Big Brother (Kanye West song)
Encyclopedia
"Big Brother" is a song by American
hip hop
artist Kanye West
.
producer DJ Toomp
. It stands as the sole track on the entire third album not to feature production by West. Kanye wrote the song as a tribute to Jay-Z
, whom he feels so close to as a friend that he sees him as a brother.
-tinged production, featuring drum programming embellished with melodic synthesizer
and rhythmic, distorted guitar chords in the background. Lyrically, "Big Brother" is an honest, heartfelt examination of the complexities that encompass West's relationship with Jay-Z
. The narrative song chronicles Kanye's time with Jay-Z from the Hard Knock Life Tour, to the construction of the classic The Blueprint
, and finally the present day. In the song, Kanye talks about his love and admiration for Jay-Z as well as his envy and hate towards him, showing their relationship to that of a sibling rivalry
. West also uses the song's chorus
as a subsidiary dedication to his former mentor No I.D.
, who first taught him how to produce music. The refrain also makes reference to The Notorious B.I.G who was a contemporary of Jay-Z before his untimely death. West did this through the line 'My big brother / Was Big's brother'
lyrically. Billboard
gave a favorable review in which it claimed that the song "has lyrics introspective enough to make fans cry." Exclaim!
called the track “stellar” while The Chicago Tribune claimed that with it, "West is at his best". Making note of its "classic hip-hop storytelling framework" and the "raw style" of West's rapping, PopMatters
cited "Big Brother" as one of the songs on the album that gave off a "timeless hip-hop feeling."
The Observer
listed "Big Brother" as one of the top five best tracks on the album while The Guardian
music critic Dorian Lynskey stated that the song, "intertwines admiration and envy with fascinating honesty." A year later, a columnist for The Guardian included the track within a "Readers Recommend" column that discussed hero worship, writing, "Kanye West demonstrates more self-awareness in his thoughtful tribute to his brother-in-spirit, Jay-Z, exploring the complications of their fan-idol relationship, which grows trickier as the two become peers."
Although it was not released as a single, "Big Brother" managed to chart at number nineteen on the U.S. Billboard
Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart for the issue date of September 22, 2007.
in London, England on August 20, 2007. On September 11, Kanye provided a live rendition of the song on BET
's 106 & Park
in which Jay-Z
himself made a surprise appearance at the very end to perform "Encore" in tandem with West. The duo repeated this performance during West’s set at JAM'N 94.5's annual concert. On August 25, West played the song for a concert promoting higher education sponsored by his charity foundation. Assisted by back-up singers, a full orchestra and DJ Reflex, West gave a live performance of the song at the GM Place in Vancouver
, British Columbia
, Canada
on October 17.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
artist Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
.
Writing and inspiration
"Big Brother" was written by Kanye West while the music was produced by AtlantaAtlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
producer DJ Toomp
DJ Toomp
Aldrin Davis, better known as DJ Toomp, is an award-winning American record producer and DJ who works in Atlanta, Georgia. In the late 1980s he was MC Shy-D's DJ and went on tour with him and the 2 Live Crew as they performed at various venues across the country with other artists such as N.W.A...
. It stands as the sole track on the entire third album not to feature production by West. Kanye wrote the song as a tribute to Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
, whom he feels so close to as a friend that he sees him as a brother.
Music and lyrics
Like many songs on the album, "Big Brother" expresses slow, rockRock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
-tinged production, featuring drum programming embellished with melodic synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
and rhythmic, distorted guitar chords in the background. Lyrically, "Big Brother" is an honest, heartfelt examination of the complexities that encompass West's relationship with Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
. The narrative song chronicles Kanye's time with Jay-Z from the Hard Knock Life Tour, to the construction of the classic The Blueprint
The Blueprint
The Blueprint is the sixth studio album by American rapper Jay-Z, released September 11, 2001 on Roc-A-Fella Records in the United States. Its release was set a week earlier than initially planned in order to combat bootlegging. Recording sessions for the album took place during 2001 at Manhattan...
, and finally the present day. In the song, Kanye talks about his love and admiration for Jay-Z as well as his envy and hate towards him, showing their relationship to that of a sibling rivalry
Sibling rivalry
Sibling rivalry is a type of competition or animosity among children, blood-related or not.Siblings generally spend more time together during childhood than they do with parents. The sibling bond is often complicated and is influenced by factors such as parental treatment, birth order, personality,...
. West also uses the song's chorus
Refrain
A refrain is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the "chorus" of a song...
as a subsidiary dedication to his former mentor No I.D.
No I.D.
No I.D., officially known as Immenslope and also known as Ernest Wilson , is a hip hop and R&B record producer, also the vice-president of Def Jam Recordings, best known for his early work with Chicago rapper Common and is known as "The Godfather of Chicago hip hop".. The nickname No I.D...
, who first taught him how to produce music. The refrain also makes reference to The Notorious B.I.G who was a contemporary of Jay-Z before his untimely death. West did this through the line 'My big brother / Was Big's brother'
Reception
"Big Brother" received unanimously positive reviews from music critics and was widely regarded as the best song on GraduationGraduation (album)
Graduation is the third studio album by American hip hop artist Kanye West, released September 11, 2007 on Roc-A-Fella Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during 2005 to 2007 at Chung King Studios and Sony Music Studios in New York City and at Chalice Studios and The Record Plant...
lyrically. Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
gave a favorable review in which it claimed that the song "has lyrics introspective enough to make fans cry." Exclaim!
Exclaim!
Exclaim! is a monthly Canadian music magazine that features in-depth coverage of new music across all genres with special focus on Canadian and cutting-edge artists...
called the track “stellar” while The Chicago Tribune claimed that with it, "West is at his best". Making note of its "classic hip-hop storytelling framework" and the "raw style" of West's rapping, PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
cited "Big Brother" as one of the songs on the album that gave off a "timeless hip-hop feeling."
The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
listed "Big Brother" as one of the top five best tracks on the album while The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
music critic Dorian Lynskey stated that the song, "intertwines admiration and envy with fascinating honesty." A year later, a columnist for The Guardian included the track within a "Readers Recommend" column that discussed hero worship, writing, "Kanye West demonstrates more self-awareness in his thoughtful tribute to his brother-in-spirit, Jay-Z, exploring the complications of their fan-idol relationship, which grows trickier as the two become peers."
Although it was not released as a single, "Big Brother" managed to chart at number nineteen on the U.S. Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart for the issue date of September 22, 2007.
Live performances
"Big Brother" was first unveiled before an audience of five hundred fans and invited guests during a intimate show that took place at Westminster Central HallWestminster Central Hall
The Westminster Central Hall or Methodist Central Hall is a Methodist church in the City of Westminster. It occupies the corner of Tothill Street and Storeys Gate just off Victoria Street in London, near the junction with The Sanctuary next to the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre and facing...
in London, England on August 20, 2007. On September 11, Kanye provided a live rendition of the song on BET
Bet
Bet or BET may refer to:* A wager in gambling* Basic Economics Test * Bet , the second letter in many Semitic alphabets, including Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician and Syriac* Brunauer-Emmett-Teller isotherm. See BET_theory...
's 106 & Park
106 & Park
106 & Park is a Top Ten Hip-Hop and R&B music video show, set up in a countdown format, that airs weekdays at 6:00 PM on BET . Since its inception, it was the network's #1 rated show...
in which Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
himself made a surprise appearance at the very end to perform "Encore" in tandem with West. The duo repeated this performance during West’s set at JAM'N 94.5's annual concert. On August 25, West played the song for a concert promoting higher education sponsored by his charity foundation. Assisted by back-up singers, a full orchestra and DJ Reflex, West gave a live performance of the song at the GM Place in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
on October 17.
Charts
| Chart (2007) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles |
19 |
Personnel
Information taken from Graduation liner notes.- Songwriters: Kanye West, Aldrin Davis
- Producer: DJ Toomp
- Recorders: Paul Sheehy, Andrew Dawson
- Mix engineer: Andrew Dawson
- Assistant engineers: Dale Parsons, Andy Marcinkowski
External links
- "Big Brother" Lyrics at MTVMTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....