Late Registration is the second studio album by American rapper and producer Kanye West. It was released on August 30, 2005, through Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records. West recorded the album over the course of a year in sessions held at studios in Hollywood and New York City, in collaboration with record producer and film score composer Jon Brion. The recording sessions also featured guest contributions from Adam Levine, Jamie Foxx, Common, Brandy, Jay-Z, and Nas, among others.
Graduation is the third studio album by American rapper and producer Kanye West, released on September 11, 2007, through Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records. Recording sessions took place between 2005 and 2007 at several studios in New York and Los Angeles. It was primarily produced by West himself, with contributions from various other producers. The album also features guest appearances from recording artists such as Dwele, T-Pain, Lil Wayne, Mos Def, DJ Premier, and Chris Martin of Coldplay. The cover art and its interior artwork were designed by Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami.
Be is the sixth studio album by American rapper Common. It was released on May 24, 2005, by Geffen Records and GOOD Music. The album was primarily produced by rapper Kanye West, with additional production from frequent collaborator J Dilla. It debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 185,000 copies in the United States. The album is Common's second album to sell over 500,000 copies, becoming a certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
"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.
Finding Forever is the seventh studio album by Common, released on July 31, 2007, on GOOD Music and Geffen Records. Like Common's previous album, Be (2005), Finding Forever is primarily produced by Kanye West. The album debuted at the number one on the Billboard 200, selling 155,000 units in the first week, becoming Common's first chart-topper. Selling over 500,000 units in the US, it has been certified Gold. Finding Forever was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, losing to Kanye West's Graduation at the 50th Grammy Awards.
"Stronger" is a song by American rapper Kanye West, released as the second single from his third studio album, Graduation (2007). The production was handled by West, with an extended outro co-produced with Mike Dean. The composition is electronic in nature, employing synthesizers as its prominent instrument. For the track, West utilizes a vocal sample of "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" by French house duo Daft Punk. On "Stronger", West speaks about the resolve that comes when one is faced with adversity, with lyrics at the song's refrain that paraphrase Friedrich Nietzsche's dictum "What does not kill me makes me stronger". West also describes "Stronger" as an "emancipation", using the track to vent his frustration over mistakes he made in the past year.
"Good Life" is a song by American rapper Kanye West released on October 2, 2007 as the third single for his third studio album Graduation (2007). The song features vocals by singer T-Pain and was produced by West and DJ Toomp. It is a hip hop song that contains a sample of the keyboard outro to "P.Y.T. " performed by Michael Jackson. The song features additional drum programming by Timbaland and additional production by Mike Dean, as well as background vocals by John Legend and Ne-Yo.
"Big Brother" is a song by American hip-hop artist Kanye West. It was released on his 2007 studio album, Graduation. The song was produced by Atlanta record producer DJ Toomp. "Big Brother" is a tribute by Kanye dedicated to Jay-Z, containing lyrics that discuss the ups and downs of their friendship. The song received very positive reviews from music critics, who praised West's lyricism and storytelling ability. Though not released as a single, "Big Brother" managed to enter and peak at number nineteen on the U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart.
"Roc Boys ..." is the second single from Jay-Z's tenth studio album, American Gangster. The song is produced by Skyz Muzik, Diddy and two of his producers known as LV and Sean C from his production team, The Hitmen. It features additional vocals by Beyoncé, Kanye West and Cassie. The song samples "Make the Road by Walking" by The Menahan Street Band. On December 11, 2007, Rolling Stone named it the best song of 2007.
"Flashing Lights" is a song by American hip-hop artist Kanye West. It features Detroit R&B singer Dwele and contains background vocals from Australian singer Connie Mitchell. West co-wrote and co-produced the song with Eric Hudson and released it on November 12, 2007 as the fourth single for his third studio album, Graduation. The single's cover art was designed by Japanese pop artist Takashi Murakami. The single received acclaim from music critics and is cited as the best song on Graduation.
"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. On "Us Placers," the trio speak on the entrapments of fame. Having been released on a free mixtape, the song did not enter charts but became an online hit and received strong reviews from music critics.
"Homecoming" is a song by American hip-hop recording artist Kanye West. It was included as the twelfth song on his third studio album Graduation (2007). The track was produced by West with Warryn Campbell and features a guest appearance from Chris Martin, lead vocalist of the British alternative rock band Coldplay. Martin sings the song's chorus and outro and provides a piano-driven motif. The song is a hip hop beat with pop-oriented refrains while also integrating elements of post-punk and new wave with arena rock sensibilities. "Homecoming" is written as a tribute dedicated to West's hometown of Chicago, Illinois. His conceptual lyricism expresses an extended metaphor where he personifies Chicago as a childhood sweetheart to convey his relationship with the city.
"Good Morning" is a song by American hip hop recording artist and record producer Kanye West from his 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.
"Swagga Like Us" is a song by American hip hop recording artists Jay-Z, T.I., Kanye West, Lil Wayne, and British recording artist M.I.A.. It was released on September 6, 2008, in the United States as the fifth single from T.I.'s album Paper Trail, and was also slated for inclusion on Jay-Z's eleventh album The Blueprint 3 (2009), although it ultimately did not make the final track listing. The song was produced by West and is constructed primarily around a vocal sample of "Paper Planes" by British musician M.I.A.
"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 recorded 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 Donda West.
"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 "Poker Face", as performed by Lady Gaga. The song received a nomination for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards.
"Power" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Kanye West, released as the lead single from his fifth studio album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010). The song features additional vocals by soul singer Dwele and is co-produced by West and Symbolyc One. It is built around samples of "21st Century Schizoid Man" by King Crimson, "Afromerica" by Continent Number 6, and "It's Your Thing" by Cold Grits. After having recorded it in Hawaii, West reported that 5,000 man-hours were spent developing "Power". In its lyrics, West comments about the United States, his mental health and his critics. Its chorus features an abrasive vocal-riff.
Watch the Throne is a collaborative studio album by American rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West. It was released on August 8, 2011, through Roc-A-Fella Records, Roc Nation, and Def Jam Recordings. Prior to the release, Jay-Z and West had collaborated on various singles, and with the latter as a producer on the former's work. They originally sought to record a five-song EP together, but the project eventually evolved into a full-length album. The album features guest appearances from Frank Ocean, The-Dream, Beyoncé and Mr Hudson. It also features vocal contributions from Kid Cudi, Seal, Justin Vernon, Elly Jackson, Connie Mitchell, Charlie Wilson and Pete Rock, among others, and samples of vocals by soul musicians Otis Redding and Curtis Mayfield.
"Sanctified" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Rick Ross, taken from his sixth studio album Mastermind (2014). The song, produced by Kanye West, Mike Dean, and DJ Mustard, featuring guest appearances by rappers Kanye West and Big Sean. It was written by the aforementioned rappers and producers and Betty Wright sang the hook. "Sanctified" garnered critical acclaim from music critics, with most praising the production and Kanye West's appearance. Despite not being released as a single, it is the highest-charting song on Mastermind to date, debuting at number 25 on the UK R&B Chart, number 78 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 99 on the Canadian Hot 100 upon the album's release.
"I Wonder" is a song by American hip-hop recording artist and record producer Kanye West. It was released as the fourth song on the track-listing of his third studio album Graduation (2007). The track was produced by West and retains influences from stadium rock, alternative music, and a variety of electronic-music subgenres. It contains a sample from "My Song" by British singer-songwriter, musician, and poet Labi Siffre. A key development in the song's creation was West touring the world the year prior with Irish rock band U2 on their Vertigo Tour. Afterwards, he sought out to compose a hip hop-oriented variation of "City of Blinding Lights," the band's 2005 single. The layered arrangement expresses ambitious orchestrations, with distorted electronic synthesizer that act as the driving melodic instrument. The maximalist synths are further supplemented with a sweeping string section as well as winding keyboards. Its experimental musical composition is also notable for West's rapping technique. His lyrical delivery features a fragmented, forceful flow where he raps minimalist verses in an intense staccato vocal style. Lyrically, "I Wonder" is an introspective number, containing a blend of melancholic yet inspirational lines that discuss finding one's dreams.
