Can't Tell Me Nothing

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"Can't Tell Me Nothing"
Can't Tell Me Nothing.jpg
Single by Kanye West
from the album Graduation
B-side "Barry Bonds"
ReleasedMay 15, 2007
Recorded2005–2006
Studio
Genre Hip hop
Length4:31
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Kanye West
  • DJ Toomp
Kanye West singles chronology
"Classic (Better Than I've Ever Been)"
(2007)		"Can't Tell Me Nothing"
(2007)		"Stronger"
(2007)
Music video
"Can't Tell Me Nothing" on YouTube

"Can't Tell Me Nothing" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his third studio album, Graduation (2007). The song contains additional vocals from Young Jeezy and Connie Mitchell. It was produced by West with DJ Toomp with West being responsible for 60 percent of the production. The song originated from Young Jeezy's "I Got Money", after West made changes to the track. On May 15, 2007, the song premiered via Hot 97 and was released by Roc-A-Fella and Def Jam that same day as the lead single from the album. A hip hop track, it was described by West as a theme song for the people. The lyrics see West reflecting on his fame while he expresses different types of feelings.

Contents

"Can't Tell Me Nothing" received universal acclaim from music critics, who mostly appreciated the lyrical content. Others praised the production, while some critics highlighted the song's inclusion on Graduation. It was listed amongst the best tracks of 2007 by several publications, including Consequence of Sound and Pitchfork . The song received a nomination for Best Rap Song at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards, ultimately losing to "Good Life". The former reached number 41 on the US Billboard Hot 100, alongside peaking at number 20 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and was certified triple platinum in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America. It has also been certified platinum and gold in the United Kingdom and Australia by the British Phonographic Industry and Australian Recording Industry Association, respectively.

An accompanying music video was released on May 25, 2007. It sees West walking around El Mirage Lake unaccompanied, while his silhouette follows him. The video received positive reviews from critics, who have often complimented its camerawork. The song's alternate music video was released on July 25, 2007, which features Zach Galifianakis and Will Oldham lip-syncing "Can't Tell Me Nothing" at Galifianakis's farm. West performed the song live throughout 2007 and 2008, including at a Live Earth concert in the former year. He later performed it at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and Glastonbury Festival in 2011 and 2015, respectively.

"Can't Tell Me Nothing" was used in the film The Hangover (2009), marking the first of three times that West's music would be featured in the films from the series of the same name. In 2013, West named it his favourite song out of his entire discography. Francis and the Lights covered the song in 2009, and an acoustic cover version was later performed by Taking Back Sunday in 2011. The song's Young Jeezy-featuring remix was released in July 2007, which contains a verse from him.

Background and development

DJ Toomp produced the song alongside West. DJ Toomp.jpg
DJ Toomp produced the song alongside West.

Following on from meeting West when working on rapper T.I.'s second studio album Trap Muzik (2003), record producer DJ Toomp went to New York City (NYC) and joined West in the studio for the creation of Graduation. West showed a high amount of respect for him and was using an Ensoniq ASR-10 keyboard in the studio, which DJ Toomp said "is the same keyboard I've been using since day one." [1] Speaking of the two of them collaborating for the album, he opined that "it definitely felt like a team atmosphere" and also "felt like, 'we.'" DJ Toomp admitted that he "would say that sixty percent of 'Can't Tell Me Nothing' was Ye, and forty me," while he called West "a mastermind." [1] In an interview with Revolt, DJ Toomp explained that his 40 percent of the song's production was the beat and bassline, while the 60 percent contributed by West consisted of the strings, synths, and the "oh-oh-ah-oh-ah-oh" backing vocals. [2] He revealed that the song was originally supposed to be a remix of West's Def Jam labelmate Young Jeezy's song "I Got Money", since West loved "the whole cadence of how that beat was flowing" and "wanted the song to be a remix featuring him." [2] However, Young Jeezy ultimately "wasn't really feeling it" according to DJ Toomp, which led to the song being passed on to West. [2]

Young Jeezy also offered an explanation of how "Can't Tell Me Nothing" came from "I Got Money" during an interview with HipHopDX , saying that it was supposed to be a collaboration between him and T.I. for the former's third studio album The Recession (2008). [3] [4] The song was recalled as being sent to West by Young Jeezy and he subsequently recorded a verse, before getting in contact with DJ Toomp after discovering that he was the producer and West then heavily altered the sonic direction of "I Got Money". [3] [4] Due to the changes made by West, Young Jeezy explained that he decided not to release the song on the album. [4] By 2007, six months later, the song was unused until West played "Can't Tell Me Nothing" for Young Jeezy at a studio session in Los Angeles, which is a reworked version of "I Got Money", though he revealed that West asked him for permission to use his ad-libs and was granted it. [3] [4] The track marked the two's first collaboration, though Young Jeezy admitted after contributing that he "was like, 'Yo, [West] owes me one." [3] [5] For giving back to him, West delivered a verse on Young Jeezy's single "Put On" (2008). [6]

While traveling to Japan for a few days in 2006, West visited Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami at the artist's Kaikai Kiki studio in Asaka. [7] West told Murakami that he is a fan of him and asked about the artist's works; Murakami drew designs for West during the meeting and the two of them arranged to meet at a later date in the United States. [7] The cover art of the single was designed by Murakami. [8] Accompanying artwork for the album's other singles was also created by Murakami, alongside him overseeing the art direction of Graduation. [9] Despite "Can't Tell Me Nothing" not achieving the same level of radio success as the album's subsequent singles, West took pride in the fact that the song had marked his first hood anthem, and it gave him a new level of popularity in the hood. [10] [11] West also explained during an interview with Concrete Loop that the song "is like the people's anthem and radio didn't want to play it," while comparing the challenge faced by him to playing a video game. [12] In the same interview, West stated that the song's "actual melody is made to rock 50,000 people," which he called the reason as to "why it's so simple." [12] According to West, he tried to step up as a rapper with the song and West recalled that after fellow rapper Andre 3000 heard the song "he said, 'I believe you.'" [10] West named "Can't Tell Me Nothing" as an example of him creating a track "that people never heard before." [13]

Composition and lyrics

Gnome-mime-sound-openclipart.svg
"Can't Tell Me Nothing"
A 25-second sample of the song's chorus, which includes strings in its instrumentation. [14] The chorus features a loop of Connie Mitchell's vocals, alongside the frequent repetition of Young Jeezy's backing ad-libs. [4] [14] [15] [16]
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Musically, "Can't Tell Me Nothing" is a hip hop track. [17] The song features slow, moody synth-driven production, which contains foghorn keyboards. [18] [19] It also includes a bassline alongside strings. [2] West explained that the song's chords are akin to that of a rock melody, specifically comparing them to the music of Led Zeppelin. [12] The song contains ad-libs from Young Jeezy in the background, which are repeated throughout the chorus. [4] [15] [16] Additional vocals are also provided by Connie Mitchell of the Australian electronic group Sneaky Sound System, being looped within the song. [15] [20]

West explained that he wanted to create a theme song with the track, describing it as being a song for the people. [21] Lyrically, "Can't Tell Me Nothing" serves as West's reflection on his fame and as a result of this, he hovers between insecure and confrontational while marked by bitter regret as well as self-aware defiance. [18] West begins the song by expounding his conflicted feelings regarding wealth and desire, describing a compulsion to spend that overwhelms any and all other objectives in life. [22] This is tied by West into his perceived overall inability to keep himself together even as he grows into an increasingly prominent figure in the public eye with lyrics like, "I feel the pressure, under more scrutiny / And what do I do? Act more stupidly." [23] Uncertainty is also expressed by West in the song's lyrics, with him asking: "Then you can't tell me nothing, right?" [24] Shortly afterwards, West affirms "you can't tell me nothing." [24] The song marks the first use of the word "apologing [25] ", which was invented as a way to rhyme "apologizing" with the previous line's "collagen". West said the line "When You Try Hard, That's when you Die Hard" is about having accepted who he is and stopping trying to prove himself all the time, while West revealed that it refers to the outfit worn by him at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards in 2006. [12]

Release and reception

West premiered "Can't Tell Me Nothing" via Hot 97 on May 15, 2007, with it being played by DJ Enuff. [26] That same day, the song was released as the lead single from Graduation. [26] West decided on the song being the first single due to fellow rapper 50 Cent calling it his favorite song from the album, after West met with 50 Cent and played the album to him. [27] On June 19, 2007, the song was serviced to US rhythmic contemporary radio stations through West's record labels Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Recordings. [28] A 12" vinyl was later released for the song by Universal Music on August 7 of that year. [29] On September 11, 2007, West's third studio album Graduation was released, featuring "Can't Tell Me Nothing" as the sixth track. [30]

The song was met with universal acclaim from music critics, with general praise for West's lyricism. In a highly positive review for Slant Magazine , Eric Henderson noted "Can't Tell Me Nothing" for having the "most justifiable title" on the album and expressed the opinion that "you couldn't find a campus library cavernous enough" for annotating the song. [31] Dan Weiss from LAS highlighted it as the peak of West's examination of "his character flaws every few tracks in a manner that's neither pitying nor arrogant" throughout the album, with Weiss branding the song a "secret sing-along." [32] Dave Heaton of PopMatters described the song as a "powerful single," while he commented that it is the only track on Graduation which deals with reservations about the album's "major theme" of fame and wealth "in any substantial way." [22] In the Chicago Tribune , Greg Kot chronicled West's performance as "defiant, defensive, rueful, sarcastic and deadly passionate." [33] Nathan Rabin from The A.V. Club called the song a "terrific hyper-soul single" that "tempers" the enthusiasm of West "with the haunting realization that for someone who's hit the top, there's nowhere to go but down, and the public's love has a tricky way of curdling into resentment." [34] MTV writer Shaheem Reid called it "aptly titled," while complimenting West's rapping for him dropping "a myriad of one-liners." [16]

Writing for NME , Louis Pattison labeled the song "pretty special," describing it as "a rare sort of track that brings little but chest-pumped arrogance and shameless cash-flashing to the table." [35] Jesal 'Jay Soul' Padania of RapReviews viewed "Can't Tell Me Nothing" as "brilliant" and pointed out that the beat, verses and chorus are "all classic stuff." [36] Spin journalist Charles Aaron praised the song's "soulful double-unconsciousness." [37] For Pitchfork , Mark Pytlik asserted that the song's production somehow takes "on new life in context of the record." [38] In a less enthusiastic review, The Guardian 's Dorian Lynskey branded it a "tense, angry" track, though criticized certain lyrics for being disappointing. [39]

Accolades

"Can't Tell Me Nothing" appeared on year-end lists for 2007 of multiple publications. The track was voted 34th on The Village Voice 's Pazz & Jop poll for that year with 12 mentions, tying it with 4 other songs for the position. [40] PopMatters named the track the 30th best song of 2007, with Barry Lenser of the magazine praising West's performance as well as calling the track "rich and hypnotic." [41] It was ranked as the 29th best song of the year by Junkmedia, while Pitchfork listed the track as the 25th best song. [18] [42] Stylus Magazine cited it as the 13th best song of 2007. [43] The track was ranked by Entertainment Weekly as the sixth best song of the year, and the staff admitted that the beat "might be [West's] most mesmerizing ever." [44] Consequence of Sound named it the third best song of 2007, while the track's best achievement was being listed as the second best song of the year by laut.de. [45] [46]

For the 2014 issue of XXL that celebrated 40 years of hip hop, the track was listed as one of the five best singles of 2007. [47] In 2009, the track was ranked as the fifth best song of the 2000s by Complex . [48] On a 2017 list of the greatest rap songs since 2000 by Cleveland.com, the track was ranked at number 56. [49] In 2014, LA Weekly named "Can't Tell Me Nothing" the 17th best song in hip hop history. [50] Complex named the track their song of the Complex decade, which spanned from when the magazine was founded in 2002 to its 10th anniversary in 2012. [51] The track was later ranked by Complex as West's second best song in 2018, while the magazine listed it among rap's most motivational songs two years later. [52] [53]

At the 50th Annual Grammy Awards in 2008, the song and fellow Graduation single "Good Life" were both contenders for the award of Best Rap Song. [54] This made West the only artist to receive two nominations for Best Rap Song at the ceremony; he was mostly nominated in rap categories. [54] [55] However, the song lost the award to "Good Life" at the Grammy Awards. [56] "Can't Tell Me Nothing" was nominated for Track of the Year at the 2007 BET Hip Hop Awards, ultimately losing to "Party Like a Rockstar" by Shop Boyz. [57] [58]

Music videos

The first music video is set at El Mirage Lake in Victor Valley. El Mirage Dry Lake Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area (29819218540).jpg
The first music video is set at El Mirage Lake in Victor Valley.

Two separate music videos were released to accompany "Can't Tell Me Nothing". The first music video was directed by Hype Williams, who West had collaborated with previously on videos. [59] Due to wanting to create simplistic images with the visual, West reached out to Williams. [59] It was filmed at the dry lake bed El Mirage Lake, which is located in the Mojave Desert's northwestern Victor Valley. [59] On May 25, 2007, the video was premiered by West through his website. [60] It was also released for download via the iTunes Store. [61]

The music video is set in both daytime and the night, seeing West wearing a mankerchief and medallion. [19] [59] It features West as the sole star, with him walking around the desert. [19] West is accompanied by his silhouette, and there is a vivid blue sky and blazing sun in the background. [62] A number of scenes are shot from above, showing the body of West moving in and out of view. [19] Following on from the shots, a smoke machine and spotlights are turned on. [19] A Lamborghini car is included in the video, appearing as B-roll footage. [59] In another B-roll shot, a girl wearing a fly away burka is shown, which was compared to the clothing worn in the 1998 music video for American singer Madonna's single "Frozen". [59] Steven Gottlieb of Video Static called the visual "surprisingly watchable" and commented that its "epic scope makes sure we can't take our eyes off [West]," while Nadine Cheung from The Boombox described West as looking "tough" as his silhouette "dances among a sprawling desert." [59] [62] Entertainment Weekly's Chris Schonberger opined that the music video "offers a rather insightful takeon Kanye's [ sic ] controversial persona" and said he "is removed from the vices that threaten his yearning for spirituality" when wandering the desert, as well as noting the clip's "epic quality" due to the scenes shot from above. [19] The staff of Stereogum highlighted the video's "stuttering camera work." [63]

An alternate music video for "Can't Tell Me Nothing" was directed by American actor Michael Blieden, who shot it in NYC after receiving an email from comedian Zach Galifianakis that told him to fly there for the filming. The production was handled by Blieden and film director Inman Young. [64] Of the video's creation, Blieden recalled him and the production team asking themselves, "What if two farmers from North Carolina set out to make their own Kanye West music video...and succeeded?" Though hiring clog dancers for the visual was Galifianakis's idea, they were tracked down by Young. [64] West had been introduced to Galifianakis's work through his personal trainer, and eventually asked him to perform in the alternate video after attending one of Galifianakis's stand-up shows in Los Angeles. [65] [66] The unscripted, low-budget music video was filmed at Galifianakis's farm in North Carolina. [67] Galifianakis admitted that he struggled to lip-sync the song's lyrics at the correct pace, as well as finding it difficult to use a tractor. [67] On July 25, 2007, West shared the alternate music video on his website. [66]

In the video, Galifianakis and folk singer-songwriter Will Oldham lip-sync to the song while dancing on tractors, with the two of them being surrounded by cows. [67] Various farm-related high jinks are featured, and Galifianakis and Oldham spit gratuitously. [67] An exploding tractor, numerous clog dancers, and hay bales are included. [66] [67] In one scene, the words "I Love Turd" are shown on Galifianakis's forehead while he holds a chainsaw. [67] The alternate video was selected by Rolling Stone as the third best music video of 2007, while Pitchfork listed it as one of the top 50 videos of the year. [68] [69] On a list of the top 50 music videos from the 2000s decade, Pitchfork ranked the clip at number 13. [70] At the 2009 Antville Music Video Awards, the alternate music video was nominated for Most Fun Video. [71]

Commercial performance

The song debuted at number 80 on the US Billboard Hot 100 for the issue dated June 9, 2007, standing as the third highest new entry of that week. [72] For the same issue, the song entered at number 73 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. [73] It ultimately peaked at number 41 on the Hot 100 for the issue date of September 29, 2007. [74] The song was present at number 24 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for that week, though it rose four places to peak at number 20 on the chart the following week. [75] [76] On September 29, 2007, the song peaked at number eight on the US Hot Rap Songs chart. [77] In September 2020, "Can't Tell Me Nothing" was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling 3,000,000 certified units in the US. [78]

On the UK Singles Chart, the song peaked at number 107 for the chart dated June 23, 2007. [79] As of October 24, 2019, it ranks as West's 32nd most popular track of all time on the UK Singles Chart. [80] "Can't Tell Me Nothing" was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for shelving 600,000 units in the United Kingdom on December 22, 2023. [81] For the issue date of September 29, 2012, the song entered at number 159 on France's SNEP chart. [82] The following week, it rose 14 places to number 145. [82] In December 2015, "Can't Tell Me Nothing" was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for shipments of 35,000 copies in Australia. [83]

Live performances

On June 1, 2007, West made a surprise appearance at DJ Gomez Warren's set in Los Angeles to play "Can't Tell Me Nothing". [84] West performed the song as part of his set at a concert of the Live Earth event on July 7, accompanied by a string section which included female members that wore exotic face paint. [85] On July 7 of that year, West performed the song during his appearance at the Manchester Apollo for the Manchester International Festival. [86] For S.O.B.'s impromptu jam session in Manhattan on July 18, 2007, hosted by Hot 97, West deliver a performance of the song. [87] West performed a medley during his in-studio appearance for MTV's Total Request Live on August 10, 2007, which consisted of the song and fellow Graduation single "Stronger". [88] On September 11 of that year, West transitioned from a snippet of the album's track "Champion" into a performance of "Can't Tell Me Nothing" when appearing on BET's 106 & Park . [89] West performed the song to open the 2007 BET Hip Hop Awards, surrounded by black-clad dancers who moved around similarly to ballerinas. [90] At the launch party for the new T-Mobile Sidekick LX in Los Angeles' Griffith Park on October 17, 2007, West made a surprise appearance that included him performing the song. [91]

During his surprise appearance at a Kid Sister concert in NYC's Museum of Natural History on January 25, 2008, West delivered a performance of the song. [92] West performed "Can't Tell Me Nothing" as a duet with collaborator Jay-Z at the American Airlines Arena in Miami for the opening concert of the Heart of the City Tour, co-headlined by Mary J. Blige and Jay-Z, on March 22, 2008. [93] At the opening of Murakami's exhibit in the Brooklyn Museum on April 4 of that year, West performed the song live, extending the performance into a freestyle. [94] West and Young Jeezy performed "Can't Tell Me Nothing" together at the Philips Arena in Atlanta for the 13th annual Hot 107.9 Birthday Bash concert on June 13, 2008. [95] During the first concert of West's conceptual Glow in the Dark Tour, an LCD screen seated behind him displayed a fiery explosion that ignited for the song's "oh" vocals while he performed. [96] West performed the song on the final night of Lollapalooza 2008 in his hometown of Chicago, which he co-headlined with Nine Inch Nails. [97] Dressed in an all red outfit, West performed "Can't Tell Me Nothing" during his set at Z100's the Jingle Ball concert in Madison Square Garden on December 12, 2008. [98]

West performed the song for his headlining set at Glastonbury in 2015. Kanye West (18653258244).jpg
West performed the song for his headlining set at Glastonbury in 2015.

West delivered a performance of the song in Hyde Park when headlining the second and final day of the 2009 Wireless Festival. [99] On August 6, 2009, he performed it for Casio G-Shock's the World event at Cipriani's on Wall Street, performing in front of a shifting digital display screen that counted down the time West was onstage. [100] At the 2011 Coachella Festival, West transitioned from his single "Jesus Walks" (2004) into a performance of the song. [101] West's dancers left the stage during the transition and for the performance, he remained at the front of the stage throughout. [101] West headlined the 2015 Glastonbury Festival, with his set including a performance of the song. [102] As part of West and his gospel group the Sunday Service Choir's tribute to deceased basketball player Kobe Bryant at the Super Bowl LIV in 2020, they performed the song. [103] West and the Sunday Service Choir performed a gospel version of "Can't Tell Me Nothing" at the Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago on February 16, 2020. [104]

During West's rivalry with 50 Cent that was caused by the coinciding release date of September 11, 2007 for both Graduation and 50 Cent's third studio album Curtis , West recalled "Can't Tell Me Nothing" being "the #2 song [on the radio]" in NYC at one point, while 50 Cent simultaneously had the radio's most popular song with the album's third single "I Get Money". [105] West explained that the singles were "neck-and-neck," which he called "exciting to people." [105] By October 2007, West recalled people comparing the song to "Spaceship" from his debut studio album The College Dropout (2004), saying people told him that both songs gave them inspiration "when they going [sic] to work." [12] "Can't Tell Me Nothing" was included as the sixth track on the compilation album Now That's What I Call Music! 26, released on November 13, 2007 as the 26th edition of the Now series in the US. [106]

For the soundtrack of 2009 American comedy film The Hangover , the song was included. [107] It is played alongside a scene that sees the wolfpack driving to Las Vegas for the film's bachelor party, with the line "Wait 'til I get my money right" being part of the portion of the song which is featured. [107] West's music was used in all of the films released as part of The Hangover trilogy, being included in the soundtrack for the second and third installments of the film series in 2011 and 2013, respectively. [107] In an October 2013 interview on Power 106, West revealed that the track is his favorite song to have been released by him. [108] On August 16, 2018, Kanye's wife Kim Kardashian shared a video of her playing the song to their son Saint West, who recognized it as being rapped by his father. [109]

Remixes and other versions

Two of the song's remixes feature Young Jeezy, and the staff of Rap-Up viewed his appearance on the official remix as appropriate. Young Jeezy (cropped).jpg
Two of the song's remixes feature Young Jeezy, and the staff of Rap-Up viewed his appearance on the official remix as appropriate.

The official remix of "Can't Tell Me Nothing", which features Young Jeezy, was released on July 25, 2007. [110] Pimp C of American hip hop duo UGK had originally been slated to appear on the remix, though his verse was ultimately removed due to him dissing Young Jeezy in it. [111] Speaking about the situation, Pimp C recalled promising not to "drop that shit, because Kanye told me that the song is a prayer," and a reworked version of the song's chorus was also recorded by him. [111] Of the remix, Jay-Z said that it was used to help build up anticipation for Graduation and he also admitted that there is "a strategy involved" for putting "yourself in the best position." [112] The remix includes a verse by Young Jeezy and new lines from Kanye West. [110] Later in 2007, it was released on the A-side of the song's 12" vinyl, while also released as the B-side to "Good Life". [29] [113] [114] [115]

Another remix was released on August 30, 2007, with guest appearances from fellow rappers Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes alongside Young Jeezy. [116] It features shouting by DJs and Lil Wayne delivering instant message speak, as well as more ad-libs from Young Jeezy. [116] The following month, the Rocafella Remix of "Can't Tell Me Nothing" was released, featuring West's labelmates Beanie Sigel and Freeway. [117] On February 7, 2009, West linked to American pop project Francis and the Lights' cover version of the song on his blog. [118] The cover maintains the hip hop sound of the original version and the project's lead singer Francis Farewell Starlite felt that being among the artists shared via West's blog is "an honor," while he explained that covering the song "was in essence a 'call' to him" that sent a personal message about his feelings towards West's music. [17] [119] During Billboard 's instalment of Mashup Mondays for August 8, 2011, alternative rock band Taking Back Sunday performed an acoustic cover of the song. [120] On November 26, 2014, recorder and early woodwinds player Carlos Serrano shared a mashup of "Can't Tell Me Nothing" with English singer Sam Smith's single "I'm Not the Only One" (2014) to his SoundCloud page. [121]

Track listing

U.S. 12" vinyl' [113]

A-side
  1. "Can't Tell Me Nothing" (Album)
  2. "Can't Tell Me Nothing" (Instrumental)
  3. "Can't Tell Me Nothing" (Remix) (featuring Young Jeezy)
B-side
  1. "Barry Bonds" (Main)
  2. "Barry Bonds" (Instrumental)
  3. "Barry Bonds" (Accapella)

Credits and personnel

Information taken from Graduation liner notes. [15]

Recording

Personnel

Charts

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "Can't Tell Me Nothing"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [83] Gold35,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [127] Gold45,000‡
Germany (BVMI) [128] Gold150,000‡
Italy (FIMI) [129] Gold50,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI) [81] Platinum600,000‡
United States (RIAA) [78] 4× Platinum4,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Can't Tell Me Nothing"
RegionDateFormatLabel(s)Ref.
United StatesJune 19, 2007 Rhythmic contemporary radio [28]
August 7, 2007 12" vinyl Universal [29]

Further reading

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"The People" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Common, released as the second single from his seventh studio album Finding Forever. The song made its first appearance on fellow American rapper Kanye West's Can't Tell Me Nothing mixtape. The song features production by West and contains background vocals provided by soul singer Dwele. The original version of the song had Common singing the hook by himself, but this was later replaced with Dwele singing the hook. It contains samples of "We Almost Lost Detroit" by Gil Scott-Heron as well as vocal samples of "Long Red" by Mountain. This action was part of West's intention to pay tribute to J Dilla through the production style expressed within the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stronger (Kanye West song)</span> 2007 single by Kanye West

"Stronger" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his third studio album, Graduation (2007). The song was produced by West, with an extended outro handled by Mike Dean. It was written by West and Daft Punk were credited as co-writers due to their work being sampled, while Edwin Birdsong also received a credit from a master use of "Cola Bottle Baby". West decided to sample "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" after first hearing the duo's work when touring in 2006, then made the beat and spent months re-writing his verses. The song's production process was arduous, with various engineers and 75 different mixes, even having the drum programming redone with Timbaland after its release. Daft Punk voiced their approval of the song, finding West made the sample suitable for his personality as he ventured outside of hip hop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Child Rebel Soldier</span> American hip hop supergroup

Child Rebel Soldier, shortened CRS, is the alternative hip-hop side project of American rapper Lupe Fiasco. The project was originally a supergroup composed of Lupe (child), Kanye West (rebel), and Pharrell Williams (soldier). Formed in 2007, the trio released two collaborative singles prior to their original disbandment in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Good Life (Kanye West song)</span> 2007 song by Kanye West

"Good Life" is a song by American rapper Kanye West featuring American singer T-Pain from the former's third studio album, Graduation (2007). The song includes background vocals from John Legend and Ne-Yo. West and Toomp handled the production, with additional production from Mike Dean. T-Pain thought of the concept when dining out with West, while he also recorded numerous hooks that the rapper used for his feature. On October 2, 2007, the song was released to US rhythmic contemporary radio stations by Roc-A-Fella and Def Jam as the album's third single. A pop number, it samples Michael Jackson's "P.Y.T. " and features synths. Lyrically, the song sees West celebrating his success and being determined to succeed, and T-Pain also reflecting on his success.

"Big Brother" is a song by American rapper Kanye West, released as the closing track on his third studio album, Graduation (2007). West co-wrote the song with Toomp, who was the sole producer. It originally utilized Prince's "It's Gonna Be Lonely" for the beat, until he refused to approve and a re-recording was done. The song was written by West as a tribute to his close friend and mentor Jay-Z, who has shown his appreciation for it. West first teased the song in August 2007 for the BBC Radio 1Xtra event "Audience with Kanye West". A hip hop song with synths, it features a varied pace of rapping from West. In the lyrics, West introspectively examines the complexities of his friendship with Jay-Z.

"Champion" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his third studio album, Graduation (2007). The song includes additional vocals from Tony "Penafire" Williams and Connie Mitchell. West wrote a letter to Steely Dan requesting to sample their work, which persuaded the band to approve of this. The band's members Donald Fagen and Walter Becker were credited as co-writers with West on the song due to their work being sampled, while the rapper produced it with Brian "AllDay" Miller. The song was played on BET's 106 & Park upon the album's release, while West briefly considered issuing it as a single. A hip hop, electro, and R&B number that samples Steely Dan's "Kid Charlemagne", it was described by West as a theme song for the people. Lyrically, the song sees Kanye focusing on his fatherly relationship with Ray West.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flashing Lights (Kanye West song)</span> 2007 single by Kanye West

"Flashing Lights" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his third studio album, Graduation (2007). The song features a guest appearance from R&B singer Dwele and additional vocals from Australian singer Connie Mitchell. West co-wrote and co-produced the song with Eric Hudson, who had completed the production before the duo added a live string section in 2007. It was released to US rhythmic contemporary radio as the album's fourth single on November 20, 2007, by Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Recordings. A hip hop, electro rap, and R&B song with elements of numerous genres, it prominently utilizes strings and synths. Lyrically, the song features West rapping about a complicated relationship where a girl has power over him; he also compares the paparazzi to Nazis.

"Us Placers" is the debut song by American supergroup Child Rebel Soldier, a musical collaboration consisting of American hip-hop artists Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West, and Pharrell Williams. It was released as the third song on the track-listing of West's 2007 mixtape Can't Tell Me Nothing. The song was produced by Fiasco and samples the 2006 song "The Eraser" by Thom Yorke. In "Us Placers," the trio speaks on the entrapments of fame. Having been released on a free mixtape, the song did not enter the charts but became an online hit and received strong reviews from music critics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Homecoming (Kanye West song)</span> 2008 single by Kanye West featuring Chris Martin

"Homecoming" is a song by the American rapper Kanye West from his third studio album, Graduation (2007). The song was written by West and Warryn Campbell, who served as the producers, along with Chris Martin of Coldplay, who makes a guest appearance. Martin came up with the concept during a jam session with West at Abbey Road Studios in February 2006. It was a re-working of West's 2001 recording "Home (Windy)", which was inspired by Common's "I Used to Love H.E.R.". The recording featured John Legend and a different beat, with a theme around West's hometown of Chicago that was maintained for the final version.

"Good Morning" is the first song from American hip hop recording artist and record producer Kanye West's third studio album Graduation (2007). The song was produced by West and contains samples from the recording "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" by English singer and pianist Elton John. As the opening track, the song serves as an introduction to the musical and lyrical themes of the album. West establishes the academic narrative of it, celebrating his graduation in the realm of hip hop and rapping about his skepticism of higher education over thumping, off-kilter boom bap drums.

<i>808s & Heartbreak</i> 2008 studio album by Kanye West

808s & Heartbreak is the fourth studio album by the American rapper Kanye West. It was released by Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records on November 24, 2008, having been recorded earlier that year in September and October at Glenwood Studios in Burbank, California and Avex Recording Studio in Honolulu, Hawaii. Dominating its production, West was assisted by fellow producers No I.D., Plain Pat, Jeff Bhasker, and Mr Hudson, while also utilizing guest vocalists for some tracks, including Kid Cudi, Young Jeezy, and Lil Wayne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amazing (Kanye West song)</span> 2009 song by Kanye West

"Amazing" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his fourth studio album, 808s & Heartbreak (2008). The song features a guest appearance from Young Jeezy, and includes background vocals from Mr Hudson and Tony Williams. It was produced by West, while co-produced by Jeff Bhasker. The producers wrote the song alongside Malik Yusef, Consequence, Jeff Bhasker, and Young Jeezy. The song was serviced to US rhythmic contemporary and urban contemporary radio stations as the third single from the album on March 10, 2009, by Roc-A-Fella and Def Jam. A hip hop song with heavy pop influences, it features piano. Lyrically, West sings an attempt to capture part of his former bravado.

<i>Cant Tell Me Nothing</i> (mixtape) 2007 mixtape by Kanye West

Can't Tell Me Nothing: The Official Mixtape is the fifth mixtape by American rapper Kanye West. It was made freely available over the internet on May 27, 2007, in anticipation of the release of his third studio album, Graduation.

<i>No Mercy</i> (T.I. album) 2010 studio album by T.I.

No Mercy is the seventh studio album by American rapper T.I. Originally titled King Uncaged, It was released on December 7, 2010, by Grand Hustle Records and Atlantic Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during 2009 to 2010. Production was handled by several high-profile record producers, including Kanye West, Polow da Don, The-Dream, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, The Neptunes, TrackSlayerz, Jake One, T-Minus, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, Rico Love, Alex da Kid, DJ Toomp, Jim Jonsin, Danja and Dr. Luke, among others. The album also features guest appearances from several prominent artists such as Kanye West, Kid Cudi, Scarface, Chris Brown, Eminem, The-Dream, Trey Songz, Pharrell, Drake, Christina Aguilera and Rick Ross, among others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Start It Up (song)</span> 2010 single by Lloyd Banks featuring Kanye West, Fabolous, Swizz Beatz and Ryan Leslie

"Start It Up" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Lloyd Banks, released on November 2, 2010 as the third single from his third studio album H.F.M. 2 . The song, which features vocals from fellow American rappers Swizz Beatz, Kanye West, Ryan Leslie and Fabolous, was produced by American music producer Cardiak.

"RoboCop" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his fourth studio album, 808s & Heartbreak (2008). The song contains background vocals from Tony Williams and Jeff Bhasker. It was solely produced by West, who served as a songwriter alongside Esthero, Malik Yusef, Consequence, Kid Cudi, Williams, Bhasker, T-Pain, and Young Jeezy. Due to the embodiment of Patrick Doyle's work, a songwriting credit for him was added. The song was recorded in 2008 across numerous studios, being tweaked to perfection. Manny Marroquin explained how it was a challenge to make, confirming that multiple versions were created. An art pop number with an orchestral style, it embodies portions of "Kissing in the Rain", performed by Doyle.

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