Family Business (song)

For other songs of the same name, see Family Business (disambiguation).
"Family Business"
Song by Kanye West
from the album The College Dropout
ReleasedFebruary 10, 2004
Length4:38
Label
Songwriter(s)Kanye West
Producer(s)Kanye West

"Family Business" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his debut studio album, The College Dropout (2004). Tarey Torae helped West pen the song, which is based around her family rather than his. Chance the Rapper performed a version of the song under the title of "Family Matters" at the Summer Ends Music Festival in September 2015, before recording a studio version that was accompanied by a clip.

Background and composition

Tarey Torae recorded on a number of tracks for The College Dropout, including her additional vocals on "Family Business". Torae explained that after West wanted the song to be about "real-life family", she helped him write it and the lyrics were set around her family.[1] As the oldest among 48 grandchildren from her mother's side of the family and in the middle of the 36 on her father's side, Torae offered him much material. Torae informed West about the likes of bathing with her cousins, six people having slept together, and her auntie's notorious poor cooking.[1] In February 2014, West's 2001 demo tape The Prerequisite experienced an internet leak, including the original version of the song.[2] West discusses life outside of the hip hop community in the song's lyrics, rapping about embarassment during childhood and a jailed cousin.[3]

Legacy

In September 2015, West's protege Chance the Rapper performed his version of the song at the Summer Ends Music Festival and referenced his newborn daughter by referring to himself as "Chance the Daddy".[4] The following month, Chance the Rapper shared a studio version entitled "Family Matters" that includes a horn section and piano. The release was accompanied by a clip that incorporates footage of his Family Matters tour and Pitchfork Music Festival 2015 set, behind-the-scenes shots of his live show, and old home films.[5][6] In a November 2018 article, DJBooth posted that "Family Business" should become a Thanksgiving song of the same significance as "Jingle Bells" for Christmas. The staff expressed that while there is not a Thanksgiving song, it perfectly portrays a family gathering "like a sonic Norman Rockwell painting" and invokes feelings of childish joy.[7] They desired for the song to be played from the very start of November for Thanksgiving and children's choirs to perform it, envisioning a cheesy film to be broadcast based on "Family Business" that would become a family tradition shown on American Broadcasting Company. The staff also thought of the song becoming a part of mainstream culture like "Jingle Bells" and frustrated people saying of it being played too early by 2029, "Goddammit, it's October 11 and I already heard 'Family Business' on the radio."[7]

Certifications

Certifications for "Family Business"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[8] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ a b Ahmed, Isanul (February 11, 2014). "15 Things You Didn't Know About Kanye West's 'The College Dropout'". Complex. Archived from the original on February 8, 2015. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  2. ^ Kristobak, Ryan (February 7, 2014). "Kanye West Demo Tape 'The Prerequisite' Touts Original Songs From 'College Dropout,' 'Late Registration'". HuffPost. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  3. ^ Pareles, Jon (April 2004). "Kanye West: The College Dropout". Blender (25). New York: 124. Archived from the original on April 9, 2005. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  4. ^ Beauchemin, Molly (September 28, 2015). "Chance The Rapper & The Social Experiment Cover Kanye West's 'Family Business'". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  5. ^ Weiner, Natalie (October 14, 2015). "Chance the Rapper Covers Kanye West's 'Family Business' in New Video". Billboard. Retrieved January 15, 2025.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ Minsker, Evan (October 13, 2015). "Chance the Rapper Covers Kanye West's 'Family Business' in 'Family Matters' Video". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  7. ^ a b "Kanye West's 'Family Business' Needs to Be the Thanksgiving 'Jingle Bells'". DJBooth. November 20, 2018. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  8. ^ "American single certifications – Kanye West – Family Business". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 15, 2025.