What are the original lyrics to "Ni**as in Paris"? Details explored as Jay-Z removes Kanye West’s name following previous controversy

The first song from Jay-Z and Kanye West's 2011 album Watch the Throne, "Ni**as in Paris," was out in late 2011. The song was universally loved and quickly became a cultural phenomenon.

The track's sumptuous production and title, which reclaims a historically derogatory epithet, ignited a discourse about empowerment, language, and celebrating achievement.

Some people have been saying that Jay-Z took West's name off the song's credits. This rumor stems from past tensions between them.

Jay-Z removes Kanye West’s name from the track "Ni**as in Paris": More details

The lyrical content of the song was slightly controversial due to its title and hook, sparking wide discussions. Jay-Z and West talked about how they went from being relatively unknown artists to hip-hop royalty as the song's crashing synth stabs and rumbling sub-bass played. They also invite people to a night of fancy partying in the City of Light.

Jay-Z's verse talks about how he went from being a hustler in Brooklyn to an international hip-hop sensation. It describes how close he came to going to jail, how many luxuries he has ("my homeboys call it the 'light show'"), and how much he enjoys his new freedom via nightlife.

West mocks royalty with remarks about marrying rich twins, self-diagnosis with "realness," and his signature ad-libs, which became immediate catchphrases ("that shit cray!").

The two lyrics, which represent self-assurance and unity, flow into one another over a rhythmic bombardment. Licensed sources, like Genius.com, provide full-text access to the lyrics for those who want them.

"Ni**as in Paris" was famous for more reasons than just its tone. This was the eighth single by West and the eleventh by Jay-Z to reach the top five on the Billboard Hot 100. Since the song had sold over 10 million copies, the RIAA certified it as Diamond in June 2023. It also took home the Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance awards at the 55th Grammy Awards.

Recently, reports started to spread online that Jay-Z had secretly taken Kanye West's name off the digital credits for "Ni**as in Paris." The narrative is that Jay-Z didn't want to see West at work since West had spoken badly about his family in public before. Both Kanye West and Jay-Z are still credited as both singers and songwriters on well-known sites like Wikipedia's Watch the Throne track listing.

There have been no official press releases or information from Roc-A-Fella, Def Jam, or Roc Nation regarding the song's credits being altered. According to industry royalty documents, West still gets all of his credit and income. The rumor is unsubstantial since there are no verified modifications.

Recently, during the Cowboy Carter tour, Beyoncé and Jay-Z performed on the final night of the tour. He took a jab at West when he altered the original lyrics of the song "Ni**as in Paris" while performing the song on stage. This was seemingly an intentional move after the controversy on X, which further escalated the speculations on Kanye West being removed from the credits of the song.

Original Lyrics of the song:

“Gold bottles, scold models, spillin’ Ace on my sick J’s Ball so hard, bitch, behave Just might let you meet Ye”

The last phrase, "Just might let you meet Ye," was a sneaky reference to Kanye West, whose stage name is "Ye" on most of his solo albums. Fans have always thought that this shout-out was proof of the strong creative relationship that used to exist between the two.

Altered Lyrics

Z stunned the crowd on June 22, 2025, during Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter tour's last Paris gig, by performing "Ni**as in Paris." He rapped instead of saying, "Just might let you meet Ye."

“Just might let you meet Bey”

In honor of Beyoncé, her husband substituted "Ye" for "Bey," therefore removing West from the live performance while paying homage to his wife. The breakup between Jay-Z and Kanye, whose famed collaboration began with 2000s singles like "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" and "Run This Town," was most visibly shown by this.

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