it hit us
Super hard on Thanksgiving and Christmas, this can't be right
Yeah, you heard the track I did, man, "This Can't Be Life"
Somebody please say grace so I can save face
And have a reason to cover my face
I even made you a plate, soul food, know how granny do it
Monkey bread on the side, know how the family do it
When I brought it, why the guard have to look all to it?
As kids, we used to laugh
Who knew that life would move this fast?
Who knew I'd have to look at you through a glass?
And look, you tell me you ain't did it, then you ain't did it
And if you did, then that's family business

And I don't care about (all, all, diamond rings, diamond rings)
They don't mean a thing (all, all, the thang, thang)
All these fancy things (all, all, the thang, thang)
I tell you that all my weight in gold (all, all that glitters is not gold, all good is not reality)
Now all I know, I know all these things (real is what you lays on me)

Yeah, yeah, this is family business
And this is for everybody standin' with us
Come on, let's take a family GRAMMY picture
Abi, remember when they ain't believe in me?
Now she like, "See, that's my cousin on TV"
Now, we gettin' it and we gon' make it
And they gon' hate it and I'm his favorite
I can't deny it, I'm a straight rider
But when we get together be Electric Slidin'
Grandma, get 'em shook up
Aw naw, don't open the photo book up
I got an Aunt Ruth that can't remember your name
But I bet them Polaroids'll send her down memory lane
You know that one auntie, you don't mean to be rude
But every holiday nobody eatin' her food
And you don't wanna stay there 'cause them your worst cousins
Got roaches at their crib like them your first cousins
Act like you ain't took a bath with your cousins
Fit three in the bed if it's six of y'all
I'm talkin' 'bout three by the head and three by the leg
But you ain't have to tell my girl I used to pee in the bed

Rain, rain, rain, go away (uh)
Let the sun come out and all the children say (uh)
Rain, rain, rain, go away (yeah, yeah, uh)
Let the sun come out and all the children say (yeah)

I woke up early this mornin' with a new state of mind
A creative way to rhyme without usin' nines and guns
Keep your nose out the sky, keep your heart to God
And keep your face to the risin' sun
All my niggas from the Chi, is my family, dawg
And my niggas ain't my guys, they my family, dawg
I feel like one day you'll understand me, dawg
You can still love your man and be manly, dawg
You ain't gotta get heated at every housewarmin'
Sittin' here, grillin' people like George Foreman
Why Uncle Ray and Aunt Shiela always performin'?
Second she storm out then he storms in
Y'all gon' sit down, have a good time this reunion
And drink some wine like Communion
And act like everything fine and if it isn't
We ain't lettin' everybody in our family business, uh

(All, all, diamond rings, diamond rings)
They don't mean a thing (all, all, all the thang, thang)
They don't mean a thing (all, all, all the thang, thang, thang)
(All, all that glitters is not gold, all gold is not reality)
They don't mean a thing, a thing (real is what you lays on me)
And I don't care about (all, all, diamond rings, diamond rings)
They don't mean a thing (all, all, all the thang, thang)
All these fancy things (all, all, all the thang, thang, thang)
I tell you that all my weight in gold (all, all that glitters is not gold, all good is not reality)
Now all I know, I know all these things (real is what you lays on me)

All these things (all these things)
CLK Mercedes Benz
These things (all these things)
All these things (all these things)
All these things (these things)
A whole lotta money
All these things (all these things)
Mommy and daddy, can you please stop fighting?
These things (and I don't care about)
All these things (these things)
All these things (all these things)
These things
Let's get Stevie out of jail


Lyrics submitted by yuri_sucupira

Family Business Lyrics as written by Kanye West

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Family Business song meanings
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    General Comment

    Awwwww this song is just AMAZING. I love the piano, the drums, I really love the bass, I love the part where it breaks down and its like 'Rain rain go away' and you hear the bass better and then he starts rappin 'I woke up early this mornin with a new state of mind....'. Its one of my FAVORITE SONGS FROM THE COLLEGE DROPOUT. More songs like this, (but not sounding like this, if you know what I mean) on Late Registration and it will be an amazing album. I can't wait. I really hope he releases Hey Mama as a single first, Diamonds is a good song but I dont know if its going to be a good album track. They should make a CD with songs from artist who used to be on rocafella and that song would be a good first track. Kanye hope you read this and pitch that idea to Dame... lol, maybe

    soulfool88_1on May 05, 2005   Link

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