Spaceship (Kanye West song)

Last updated
"Spaceship"
Song by Kanye West featuring GLC and Consequence
from the album The College Dropout
ReleasedFebruary 10, 2004
Recorded2003
Studio Sony Music Studios
(New York, New York)
Larrabee Sound North
(Los Angeles, California)
Genre Hip hop
Length5:24
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) West

"Spaceship" is a song by American musician Kanye West, featuring fellow American rappers GLC and Consequence, taken from West's debut studio album The College Dropout (2004). It was scheduled to be released as the album's sixth and final single, but this plan ended up being cancelled. The music video was released in June 2009. "Spaceship II" and "Spaceship III" were released by Alex Wiley in 2013 and Consequence in 2017.

Contents

Composition

The track contains a sample of the recording "Distant Lover" by Marvin Gaye. [1] The Verge interpreted this sample as using soothing tones to keep "Spaceship" down to earth, even when it gets aggressive. [2] West's presence on the chorus marks one of the earliest moments of him singing within his career. [3] When West raps about working a job at the Gap formerly in "Spaceship", the story being told in the verse is actually true. [4]

Release

The song was originally scheduled to be a GLC track produced by West, until West played it to Plain Pat, who insisted on him putting it on the album. [4] It was swapped for "Good, Bad, Ugly" as the position of number six from the original track list to the final. [5] [6]

The track was originally supposed to be released as the sixth and final single from The College Dropout, but this plan was cancelled due to West's label moving on to promotion for his second studio album Late Registration (2005) instead of following through with the release of it as a single. [7]

Critical reception

Paul Cantor of Billboard had praise for the Gaye sample, describing it as being "the backdrop for Kanye and his comrades to detail needing day jobs to finance their rapping dreams". [8] The opinion was voiced by J-23 of HipHopDX regarding "Spaceship" that it "has to be the best of the additions, if not the best of the album". [9]

HotNewHipHop placed the track at number 35 on their list of West's 50 best songs. [10] When ranking his 25 best verses of all time, Complex positioned West's "Spaceship" verse at number 18. [11]

Music video

On June 1, 2009, GLC posted the previously unreleased music video on his blog and called himself, West and Consequence "young dreamers". [12] West also shared it to his blog two days later and revealed that he wasn't satisfied with the video when he directed it four years ago, but West decided that after looking back at it in 2009, he liked it. [13] A music video was shot back in 2005 because the track was originally scheduled to be released as the sixth and final single from the featuring album. [7] The video stars West as a worker in a mall, with GLC playing the role of a co-worker and Consequence playing that of a customer. [14]

On June 26, 2020, West posted the video on his website in celebration of the announcement of his clothing brand Yeezy's 10-year collaboration deal with The Gap. [15]

Legacy

Vibe listed "Spaceship" among West's most revolutionary songs in December 2013, nearly ten years after The College Dropout had been released. [16]

On June 4, 2013, Alex Wiley released "Spaceship II", featuring Chance the Rapper and GLC, in tribute to the original. [17] Consequence revisited it on March 1, 2017, with "Spaceship III", featuring Chance the Rapper, Alex Wiley, GLC & Chuck Inglish. [18]

Personnel

Information taken from The College Dropout liner notes. [1]

Related Research Articles

<i>The College Dropout</i> 2004 studio album by Kanye West

The College Dropout is the debut studio album by American rapper and producer Kanye West. It was released on February 10, 2004, by Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Recordings. In the years leading up to release, West had received praise for his production work for rappers such as Jay-Z and Talib Kweli, but faced difficulty being accepted as an artist in his own right by figures in the music industry. Intent on pursuing a solo career, he signed a record deal with Roc-A-Fella and recorded the album over a period of four years, beginning in 1999.

<i>Late Registration</i> 2005 studio album by Kanye West

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 during sessions held at studios in Hollywood and New York City, in collaboration with Jon Brion. The recording sessions also featured guest contributions from Adam Levine, Jamie Foxx, Common, Brandy, Jay-Z, and Nas, among others.

GLC (rapper) American rapper from Chicago (born 1975)

Leonard Harris, better known by his stage name GLC, is an American rapper from Chicago, Illinois. He was formerly a member of the Go Getters.

The New Workout Plan 2004 single by Kanye West

"The New Workout Plan" is a song from Kanye West's debut album, The College Dropout. Released in late 2004, the single peaked at #59 on the U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The music video was released in 2004, with cameos from John Legend, Miri Ben-Ari, Anna Nicole Smith, Fonzworth Bentley, Tracee Ellis Ross, Vida Guerra and GLC. "Work Out" by J. Cole samples the song.

Through the Wire 2003 single by Kanye West

"Through the Wire" is the debut single by American rapper Kanye West, who wrote and recorded the song with his jaw wired shut after a car accident in October 2002. The song samples Chaka Khan's 1985 single "Through the Fire" and was released on the last day of September 2003 as the lead single from his debut album The College Dropout (2004).

Jesus Walks Song by Kanye West

"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.

All Falls Down Kanye West song

"All Falls Down" is a song by American hip hop artist Kanye West. It was released as the third single from his debut album, The College Dropout. The song was written and produced by West and features singer Syleena Johnson. The hip hop song contains an interpolation of "Mystery of Iniquity" by Lauryn Hill from her live album MTV Unplugged No. 2.0, therefore Hill is credited as a composer.

<i>Late Orchestration</i> 2006 live album by Kanye West

Late Orchestration is a live album by American hip hop artist Kanye West, released on April 24, 2006, on Mercury Records. The album features recordings of live renditions of songs derived from his first two studio albums, The College Dropout and Late Registration. It was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London, England, before an audience of 300 invited guests in September 2005. West was backed by a seventeen-piece all-female string orchestra and featured guest appearances by John Legend, Lupe Fiasco, GLC and Consequence. The CD release features the full performance along with an additional bonus track, "Gold Digger", and came with a DVD containing footage of the concert as well as interviews and bonus music videos for the first four singles of Late Registration.

Drive Slow 2005 single by Kanye West

"Drive Slow" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his second studio album, Late Registration (2005). The song features guest appearances from fellow rappers Paul Wall and GLC, and additional vocals by American recording artist Tony "Penafire" Williams. It was produced by West, who wrote the song alongside the featured artists. The song was released on a 12" vinyl on June 6, 2006 by Roc-A-Fella and Def Jam as the fifth and final single from the album. A hip hop track, it contains elements of jazz. The song features a sample of Hank Crawford's cover version of "Wildflower".

Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check 1996 single by Busta Rhymes

"Woo Hah!! Got You All In Check" is a song recorded by American hip hop artist Busta Rhymes. The song was his debut single as a solo artist, from his album The Coming (1996). The melody is taken from the 1968 instrumental song "Space" by Galt MacDermot.

"Two Words" is a song by American hip-hop artist Kanye West, that features Mos Def, Freeway and The Boys Choir of Harlem, from West's debut studio album The College Dropout (2004). A cinematic version of the song was released as part of The College Dropout Video Anthology. It has been performed by Freeway regularly at his live shows over the years. An orchestral sound is used in the song. The music video was released in March 2005.

Slow Jamz 2003 single by Twista

"Slow Jamz" is a song by American rapper Twista featuring Kanye West and Jamie Foxx. It was released in 2003, through Atlantic and Roc-A-Fella Records, as the lead single from Twista's fourth studio album Kamikaze (2004), and the second single from West's debut studio album The College Dropout (2004). The song was written by Twista, Burt Bacharach, Hal David, and the producer West. It samples Luther Vandross' cover of Dionne Warwick's 1964 song "A House Is Not A Home", and contains genres of hip hop, pop rap, R&B, and soul. The song's lyrics reference slow jam artists and describes the role of lovermen.

"Encore" is a hip-hop song from Jay-Z's The Black Album. It features guest vocals by John Legend, Don Crawley, GLC and Kanye West. The song was released by Roc-A-Fella Records and produced by West for Konman Productions.

Amazing (Kanye West song) 2009 song by Kanye West

"Amazing" is a song by American record producer and vocalist 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.

Otis (song) 2011 single by Jay-Z and Kanye West featuring Otis Redding

"Otis" is a song by American hip hop artists Jay-Z and Kanye West from their first collaborative album Watch the Throne (2011). The song posthumously features soul singer Otis Redding, whose version of "Try a Little Tenderness" is sampled in the song. The production was covered solely by West. The track was premiered by Funkmaster Flex's Hot 97 radio show and was released onto the Internet the day afterward. Lyrically, the song has the two rappers sharing lines discussing wealth, decadence and fame. The track received highly positive reviews from music critics who praised the trading off of verses by the two rappers and the Redding-sampled beat, which was compared to the style heard on West's The College Dropout. Several publications placed the song amongst the best of the year.

"Highlights" is a song by American hip-hop artist Kanye West, from his seventh studio album, The Life of Pablo (2016). The song features vocals from Young Thug and The-Dream. One day before the album was released, West performed the song on Saturday Night Live with Young Thug, El DeBarge, Kelly Price and The-Dream. Within the track, West takes a shot at Ray J. The song was met with mixed reviews from music critics. It was revealed in July 2016 that West had a shot a music video, but it was never released.

"Champions" is a collaborative song by hip hop artists Damon Dash, Kanye West, Beanie Sigel, Cam'ron, Young Chris and Twista. It is listed as the first track on the second disc of the Paid in Full soundtrack. The song includes a sped-up sample of "We Are the Champions" by Queen. It was originally scheduled to be a bonus track on West's album The College Dropout (2004).

"Never Let Me Down" is a song by American rapper and producer Kanye West, that features Jay-Z and J. Ivy, from West's debut studio album The College Dropout (2004). It was released as the album's eight track, produced solely by West and samples "Maybe It's the Power of Love" by Blackjack. West and Ivy each provide one verse–the latter's is a poem–while Jay-Z has two verses. Music critics mostly had praise for it, but tended to view Jay's appearance in a negative light. In 2011, Billboard listed the song as the second greatest collaboration between Kanye and Jay. Although an accompanying music video wasn't ever produced for "Never Let Me Down", the audio of it was used in one of West's videos for "Jesus Walks". The song has managed to develop a significant legacy over time, despite never being released as a single.

"Hurricane" is a song by American rapper Kanye West and Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd, featuring American rapper Lil Baby, from West's tenth studio album, Donda (2021). The song features guest vocals from the Sunday Service Choir and KayCyy. It came from a jam session at Archwood Music Studio and was passed on by Chance the Rapper to West, who shared a preview in September 2018. The song was originally slated for inclusion on West's since scrapped album, Yandhi, and went through multiple reiterations prior to release, with the final version being debuted in July 2021. On August 8, 2021, it was made available via certain streaming services, before being released to US rhythmic contemporary radio stations as the album's lead single on September 14, by GOOD Music and Def Jam. An R&B and pop jam with an atmospheric beat, it contains organs and bass.

"Life of the Party" is a song by American rappers Kanye West and André 3000. It was intended for West's tenth studio album Donda (2021), but was left off the album due to André 3000 not agreeing to his verse being edited to a clean version. The song was later leaked by Canadian rapper Drake on Sound 42 radio amidst a feud with West. It was initially released as an exclusive to the Donda Stem Player in October 2021. The song was released fully in November 2021 on the deluxe version of Donda, and an explicit version as a single.

References

  1. 1 2 The College Dropout (Media notes). Kanye West. Roc-A-Fella Records. 2004. 986 173-9.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. ↑ "Kanye West's sampling: a listenable history". The Verge . August 20, 2014. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  3. ↑ "The Complete History of Kanye West's Singing Moments". Complex . July 27, 2012. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  4. 1 2 Ahmed, Insanul (February 10, 2014). "The Making of Kanye West's "The College Dropout"". Complex . Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  5. ↑ Garrison, Lucas (January 25, 2016). "Kanye's Early 'College Dropout' Tracklist Will Blow Your Mind". DJBooth. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  6. ↑ "The College Dropout - Kanye West". AllMusic . Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  7. 1 2 Schiff, Mark (January 29, 2016). "Five rare Kanye West music videos you may not have seen". AXS . Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  8. ↑ Cantor, Paul (February 10, 2014). "Kanye West's 'The College Dropout' at 10: Classic Track-by-Track Review". Billboard . Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  9. ↑ J-23 (February 13, 2004). "Kanye West - College Dropout". HipHopDX . Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  10. ↑ Schwartz, Danny (February 15, 2018). "Top 50 Best Kanye West Songs". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  11. ↑ Ahmed, Insanul; Shipley, Al; Bry, Dave; Drake, David; Ortiz, Edwin; Kamer, Foster; Nostro, Lauren; Goldberg, Max; Scarano, Ross (July 26, 2013). "The 25 Best Kanye West Verses OF ALL TIME!!!". Complex . Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Video: Kanye West f. GLC & Consequence, "Spaceship"". The FADER . June 1, 2009. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  13. ↑ Vozick-Levinson, Simon (June 3, 2009). "Kanye West's new old 'Spaceship' video: Watch it here". EW.com . Retrieved October 31, 2018.
  14. ↑ Vineyard, Jennifer (February 22, 2005). "Kanye West Takes Off In New Video For 'Spaceship'". MTV . MTV Networks. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  15. ↑ Daly, Rhian (June 27, 2020). "Kanye West shares 'Spaceship' video 16 years after song's release". NME . NME. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  16. ↑ Hope, Clover (December 11, 2013). "Kanye West's Most Revolutionary Songs". Vibe . Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  17. ↑ "Alex Wiley: Spaceship II feat Chance The Rapper & GLC by Closed Sessions". Free Listening on SoundCloud . Retrieved October 31, 2018.
  18. ↑ Smith, Trevor (March 1, 2017). "Consequence - Spaceship III Feat. Chance The Rapper, Alex Wiley, GLC & Chuck Inglish". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.