"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.
On February 2, 2008, "Homecoming" was released in the United Kingdom by Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Recordings as the album's fifth and final single. It is a hip hop song with elements of gospel and pub rock, accompanied by Martin's arena rock piano. The singer also performs the chorus, questioning returning home and adding a hint of reggae. In the lyrics of the song, West delivers an ode to Chicago and narrates his relationship with the city. He personifies Chicago as a childhood sweetheart named Wendy, expressing his guilt and rejection from her after leaving for fame.
"Homecoming" received mixed reviews from music critics, who were mostly divided in their responses to Martin's feature. Some praised West's lyricism and emotional impact, while a few critics identified the song as a highlight of Graduation. It was later ranked as among West's best songs by numerous publications, including The Jamaica Observer and CraveOnline. The song charted at number 69 on the US Billboard Hot 100, while reaching number 15 on the Hot Rap Songs chart. It was more successful in Europe, peaking within the top 10 of Ireland and the United Kingdom. The song attained top 40 positions in 11 other countries, including Norway and Denmark. In the United States, the song was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It was certified platinum in Denmark by IFPI Danmark and in the UK by British Phonographic Industry.
An accompanying black-and-white music video was filmed in Chicago during November 2007 and released in April 2008. The video features a montage of West traversing the streets of the city and showcases its landmarks, alongside cameos from his friends and rap acts there. It was nominated for Best Hip Hop Video at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards. West delivered a live performance of "Homecoming" at The Box nightclub in August 2010, accompanied by Legend at the grand piano. The rapper performed the song at the Global Gathering in 2008 and Coachella in 2011. Dave delivered a piano cover of it live in April 2022.
Background
The façade of Abbey Road Studios, where the song was recorded and West first met Martin by chance.
"Homecoming" was produced by West and record producer Warryn Campbell, who served as co-writers with Coldplay's lead vocalist Chris Martin.[1] On February 13, 2006, Coldplay played a live show for BBC Radio 2 at London's Abbey Road Studios, where West was in attendance. West had wanted an appearance from Martin on "Homecoming" to crossover to working with the member of a mainstream band; they collaborated on the song after the show.[2][3] The rapper felt them being in the same place showed the collaboration was meant to be and brought by God, saying he "serve[d] as a vessel".[4] After fellow rapper Jay-Z heard the song himself, he decided to invite Martin to make a guest appearance on one of his songs. The collaborators worked on "Beach Chair", released before Graduation on Jay-Z's Kingdom Come in 2006.[5] On fellow album track "Big Brother", West references the tension that came from Jay-Z having a feature from Martin after he told him of their collaboration.[6] West recalled that he was initially reluctant for their collaboration due to his competitive nature, later regretting this.[5] In December 2008, West praised Coldplay's for their consistent musicality and representing British stadium music.[7]
"Homecoming" was a reworking of West's track known as "Home (Windy)" that was recorded for a demo tape in 2001;[8] the term "Windy" in its original title referred to Chicago's nickname of Windy City.[9][10] The track relied on a looped sample of harmonious vocals from Patti LaBelle and the BlueBelles's 1963 cover of the show tune "You'll Never Walk Alone", accompanied by West's boom bap production.[11][10][12] It featured a hook from singer John Legend under his real name of John Stephens, singing about soldiers who did not make it back home.[8][9][13] "Home (Windy)" circulated under the new title "Home" on numerous mixtapes that West released over the years, including Get Well Soon... in 2003.[9][14][15] "Home" was also available on an advance copy of West's debut studio album The College Dropout (2004), the same year that Legend released his debut Get Lifted with the rapper's production.[8][12][16] However, this version was never released due to a leak months before its intended initial release date of August 12, 2003.[15][17][18] West used the opportunity to refine The College Dropout, as the project was significantly remixed, remastered, and revised prior to being released.[15] In the end, "Home" and a number of original album tracks were retracted.[16] West revised or reused lyrics from his early demo and mixtape tracks, such as basing "Homecoming" on "Home".[19]
Writing and development
An entirely new beat was made for "Homecoming", even though it used verses from "Home", while Legend's hook was replaced by a chorus from Martin.[19] The song served as a loving, emotional ode to Chicago.[20][21][22] West expresses a metaphoric narrative with a feminized personification of Chicago, depicting the city as a childhood sweetheart.[5][9][23] The rapper kept most of his lyrics from the original, which were inspired by his labelmate and fellow Chicago rapper Common's "I Used to Love H.E.R." (1994) and he changed certain ones as Martin requested him to.[19][24][25] He led Martin to forgo his typical midtempo balladry in favor of flashier, inspirational piano work.[11][26] Martin's pounding piano was looped to begin off-beat for a raw, hip-hop sound, which displays a gospel influence recurrent in West's productions.[27][28][29]
The song was described as "very emotional" by West during an interview with Concrete Loop on October 5, 2007.[30] Inspired by his worldwide stadium tour with Irish rock band U2 from 2005 to 2006, he redesigned the song for it to be chanted.[31][32] During the recording and production of Graduation, West was listening to other bands like Keane, the Killers, and Radiohead for heavy inspiration.[31] Accordingly, the new composition features sharp piano flourishes placed over booming, stadium music to accompany a sing-along pop chorus.[11][29][33] Meanwhile, the piano accompaniment is laden with energetic minor chords and results in arena rock.[34][35]
Recording
The original incarnation of the song featured a different chorus sung by John Legend.
West and Martin met each other for the very first time when Coldplay played a show at Abbey Road on February 13, 2006.[2][4][36][37] The rapper originally spent a one-day session in the venue's Studio Two recording strings, then booked the Studio Three for the week's remainder. Engineer Mirek Stiles spent this time working with different vocals takes and loops alongside the production team of West, who was then joined by Martin in the control room.[2] West and Martin engaged in an impromptu jam session that included Martin singing into a Neumann U 47 and resulted in "Homecoming"; the singer came up with the concept.[3][4] A beat was played to Martin from West intended for his 2005 single "Heard 'Em Say", to which he responded by suggesting it should be "more like a homecoming or something".[4] Studio Two, used for an initial session, was the same studio the Beatles recorded in and West later had his photo on the wall of Abbey Road alongside the band in 2021.[2][38] At the time of recording, West was traveling around the world to meet collaborators. This was a different approach to his later years when people visited him to collaborate, and he frequented the Record Plant in Hollywood with percussionistJon Brion.[1][36] West also traveled to the Sony Music Studios in New York City (NYC), the Fever Recording Studio in North Hollywood, Los Angeles, and Ocean Way Recording in Hollywood to record "Homecoming". The song was mixed at Chalice Recording Studios in Hollywood and Chung King Studios in NYC.[1]
West retracted the original vocal sample of "You'll Never Walk Alone" for "Homecoming" and replaced it with a looped piano riff, which he decorated over a stadium-friendly beat.[5][10][16][29] Much of Graduation contained glossy, synthesizer-based productions influenced by West's experimentation with electronic music.[16][39][40] He opted for a contrasting style on "Homecoming", with a more stripped-down and piano-based instrumental to complement the introspectiveness of its lyrics.[21][24][34]
Composition and lyrics
The song was originally known as "Home", with its theme of a tribute to West's hometown of Chicago maintained.
Musically, "Homecoming" is an upbeat hip-hop song,[29][41] with a duration of three minutes and twenty-six seconds (3:26).[1] The track is a gospel-inflected jam, featuring an anthemic stadium beat and elements of pub rock.[16][33][42][43] The song includes a raw, arena rock piano riff from Martin, which is looped.[5][27][29][35] Martin plays an energetic piano, adding gospel elements.[28][34][44] The instrumental of the song relies on the piano, as do the energetic minor chords.[11][21][34] Its instrumentation also consists of percussion and heavy drums.[1][14]
According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by EMI Music Publishing, the song is set in common time, with a moderate tempo of 88 beats per minute. "Homecoming" is written in the key of E minor, and Martin's vocal range spans from a low of D4 to a high of E5. The musical composition uses four-measure phrases, which follow a basic chord progression of Em–D/F#–Em/G–G–Am7–D/C–Cmaj7–Bm7.[45] Opening on a hammering E minortriad, the song's piano arrangement begins off-beat and incorporates flourishes.[14][29][45] Throughout the track, the noise of a cheering crowd can be heard faintly in the background.[46]
A 20-second sample of West rapping the first verse to "Homecoming". West personifies his hometown of Chicago as a childhood sweetheart called Wendy that he identifies as "Windy", narrating their bittersweet relationship as he regrets leaving her and mentions how she rejects him. His performance is accompanied with an instrumentation driven by Martin's looped raw piano riff, alongside heavy drums, percussion, and the faint background noise of a cheering crowd.
Lyrically, "Homecoming" serves as a love ode to Chicago from West and Martin.[20][21] West uses introspection in a narrative that follows his bittersweet relationship with Chicago as his hometown across the song's two verses, personifying the city as a childhood sweetheart named Wendy.[5][9][23][47] The rapper identifies her as "Windy" in the lyrics, mentioning that she "likes to blow trees".[48] He acknowledges that the childhood sweetheart slipped away and expresses guilt over having left her for fame, not being able to feel at home after leaving despite rejection from her.[16][23][24][49] The lyrics reference Common's "I Used to Love H.E.R.", a rap song that similarly tells of a metaphoric relationship with a woman.[19][24][50][51] After each verse, Martin sings a smooth, sing-along pop chorus that poses the question of "Do you think about me now and then? / 'Cause I'm coming home again".[5][11][47][52] His vocals were compared by The Observer and Digital Spy to that of musician and singer-songwriter Sting, frontman of the British post-punk band the Police.[43][53] Despite being from Devon, United Kingdom, Martin sings of a memory of fireworks at Lake Michigan, one of the North American Great Lakes.[54] The singer also croons on the chorus and he delivers the line "e-yo-oh-oh" in a reggae style, evoking Jamaican musician Bob Marley.[43][46]
Promotion and release
In January 2007, West told Billboard that he was considering releasing the song as the lead single for Graduation.[55] "Homecoming" was first previewed when the digital radio station BBC Radio 1Xtra hosted an "Audience With Kanye West" event at the BBC Radio Music Theatre in London on August 13.[56] West guided a specially selected audience through Graduation, playing the album on his MacBook Air laptop via a speaker system.[56] "Homecoming" was one of the tracks that West played during a listening session for Graduation at the New World Stages in Manhattan, NY on August 28, 2007. Inside an auditorium, West revealed his influences and aspirations. West played the songs from start-to-finish uninterrupted, with special programs of the lyrics handed out.[57][58][59] When an audience member asked West why "Home" became "Homecoming" with a new beat, he replied that he believed the original would not suit stadiums, but that the lyrics were too good to not use.[60]
On September 11, 2007, Graduation was released, including "Homecoming" as the twelfth track.[61] West subsequently imparted that it was among his three favorite songs from the album.[30] On February 2, 2008, the song was released for digital download in the UK by West's labels Roc-A-Fella and Def Jam as the fifth and final single from the album.[5][62] The labels later issued it on a maxi-single in Germany on May 9, with "Good Night" serving as the B-side.[63] Four days later, the song was serviced to US rhythmic contemporary radio stations.[64] On July 1, 2008, the song was released on a CD single through Universal.[65]
Critical reception
"Homecoming" was met with mixed reviews from music critics. Giving the song four out of five stars in Digital Spy, Nick Levine described it as the "emotional centrepiece" of Graduation, commenting that West shows his humanity and Martin provides "a pomp-filled piano riff" with undertones of English singer and composer Elton John.[44] Levine noted how the song could have ended up becoming "a crass exercise in mutual back-slapping", thanking Martin for managing to bring out West's softness that marked "the bragging rapper's most affecting moment to date".[44] Jackie Im of Treblezine declared that the song exceeded his expectations, praising Martin's vocals on the hook for their heavy catchiness and his piano as reminiscent of Elton John, summarizing it as a "nice little pop song that leads into Kanye's most earnest moment".[66]Pitchfork's Mark Pytlik wrote that the song seemingly "hits all the right notes", aided by Martin.[67] Vadim Rizov from Slant Magazine said the song is among West's strongest rapping on the album and quipped that in contrast to Jay-Z's collaboration with Martin on "Beach Chair", West may be able to "make Coldplay acceptable for the cool kids again".[68]Ann Powers, for the Los Angeles Times, also held the belief that West bests Jay-Z's utilization of Martin's "reedy pipes".[69]Paste reviewer Ross Bonaime wrote that West's usage of Martin is the most successful and they are a "undeniably pretty great" duo, although found it weird hearing the singer sing of Chicago as home.[50] Writing for NME, Louis Pattison was satisfied with the song, but questioned the decision for Martin to appear after he worked with Jay-Z.[23]
Music critics were split in their feelings towards Martin's appearance. Some praised his vocal performance, while others were unsure of the decision to feature him on the song as a British singer.
Several music journalists questioned the authenticity of Martin's appearance on "Homecoming". Dorian Lynskey of The Guardian paid attention to its flaws, advising against guesting Martin on a song about Chicago due to his Devon nativity and thought even his emotion cannot make being "moved by the memory" of Lake Michigan fireworks convincing.[54]Nathan Rabin from The A.V. Club viewed the collaboration as showing West's "broad musical palette that occasionally gets him into trouble", feeling Martin to be unsuitable for representing Chicago's strong musical heritage.[70]Exclaim!'s Del Cowie remarked that "Homecoming" lacks the level of emotion that a "hometown ode should elicit", attributing this to Martin's "yodelling soccer yob".[71] Labeling the track as one of the album's transgressions, Noah Love of Chart Attack stated that it would be better without the singer's crooning and considered West was still finding his lyrical potential.[72]Chicago Tribune music critic Greg Kot dismissed Martin's vocals and the "cornball piano riff", feeling that the song fails and results in the album's biggest misstep.[73]
Some reviews of the song were not focused on Martin's vocals. While he upheld the belief that Graduation did not meet its expectations, Kyle Ryan of The A.V. Club wrote that the song is an example of "its usual share of West gold".[74]NOW Magazine editor Jason Richards labeled the song as the highlight of the album.[75] At Stylus Magazine, Jayson Greene expressed that the usage of "Home" for the song is the album's prime example of West's "narrow lyrical focus" of reiterating his older works and strongly demonstrates he has not left his defining moment, despite "a big, stadium-ready beat".[16] On a similar note, The Boston Globe's Julian Benbow criticized West for the awkwardness of combining "a song from a four-year-old mix-tape" with heavy drums and piano.[14]
Accolades
Despite receiving mixed reviews, "Homecoming" appeared on several retrospective lists of West's best songs. In 2016, Complex listed the song at number 38 among West's 100 best songs.[9] Also in this year, Jeva Lange of The Week identified the song as West's best track and was impressed by his personification of Chicago that showed a deep love, praising its evolution for the original too.[76] To honor West's 39 birthday in June, The Jamaica Observer composed a list of his top 10 best songs and placed "Homecoming" 10th.[77] In 2017, CraveOnline ranked "Homecoming" as West's best song; the staff summarized that the instrumentation is the highlight and combined with the topic of his love for Chicago, makes for a "high point".[21]Highsnobiety cited "Homecoming" as the 40th best West song six years later, with Donovan Barnett referring to it as a "classic Kanye cut" for the piano instrumentation, ode to the city, and Martin's chorus.[78]
"Homecoming" was declared the 50th greatest Chicago rap song by Complex.[79] For Chart Attack's list of Kanye West's 10 Most Stripped-Down, Minimal Songs, head writer Jordan Darville ranked it at number four. Discussing the track's lyricism, he mentioned it is among the introspectiveness of Graduation that is "much more deeply felt".[24]Billboard cited "Homecoming" as among West's 10 most romantic songs; Jason Lipshutz stated that it marked one of rap's most loving hometown tributes.[48] "Homecoming" received a nomination for Best R&B/Hip-Hop Track at the 2008 Teen Choice Awards.[80]
Music video
Background
Harold L. Ickes Homes was one of the housing projects that West visited for the video's various filming locations.
The accompanying music video was shot by the acclaimed director Hype Williams on location in Chicago on November 6, 2007. Williams and West had previously worked together on several music videos, including fellow album tracks "Can't Tell Me Nothing" and "Stronger".[81] The music video was filmed entirely in black-and-white, with Williams taking a simplistic visual approach. West dressed in a patchwork shirt with a keffiyeh that had contrasting patterns.[82][83]
Prior to its premiere, West posted screenshots of the music video to his blog on March 6, 2008.[84] He also made exclusive behind-the-scenes images from the shoot available.[82] Additional behind-the-scenes footage was later obtained and release by Channel Zero in December 2010. The footage showed West on set with rappers Bump J, Wildstyle of Crucial Conflict, and Malik Yusef. Cameos were featured from Don C, Virgil Abloh, Ibn Jasper, Morocco Vaughn, and Orr Academy High School students.[85] On April 1, 2008, the music video was released on West's blog.[82][86]
Synopsis and reception
A screenshot of West standing in front of the Cloud Gate (The Bean) sculpture at Millennium Park in the black-and-white video.
The music video features a monochromatic montage of West rapping in a truck, wandering throughout many different areas of Chicago. The montage features slow-motion shots and angles highlighting the streets, buildings, monuments and citizens.[81][87] The various locations and landmarks include the Cloud Gate sculpture at Millennium Park, DuSable Museum of African American History, Tribune Tower, Jay Pritzker Pavilion, the Sears Tower, and the Cabrini–Green and Harold L. Ickes housing projects.[9] Some of West's early friends follow him around Chicago, including a young girl that repeatedly makes appearances.[81] Cameos are also made by local hip-hop acts like L.E.P. Bogus Boys and Common, whose work is referenced in the song.[50][9][81] Throughout the video, these scenes are interspersed with animated silhouette outlines and shots of West rapping the song's verses. He is surrounded by reflective mirrors on top of a moving vehicle and Martin singing the chorus while playing an upright piano.[81][84]
The music video was listed at number 84 on BET's Notarized: Top 100 Videos of 2008 countdown.[88] On their 2013 list of West's 42 best music videos, Complex placed the visual at number 32; the writers praised the montage of West's revisit to the city with the accompaniment of friends and rap acts.[81]VH1 ranked the music video as the fifth greatest clip filmed in an artist's hometown a year later, with Lucelenia Amparo hailing the shots of Chicago and "the perfect touch" from Martin.[89] It received a nomination for Best Hip Hop Video at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards.[90]
Commercial performance
"Homecoming" was most successful in Europe, charting highest in Ireland at number five and also becoming West's eighth top-10 single in the United Kingdom.
"Homecoming" debuted at number 96 on the US Billboard Hot 100 for the issue dated June 7, 2008.[91] The next week, it rose to number 83 on the Hot 100.[92] The track then moved up 12 spaces, a week before peaking at number 69 on the chart.[93][94] It lasted for seven weeks on the Hot 100.[95] "Homecoming" entered the US BillboardHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at number 68 on the issue dated May 22, 2008, standing as the highest debut of the week.[96] Thereafter, the track peaked at number 33 on the chart issue dated June 14.[97] That very same week, it debuted at number 19 on the US Hot Rap Songs chart.[98] Around a month later, the track reached its peak position of number 15 on the Hot Rap Songs chart issue dated July 12, 2008.[99] By August 2015, "Homecoming" had been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for amassing 1,000,000 certifiable units in the United States, standing as one of West's 10 platinum singles in the country for 2015.[100] It was later awarded a triple platinum certification by the RIAA for reaching 3,000,000 certified units in the US on August 8, 2023.[101]
"Homecoming" was commercially successful across Europe. The track debuted at number 19 on the Irish Singles Chart for January 10, 2008, marking the week's highest entry.[102] Two weeks later, it peaked at number five on the chart.[103] The track debuted at number 77 on the UK Singles Chart for the issue date September 29, 2007.[104] It then exited the chart, re-entering at number 69 on December 30.[105] The track peaked at number nine on the UK Singles Chart on January 20, 2008. It became West's eighth top-10 track in the UK and his seventh as a solo artist, while lasting for 20 weeks on the chart.[106] At the end of 2008, the track ranked as the 91st most successful release on the UK Singles Chart.[107] The track stands as West's 20th biggest hit of all time in the UK up to August 5, 2021.[108] On September 9, 2022, "Homecoming" received a platinum certification from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for selling 600,000 units in the country.[109] The track debuted at number 11 on Norway's Topp 40 Singles chart, while it entered the Finnish Singles Chart at number 17 and peaked four positions higher after fluctuating for a few weeks.[110][111] "Homecoming" charted at numbers 15 and 16 in Denmark and Turkey, respectively.[112][113] The track further attained top 40 positions in Germany,[114] Sweden,[115] the Netherlands,[116][117] Austria,[118] and Switzerland.[119] On October 17, 2023, the track was awarded a platinum certification from IFPI Danmark for shipments of 90,000 units in Denmark.[120] In Oceania, the track reached number 22 on the New Zealand Singles Chart.[121] "Homecoming" further peaked at number 32 on the ARIA Singles Chart in Australia, where it was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for shipping 35,000 copies on December 31, 2015.[122][123]
Live performances
West included "Homecoming" as one of the closing performances from the setlist on his Glow in the Dark Tour, which began on April 16, 2008, at the KeyArena in Seattle, Washington.[124] It was one of the various songs taken from West's first three studio albums that he utilized for his conceptual concert.[125] The songs served to form a space opera storyline, telling the tale of how a stranded space traveler struggles for over a year making attempts to escape from a distant planet while on a mission to bring creativity back to Earth.[124] West walked across the stage rocking a white jacket and large eyewear while performing "Homecoming" on the final night of Lollapalooza 2008 in August, co-headlining the festival in Chicago.[126][127] The song was performed by West during his 90-minute headlining set for the annual dance music festival Global Gathering at Long Marston Airfield near Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, on July 25, 2008. West was the first hip-hop artist to headline the festival and he was accompanied by lighting and smoke effects, alongside backup singers.[128][129][130]
West performed the song on the second of his two nights at Chicago's United Center for The Yeezus Tour in December 2013, with the crowd re-citing its lyrics.
West performed the song during his show for VH1 in February 2009, although the performance was not originally broadcast.[133] It was later included as the tenth performance on the DVD of his second live albumVH1 Storytellers on January 5, 2010, being added as a bonus clip.[133][134][135] West performed "Homecoming" to an audience of 3,000 students from six different Chicago public schools for his second annual free Stay In School benefit concert at the Chicago Theatre on June 11, 2009, generating excitement amongst the audience. The concert was organized through West's charity foundation to help raise awareness of it, and he later partnered with Fuse for the show's television broadcast on July 25.[136][137][138] On August 12, 2010, West and Legend performed the song to open their secret black-tie show at The Box nightclub on Chrystie Street in Manhattan, NYC, held for around 200 select attendees over 90 minutes. West dubbed the function "Rosewood" and used a stage set-up including a Roland TR-808drum machine, a keyboard, and two microphones, with one utilized solely for Auto-Tune. Legend sat at the set-up's baby grand piano for the performance, which was accompanied by a red backdrop.[139][140] On December 31, 2010, West made a surprise appearance during Jay-Z and Coldplay's co-headlining set at the Marquee Nightclub for the grand opening of the luxury resort casino and hotel Cosmpolitan on the Las Vegas Strip of Paradise, Nevada, performing the song with Martin for the first time.[141][142] West performed the song live for his headlining set at the 2011 Coachella Festival.[143] On December 18, 2013, West performed the song towards the close of his second show at Chicago's United Center on The Yeezus Tour (2013–14). The performance was the first one of "Homecoming" on the tour and saw the crowd chanting the lyrics back to West.[131][132]
Appearances in media
A remix of "Homecoming" by DiscoTech was included as the 17th track of Sky High on November 17, 2008. The mixtape consisted of remixes of various tracks that West originally produced and was compiled by DJ Benzi with the rapper's associate Plain Pat. The project was commissioned by West and his team in the lead-up to his fourth studio album 808s & Heartbreak, with each remix experiencing at least five reiterations before release; they are mostly club-friendly dance-themed numbers.[144] Leo Flynn produced a Rockabye Baby! CD that consisted of instrumental lullaby renditions of West's tracks and was released on May 18, 2010, including "Homecoming" as the 12th and final track.[145][146] On June 7, 2012, producer Carlos Serrano shared his mashup of "Homecoming" and singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey's "Born to Die" (2011), layering West and Martin's vocals over the instrumentation of the latter song.[147] Production duo Urban Noize included a re-imagined version of the song on their remix EPMr. West on July 20, which consisted of remixes of eight tracks across West's career chosen by the duo.[148][149][150]
On October 3, 2016, Jeff Kirshman published his ode to "Homecoming" in Brooklyn Magazine, writing that it reminds him of living in Wyoming due to invoking his memories of images and knowledge.[151][152] Kirshman particularly enjoyed the song when listening to Graduation in high school and first performed it at a dilapidated Hollywood-themed Karen & Jim's venue, affirming his view of his rap skills as basic from the crowd's negative reactions. He was compelled to perform the song again and did this at a bar while drinking warm beer by a row of dim lights, onlooked by a mounted head of the Star Wars character Admiral Ackbar.[151] On April 29, 2022, British rapper Dave played a section of the song on piano for his We're All Alone in This Together tour's show at the Riviera Theatre in Chicago, serving as a tribute to West.[153]
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"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.
"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.
"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.
"American Boy” is a song by British singer and rapper Estelle featuring American rapper Kanye West from the former's second studio album Shine (2008). The song was written by the artists, alongside Ethan Hendrickson, will.i.am, John Legend, Josh Lopez, Caleb Speir, and Keith Harris. It was produced by will.i.am, and uses the instrumental from "Impatient" from his own third studio album Songs About Girls (2007). "American Boy" is a breezy R&B and disco-funk song that lyrically describes a romance with an American suitor. The song's conception came after Legend, Estelle's mentor, suggested she write a song about meeting a man from the United States.
"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.
"Love Lockdown" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his fourth studio album, 808s & Heartbreak (2008). The song was produced by West, while co-produced by Jeff Bhasker. The producers co-wrote it with Esthero, Malik Yusef, and Starshell. West initially shared the song via his blog on September 10, 2008, before re-recording it after negative reactions. The song was later released for digital download on September 18, 2008 by Roc-A-Fella and Def Jam as the lead single from the album. An electropop song, its instrumentation relies on piano and Roland TR-808 drumbeats.
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.
"Hey Mama" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his second studio album, Late Registration (2005). The song includes additional vocals from John Legend. West composed the song in 2000, specifically intending for it to be included on the album. The song was produced by West and Jon Brion. A ballad, it contains a sample of Donal Leace's "Today Won't Come Again". In the lyrics of the song, Kanye pays tribute to his mother, Donda West.
"Heartless" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his fourth studio album, 808s & Heartbreak (2008). The song was written by West, No I.D., Kid Cudi and Malik Yusef, while being produced by the former two. It was passed on to West during recording sessions, after originally being intended for inclusion on Jay-Z's eleventh studio album, The Blueprint 3 (2009). Following the song's debut at the 2008 Democratic National Convention (DNC), West shared an unmastered version via his blog on October 15, 2008. The song was later serviced to US rhythmic contemporary radio stations as the second single from 808s & Heartbreak on October 28, through Roc-A-Fella and Def Jam. A pop ballad with influences of hip hop and R&B, it features synthesizers.
"Niggas in Paris" is a song by American rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West from their collaborative album, Watch the Throne (2011). The song was produced by Hit-Boy with West and Mike Dean, while Anthony Kilhoffer contributed additional production. The producers served as co-writers with Jay-Z and Reverend W.A. Donaldson, the latter of whom was credited due to a sample of his work. Jay-Z envisioned the song's concept as how the two obtained their wealth instead of showing it off, using it as a momentary question of their status. Pusha T was originally offered the beat, yet rejected it due to the playful sound. The beat was crafted by Hit-Boy in five minutes and went unused until he was called by Don C, then he provided it for the song. On September 13, 2011, the song was released to US rhythmic and urban contemporary radio stations as the album's fourth single, through Def Jam, Roc Nation, and Roc-A-Fella
"Waves" is a song by the American rapper Kanye West from his seventh studio album, The Life of Pablo (2016). The song includes guest vocals from singer Chris Brown and fellow rapper Kid Cudi. It was the first beat conceived by West with Charlie Heat, which was set to be scrapped until a few weeks before release and Chance the Rapper persuaded West to keep the song on the album. An art pop number with gospel elements, the song samples Fantastic Freaks's "Fantastic Freaks at the Dixie" and features choral synths. It mostly features vocals from Brown, who sings about the symbolism of waves crashing at sea. The song received generally positive reviews from music critics, who mostly praised Brown's appearance. Some highlighted the musicality, while a few critics picked it as a highlight of the album.
"I Wonder" is a song by American rapper Kanye West, released as the fourth track on his third studio album, Graduation (2007). The song was written and produced by him, while Labi Siffre received a songwriting credit due to the sample of his work; West moves towards influences from rock and electronic music. Composed by West as a variation of "City of Blinding Lights" by his tourmates U2, he set it to focus on the concerns of university graduates. A hip hop and R&B ballad with Eurodance and stadium rock elements, the song relies on a sample of "My Song" by Labi Siffre. Its downbeat instrumentation has a distorted beat and is led by Larry Gold's orchestration, razorblade synths, and a drum kit.
"Come to Life" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his tenth studio album, Donda (2021). The song features overlapping pianos and guitar chords, as well as a sample of David Paul Moten's sermon. The lyrics allude to the emotional fallout from West's divorce, while showcasing themes of liberation and God.
1 2 Niedzielski, Nick (February 18, 2013). "MEB Ranks: Best Albums Of 2007'". Mind Equals Blown. Archived from the original on May 12, 2018. Retrieved June 30, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
↑ Luke, Bainbridge (August 11, 2007). "It's Kanye's World". The Guardian. Archived from the original on September 24, 2008. Retrieved March 12, 2008.
↑ Levine, Nick (September 10, 2007). "Kanye West: 'Graduation'". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on April 11, 2024. Retrieved September 11, 2007.
1 2 Lynskey, Dorian (September 7, 2007). "CD: Kanye West, Graduation". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on December 4, 2008. Retrieved September 10, 2007.
↑ Soo-Young, Kim; Deleon, Jian; Henson, Matthew (June 12, 2012). "Kanye West's 100 Best Outfits". Complex. Archived from the original on December 13, 2017. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
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