"Power" (often stylized as "POWER") is a song by American
hip hop recording artist
Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
, released as the
lead single
A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date.
Release s ...
from his fifth studio album, ''
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'' (2010). The song features additional vocals by
soul
In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being".
Etymology
The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest att ...
singer
Dwele
Andwele Gardner (born February 14, 1978), better known by his stage name Dwele, is an American R&B singer, rapper, songwriter and record producer from Detroit, Michigan.
Biography
Gardner was raised on the west side of Detroit in a musical fam ...
and is co-produced by West and
Symbolyc One. It is built around
samples of "
21st Century Schizoid Man
"21st Century Schizoid Man" is a song by the progressive rock band King Crimson from their 1969 debut album ''In the Court of the Crimson King''. Often regarded as the group's signature song, it has been described by sources such as Rolling Ston ...
" by
King Crimson
King Crimson are a progressive rock band formed in 1968 in London, England. The band draws inspiration from a wide variety of music, incorporating elements of classical, jazz, folk, heavy metal, gamelan, industrial, electronic, experime ...
, "Afromerica" by Continent Number 6, and "
It's Your Thing
"It's Your Thing" is a funk single by The Isley Brothers. Released in 1969, the anthem was an artistic response to Motown chief Berry Gordy's demanding hold on his artists after the Isleys left the label in late 1968.
The lyrics of the chorus, ...
" by Cold Grits. After having recorded it in
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
, 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.
"Power" was West's
comeback
Comeback, The Comeback or Come Back may refer to:
General
* Comeback (publicity), a return to prominence by a well-known person
* Comeback (retort), a witty response to an insult or criticism
* Comeback (sports), an event where an athlete or team ...
single following his 2008 album ''
808s & Heartbreak
''808s & Heartbreak'' is the fourth studio album by 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 Studi ...
'' and
his controversial incident with Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. The song received acclaim from
music critics
Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
and was listed among the best tracks of 2010 by several publications, including ''
Time
Time is the continued sequence of existence and event (philosophy), events that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various me ...
'',
Pitchfork Media
''Pitchfork'' (formerly ''Pitchfork Media'') is an American online music publication (currently owned by Condé Nast) that was launched in 1995 by writer Ryan Schreiber as an independent music blog.
Schreiber started Pitchfork while working ...
, ''
Spin
Spin or spinning most often refers to:
* Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning
* Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis
* Spin (propaganda), an intentionally ...
'', and ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
''. Critics described it as a return to form for West, praising its intricate production, lyrical merit, and scope. It was nominated for a
Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance was awarded from 1991 to 2011, alongside the Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. Previously, a single award was presented for Best Rap Performance.
In 2003, this award was split into separate a ...
at the
53rd Grammy Awards
The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 13, 2011, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. They were broadcast on CBS with a rating of 26.6 million viewers. Barbra Streisand was honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year two nights pri ...
.
The song debuted on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 at position 22 and thereafter declined. The track was promoted by a
music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing devic ...
, which was directed by
Marco Brambilla. The video features a
long take
In filmmaking, a long take (also called a continuous take or continuous shot) is a shot with a duration much longer than the conventional editing pace either of the film itself or of films in general. Significant camera movement and elaborate bl ...
of the camera pulling away from West. The video received positive reviews from critics and received two nominations for
MTV Video Music Award
The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honour the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video categor ...
s. West performed the song on ''
Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves ...
'', at the 2010
BET Awards
The BET Awards is an American award show that was established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate black entertainers and other minorities in music, film, sports and philanthropy. The awards, which are presented annua ...
, at the 2011
Coachella Music Festival, and his
Watch the Throne Tour
The Watch the Throne Tour was a co-headlining concert tour by American rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West that began on October 28, 2011 in Atlanta and continued until June 22, 2012 with its final show scheduled in Birmingham. Originally scheduled for ...
. A remix of the track featuring
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one o ...
was released on August 20, 2010, as a part of West's weekly
GOOD Fridays series.
Background
2009 was a troubled year for Kanye West, who had faced various controversies, including the divisive nature of his previous album, ''808s & Heartbreak'' and his interruption of country singer-songwriter
Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bo ...
at the
2009 MTV Video Music Awards during her acceptance speech.
[Callahan-Bever, Noah (2010–12)]
Kanye West: Project Runaway
''Complex
Complex commonly refers to:
* Complexity, the behaviour of a system whose components interact in multiple ways so possible interactions are difficult to describe
** Complex system, a system composed of many components which may interact with each ...
''. Retrieved on 2010-11-30. West explained that the motivation of some of his questionable decisions stemmed from over-work.
The ensuing media controversy caused West to exile himself to
Oahu
Oahu () ( Hawaiian: ''Oʻahu'' ()), also known as "The Gathering Place", is the third-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is home to roughly one million people—over two-thirds of the population of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The island of O ...
, Hawaii and record his fifth studio album mostly in a reclusive nature, shying away from collaborating with artists he wasn't personally close to. While composing the album, West assembled a large staff of established producers including
Pete Rock
Peter O. Phillips (born June 21, 1970), better known by his stage name Pete Rock, is an American record producer, DJ and rapper. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest hip hop producers of all time, and is often mentioned alongside DJ ...
, the
RZA and
Q-Tip, with West handling portions of the production himself.
[Rodriguez, Jayson (2010-05-25)]
Kanye West's 'Power' Producer Explains How Song Happened
MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
. Viacom Retrieved on 2010-11-30.
Despite having several well-known producers on his recording team, the majority of the production featured on "Power" was done by the lesser-known Symbolyc One.
The song was primarily produced by him and was initially intended to be given to rapper
Rhymefest
Che Smith (born July 6, 1977), better known by his stage name Rhymefest, is an American rapper from Chicago whose first official album, '' Blue Collar'', was released in 2006. His prominent songwriting credits include co-writing Kanye West's " ...
, until West listened to the song and expressed interest in using the beat himself.
According to Symbolyc One, West was an admirer of the composition, and asked him to fly down to Hawaii, where he discovered that West had already recorded some of his version of the song.
A month later, the producer was asked to return to Hawaii and discovered that the beat had been further modified by West, who added "polish" to the track.
Symbolyc One expressed surprise that West was so interested in using the beat, since the song features drums reminiscent of a song from West's ''
Late Registration
''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 ...
'' entitled "Crack Music".
S1 would later state that tons of verses didn't make the final cut, as well as there being 8 or 9 different versions of the song itself.
In an outtake from the 2012 documentary ''
Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap'' directed by rapper
Ice-T, West mused that he had never actually written down his lyrics before, and that "Power" represented a turning point in his songwriting process:
“I didn't write my raps down for my first four albums—like at all, I did it from the head straight to the booth. But on this last album, ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'', I wrote it. I really put myself in the zone that my life was dependent on the success of this album. With that being the case, I said, ‘You know what? No matter what anybody says about me, they won’t—I can write something that can make someone that hates me the most have to really respect or love the song.’ So even a song like ‘Power,’ I spent 5,000 hours writing it, and it’s really the psychology behind the lyrics; it’s not just blatantly, ‘I’ve got all the power’—‘No one man should have all that power.’ It’s worded it in a really sensitive way that opens it up for everyone. Even if I use first person and say ‘I, I, I,’ it’s always for everyone."
West also declared influence from his previous singles "
Stronger" and "
Good Life" from his third album ''
Graduation
Graduation is the awarding of a diploma to a student by an educational institution. It may also refer to the ceremony that is associated with it. The date of the graduation ceremony is often called graduation day. The graduation ceremony is a ...
'' stating that the track was meant to be inspirational for the listener.
According to West, he wanted his music to be appealing in an economy facing a recession.
[(2012-10-16).]
Kanye West Didn’t Write Down His Rhymes Until My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy [Video]
. '' XXL'' Retrieved on 2010-11-30 On June 30, 2010, the single was released on
iTunes
iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mu ...
for digital download.
The cover art work for "Power" was produced by American
visual artist
The visual arts are art forms such as painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, photography, video, filmmaking, design, crafts and architecture. Many artistic disciplines such as performing arts, conceptual art, and textile arts al ...
George Condo, who also designed the artwork for ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy''.
[Brown, Lane (November 19, 2010)]
See New Artwork for Kanye’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
''New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
''. Retrieved on 2010-11-23. The artwork depicts a decapitated bleeding head wearing a crown, pierced with a sword through it.
[Haufman, Gil (2010-10-18)]
Who Is Kanye West Cover Artist George Condo?
MTV. Viacom Retrieved on 2010-11-30. The single had two other alternate cover designs, both produced by Condo. A second one was released featuring a depiction of West with a gaping, demented mouth.
In a January 2020 interview with ''
GQ'', West claimed that "Power" was his weakest first single to ever be released because he "felt like it was bowing to the expectations."
West explained, viewing the track as "the ultimate Kanye West song" but claiming that it was a mix of his previous works, rather that one of his "songs that people never heard before."
Composition
"Power" marked a stylistic return to
hip hop for West after the sparse
electro of ''808s & Heartbreak''. It has been described as surreal, frightening, dark, and strange in nature.
The production of "Power" centers on samples of "
21st Century Schizoid Man
"21st Century Schizoid Man" is a song by the progressive rock band King Crimson from their 1969 debut album ''In the Court of the Crimson King''. Often regarded as the group's signature song, it has been described by sources such as Rolling Ston ...
" by
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ...
progressive rock
Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog; sometimes conflated with art rock) is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early 1970s. I ...
band
King Crimson
King Crimson are a progressive rock band formed in 1968 in London, England. The band draws inspiration from a wide variety of music, incorporating elements of classical, jazz, folk, heavy metal, gamelan, industrial, electronic, experime ...
, "Afromerica" by French disco act Continent Number 6, and "It's Your Thing" by American funk band Cold Grits.
The song's production is reinforced with a vocal harmony provided by Dwele, with a line delivery mostly inspired by
braggadocio
Braggadocio may refer to:
*Braggadocchio, a fictional character in the epic poem ''The Faerie Queene''
*A braggart or empty boasting
*Braggadocio (rap), a type of rapping
*Braggadocio (typeface)
Braggadocio is a geometrically constructed sans-s ...
rapping methods.
[Embling (2010–11)]
Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy , Music Review , Tiny Mix Tapes
Tiny Mix Tapes
''Tiny Mix Tapes'' (also ''TMT'' or ''tinymixtapes'') is an online music and film webzine that focuses primarily on new music and related news. In addition to its reviews, it is noted for its subversive, political, and sometimes surreal news, ...
. Retrieved on 2011-04-30. The song has been described as dark thematically and was called "
apocalyptic."
[Fennessey, Sean (2010-11-17)]
Review: ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy''
''The Village Voice
''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the cr ...
''. Retrieved on 2010-11-17. According to Alex Denney of ''
NME'', the track is the first moment of
catharsis
Catharsis (from Greek , , meaning "purification" or "cleansing" or "clarification") is the purification and purgation of emotions through dramatic art, or it may be any extreme emotional state that results in renewal and restoration. In its lite ...
on ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'', stating that the track made use of "tribal fanfare and supercharged lyrics."
He mused that lines like “I guess every superhero need his theme music” appear to be West's imagining of a warm welcome to heaven.
[Denney, Alex (2010-11-19)]
Review: ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy''
'' NME''. Retrieved on 2010-11-22. Pitchfork Media's Ryan Dombal described West's delivery as urgent, summarizing the production;
"More than ever, though, "Power" has Kanye internalizing his multiple minds and coming to an ecstatic peace with them. "Power" is not a bitchfest. It's an exaltation. All of his various guises-- King of the Assholes, drama queen, Red Bull
Red Bull is a brand of energy drinks of Austrian company Red Bull GmbH. With 38% market share, it is the most popular energy drink brand as of 2019. Since its launch in 1987, more than 100 billion cans of Red Bull have been sold worldwide, inclu ...
'd 12-year-old, Next Chappelle Chappelle is a surname of French origin, a variant of the word ''chapelle'' meaning "chapel". Notable people with the name include:
* Bill Chappelle, American baseball player
* Charles W. Chappelle (1872–1941), African-American aviation pioneer
...
, strangely relatable Megaman-- are mashed up in this proudly schizoid
Schizoid personality disorder (, often abbreviated as SzPD or ScPD) is a personality disorder characterized by a lack of interest in social relationships, a tendency toward a solitary or sheltered lifestyle, secretiveness, emotional coldness ...
roll call. Every sound is ready for the arena, and every couplet is ready for the 140 character treatment, including this one: "I don't need yo pussy, bitch, I'm on my own dick/ I ain't gotta power trip, who you goin' home with?" He knows the answer, and so do we."
The song takes several influences from previous projects by West and was called a summation of his prior styles.
The song takes cues from the militant chants of West's song "
Jesus Walks
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, names and titles), was ...
" from his first album ''
The College Dropout
''The College Dropout'' is the debut studio album by American rapper and producer Kanye West. It was released on February 10, 2004, by Def Jam Recordings and Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Records. In the years leading up to release, West had received p ...
'', the drum-style of "Crack Music" from West's ''Late Registration'', the inspirational aspect of "Stronger" from ''Graduation'' and the atmospheric piano and strings featured on ''808s & Heartbreak''.
The chorus is "simultaneously boastful, condemning, and anxious," and anthemic in nature, featuring a wordless vocal chant.
[Grischow, Chad (November 23, 2010)]
Kanye West: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy Review – Music Review at IGN
. IGN. Retrieved on 2011-04-30. West utilizes a military-inspired, "take-no-prisoner" approach on the song, purposely failing to be apologetic, even going as far as mocking some of his critics.
Other topics discussed on the song include social commentary on the state of the United States, and his thoughts on race issues.
The lyrics of the song have been cited as "classic Kanye," featuring many of the traits that have been exhibited in his lyricism in the past.
Themes that have defined much of his work, such as egotism, cultural criticism, and personal issues, are featured prominently in the song.
West self-described the song as "superhero theme music," with the track darting back from being depressing and bombastic in nature, with the sample occasionally cutting through the song in an abrasive manner. The track seemingly culminates with the suicide of its main character, ending with a
menacing laugh provided by West.
During an interview with New York radio station
Power 105.1, West said he spent thousands of hours working on this carefully crafted song. "A song like 'Power' took 5,000 hours, like literally 5,000 man-hours to do this one record."
Reception
Critical response
"Power" received rave reviews from music critics upon release, many calling it West's best single in years. Jon Dolan of ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' gave a positive review to the song, describing it as West's best single since "Stronger", writing that West "rides a torrid whipsaw beat, as he takes on his spelunking media image, pinballing from self-aware ('I'm an asshole') to defiant ('Kiss my asshole'). The sentiment is classic Kanye, but he hasn't melted down this brilliantly in a long time."
Jason Lipshutz from ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...
'' praised the song, saying, "with its stunning mix of rock-leaning production, memorable rhymes and unadulterated attitude, new single 'Power' is a pissed-off shot of adrenaline that plays upon all of the controversial rapper's strengths. Rhyming over a soulful vocal harmony and an abrasive sample of King Crimson's "21st Century Schizoid Man," West dismisses his doubters, takes a shot at ''Saturday Night Live'' and shrugs off his recent hiatus from hip-hop."
Ryan Dombal of
Pitchfork Media
''Pitchfork'' (formerly ''Pitchfork Media'') is an American online music publication (currently owned by Condé Nast) that was launched in 1995 by writer Ryan Schreiber as an independent music blog.
Schreiber started Pitchfork while working ...
dubbed the track 'Best New Music' in June 2010, and viewed it as an adequate response to West's self-imposed exile and public scrutiny.
Talking about the album version of the song, David Amidon of ''
PopMatters
''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television
...
'' praised the new minor additions featured in the production, musing "from mere sonic details to a litany of background histrionics on guitar that play off of West's delivery throughout," and compared the production favorably to ''Late Registration''.
[Amidon, David (November 22, 2010)]
Review: ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy''
PopMatters
''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television
...
. Retrieved on 2010-11-22. HipHopDX writer Jake Paine felt that one of the best moments of the album occurred early on, during "Power" and that track will likely be the most remembered song "in lyrical circles."
[Paine, Jake (2010-10-04)]
Kanye West My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
HipHopDX. Retrieved on 2010-11-27. Nathan Rabin of ''
The A.V. Club'' called the track a terrific single, declaring that it "soars to adrenaline-fueled heights on the strength of urgent, stomping percussion-driven, serpentine electric guitar, and a show-stopping sample of King Crimson’s "21st Century Schizoid Man", stating that the song best showcases West's vision on the album.
[Rabin, Nathan (November 23, 2010)]
Review: ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy''
'' The A.V. Club''. Retrieved on 2010-11-23. BBC's Stephen Kelly called the song "brilliantly pompous."
''
Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...
'' writer
Greg Kot
Greg Kot (born March 3, 1957) is an American music journalist and author. From 1990 until 2020, Kot was the rock music critic at the '' Chicago Tribune'', where he covered popular music and reported on music-related social, political and busine ...
called the song exhilarating in nature, with a furious, layered, percussion beat, praising the song's narrative about a man who "lost in translation with a whole... nation."
[Kot, Greg (2010-11-17)]
Review: ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy''
''Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...
''. Retrieved on 2010-11-17. MT Richards of ''
Slant Magazine
''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New Yo ...
'' stated that "Power" sounded nothing like any hip-hop song of recent memory, going as far as saying that the single signified that West was in a "league of his own."
Richards largely praised, the song, musing that the "misanthropic 'Power' will surely alienate those longing for another sunny hit like "
Hey Mama". At last, West has emerged steely-eyed, bold, and out of his mind."
[Richards, MT (2010-06-03)]
Single Review: Kanye West's Power
Slant Magazine
''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New Yo ...
. Retrieved on 2010-11-20. AbsolutePunk
''AbsolutePunk'' was a website, online community, and alternative music news source founded by Jason Tate (the most recent CEO). The website mainly focused on artists who are relatively unknown to mainstream audiences, but it was known to fea ...
's Drew Beringer stated that the track was a classic West song, with the track featuring a "brilliant sample of King Crimson" and infectious hand claps.
The song was also well received by former King Crimson member
Greg Lake
Gregory Stuart Lake (10 November 1947 – 7 December 2016) was an English musician, singer, and songwriter. He gained prominence as a founding member of the progressive rock bands King Crimson and Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP).
Born and ...
, the original
lead vocalist
The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of the ...
and
bassist
A bassist (also known as a bass player or bass guitarist) is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass (upright bass, contrabass, wood bass), bass guitar (electric bass, acoustic bass), synthbass, keyboard bass or a low b ...
on "21st Century Schizoid Man." When asked for his own stance on
sampling during an interview with
O2 Academy The O2 Academy may refer to one of a number of Academy Music Group venues in the United Kingdom (in alphabetical order):
* O2 Academy Birmingham
* O2 Academy Bournemouth
* O2 Academy Bristol
* O2 Academy Brixton
* O2 Academy Edinburgh
* O2 Academy ...
, Lake gave a positive response. He stated, "What I was pleased with was, is the relevance of '21st Century Schizoid Man' today. You know, it still sounds current. It still sounds relevant. That’s really gratifying after all of these years. I mean, that record is what—40, 50 years old? I don’t know, but very old. Old like me! But it’s lovely to hear a really contemporary artist doing it." In an interview with ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'', Lake further commented, "In a way, that song still sounds modern to me. I think when you hear Kanye West do it, or include it in his own song, it's relevant. He's speaking about that crazy world that we live in. It's as true now as it was then. It's an honor when something like that happens."
Due in part to West's usage, "21st Century Schizoid Man" has since become a favorite of Lake, who became known for opening each of his one-man shows by performing the song during his 2012 Songs of a Lifetime theatre tour.
Lake went into detail regarding a typical performance of "21st Century Schizoid Man" at his concerts:
"It starts with the lights going out and everything is black. The first thing you hear is the Kanye West piece
Piece or Pieces (not to be confused with peace) may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Games
* Piece (chess), pieces deployed on a chessboard for playing the game of chess
* ''Pieces'' (video game), a 1994 puzzle game for the Super NES
* ...
. When the hook
A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved or indented, such that it can be used to grab onto, connect, or otherwise attach itself onto another object. In a number of uses, one e ...
comes on, "21st Century Schizoid Man," the spotlight comes on and there's no one on the stage. Then the track carries, but the second time the hook comes, it's me, and me singing it. And I open up with "Schizoid Man." It's a great shocker, but it's a statement too. It's enabled me to link the past with the present."
Accolades
Pitchfork Media named the song the sixth best song of 2010, with the staff writing "it's all of ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy's'' pathology and genius in digest form, the vicarious, timeless thrill of hearing a crazy talented person act crazy and talented."
''Rolling Stone'' placed the song at position 40 amongst their 50 best tracks of the year. The song was on an unordered list of the 20 best songs of the year by ''
Spin
Spin or spinning most often refers to:
* Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning
* Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis
* Spin (propaganda), an intentionally ...
'', with critic Charles Aaron musing that "as if he's inciting an Afro-futurist convocation, Kanye creates the theme music for his spectacularly ambivalent "superhero" alter ego."
[Aaron, Charles (2010-12-08)]
The 20 Best Songs of 2010
''Spin
Spin or spinning most often refers to:
* Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning
* Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis
* Spin (propaganda), an intentionally ...
''. Retrieved on 2010-12-06. MTV News
MTV News is the news production division of MTV. The service is available in the US with localized versions on MTV's global network. In February 2016, MTV Networks confirmed it would refresh the MTV News brand in 2016, to compete with the likes ...
declared the track the third best of the year, citing it as a definitive single from the album. ''
Time
Time is the continued sequence of existence and event (philosophy), events that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various me ...
'' listed the song third in its list of the 10 best songs of the year. ''
Complex
Complex commonly refers to:
* Complexity, the behaviour of a system whose components interact in multiple ways so possible interactions are difficult to describe
** Complex system, a system composed of many components which may interact with each ...
'' magazine listed it as the sixth best of the year, commenting that with "all the great music Kanye released this year, you might have forgotten just how absolutely amazing 'Power' was."
In January 2011, ''
The Village Voice
''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the cr ...
''s
Pazz & Jop annual critics' poll named "Power" the fifth-best song of 2010 to find the best music of that year; West's other singles "
Runaway
Runaway, Runaways or Run Away may refer to:
Engineering
* Runaway reaction, a chemical reaction releasing more heat than what can be removed and becoming uncontrollable
* Thermal runaway, self-increase of the reaction rate of an exothermic proc ...
" and "
Monster
A monster is a type of fictional creature found in horror, fantasy, science fiction, folklore, mythology and religion. Monsters are very often depicted as dangerous and aggressive with a strange, grotesque appearance that causes terror and fe ...
" were ranked at numbers four and six, respectively. Their parent album, ''
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'' was ranked the best album of 2010 on the same poll. ''
NME'' named it the fourth best song of 2010. The song was named the third best song of 2010 by ''Spectrum Culture''. ''
Pop Matters
''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fil ...
'' named it the fifth best song of 2010. ''
Consequence of Sound
''Consequence'' (previously ''Consequence of Sound'') is an independently owned New York-based online magazine featuring news, editorials, and reviews of music, movies, and television. In addition, the website also features the Festival Outlook ...
'' named "Power" the best song of 2010.
As "Power" was released before the Grammy cutoff date of August, it was the only work by West eligible for Grammy consideration that year, with the rest of the album eligible the following year.
The track was nominated for Best Rap Performance at the 53rd Grammy Awards, being West's only Grammy nomination that year.
It lost the award to "
Not Afraid
"Not Afraid" is a song by American rapper Eminem from his seventh studio album '' Recovery'' (2010). It was released as the album's lead single on April 27, 2010, by Interscope Records. "Not Afraid" was first revealed as a single b ...
" by
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often stylized as EMINƎM), is an American rapper and record producer. He is credited with popularizing hip hop in middle America and is critically acclai ...
.
Though the album, and its songs, later won three Grammys at the
54th Grammy Awards in 2012.
In 2019, The song was included ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...
s'' "100 Songs That Defined the Decade" list, with writer Bryan Kress' summarising; "the most endearing aspect of “Power” is the hard-earned salvation of Kanye’s reputation at a pivotal juncture in his career. At the eve of a new decade with his legacy tarnished and largely unfulfilled, West rewrote the narrative, and changed the course of the music industry as a continually groundbreaking force that could not be stopped." ''NME'' named it the sixth best song of the 2010s decade in 2019.
Commercial performance
While a significant critical success, "Power" performed less well commercially.
[Kanye West – Power – Music Charts]
aCharts.us. Retrieved 2010-07-03. During the week entering 8 July 2010, "Power" charted on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 at number 22; named as the week's ''Hot Shot Debut''.
[ Kanye West Album & Song Chart History – Hot 100 ''Billboard'' Prometheus Global Media.. Retrieved on 2010-11-30.] While the song attained a high debut, the song only remained there for one week, which was also the song's peak.[ Despite this fall in the charts, the song did eventually go platinum. On 4 September 2010, the single also debuted on the ]UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
and UK R&B Chart
The UK Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart and the UK Hip Hop and R&B Albums Chart (also known as The Official UK Hip Hop and R&B Charts, the Top 40 Hip Hop and RnB Singles and the Top 40 Hip Hop and RnB Albums, or simply the UK Urban Chart) are 40-posi ...
at number 36 and 10 respectively, before falling to number 42 on its second week in the chart.[ It debuted with sales of 6,254 downloads and marked West's 6th singles chart entry in less than six years. On 18 September 2010, the single fell 38 places to number 80, marking its third week within the Top 100.][ Following the release of the album ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'', the single re-entered the chart at number 57 and as of 23 October 2010 has spent a total of five weeks within the Top 100.] In 2011, the single re-entered the UK singles chart and urban chart, at number 38 and 12 respectively.
By 2017, Official Charts Company
The Official Charts (legal name: The Official UK Charts Company Limited) is a British inter-professional organization that compiles various "official" record charts in the United Kingdom, Ireland and France.
In the United Kingdom, its charts inc ...
revealed that "Power" was the 83rd best-selling hip-hop song of all time in the UK. In 2018, Spotify
Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active us ...
named the song the fourth most popular workout song of all time, while West's "Stronger" was third on the list. As of October 24, 2019, the former ranks as West's seventh most popular track of all time on the UK Singles Chart.
Marketing
Remix
In promotion of West's ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'', he launched GOOD Fridays, a weekly free music giveaway.[ The intention was to release a free new song every Friday for a few months to promote his album, and the weekly tracks generally featured various rappers from his label, ]GOOD Music
GOOD Music (also known simply as GOOD, stylized as G.O.O.D. Music; a backronym for Getting Out Our Dreams) is an American record label founded by rapper Kanye West in 2004. The label signed an exclusive long-term worldwide label agreement with t ...
, and other artists he usually collaborated with. A remix of "Power" was the very first GOOD Friday released, and in an interview with ''Hot 97
WQHT (97.1 FM, ''Hot 97'') is a commercial radio station, licensed to New York, New York, which broadcasts an urban contemporary music format. The station is owned by Mediaco Holding and operated by Emmis Communications under a shared ser ...
'', West said that the remix was to feature his good friend and rapper Jay-Z.[ It was originally intended to be released on August 13, 2010, but was premiered on August 20, 2010, on ''Hot 97'' by ]Funkmaster Flex
Aston George Taylor Jr. (born August 5, 1968), professionally known as Funkmaster Flex, is an American DJ, rapper, record producer, and host on New York City's Hot 97 radio station. In 1992, he became host of the first hip hop radio show on Hot ...
. The song also features vocals and production from Swizz Beatz
Kasseem Daoud Dean (born September 13, 1978), known professionally as Swizz Beatz, is an American record producer, rapper, disc jockey (DJ) and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, Dean embarked on his musical career as a DJ. At the ag ...
and all new verses provided by West.[ Swizz Beatz produced the second half of the song which samples ]Snap!
Snap! is a German Eurodance group formed in 1989 by Record producer, producers Michael Münzing and Luca Anzilotti. The act has been through a number of line-up changes over the years, including American singers, songwriters and rappers Thea A ...
's hip house
Hip house, also known as rap house or house rap, is a musical genre that mixes elements of house music and hip hop, that originated in both London, United Kingdom and Chicago, United States in the mid to late 1980s.
British group the Beatmaste ...
hit
Hit means to strike someone or something.
Hit or HIT may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Fictional entities
* Hit, a fictional character from '' Dragon Ball Super''
* Homicide International Trust, or HIT, a fictional organization ...
, " The Power." The remix was described as more intricate than an average remix, with Jay-Z discussing the ups and downs of life and referencing Norman Mailer
Nachem Malech Mailer (January 31, 1923 – November 10, 2007), known by his pen name Norman Kingsley Mailer, was an American novelist, journalist, essayist, playwright, activist, filmmaker and actor. In a career spanning over six decades, Mailer ...
.[
]
Live performances
West debuted "Power" live at the 2010 BET Awards
The BET Awards is an American award show that was established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate black entertainers and other minorities in music, film, sports and philanthropy. The awards, which are presented annua ...
, where he performed the song atop a mountain-like prop, with a video compilation of footage shot on top of a mountain playing in the back. West performed the track on ''Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves ...
'' on October 2, where he also substituted a verse containing profane language, as well as a diss towards the show itself ("Fuck ''SNL'' and the whole cast"), with an entirely new version. For the first time in the show's history, the signature black instrument filled stage gave place to an all-white, backlit canvas.[
West's performance was heavily publicized and received positive notices.][ ]HitFix
HitFix, or HitFix.com, was an entertainment news website that launched in December 2008 specializing in breaking entertainment news, insider information, and reviews and critiques of film, music, and television. In mid-2010 HitFix crossed the 1,00 ...
's Gregory Ellwood praised the performance, writing "note to Lorne Michaels
Lorne Michaels (born Lorne David Lipowitz; November 17, 1944) is a Canadian-American producer, screenwriter, and comedian. He is best known for creating and producing ''Saturday Night Live'' (1975–1980, 1985–present) and producing the '' La ...
: whatever West had to do to let you break form and come up with such a visually stunning and impressive performance was well, well worth it. This is memorable television. Hands down." E! Online
E! (an initialism for Entertainment Television) is an American basic cable channel which primarily focuses on pop culture, celebrity focused reality shows, and movies, owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of NBCUniversa ...
's Megan Masters mused that "West's SNL performance proved once again that no matter what's going on in his personal life, he is an artist and will continue to take chances in the music industry—ultimately breaking new ground," adding that "Kanye West is a comeback king." Kevin O'Donnell of ''Spin'' wrote that West delivered one of the show's "most unique performances of all-time." West performed the song in an entirely red outfit.[
West also performed the track live at the EMAs 2010, in Madrid, during ]Thirty Seconds to Mars
Thirty Seconds to Mars (commonly stylized as 30 Seconds to Mars) is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1998. The band consists of brothers Jared Leto (lead vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards) and Shannon Leto (drums, pe ...
's performance of their song "Hurricane
A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depend ...
", which also features a verse by West. The remixed version of the song were performed by West and Jay-Z during their
Watch the Throne Tour. The remixed version was performed at Jay-Z's and Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often stylized as EMINƎM), is an American rapper and record producer. He is credited with popularizing hip hop in middle America and is critically acclai ...
's " Home & Home" concert in the new Yankee
The term ''Yankee'' and its contracted form ''Yank'' have several interrelated meanings, all referring to people from the United States. Its various senses depend on the context, and may refer to New Englanders, residents of the Northern United St ...
Stadium
A stadium ( : stadiums or stadia) is a place or venue for (mostly) outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a tiered structure designed to allow spectators to stand o ...
, during Jay-Z portion of the performance. West joined Jay-Z on stage and also performed single "Monster
A monster is a type of fictional creature found in horror, fantasy, science fiction, folklore, mythology and religion. Monsters are very often depicted as dangerous and aggressive with a strange, grotesque appearance that causes terror and fe ...
". During his set at the 2011 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (commonly called the Coachella Festival or simply Coachella) is an annual music and arts festival held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Coachella Valley in the Colorado Desert. ...
, West performed "Power" during the start of the performance. West's performance was described as "one of the most memorable performances in Coachella history." Matthew Perpetua of ''Rolling Stone'' noted that "with its stomping beat and chanted chorus, 'Power'—one of West's most grandiose songs anyway—was an early highlight of his show." When performing with a choir at the festival in 2019, West directed the choir through a re-make of the song that praised God's capacity.
Music video
''The New York Times'' previewed a clip of the music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing devic ...
directed by artist Marco Brambilla, featuring Irina Shayk
Irina Valeryevna Shaykhlislamova (russian: Ирина Валерьевна Шайхлисламова; born 6 January 1986), known professionally as Irina Shayk (; russian: Ирина Шейк), is a Russian model and television personality who ...
, Jessica White
Jessica White (born June 21, 1984) is an American fashion model, actress and television personality. She is best known for being a Victoria's Secret runway model, Maybelline spokesperson and working for CoverGirl, as well as her appearances in ...
and African-American albino fashion model Diandra Forrest. The video premiered on MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
on August 5, 2010, preceding a new episode of ''Jersey Shore
The Jersey Shore (known by locals simply as the Shore) is the coastal region of the U.S. state of New Jersey. Geographically, the term encompasses about of oceanfront bordering the Atlantic Ocean, from Perth Amboy in the north to Cape May Po ...
''.[ The "Power" video commences with a portrait-view headshot of West staring intensely into the camera with illuminated eyes and wearing a large, low-hanging gold chain necklace with an equally large pendant of ]Horus
Horus or Heru, Hor, Har in Ancient Egyptian, is one of the most significant ancient Egyptian deities who served many functions, most notably as god of kingship and the sky. He was worshipped from at least the late prehistoric Egypt until the P ...
.[
As the music begins, the camera slowly tracks out in one continuous take to reveal West standing at the end of a hallway of black columns, and surrounded by partially dressed female characters.][ Some kneel before him, some embrace, four figures wear ]ibex
An ibex (plural ibex, ibexes or ibices) is any of several species of wild goat (genus ''Capra''), distinguished by the male's large recurved horns, which are transversely ridged in front. Ibex are found in Eurasia, North Africa and East Africa. ...
-like horns; and some are inverted, pouring water that flows upward.[ Two horned, staff-bearing figures, loosely resembling interpretations of ]Isis
Isis (; ''Ēse''; ; Meroitic: ''Wos'' 'a''or ''Wusa''; Phoenician: 𐤀𐤎, romanized: ʾs) was a major goddess in ancient Egyptian religion whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. Isis was first mentioned in the Old Kingd ...
and Hathor
Hathor ( egy, ḥwt-ḥr, lit=House of Horus, grc, Ἁθώρ , cop, ϩⲁⲑⲱⲣ, Meroitic: ) was a major goddess in ancient Egyptian religion who played a wide variety of roles. As a sky deity, she was the mother or consort of the sky ...
, stand on either side of West; each slowly strikes the ground with their staff, in time to the music.[ The Sword of Damocles hangs over the rapper’s head, while other slowly moving figures appear ready to strike West with blades.] The various figures within the painting are presented in poses similar to the Major Arcana
The Major Arcana are the named or numbered cards in a cartomantic tarot pack, the name being originally given by occultists to the trump cards of a normal tarot pack used for playing card games. There are usually 22 such cards in a standard 78-car ...
and Minor Arcana The Rider–Waite_Tarot.html"_;"title="King_of_Swords_card_from_the_Rider–Waite_Tarot">King_of_Swords_card_from_the_Rider–Waite_Tarot_
The_Minor_Arcana,_sometimes_Lesser_Arcana,_are_the_Suit_(cards).html" ;"title="Rider–Waite_Tarot_.html" ;" ...
of the Etteilla occult tarot deck.[ Anthony Beningo of '' Daily News'' described the ending of the video:
]"The focus of the video turns out to be West's death. After a few close-up shots of the rapper's surroundings, Brambilla's camera pulls back and everyone disappears, leaving only West and the two warriors. Realization dawns that they aren't swinging at each other, but rather converging on King Kanye. But before they can decapitate him, however, the video cuts to black."
West has called the video a "moving painting." Brambilla mused about the video that “it’s kind of apocalyptic, in a very personal way," and that "it’s a very exaggerated hyper-sensational version of what the song is saying.” The video is much shorter than the actual song, lasting less than two minutes and only covering the first verse. It was later revealed that the 103-second video, which invokes cultural references from the Renaissance period to Greek mythology, is a teaser for a longer clip, though the full-length version of the video never surfaced. One of the reasons proposed why the full version never was released was because "Power" was also used during '' Runaway'', a 35-minute music video directed by West set to music from ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy''.
Reception
MTV Buzzworthy's Chris Ryan gave a positive review of the video, stating that it "marks a change in the way we look at music videos as a medium—it's less a music video, more a modern art montage with a heavy dose of ancient Egyptian imagery and possible references to Michelangelo
Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (; 6 March 1475 – 18 February 1564), known as Michelangelo (), was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was insp ...
's "The Creation of Adam
'' Creation of Adam'' () is a fresco painting by Italian artist Michelangelo, which forms part of the Sistine Chapel's ceiling, painted c. 1508–1512. It illustrates the Biblical creation narrative from the Book of Genesis in which God gives li ...
" (with a fair Kanye-esque helping of chesty females). In it, Kanye West ironically builds an unattainable artistic empire fit for a king (or pharaoh
Pharaoh (, ; Egyptian: ''pr ꜥꜣ''; cop, , Pǝrro; Biblical Hebrew: ''Parʿō'') is the vernacular term often used by modern authors for the kings of ancient Egypt who ruled as monarchs from the First Dynasty (c. 3150 BC) until the an ...
), while condemning the role power plays in our lives. So much to think about." Beningo of ''Daily News'' compared the video to the work of Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
, calling it an event of a video. Hitfix's Katie Hasty mused that West "put on a crown for 'Jesus Walks,' so it was only a matter of time before he ascended into heaven," describing the video as a "little weird, a little funny." The video for "Power" earned multiple nominations; Best Special Effects and Best Art Direction at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards, Best Visual Effects and Best Urban Video at the 2010 UK Music Video Awards., along with Best Hip-Hop Video at the 2011 MTV Video Music Aid Japan. '' NME'' named it the second best music video of 2010. ''Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' listed it among the ten best music videos of 2010.
Lawsuit
In 2022, Declan Colgan Music Ltd, the owners of the mechanical license
In copyright law, a mechanical license is a license from the holder of a copyright of a composition or musical work, to another party to create a "cover song", reproduce, or sample a portion of the original composition. It applies to copyrighted ...
for "21st Century Schizoid Man", filed a lawsuit against UMG, claiming that West had sampled it in "Power" without an appropriate license. They claimed that they had been underpaid in royalties by UMG.
Personnel
*Produced by S1 and Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
*Additional Production by Jeff Bhasker
Jeff Bhasker (born March 4, 1974) is an American record producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist based in Los Angeles. He was awarded the Grammy Award for Producer of the Year in 2016 and nominated in 2013.
An accomplished producer, he ...
and Mike Dean
*Recorded by Andrew Dawson, Anthony Kilhoffer and Mike Dean at the Avex Recording Studio, Honolulu
Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...
*Engineered by Ken Lewis and Brent Kolatalo
Brent Kolatalo is an American Mixing engineer, mixer, record producer, Audio engineer, engineer and songwriter based in New York City. Kolatalo has worked with numerous artists and musicians, including Kanye West, Jay-Z, Eminem, Drake (musician), ...
*Mixed by Manny Marroquin
Manny Marroquin (born September 21, 1971) is an American mixing engineer.Daley, Dan (May 2005).Manny Marroquin. ''Sound on Sound''. Retrieved February 10, 2007 He has received ten Grammy awards for his professional audio work.
Life and career
M ...
at Larrabee Studios, LA
*Assistant Mix Engineers: Christian Plata and Erik Madrid
*Chant Vocals: Alvin Fields and Ken Lewis
*Handclaps
A clap is the percussive sound made by striking together two flat surfaces, as in the body parts of humans or animals. Humans clap with the palms of their hands, often quickly and repeatedly to express appreciation or approval (see applause), b ...
by Ian Allen, Wilson Christopher, Uri Djemal and Chris Soper
*Keyboards
Keyboard may refer to:
Text input
* Keyboard, part of a typewriter
* Computer keyboard
** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping
** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware
Music
* Musi ...
: Jeff Bhasker and Mike Dean
*Guitar and Bass: Mike Dean
*Cello
The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a Bow (music), bowed (sometimes pizzicato, plucked and occasionally col legno, hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually intonation (music), t ...
: Chris "Hitchcock" Chorney
*Additional Vocals: Dwele
Andwele Gardner (born February 14, 1978), better known by his stage name Dwele, is an American R&B singer, rapper, songwriter and record producer from Detroit, Michigan.
Biography
Gardner was raised on the west side of Detroit in a musical fam ...
Media usage
* "Power" was used in a hip-hop routine on the hit dance show ''So You Think You Can Dance
''So You Think You Can Dance'' is a franchise of reality television shows in which contestants compete in dance. The first series of the franchise, created by '' Idols'' producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe, premiered in July 2005 and has ...
'' in its seventh season.
* Professional skateboarder Paul Rodriguez used the song for his 2010 Plan B Skateboards
Plan B Skateboards is a skateboarding company based in San Diego California, United States, founded by Mike Ternasky, Danny Way and Colin McKay. PlanB has been manufacturing and selling premium skateboard hard goods and apparel since 1991 .
Hist ...
solo skate video ''Me, Myself & I''.
* The song appeared in a promotional trailer for 2010 film ''The Social Network
''The Social Network'' is a 2010 American biographical drama film directed by David Fincher and written by Aaron Sorkin, based on the 2009 book ''The Accidental Billionaires'' by Ben Mezrich. It portrays the founding of social networking websi ...
''.[(2010-08-03)]
Film trailer: Latest for 'The Social Network' with Kanye West
''The Independent
''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
''. Retrieved on 2010-11-19.
* "Power" appeared in the trailer for 2011 film '' Limitless''.[King, Generous (2010-12-22)]
“Limitless”_Movie_Trailer,_A_Pill_That_Acceses_[sic
/nowiki>_100%_of_Your_Brain_Power,_That’s_Kanye_West’s_“Power”_Forreal!.html" ;"title="ic">“Limitless” Movie Trailer, A Pill That Acceses ic">“Limitless”_Movie_Trailer,_A_Pill_That_Acceses_[sic
/nowiki>_100%_of_Your_Brain_Power,_That’s_Kanye_West’s_“Power”_Forreal!_LoyalKNG_Retrieved_on_2010-11-23._
*_The_song_was_used_in_TV_spots_for_the_2015_reboot_of_Fantastic_Four_(2015_film).html" ;"title="ic
/nowiki> 100% of Your Brain Power, That’s Kanye West’s “Power” Forreal!">ic">“Limitless” Movie Trailer, A Pill That Acceses ''Fantastic_Four''.
*_"Power"_was_featured_in_the_trailer_for_2013_crime_drama_film_
/nowiki>_100%_of_Your_Brain_Power,_That’s_Kanye_West’s_“Power”_Forreal!_LoyalKNG_Retrieved_on_2010-11-23._
*_The_song_was_used_in_TV_spots_for_the_2015_reboot_of_Fantastic_Four_(2015_film)">''Fantastic_Four''.
*_"Power"_was_featured_in_the_trailer_for_2013_crime_drama_film_Broken_City_(film)">''Broken_City''.
*_It_was_featured_in_an_episode_of_''Gossip_Girl_(TV_series).html" "title="Broken_City_(film).html" ;"title="ic
/nowiki> 100% of Your Brain Power, That’s Kanye West’s “Power” Forreal! LoyalKNG Retrieved on 2010-11-23.
* The song was used in TV spots for the 2015 reboot of Fantastic Four (2015 film)">''Fantastic Four''.
* "Power" was featured in the trailer for 2013 crime drama film Broken City (film)">''Broken City''.
* It was featured in an episode of ''Gossip Girl (TV series)">Gossip Girl
''Gossip Girl'' is an American teen drama television series based on the novel series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar. The series, developed for television by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, ran on The CW network for six sea ...
'' entitled "Goodbye, Columbia."[Berman, Judy (2010-10-11)]
'Gossip Girl' recap: 'The greatest aphrodisiac'
''Los Angeles Times'' Retrieved on 2010-11-23.
* The single featured in the video game ''Saints Row: The Third'', appearing in the single-player campaign and in-game radio stations, as well as its soundtrack end credits and trailer.
* The song was utilized in the official trailer for ''Forza Motorsport 4
''Forza Motorsport 4'' is a 2011 racing video game developed by Turn 10 Studios and published by Microsoft Studios for the Xbox 360. It is the fourth installment in the ''Forza'' series. It is the first title in the series to support the Kinect ...
''.
* The track was used in the pilot episode of ''Hit the Floor'' on VH1.
* Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, or TAMU) is a public, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System in 1948. As of late 2021, T ...
used "Power" as their football team's intro music from 2012 to 2022.
* Creighton University
Creighton University is a private Jesuit research university in Omaha, Nebraska. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1878, the university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. In 2015 the university enrolled 8,393 graduate and undergra ...
uses "Power" at the beginning of their men's basketball games.
* Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a public land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricultural College and Model Farm, Iowa State became one of the n ...
uses "Power" as their football team's intro music.
* American Airlines
American Airlines is a major airlines of the United States, major US-based airline headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It is the Largest airlines in the world, largest airline in the world when measured ...
used the song in a 2013 commercial titled: "New Plane Smell".
* ITV News
ITV News is the branding of news programmes on the British television network ITV. ITV has a long tradition of television news. Independent Television News (ITN) was founded to provide news bulletins for the network in 1955, and has since conti ...
used "Power" in their promotional campaigns for their coverage of the 2015 general election.
* The song was used in a TV spot for the BBC One
BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, p ...
show ''Ripper Street
''Ripper Street'' is a British mystery drama television series set in Whitechapel in the East End of London starring Matthew Macfadyen, Jerome Flynn, Adam Rothenberg, and MyAnna Buring. It begins in 1889, six months after the infamous Jack the ...
''.
* "Power" was used as the backdrop to a bumper for ''The Daily Show
''The Daily Show'' is an American late-night talk and satirical news television program. It airs each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central with release shortly after on Paramount+. ''The Daily Show'' draws its comedy and satire form from ...
'' featuring its new host, Trevor Noah
Trevor Noah (born 20 February 1984) is a South African-born comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and former television host. He was the host of ''The Daily Show'', an American late-night talk show and satirical news progra ...
.
* Paco Rabanne's Invictus and Olympea fragrance television commercials featured the song.
* The 2017 film ''Power Rangers'' used the song in its trailer, as well as during a scene in the movie.
* It was featured in a scene on UK reality TV series Love Island during season 3, episode 33.
* "Power" was used in an Xbox One X
The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third base console in the Xbox series of video game consoles. It was first released in North America, parts of ...
TV commercial entitled "Feel True Power".
* An orchestral cover of "Power" was used in the second trailer for 2017 film ''All the Money in the World
''All the Money in the World'' is a 2017 biographical crime thriller film directed by Ridley Scott and written by David Scarpa. Based on John Pearson's 1995 book ''Painfully Rich: The Outrageous Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Heirs of J. Pau ...
''.
* The song was used in a scene of 2013 film ''The Bling Ring
''The Bling Ring'' is a 2013 crime film written and directed by Sofia Coppola featuring an ensemble cast led by Katie Chang, Israel Broussard, Emma Watson, Taissa Farmiga, and Claire Julien. It is based on the 2010 ''Vanity Fair'' article "T ...
'', and appeared on its soundtrack.
* "Power" was featured in a 2019 Ford
Ford commonly refers to:
* Ford Motor Company, an automobile manufacturer founded by Henry Ford
* Ford (crossing), a shallow crossing on a river
Ford may also refer to:
Ford Motor Company
* Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company
* Ford F ...
Mustang Mach-E European ad campaign, entitled: Ford: Bring on Tomorrow.
* English soccer team A.F.C. Bournemouth
AFC Bournemouth () is a professional association football club based in Kings Park, Boscombe, a suburb of Bournemouth, Dorset, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest division of English club football. Formed in 1899 as B ...
use the song during their pre-match routine.
* The song served as Pittsburgh Pirate Kevin Newman’s at bat tune.
* "Power" was featured in a scene of the 2022 superhero film ''Black Adam''.
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Release history
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Power (Kanye West Song)
2010 singles
2010 songs
Def Jam Recordings singles
Kanye West songs
Rap rock songs
Roc-A-Fella Records singles
Song recordings produced by Jeff Bhasker
Song recordings produced by Kanye West
Song recordings produced by Mike Dean (record producer)
Song recordings produced by Symbolyc One
Songs with lyrics by Boris Bergman
Songs with lyrics by Peter Sinfield
Songs written by Greg Lake
Songs written by Ian McDonald (musician)
Songs written by Jeff Bhasker
Songs written by Kanye West
Songs written by Robert Fripp
Songs written by Michael Giles
Songs written by Symbolyc One