Kanye West, ‘Mama’s Boyfriend’ – Song Review

Between recording 'Watch the Throne' with Jay-Z, live performances, and various other projects, Kanye West somehow managed to record a new track entitled 'Mama's Boyfriend.' Although the song is deeply personal to West, who premiered the lyrics last year at the Facebook headquarters, it did not make the cut for 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.'

"It took me 32 years of my life to write it," West said in a statement about the song last year. “It means a lot to me." The reason 'Mama's Boyfriend' means so much to West is that he was pretty much solely raised by his mother, Donda, who passed away in 2007.

The smooth music has an old-school feel, with a high-pitched female voice singing backing "ooh's" and "ahh's." The steady rhythm is reminiscent of Yeezy's 'College Dropout' album (especially tracks like 'Slow Jamz' and 'Through the Wire'). West does this style extremely well, and it is a nice transition from the more progressive ('Runaway') and elaborate collaborative ('All of the Lights,' 'Monster') tracks he has been releasing as of late.

In the lyrics to 'Mama's Boyfriend,' West is rapping from the perspective of a young child who feels he needs to protect his mother from any man who shows a romantic interest in her. Kanye disses the "Old Spice wearin', short chain wearin'" gent that is trying to woo his mama, and it is clear that Yeezy is speaking the words that were on his mind when he was just a child.

"I my mama boyfriend / I'm her little husband / I was the man of the house when there wasn't / Tryin' to get me know me homey / Just kill the charm / You ain't interested in me  / you just tryin' to f--- my mom," Yeezy raps, speaking not only to his own feelings, but to the feelings of boys everywhere who struggle growing up without a father figure.

The chilled out yet intoxicating hip-hop beat of 'Mama's Boyfriend' paired with the moving and singable lyrics make us feel like we are listening to the West we all fell in love with when 'College Dropout' hit music fans like a ton of bricks back in '04. Kudos, Kanye.

Listen to Kanye West, 'Mama's Boyfriend'