Here Are ALL The Kim Kardashian References On The Life Of Pablo

It’s official: Swish, Waves The Life of Pablo has finally descended upon us, and we’ve been left with nothing but time to overthink all of it. The man is rather complicated. This week, he defended Bill Cosby on Twitter (completely out of the blue and without any explanation), while the week before he lamented his disagreement with Wiz Khalifa on Twitter, and began spreading messages of peace and love. Not to mention his musical legacy. With every album, West becomes more pronounced both in who he is and who he wants us to see him as. So where Yeezus re-affirmed his god complex, and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was just that, The Life Of Pablo exceeds them both, by showcasing his powerful and complicated relationship with his own life and those in it. That’s not to say it’s lacking sensationalism. Kanye references his wife Kim Kardashian West and his family often, as well as the old habits he seemingly wants to break (or worries he’ll succumb to). But where Watch the Throne — his collaboration with Jay Z — bathed in excess, TLOP spurns it, following up references to sex workers and partying with reminders of his kids and the life he prioritizes. It’s complicated and it’s interesting. And while it in no way lacks scandalizing lyrics, it’s the lyrics about Kim and Kanye's children that suggest an evolution as an artist and a person. Which also makes him even more of an enigma. Especially when it comes to that Taylor Swift lyric.
1. “Ultra Light Beams”

Stand-out lyrics: "Tryna send photos of familia / my daughter look just like Sia, you can’t see her."

Kim or no Kim? Kim, no. North, yes. As part of his prayer (and homage to himself), Kanye cites his ability to shield daughter North from the paparazzi. And, true: I know we’ve seen more than a few photos of her out and about, but if she wasn’t being protected, we’d see a lot more. Not to mention, Saint: the boy’s still a mystery. Kanye knows how to shield his kids from invasive paparazzi flare. Also: the song’s religious undertones exist for a reason (and we’ll all know why by the end). 2. Father Stretch My Hands, Pt 1 and Pt 2 Stand-out lyrics: "Up in the morning, miss you bad / Sorry I ain’t called you back / the same problem my father had." Kim or no Kim? Arguably, he’s talking to Kim in this reference, but considering Kanye took to Twitter to express how much the lyrics meant to him (he cried while writing this song), and how much he loves his Dad, this is less about Kim, more about his father, and also a really good song. 3. “Freestyle 4” Stand-out lyrics: "I know I know I shouldn’t even bother / with all these gossiping and no pussy-getting bloggers." Kim or no Kim? No Kim, directly. In addition to his frustration with the press (which play their fair part in meddling in Kanye and Kim’s public and private lives), he cites his appearance at fashion shows — as well as PETA’s unhappiness with his affinity for fur — which works to make "Freestyle 4" an avenue for personal frustration. In short: Kanye is Kanye, and he doesn’t care what you think about him. Except that he does, and also stop talking about him. Also: he is the “Ghetto Oprah,” who specifically gives out “big booty bitches.” (Yikes.) 4. “Famous” Stand-out lyrics: "I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex / why, I made that bitch famous." Kim or no Kim? No Kim, and thank Yeezy, let’s be real. We know this is a dig at Taylor Swift — a.k.a his “friend" — who presented him with his Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at this past summer's VMAs. Evidently, his views on the infamous 2009 “Imma let you finish” debacle have finally worked their way into Kanye’s creative narrative. So let’s see if she one-ups “Mean” on her 1989 follow-up. 5. “High Lights” Stand-out lyrics: "I bet me and Ray J would be friends if we ain’t love the same bitch / Yeah, he might have hit it first, only problem is I’m rich." Kim or no Kim? So much Kim. Too much Kim, even. In fact, do not pass Kim, do not collect 200 dollars. We’ll assume that she knew about Kanye’s shout-out to her ex (a.k.a. the guy who allegedly leaked their sex tape), and that she’s in on the joke. And we’ll assume that because there’s no other way to explain playing this lyric in front of Kim and the rest of her family. Right? (Or am I just proving my romantic incapability with Kanye West?)

6. “Feed Back” Stand-out lyrics: "What if we fucked right in the middle of this motherfuckin’ dinner table / What if we just fucked up this whole party?" Kim or no Kim? That’s a terrific question. To start he seems to be addressing a woman — and since he’s overt in asking her to engage in oral sex, you’d assume he’s talking to his wife. That is, until he asks her to bring her price down. So, okay. But then after a chorus of “I need you right now,” comes this: a declaration of love. The track ends on “I love you like Kanye loves Kanye,” making me think this might be the greatest love song dedicated to one’s self since Cyndi Lauper dropped "She Bop." 7. “Fade”

Stand-out lyrics: "I love her, I want her / I’m tryna fuck her." Kim or no Kim? Well, he doesn’t say “I’m tryna fuck Kim,” so it’s all speculation. But in addition to his sexual requests, he also laments about feeling it “fading.” Is “it” love? Possibly. The thing about marriage or any long-term relationship is that both are complicated — especially since his own declaration is echoed by his fears that her love is fading, too. Arguably, this is just a super-realistic interpretation of one’s internal monologue when with someone f-o-r-e-v-e-r. Or, at least that’s what a lifetime of dramedies has taught me. 8. “FML” Stand-out lyrics: "I’ve been waiting for a minute, for my lady / so I can’t jeopardize that for one of these hoes." Kim or no Kim? Well, he’s certainly not going to throw Mrs. West away for a one-night stand. In fact, the whole song is about Kim, their kids, and their family. He says he’ll die for those he loves. He “pours out my feelings” and reveals "the layers to my soul.” He worries about fucking it all up; he knows he’s the only one who will. His love is complicated, but it’s absolute. Ultimately “FML” is like the video for "Bound 2," but if he spent the whole video holding a picture of Kim and himself on a motorcycle and worrying he’d be responsible for her falling off. 9. “Real Friends” Stand-out lyrics: "I got my own Jr. on the way, Dawg / plus, I already got one kid." Kim or no Kim? Well, Kim is the mother of Kanye’s two children so hello, what’s up? But other than that, this song is based solely in the changing dynamics of friendships: of who Kanye and his friends (Ty Dolla $ign, specifically) were compared to who they are now. It turns out being famous changes things. 10. “Wolves” Stand-out lyrics: "Then I said, ‘What if Mary was in the club / What if she met Joseph around hella thugs / Cover Nori in lambs’ wool / We surrounded by the fuckin’ wolves.” Kim or no Kim? That’s a hard “duh.” Like the rest of the album, Kanye evokes passion. And also like the rest of the album, he uses his work to convey the complexities of love, relationships, and family. In this case, he references Kim’s past (even saying his mom would think she’s “too wild”), but follows it quickly with “I need you now, I do love you.” Then, despite him referencing her wildness, he calls her his Virgin Mary. To Kanye, his family is on par with the Divine — which also explains why he closed with the same religious themes he began the record with. His family is precious, and we’re just a bunch of wolves. Which makes sense, considering how quickly we’ve devoured this album.