"All Falls Down" | ||||
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Single by Kanye West featuring Syleena Johnson | ||||
from the album The College Dropout | ||||
B-side | "Get 'Em High" | |||
Released | March 8, 2004 | |||
Recorded | 2001–2003 | |||
Studio |
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Genre | ||||
Length | 3:43 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Kanye West | |||
Kanye West singles chronology | ||||
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Syleena Johnson singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"All Falls Down" on YouTube |
"All Falls Down" is a song by American rapper Kanye West. It was released as the third single from his debut album, The College Dropout . The song was written and produced by West and features singer Syleena Johnson. The hip hop song contains an interpolation of "Mystery of Iniquity" by Lauryn Hill from her live album MTV Unplugged No. 2.0 ;Hill is credited as a composer.
Released on March 8,2004,it entered the UK Singles Chart at number ten and peaked at number seven on the US Billboard Hot 100 on May 11,2004,his first solo Top 10 hit in the US. The song was nominated for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 47th Grammy Awards,Viewer's Choice at the 2004 BET Awards and received nominations for a total of four awards at the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards. The original version of the single featuring Lauryn Hill's vocals sampled from "Mystery of Iniquity" on the chorus of the song,was featured in the Netflix documentary Jeen-Yuhs . [2]
The song contains an interpolation of "Mystery of Iniquity" by Lauryn Hill from her live album MTV Unplugged No. 2.0 . West originally attempted to acquire legal clearance to sample the recording but due to various complications,the permission was withheld. [3] West then called upon Syleena Johnson to re-sing the relevant vocal portions of "Mystery of Iniquity" which ended up in the final track. [4] The version of the song with the original sample can be heard on the unofficial Freshman Adjustment mixtape,released before The College Dropout. However,the earliest version of the song can be found on West's 2001 mixtape The Prerequisite, on which it was called "Dream Come True". Lyrically,"All Falls Down" examines the self-consciousness and insecurity within society,particularly the black community,and how these characteristics pertain to economic materialism. [5]
In a 2013 interview with The New York Times,West revealed Dead Prez's impact on the song;
"It wasn't until I hung out with Dead Prez and understood how to make,you know,raps with a message sound cool that I was able to just write "All Falls Down" in 15 minutes." [6]
West performed portions of the song live on Def Poetry Jam in 2004 as a poem titled "Self Conscious". [7] A performance of "All Falls Down" was included on West's 2006 live album Late Orchestration ,which was recorded in 2005 at Abbey Road Studios in London. [8] It was performed live by West in 2015 as the closer to his headlining set at Glastonbury. [9]
The song was performed by West as part of a medley at the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards,as well on numerous television shows,including; Late Show with David Letterman , Total Request Live , The Tonight Show with Jay Leno ,and Later... with Jools Holland .
The music video for "All Falls Down" was directed by Chris Milk and shot at Ontario International Airport in Ontario,California. [10] It follows West as he accompanies his girlfriend,played by Stacey Dash,to the airport to catch her flight. [11] The video is shot in first-person perspective,displaying the journey from their car to the airport terminal through West's eyes. [12] The music video also features cameos by GLC,Consequence,Common,Kel Mitchell,and Syleena Johnson,who features on the song,as the lady who checks Dash in at the airport reception. [13] [14] Complex named it the 18th best music video of the 2000s decade. [15]
The music video on YouTube has received over 80 million views as of August 2024. [16]
"All Falls Down" is placed as the fourth song of Kanye West's debut studio album, The College Dropout. The album's lyrical content is notable for containing complex societal issues, which West strives to advertently cover in ways relating to the Black American community. These thematic concepts, prevalent through the entirety of the album, are omnipresent within this specific song. [17]
"All Falls Down" features West reflecting upon his own imperfections. [18] The lyrics chronicle his insecurities surrounding his appearances, which he translates as an extension of problems shared with the broader population. Exploring the concept of insecurity and doubt, West tackles matters of excessive materialism and the surface-level aesthetics of affluence. West confesses to his own participation in materialistic pursuits, and the seemingly contradictory mindset thereof. [19] [20]
West also ties this thematic idea to an even deeper meaning. The reason this lifestyle is adopted is in an attempt to recompense for what the Black American community might have taken from people in their past. However, West scrutinizes this apparent subjugation and excessive materialism, ending with a claim that he recognizes his and others collective submission to such a lifestyle. [19] [20]
Hip hop journalist Davey D wrote about the lyrics in his 2015 book, The Cultural Impact of Kanye West: "A number of Black pathologies including self-hate, drug abuse, and the worship of white wealth. [West] philosophically concludes that White men are the financial benefactors of all Black pathologies." [21]
Spin named "All Falls Down" the third best song of 2004. [22]
Year | Organization | Award | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2004 | BET Awards | Viewer's Choice | Nominated | [23] |
MOBO Awards | Best Single | Nominated | [24] | |
Best Video | Nominated | |||
MTV Video Music Awards | Best New Artist in a Video | Nominated | [25] | |
Breakthrough Video | Nominated | |||
Best Hip-Hop Video | Nominated | |||
Best Male Video | Nominated | |||
MuchMusic Video Awards | Best International Video - Artist | Nominated | [26] | |
Teen Choice Awards | Choice Music: Hip-Hop/Rap Track | Nominated | [27] | |
Vibe Awards | Reelest Video | Nominated | [28] | |
2005 | ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards | Award Winning Rap Songs | Won | [29] |
Award Winning R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | Won | [30] | ||
Grammy Awards | Best Rap/Sung Collaboration | Nominated | [31] | |
Groovevolt Music and Fashion Awards | Best Hip-Hop Song Performance - Solo | Nominated | [32] |
A-Side
B-Side
A-Side
B-Side
Information taken from The College Dropout liner notes. [33]
Chart (2004) | Peak position |
---|---|
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders) [34] | 7 |
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia) [35] | 18 |
Canada (Canadian Singles Chart) [36] | 9 |
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles) [37] | 71 |
Germany (GfK) [38] | 72 |
Ireland (IRMA) [39] | 23 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade) [40] | 10 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [41] | 85 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [42] | 19 |
Scotland (OCC) [43] | 21 |
UK Singles (OCC) [44] | 10 |
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC) [45] | 4 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [46] | 7 |
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [47] | 4 |
US Hot Rap Tracks ( Billboard ) [48] | 2 |
US Pop Songs (Billboard) [49] | 22 |
Chart (2004) | Position |
---|---|
UK Singles (OCC) [50] | 158 |
UK Urban ( Music Week ) [51] | 33 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [52] | 47 |
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard) [53] | 23 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [54] | Gold | 45,000‡ |
New Zealand (RMNZ) [55] | 3× Platinum | 90,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [56] | 2× Platinum | 1,200,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [57] | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
United States | March 8, 2004 | Rhythmic contemporary · urban contemporary radio | Roc-A-Fella, IDJMG | [58] |
April 26, 2004 | Contemporary hit radio | [59] | ||
The College Dropout is the debut studio album by the American rapper Kanye West. It was released on February 10, 2004, by Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Recordings. In the years leading up to release, West had received praise for his production work for rappers such as Jay-Z and Talib Kweli, but faced difficulty being accepted as an artist in his own right by figures in the music industry. Intent on pursuing a solo career, he signed a record deal with Roc-A-Fella and recorded the album over a period of four years, beginning in 1999.
Late Registration is the second studio album by the American rapper Kanye West. It was released on August 30, 2005, through Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Recordings. West recorded the album over the course of a year during sessions held at studios in Hollywood and New York City, in collaboration with Jon Brion. The album features guest appearances from Adam Levine, Jamie Foxx, Common, Brandy, Jay-Z, and Nas, among others.
Syleena Johnson is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter and actress. She is best known for her guest appearance on Kanye West's 2004 single "All Falls Down," which peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100. She signed with Jive Records to release three albums: Chapter 1: Love, Pain & Forgiveness (2001), Chapter 2: The Voice (2002), and Chapter 3: The Flesh (2005), each were met with critical acclaim and modest commercial reception. She returned to work with West for his tenth album Donda (2021), where she performed on its spoken word song "Donda Chant".
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"The New Workout Plan" is a song from Kanye West's debut album, The College Dropout. Released as the album's fifth single on August 31, 2004, it peaked at number 59 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The song was written and produced by West, with additional songwriting from John Legend, Miri Ben-Ari, Sumeke Rainey, and Bosko Cante. The music video was released the same year, with cameos from Legend, Ben-Ari, Anna Nicole Smith, Fonzworth Bentley, Tracee Ellis Ross, Vida Guerra and GLC.
"Heard 'Em Say" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his second studio album, Late Registration (2005). The song features a guest appearance from Adam Levine. It was produced by West with Jon Brion, the former of which served as a songwriter alongside Levine, while Michael Masser and Gerry Goffin also received credit due to the sample of "Someone That I Used to Love". When West played Levine an early version of the song during a flight to Rome in 2004, the singer felt he had a chorus written that would work perfectly. West lacked certainty about collaborating with Levine before hearing him in rehearsal at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards, after which the two recorded the song quickly with assistance from Brion. It marked the first song recorded for the album and originally, West sang the chorus.
"Through the Wire" is the debut solo single by American rapper and producer Kanye West, who wrote and recorded the song with his jaw wired shut after a car crash on October 23, 2002. The song samples Chaka Khan's 1985 single "Through the Fire" and was released on September 30, 2003 as the lead single from his debut album The College Dropout (2004). The song was also included on West’s debut mixtape Get Well Soon…. (2002).
"Jesus Walks" is a song by American rapper Kanye West. It was released on May 25, 2004, as the fourth single from his debut album The College Dropout (2004). The song contains a sample of "Walk with Me" as performed by the ARC Choir. "Jesus Walks" was acclaimed by music critics, who praised its compelling sonic atmosphere and boldness in its open embrace of faith. It was met by widespread commercial success, peaking at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming West's fourth consecutive top-twenty hit in the United States.
MTV Unplugged No. 2.0 is a live album by American singer Lauryn Hill. The performance comes from her 2002 MTV Unplugged special recorded on July 21, 2001, at MTV Studios in Times Square, New York City. Hill abandoned the hip hop sounds of her debut album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998) in favor of folk and soul songs. It was recorded while she was pregnant with her third child YG Marley. The songs were written solely by Hill, who performed them unaccompanied by a live band, while playing an acoustic guitar. It features lyrics about religion, police brutality, mental health and abuse of authority, along with spoken interludes about her personal and artistic struggles.
"Touch the Sky" is a song recorded by American hip hop artist Kanye West for his second studio album, Late Registration (2005). The song features Lupe Fiasco on his career debut. It was produced by Just Blaze, standing as the album's only track to not include production from West. The song was released in the United Kingdom as a digital EP through Roc-A-Fella and Def Jam on January 1, 2006. On February 14, the aforementioned labels serviced the song to US mainstream radio stations as the album's fourth single. The next month, it was released in various countries for digital download by Roc-A-Fella and Def Jam and as a CD single through Universal Music, respectively.
"Talk About Our Love" is a song recorded by American singer Brandy for her fourth studio album Afrodisiac (2004). It was written by Kanye West, who also appears as a featured artist on it, and Harold Lilly, while production was handled by the former. Due to the song's use of a sample of Mandrill's 1978 song "Gilly Hines", band members Claude Cave II, and Carlos, Louis, and Ricardo Wilson are also credited as writers. Lyrically, "Talk About Our Love" is about a relationship lacking support from family and friends.
Late Orchestration is a live album by the American rapper Kanye West, released on April 24, 2006, on Mercury Records, released in Europe and Asia. The album features recordings of live renditions of songs derived from his first two studio albums, The College Dropout (2004) and Late Registration (2005). It was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London, England, before an audience of 300 invited guests on September 21, 2005. West was backed by a seventeen-piece all-female string orchestra and featured guest appearances by John Legend, Lupe Fiasco, GLC and Consequence. The CD release features the full performance along with an additional bonus track, "Gold Digger". The concert was also released on DVD as well as interviews and bonus music videos for the first four singles of Late Registration.
"Two Words" is a song by American hip-hop artist Kanye West, that features Mos Def, Freeway and The Boys Choir of Harlem, from West's debut studio album The College Dropout (2004). A cinematic version of the song was released as part of The College Dropout Video Anthology. It has been performed by Freeway regularly at his live shows over the years. An orchestral sound is used in the song. The music video was released in March 2005.
"Slow Jamz" is a song by American rapper Twista together with the American rapper and producer Kanye West and American singer Jamie Foxx. Produced by West, it was released in November 2003 through Atlantic and Roc-A-Fella Records, as the lead single from Twista's fourth studio album Kamikaze (2004), and the second single from West's debut studio album The College Dropout (2004). The song was written by Twista and West, with additional writing credits going to Burt Bacharach and Hal David for the sampling of Luther Vandross' cover of Dionne Warwick's 1964 song "A House Is Not a Home". Containing genres of hip hop, pop rap, R&B, and soul, the song's lyrics reference slow jam artists and describes the role of lovermen.
"Make Her Say" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Kid Cudi, released as the second single from his debut album Man on the Moon: The End of Day (2009). The single was digitally released to iTunes on June 9, 2009. It features fellow American rappers Common and Kanye West, the latter of whom also produced the song. The song is perhaps best known for its sample of the US number-one hit single "Poker Face", as performed by American singer Lady Gaga. The song received a nomination for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards.
"Otis" is a song by American rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West from their first collaborative album Watch the Throne (2011). The song samples soul singer Otis Redding's version of "Try a Little Tenderness". The production was covered solely by West. The track was premiered by Funkmaster Flex's Hot 97 radio show and was released onto the Internet the day afterward. Lyrically, the song has the two rappers sharing lines discussing wealth, decadence and fame. The track received highly positive reviews from music critics who praised the trading off of verses by the two rappers and the Redding-sampled beat, which was compared to the style heard on West's The College Dropout. Several publications placed the song amongst the best of the year.
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"Spaceship" is a song by American musician Kanye West, featuring fellow American rappers GLC and Consequence, taken from West's debut studio album The College Dropout (2004). It was scheduled to be released as the album's sixth and final single, but this plan ended up being cancelled. The music video was released in June 2009. "Spaceship II" and "Spaceship III" were released by Alex Wiley in 2013 and Consequence in 2017.
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