Monster (Kanye West song)
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"Monster" 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 third single from his fifth studio album, ''
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'' is the fifth studio album by American rapper and producer Kanye West. It was released by Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records on November 22, 2010, following a period of public controversy for West. Re ...
'' (2010). The song features rappers ,
Rick Ross William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper. Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Sean Combs, D ...
, and
Nicki Minaj Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (; born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian-born rapper based in the United States. She is known for her musical versatility, animated flow in her rapping, alter egos and accent ...
, along with
indie folk Indie folk is a music genre that arose in the 1990s among musicians from indie rock scenes influenced by folk music. Indie folk hybridizes the acoustic guitar melodies of traditional folk music with contemporary instrumentation. The genre has its ...
group
Bon Iver Bon Iver ( ) is an American indie folk band founded in 2006 by singer-songwriter Justin Vernon. Vernon released Bon Iver's debut album, ''For Emma, Forever Ago,'' independently in July 2007. The majority of the album was recorded while Vernon ...
. All five credited acts have
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s on the
posse cut A posse cut is a popular form of song in hip hop music that involves successive verses by four or more rappers.Edwards, Paul, 2009, ''How to Rap: The Art & Science of the Hip-Hop MC'', Chicago Review Press, p. 221. Tracks described as posse cuts ...
, with the production handled by West and Mike Dean. Lyrically, the song expresses often disturbing,
horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, apoca ...
-influenced concepts, with some comparing the song's eerie aesthetic to the
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track " Thriller". The song contains an atmospheric, drum-heavy composition. Originally released through West's
GOOD Friday Good Friday is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. It is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday (also Hol ...
initiative, a weekly free music giveaway he started to promote ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'', "Monster" was later confirmed to be featured on the album, and was released as a digital download on October 23. It was met with mostly positive reviews from music critics, with Minaj's verse being praised, and West's production being well received. However, critics were mixed in their assessing of who had the better verse between West and Jay-Z. The song was listed amongst the best tracks of 2010 by publications, with ''
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'' placing it at number 53 on its list of the "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years". The song debuted and peaked on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 at position 18. "Monster" was promoted with an accompanying
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 promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
, directed by
Jake Nava Jake Nava is a British director, mostly known for his work in music videos for Beyoncé, Arctic Monkeys, Adele, Britney Spears and The Rolling Stones. He also directs TV commercials, notably for Guinness and Levi Strauss & Co. Early life and ed ...
. The music video had several references to horror films and featured extensive horror imagery, with
zombies A zombie (Haitian French: , ht, zonbi) is a mythological undead corporeal revenant created through the reanimation of a corpse. Zombies are most commonly found in horror and fantasy genre works. The term comes from Haitian folklore, in wh ...
, decapitated corpses and heavily atmospheric cinematography. The music video was widely controversial, being banned from
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 ...
. The video has been criticized for its portrayal of women, and the content of the video was described as weird and disturbing.


Background

To promote his upcoming fifth album, West launched GOOD Fridays, a weekly free music giveaway. The intention was to release a free new song every Friday for a few months, 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. In the first week West released onto his website a remix of the album's first single, "
Power Power most often refers to: * Power (physics), meaning "rate of doing work" ** Engine power, the power put out by an engine ** Electric power * Power (social and political), the ability to influence people or events ** Abusive power Power may a ...
", and "Monster" was released on the second week. The song was promptly removed from his website and replaced with another track, with "Monster" being uploaded as a digital single onto
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 mul ...
. West announced that "Monster" was actually intended for his collaborative album ''
Watch the Throne ''Watch the Throne'' is a collaborative studio album by American rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West, collectively known as The Throne. It was released on August 8, 2011, through Roc-A-Fella Records, Roc Nation, and Def Jam Recordings. Prior to the re ...
'' with Jay-Z. West's announcement failed to surface however, and the song actually appeared on ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'' and was released as the album's third single.


Recording

Following some media controversies, West chose to record his fifth studio ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'' in a reclusive manner in
Oahu Oahu () (Hawaiian language, Hawaiian: ''Oʻahu'' ()), also known as "The Gathering place#Island of Oʻahu as The Gathering Place, Gathering Place", is the third-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is home to roughly one million people—over t ...
,
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.Rodriguez, Jayson (2010-05-25)
Kanye West's 'Power' Producer Explains How Song Happened
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.
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Retrieved on 2010-11-30.
Like the majority of the album, "Monster" was composed there. Rapper Rick Ross was invited to Hawaii to work with West, because West was set to produce the song "Live Fast, Die Young", which appeared on '' Teflon Don'', an album by Ross. While Ross was there with West in his recording studio, he actually walked in on West while recording another song. Ross was not initially intended to be featured on West's album, however Ross was so impressed with what he heard he decided to record a quick, though short verse. Ross had the concept of the song explained to him by West, which according to Ross, blew him away in presentation. West was so impressed by Ross that he invited him back to his studio during the final stages of the album, where he also appeared on " Devil in a New Dress". While Ross was there, both Jay-Z and Minaj were recording their verses. Ross expressed his admiration for Minaj, who impressed him during the recording. He stated that what he had observed had earned him respect for Minaj, who called the recording process a "moment of history". Minaj expressed excitement when approached to collaborate on the song, and she had contributed 32 bars to the track. Her main inspiration behind working on the track was the possibility of meeting Jay-Z, with whom she was obsessed since a young age. According to her, she literally couldn't have a conversation without quoting a line by him, and it was a dream come true to collaborate with the artist. Minaj had recorded her lines around four months before the lyrics finally appeared on the song. Minaj described both Jay-Z and West as "icons", and stated that she was blessed to be working with them. In an interview with
Rap-Up ''Rap-Up'' is a magazine launched in 2001 by founder Devin Lazerine. The publication was originally a website devoted to hip hop, until Lazerine decided to pitch the possibility of a magazine to several publishers. The magazine is focused on the ...
, Minaj mused "never in a billion years would've thought that I would've not only been on a song with one of them but both them". Justin Vernon's involvement on the song stemmed from being approached by West directly. West first got into contact with Vernon when he directly phoned him, with the intention of sampling his song "Woods". The two talked on the phone for about 40 minutes, where West explained some of the concepts for the project, and invited him down to his studio in Hawaii. West is a big admirer of Bon Iver's album ''
For Emma, Forever Ago ''For Emma, Forever Ago'' is the debut studio album by American indie folk band Bon Iver. It was first self-released in July 2007, and later saw wide release on the Jagjaguwar label in February 2008. The album is principally the work of singer-son ...
'', and was impressed with Vernon's unique use of
auto-tune Auto-Tune (or autotune) is an audio processor introduced in 1996 by American company Antares Audio Technologies. Auto-Tune uses a proprietary device to measure and alter pitch in vocal and instrumental music recording and performances. Auto-Tu ...
. The two artists became friends while playing games of
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together, and West introduced him to
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 ...
, one of his main producers. Vernon was sampled on another song from the album, "
Lost in the World "Lost in the World" is a song by American hip hop music, hip hop recording artist Kanye West from his fifth studio album, ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'' (2010). The song features vocals by Justin Vernon of indie folk band Bon Iver, as well ...
" and appears on vocals on "Monster". While there during recording sessions, he had reportedly recorded 10 tracks. He watched Minaj record her verse, and he too, expressed admiration for Minaj's performance on the song, however he noted that initially he had no idea who she was. Vernon described the process as highly artistic, stating that the fourteen-hour day recording schedule allowed for a lot of fun and creativity. West, talking about recording the song with Vernon, stated that he was "similar to me, where he just does shit just so people would be like, 'Oh shit, how did you do that? How did that happen?' He's just a really cool guy to be around."


Composition

Considered a
horrorcore Horrorcore, also called horror hip hop, horror rap, death hip hop, or death rap, is a subgenre of hip hop music based on horror-themed and often darkly transgressive lyrical content and imagery. Its origins derived from certain hardcore hip h ...
song, "Monster" has been described as brooding, disturbing, creepy and the "weirdest A-list event-rap posse cut in recent memory."Conner, Thomas (2010-12-11)
Review: ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy''
''
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''. Retrieved on 2010-11-21.
The song begins with an ominous, distorted vocal roar, sung by Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, with Vernon declaring "I shoot the lights out", which sets up the dark atmosphere of the track.Weiner, Jonah (2010-11-22)
Review: ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy''
''
Slate Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. It is the finest grained foliated metamorphic rock. ...
''. Retrieved on 2011-01-29.
The intro of the song is followed by a brief verse given by Ross, delivered in the rapping style of
boom bap Boom bap is a subgenre and music production style that was prominent in the East Coast during the golden age of hip hop from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. The term "boom bap" is an onomatopoeia that represents the sounds used for the b ...
. In a deep voice, Ross asserts the lines "bitch, I'm a monster, no good bloodsucker, fat motherfucker, now look who's in trouble," over the eerie production featured during the beginning. Following the introduction by Ross, West then provides the song's
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 ...
, singing "everybody know / I'm a motherfuckin' monster" in a heavily distorted manner. West then launches into a full verse. ''
Chicago Sun-Times The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has the second largest circulation among Chicago newspapers, after the ''Chicago T ...
'' writer Thomas Conner stated that West rhyming "esophagus" with "sarcophagus" was surely a hip-hop first. Jay-Z appears on the song after West's verse, and raps in a more forceful, sinister flow. During his verse, Jay-Z references several different horror characters, including the
Sasquatch Bigfoot, also commonly referred to as Sasquatch, is a purported ape-like creature said to inhabit the forest of North America. Many dubious articles have been offered in attempts to prove the existence of Bigfoot, including Anecdotal evidence, ...
,
Godzilla is a fictional monster, or '' kaiju'', originating from a series of Japanese films. The character first appeared in the 1954 film ''Godzilla'' and became a worldwide pop culture icon, appearing in various media, including 32 films produc ...
,
King Kong King Kong is a fictional giant monster resembling a gorilla, who has appeared in various media since 1933. He has been dubbed The Eighth Wonder of the World, a phrase commonly used within the franchise. His first appearance was in the novelizat ...
, the
Loch Ness Monster The Loch Ness Monster ( gd, Uilebheist Loch Nis), affectionately known as Nessie, is a creature in Scottish folklore that is said to inhabit Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. It is often described as large, long-necked, and with one or mor ...
,
goblin A goblin is a small, grotesque, monstrous creature that appears in the folklore of multiple European cultures. First attested in stories from the Middle Ages, they are ascribed conflicting abilities, temperaments, and appearances depending on t ...
s,
ghoul A ghoul ( ar, غول, ') is a demon-like being or monstrous humanoid. The concept originated in pre-Islamic Arabian religion, associated with graveyards and the consumption of human flesh. Modern fiction often uses the term to label a cert ...
s and
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s. Lyrically Jay-Z discusses his discontent at former associates, and concludes his verse by admitting that his
Achilles' heel An Achilles' heel (or Achilles heel) is a weakness in spite of overall strength, which can lead to downfall. While the mythological origin refers to a physical vulnerability, idiomatic references to other attributes or qualities that can lead to ...
is "love". Minaj is the final rapper to appear on the song, who delivers her lines in an urgent, energetic manner. Minaj's delivery has been described as surreal, changing delivery in mid-line. In her verse, Minaj references Jamaican DJ
Tony Matterhorn Tony Matterhorn (born Dufton Taylor on 13 March 1972) is a dancehall reggae deejay and sound system selector from Kingston, Jamaica. Matterhorn got his start in the sound system arena in the early 1990s, on Inner City Sound System first, then ...
. The song ends in a spooky, hoarse vocal riff delivered by Vernon, reminiscent of the track "Thriller". An extended vocal riff, described as "scratchy" closes the track.Paine, Jake (2010-10-04)
Kanye West My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
. HipHopDX. Retrieved on 2010-11-27.
''Pitchfork'''s Tom Breihan summarized the content of the song, writing:
Rick Ross drops by to say hi, keeping his appearance so brief that I can't help but wonder what he's even doing here. Justin Vernon inexplicably bookends the thing, pushing his
falsetto ''Falsetto'' (, ; Italian diminutive of , "false") is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous ed ...
into Antony range on the outro and muttering befuddling lyrics that have nothing to do with the rest of the song. All this over the straight-up funkiest beat Kanye West has made in years, a rippling electro push-pull that adds an effortless strut to his recent progged-out chilliness. But all that other stuff fades into the background when Nicki Minaj shows up. ..She's a whirlwind of energy, showing her full repertoire of nutso voices and kicking the living f*ck out of the beat, sounding like she's having an absolute blast the whole time."
The song heavily features bombastic tribal drums, and paranoia-inducing strings that create a feeling of tension.Sheffield, Rob (2010-11-22)
Review: ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy''
. ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
''. Retrieved on 2010-11-22.
The beat of "Monster" has been described as a "hyperventilating death rattle" by ''
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''s Chris Richards, commenting that the song was permeated with dark, urgent-sounding moans.Richards, Chris (2010-11-19)
Review: ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy''
''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
''. Retrieved on 2010-11-19.
The chorus of the song has two separate meanings; on the surface, it appears that West is bragging about his abilities as a rapper, while also making a comment on the media's reception of him, with lines like "gossip, gossip, nigga just stop it, everybody knows I'm a muthafuckin' monster".


Critical reception

"Monster" was well received by critics, with most singling out Minaj's verse as a highlight of the song. Becky Bain of
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stated that while the song featured five distinct artists, Minaj actually had the brightest appearance on the song. Sara D. Anderson of
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gave the song a positive review, complimenting each artist on their contribution. Chris Ryan of ''
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 ...
'' positively reviewed West, Jay-Z and Minaj as the stand out rappers in the song, stating "on car stereos, computers and in clubs all over, nothing got more burn than 'Monster,' his new beastly posse cut. Kanye spits about his presence being a present to us all, Jay-Z comes through with what might be his strongest verse in years, and that's where Nicki comes in, more than holding her own against the bad boys." Pitchfork Media's Ryan Dombal reported that Minaj gave the verse of her life, and applauded the contributions by Ross, who added a "hallucinatory tone" to the song.Dombal, Ryan (2010-12-21)
Review: ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy''
''Pitchfork''. Retrieved on 2010-11-21.
Another Pitchfork writer, Tom Breihan mused that the track contained the "straight-up funkiest beat" West has made in years, while commenting that Minaj was the best in show. ''
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 crea ...
''s Sean Fennessey commented that "Monster" was the track that announced Minaj's "brilliance" to most people, stating that when the posse cut "crept up the Hot 100, the song became more than track six—it became an essential part of this album's story, delivered months early."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 crea ...
''. Retrieved on 2010-11-17.
Alex Denney of ''
NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'' mused that the track "proves a riotous bit of respite" and features West "sending up his rep with a self-mocking diatribe about drowning his pain in a blizzard of blow jobs and mass adulation while Nicki Minaj sets the dials to 'ridiculous' with a fire-breathing, raga-inflected verse."Denney, Alex (2010-12-19)
Review: ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy''
''
NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
''.
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Retrieved on 2010-11-22.
Embling of
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felt that with "super-sized cipher cuts" like "Monster" and "
So Appalled "So Appalled" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Kanye West from his fifth studio album, '' My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'' (2010). The song was produced by West, along with No I.D. and Mike Dean, and features verses by Jay-Z, Cy ...
", West balanced out some of the darker moments of ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'', and that the song contained heavy "shit-talking."Embling (November 2010)
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, a ...
. Retrieved on 2011-04-30.
''
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'' Cole Matthew also commented that posse cuts "Monster" and "So Appalled" were amongst the hardest tracks ever produced by West.Cole, Matthew (2010-11-20)
Review: ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy''
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. Retrieved on 2010-11-20.
''
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''s Chad Grischow mused that the track featured great guest appearances from Jay-Z and Minaj, going as far as saying that Minaj's performance "clears up what all the hype is about for anyone still unsure".Grischow, Chad (2010-12-23)
Kanye West: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy Review - Music Review at IGN
.
IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
. Retrieved on 2011-04-30.
Robert Christgau of
MSN Music ''MSN Music'' was a part of MSN's web services. It delivered music news, music videos, spotlights on new music, artist information, and live performances of artists. The website also served as a digital music store from 2004 to 2008. History I ...
stated that West perfectly acknowledged his status as a rapper, and noted that his persona seems to be aware that his "bling-and-sex brag is about to get blown away by padrone Jay-Z's 'all I see is these niggaz I made millionaires/Millin about' and pink-haired Nicki Minaj's 'bitch from Sri Lanka-Willy Wonka-watch the queen conquer' trifecta."Christgau, Robert (2010-11-30)
Consumer Guide: ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy''
MSN Music ''MSN Music'' was a part of MSN's web services. It delivered music news, music videos, spotlights on new music, artist information, and live performances of artists. The website also served as a digital music store from 2004 to 2008. History I ...
. Archived fro
the original
on 2010-11-30.
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, fi ...
'' praised the production of the song, and stated that the track features "glass-shattering bass".Amidon, David (2010-12-20)
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, fi ...
. Retrieved on 2010-11-22.
Nitsuh Abebe of ''
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'' declared that Minaj gave one of the best verses of the year.Abebe, Nitsuh (2010-11-12)
Filthy, Rich: Kanye West's Royal ''Fantasy''
''
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''. Retrieved on 2010-11-12.
Nathan Rabin of ''
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'' praised the guest picks on the album, musing that West trades verses with the "few superstars fit to breathe his rarified air, including Jay-Z, Rick Ross, and Nicki Minaj, who single-handedly justifies her deafening buzz with her verse on the song."Rabin, Nathan (2010-11-23)
Review: ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy''
''
The A.V. Club ''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...
''. Retrieved on 2010-11-23.
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of ''
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'' praised West's performance on the song describing it as "brilliant", but also noted that on the particular song Minaj and Jay-Z were superior to him, citing Minaj's verse as her career's best.Empire, Kitty (2010-11-19)
Review: ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy''
''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
''. Retrieved on 2010-11-19.
Siim Nurklik from "
Eesti Ekspress ''Eesti Ekspress'' (''Estonian Express'') is an Estonian weekly newspaper. Founded in 1989, ''Eesti Ekspress'' was the first politically independent newspaper in the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic during the Soviet control of Estonia. Th ...
" also seems to agree with Kitty, as he claims "Nicki's final verse on "Monster" is just colossal."Nurklik, Siim (2010-12-03)

''
Eesti Ekspress ''Eesti Ekspress'' (''Estonian Express'') is an Estonian weekly newspaper. Founded in 1989, ''Eesti Ekspress'' was the first politically independent newspaper in the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic during the Soviet control of Estonia. Th ...
''. Retrieved on 2019-06-09.
Dan Vidal of '' URB (magazine), URB'' stated that West milks the potential of his guest rappers to the most impressive degree, reporting that Jay-Z's generally relaxed performance was "with a fiery growl on" and that it "features Nicki Minaj going even more bonkers with her flow than we're accustomed to."Vidal, Dan (2010-11-23)
Review: ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy''
. '' URB (magazine), URB''. Retrieved on 2010-12-08.
Sputnikmusic Sputnikmusic is an American music community website offering music criticism and music news alongside features commonly associated with wiki-style websites. The format of the website is unusual in that it includes both professional and amateur c ...
's Channing Freeman echoed the consensus about Minaj stating that her verse was the most memorable part of the song, though felt that Bon Iver's appearance didn't add up to much.Freeman, Channing (2010-11-11)
Review: ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy''
Sputnikmusic Sputnikmusic is an American music community website offering music criticism and music news alongside features commonly associated with wiki-style websites. The format of the website is unusual in that it includes both professional and amateur c ...
. Retrieved on 2010-11-12.


Accolades

''
Gigwise ''Gigwise'' is a British online music news site that features music news, photos, album reviews, music festivals, concert tickets and video content. Founded in June 2001, the site is based in London, England. History Gigwise was launched in 2001 ...
'' named it the best song of 2010. The song was named the "Collaboration of the Year" 2010 by ''
HipHopDX ''HipHopDX'' is an online magazine of hip hop music criticism and news. The website's current president and publisher is Sharath Cherian and the Head Of Content is Jerry L. Barrow. ''HipHopDX'' is the flagship publication of Cheri Media Group. ...
''. Minaj's verse for the song was named "Verse of the Year" by the same website. ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' ranked it number 10 on its list of the Best Singles of 2010.Staff (2010-12-07)
Rolling Stone's Best Singles 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, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
''. Retrieved on 2010-12-07.
Rap-Up declared the song the third best of 2010.
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 14th best of the year. 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 crea ...
''s
Pazz & Jop Pazz & Jop was an annual poll of top musical releases, compiled by American newspaper ''The Village Voice'' and created by music critic Robert Christgau. It published lists of the year's top releases for 1971 and, after Christgau's two-year abse ...
annual critics' poll named "Monster" the sixth-best single of 2010; West's other singles "
Power Power most often refers to: * Power (physics), meaning "rate of doing work" ** Engine power, the power put out by an engine ** Electric power * Power (social and political), the ability to influence people or events ** Abusive power Power may a ...
" and " Runaway" were ranked at numbers five and four, respectively on the same poll. ''
Dagsavisen ''Dagsavisen'' is a daily newspaper published in Oslo, Norway. The former party organ of the Norwegian Labour Party, the ties loosened over time from 1975 to 1999. It has borne several names, and was called ''Arbeiderbladet'' from 1923 to 1997. ...
'' placed it third on its list of the best 10 best songs of 2010. ''
Dagbladet ''Dagbladet'' (lit.: ''The Daily Magazine'') is one of Norway's largest newspapers and is published in the tabloid format. It has 1,400,000 daily readers on mobile, web and paper. Traditionally ''Dagbladet'' is considered the main liberal newsp ...
'' named it the fifth best song of 2010. ''
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 York ...
'' ranked it 19th on its list of the best singles of 2010. ''
Hot Press ''Hot Press'' is a fortnightly music and politics magazine based in Dublin, Ireland, founded in June 1977. The magazine has been edited since its inception by Niall Stokes. History ''Hot Press'' was founded in June 1977 by Niall Stokes, who co ...
'' named it one of the best songs of 2010. "Monster" was named the 19th best song of 2010 by
Beats Per Minute Beat, beats or beating may refer to: Common uses * Patrol, or beat, a group of personnel assigned to monitor a specific area ** Beat (police), the territory that a police officer patrols ** Gay beat, an area frequented by gay men * Battery ( ...
. In October 2011, ''NME'' placed it at number 53 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years", with the site's staff stating that while West had a good performance on the song, it was "star turns from Jay-Z (channeling his world-weary hip hop legend who just needed a cuddle) and Nicki Minaj (a show stealing turn from the heir apparent who was battling herself as much as the haters) that took this track over. In 2013, ''
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 ...
'' ranked Minaj's verse on "Monster" as the best rap verse of the past five years. It was ranked at number 69 by ''Rolling Stone'' on their list of "100 Greatest Hip-Hop songs of all time". In 2014, ''
Fact A fact is a datum about one or more aspects of a circumstance, which, if accepted as true and proven true, allows a logical conclusion to be reached on a true–false evaluation. Standard reference works are often used to check facts. Scient ...
'' placed it at number 30 on its list of The 100 best songs of the 2010s. The 2015 book
The Rap Year Book ''The Rap Year Book: The Most Important Rap Song From Every Year Since 1979, Discussed, Debated, and Deconstructed'' is a 2015 ''New York Times'' best-selling book written by Shea Serrano and illustrated by Arturo Torres (artist), Arturo Torres. ...
which deconstructed the most important rap songs every year since 1979, chose "Monster" as the most important rap song of 2010. "Monster" appeared on numerous best songs of the 2010s decade lists; ''
Stereogum ''Stereogum'' is a daily Internet publication that focuses on music news, reviews, interviews, and commentary. The site was created in January 2002 by Scott Lapatine. ''Stereogum'' was one of the first MP3 blogs and has received several award ...
'' placed it at 28th, ''Slant Magazine'' placed it at 25th, ''
Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...
'' placed it at 38th, ''
Parade A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, float (parade), floats, or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually ce ...
'' placed it at 50th, and ''
Uproxx ''Uproxx'' (stylized in all caps) is an entertainment and popular culture news website. It was founded in 2008 by Jarret Myer and Brian Brater, and acquired by Woven Digital (later renamed Uproxx Media Group) in 2014. The site's target audience ...
'' placed it at 100th. ''
Harper's Bazaar ''Harper's Bazaar'' is an American monthly women's fashion magazine. It was first published in New York City on November 2, 1867, as the weekly ''Harper's Bazar''. ''Harper's Bazaar'' is published by Hearst and considers itself to be the st ...
'' named it one of the 35 best songs of the 2010s, saying "it's a six-minute-long masterpiece of rap heaven and hell." Elsewhere, '' GQ'' included it its list of 24 songs that shaped the decade, commenting "Minaj's roaring interrogation of her bubblegum alter-ego stole the show". "Monster" was listed as one of seven 2010s songs that should have placed higher in the annual
Triple J Hottest 100 The Triple J Hottest 100 is an annual music listener poll hosted by the publicly-funded, national Australian youth radio station, Triple J. Members of the public are invited to vote for their favourite Australian and alternative music of the ...
.


Chart performance

"Monster" was sent to US
rhythmic contemporary Rhythmic contemporary, also known as Rhythmic Top 40, Rhythmic CHR or rhythmic crossover, is a primarily American music-radio format that includes a mix of EDM, upbeat rhythmic pop, hip hop and upbeat R&B hits. Rhythmic contemporary never uses ...
radio stations on September 21, and it was released to the iTunes Store on October 23, 2010, around
Halloween Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observanc ...
.Monster - Single
iTunes Store The iTunes Store is a digital media store operated by Apple Inc. It opened on April 28, 2003, as a result of Steve Jobs' push to open a digital marketplace for music. As of April 2020, iTunes offered 60 million songs, 2.2 million apps, 25,00 ...
. Retrieved on 2010-11-28.
It spent five weeks on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, peaking at number 18 on the chart. Kanye West Album & Song Chart History – Hot 100 ''
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 advertise ...
''.
Prometheus Global Media Prometheus Global Media was a New York City-based B2B media company. The company was formed in December 2009, when Nielsen Company sold its entertainment and media division to a private equity-backed group led by Pluribus Capital Management and ...
Retrieved on 2010-11-30.
The song also appeared within the top 30 on both the ''Billboard''
Hot Rap Songs Hot Rap Songs (formerly known as Hot Rap Tracks and Hot Rap Singles) is a chart released weekly by '' Billboard'' in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular hip-hop/rap songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio stat ...
and
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
charts. "Monster" was certified
platinum Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver". Platinu ...
by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA) for sales of 1,000,000 certified units on March 31, 2014, becoming West's 11th track to achieve the certification. The song entered 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 ...
at number 146 and went on to peak at number 111 on the chart. As of October 24, 2019, the song stands as West's 27th most successful track of all time on the UK Singles Chart. On December 29, 2017, the song was certified silver by the
British Phonographic Industry British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is the British recorded music industry's Trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards, the Classic BRIT Awards, National Album Day, is home to the Mercury Prize, and co-owns the Official Charts Company with th ...
(BPI) for selling 200,000 copies in the UK.


Live performances

The song was performed at Jay-Z's and
Eminem Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often stylized as EMINÆŽM), 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's portion of the performance. Both Minaj and West joined Jay-Z at the concert and performed the song together as a group, though Ross was absent. After joining Jay-Z during the performance, West remained on stage and performed his own singles, including the remixed version of "Power", "
Can't Tell Me Nothing "Can't Tell Me Nothing" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his third studio album, ''Graduation'' (2007). The song contains additional vocals from Young Jeezy and Connie Mitchell. It was produced by West with DJ Toomp with West be ...
" and " Good Life". West wore exactly the same outfit he did for his 2010
MTV Video Music Awards 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 category) ...
performance and his subsequent ''
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 a ...
'' performance; a red suit accessorized with his gold
Egyptian Egyptian describes something of, from, or related to Egypt. Egyptian or Egyptians may refer to: Nations and ethnic groups * Egyptians, a national group in North Africa ** Egyptian culture, a complex and stable culture with thousands of years of ...
god
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 ...
necklace and red
Louis Vuitton Louis Vuitton Malletier, commonly known as Louis Vuitton (, ), is a French high-end Luxury goods, luxury fashion house and company founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton (designer), Louis Vuitton. The label's LV monogram appears on most of its produc ...
shoes. During a live performance in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
, West joined Ross and performed "Devil in a New Dress" and "Monster". Minaj performed the song live at
Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...
'
Femme Fatale Tour The Femme Fatale Tour was the eighth concert tour by American entertainer Britney Spears. It was launched in support of her seventh studio album, ''Femme Fatale'' (2011). It was officially announced in March 2011, with dates for North American v ...
as one of the final songs in her setlist. On one occasion, West performed the track alongside Minaj on the tour, on August 2, 2011, at the
Nassau Coliseum Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum (or simply the Nassau Coliseum) is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Uniondale, New York, east of New York City. The Long Island venue is approximately east of the eastern limits of the New York City Borough of ...
in
Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...
,
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 * '' ...
, as a surprise guest. During his set at the
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 "Monster" during the first half of his setlist. The performance was accompanied by Vernon who provided his vocal hook on the song. West's performance was described as "one of the most memorable performances in Coachella history." The song was performed by West and Jay-Z during their Watch the Throne Tour. Minaj has also performed her verse on the European and American legs of her debut concert tour, the
Pink Friday Tour The Pink Friday Tour is the debut concert tour by Trinidadian singer/songwriter Nicki Minaj in support of her first two studio albums, ''Pink Friday'' (2010) and '' Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded'' (2012). The tour began in May 2012 with shows in A ...
. She has rapped her verse on her Pink Friday: Reloaded Tour. She has also rapped her verse on her European tour, the Nicki Wrld Tour.


Music video


Background and synopsis

An unfinished version of 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 promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
, directed by
Jake Nava Jake Nava is a British director, mostly known for his work in music videos for Beyoncé, Arctic Monkeys, Adele, Britney Spears and The Rolling Stones. He also directs TV commercials, notably for Guinness and Levi Strauss & Co. Early life and ed ...
leaked online before the official release on December 30, 2010. West was annoyed at the leak of the video, and nearly shelved the video altogether. A finalized version of the video was officially released on June 4, 2011, on West's official website. A promotional trailer for the music video was released online. When released, the video came with a disclaimer, stating "the following content is in no way to be interpreted as misogynistic or negative towards any groups of people. It is an art piece and it shall be taken as such." The music video is inspired by horror films and extensively features
gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
and horror related imagery, including references to '' Michael Jackson's Thriller''. The video features references to horror
cult films A cult film or cult movie, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a cult following. Cult films are known for their dedicated, passionate fanbase which forms an elaborate subculture, members of which engage in ...
such as '' American Psycho'' and ''
Saw A saw is a tool consisting of a tough blade, wire, or chain with a hard toothed edge. It is used to cut through material, very often wood, though sometimes metal or stone. The cut is made by placing the toothed edge against the material and mo ...
'' as well as the supposedly haunted painting '' The Hands Resist Him''. ''The Hand Resists Him'' is a painting created by artist
Bill Stoneham ''The Hands Resist Him'' is a painting that was created by artist Bill Stoneham in 1972. It depicts a young boy and a female doll standing in front of a glass paneled door, against which many hands are pressed. According to Stoneham, the boy is b ...
in 1972, depicting a young boy and female doll standing in front of a glass paneled door against which many hands are pressed. The painting became famous for apparently being haunted.Kershner, Jim (2002-10-31
Painting goes bump in the night: Spokane artist's work has become so hyped on Internet it's scary
, The Spokesman Review (2007-05-13)
The painting is referenced during a scene in the video where Kanye West attempts to hold a door closed, from the monsters outside attempting to enter. The video features mostly naked
corpse A cadaver or corpse is a dead human body that is used by medical students, physicians and other scientists to study anatomy, identify disease sites, determine causes of death, and provide tissue to repair a defect in a living human being. Stu ...
looking models, some of which are decapitated. West's role in the video is similar to Doctor Frankenstein, with the video set in a
castle A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...
. Jay-Z appears in the video dressed in a
tuxedo Black tie is a semi-formal Western dress code for evening events, originating in British and American conventions for attire in the 19th century. In British English, the dress code is often referred to synecdochically by its principal element fo ...
, standing in front of a nude corpse in a darkly-lit library. Zombies appear in the video, with hanging corpses and blood-splattered furniture. The video also contains the duality of Minaj; Harajuku Barbie who is from
Heaven Heaven or the heavens, is a common religious cosmological or transcendent supernatural place where beings such as deities, angels, souls, saints, or venerated ancestors are said to originate, be enthroned, or reside. According to the belie ...
, and Roman Zolanski who is from
Hell In religion and folklore, hell is a location in the afterlife in which evil souls are subjected to punitive suffering, most often through torture, as eternal punishment after death. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hell ...
. Roman Zolanski reveals his real form; a naturally curly long black-haired
demon A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in religion, occultism, literature, fiction, mythology, and folklore; as well as in media such as comics, video games, movies, ani ...
in his signature black
gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
outfit. He is a
dominatrix A dominatrix (; ) or femdom is a woman who takes the dominant role in BDSM activities. A dominatrix can be of any sexual orientation, but this does not necessarily limit the genders of her submissive partners. Dominatrices are known for inflic ...
in this video. Harajuku Barbie reveals her real form; a naturally straight long banged neon pink-haired
angel In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God. Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles include ...
in her signature white bridal dress. However, she is a
damsel in distress The damsel in distress is a recurring narrative device in which one or more men must rescue a woman who has either been kidnapped or placed in general peril. Kinship, love, or lust (or a combination of those) gives the male protagonist the motiv ...
in this video. This is because Roman kidnapped Barbie. He tortures her while they both rap Minaj's dialogued verse.


Reception

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 Melinda Newman called the video both "chilling" and "raw" and stated that the video captured the concept of the song well, expressing that it was a "brutal reveal of West's psyche". Simon Vozick-Levinson of ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' stated that the video should have been more creative and called it offensive, stating that Minaj's appearance was the best part.Vozick-Levinson, Simon (2010-12-30)
Kanye West's gory 'Monster' video leaks, full of half-naked corpses: Amazing or appalling?
''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
''. Retrieved on 2010-11-19.
Matthew Perpetua of ''Rolling Stone'' commented that the video was morbid, comparing it to "Thriller", though noted that "instead of dancing zombies, he gives us undead, barely dressed and occasionally dismembered models". Perpetua called Minaj's appearance "cameo of the year" describing her appearance in the video:
"She switches up her delivery repeatedly over the course of 31 bars, veering between cartoonish sweetness and unhinged villainy. She dramatizes the jarring dynamic shifts in the clip by appearing as a fanged
dominatrix A dominatrix (; ) or femdom is a woman who takes the dominant role in BDSM activities. A dominatrix can be of any sexual orientation, but this does not necessarily limit the genders of her submissive partners. Dominatrices are known for inflic ...
torturing a far more innocent version of herself in a neon pink wig and frilly white dress. It's a brilliant visual take on a breathtakingly badass verse, but really, they could've just focused in on her incredible facial expressions and called it a day. She's just that entertaining to watch."
The music video for "Monster" was widely controversial, being banned on MTV.
Ta-Nehisi Coates Ta-Nehisi Paul Coates ( ; born September 30, 1975) is an American author and journalist. He gained a wide readership during his time as national correspondent at ''The Atlantic'', where he wrote about cultural, social, and political issues, parti ...
of ''
The Atlantic ''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher. It features articles in the fields of politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science. It was founded in 1857 in Boston, ...
'' questioned "what would have become of
John Mayer John Clayton Mayer ( ; born October 16, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Born and raised in Fairfield County, Connecticut, Mayer attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, but left and moved to Atlanta in 1997 with ...
, had he cut a video with dead black women strewn about and invoked black women throughout his lyrics in the manner Kanye does" and labeled the video both racist and sexist in nature. However, Brandon Soderberg of ''
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 b ...
'' argues that the video was simply a "surreal response to hip-hop misogyny" and a "knowing provocation", and commented that the video was in fact inspired by horror films. Daphne Bramham of the ''
Vancouver Sun The ''Vancouver Sun'', also known as the ''Sun'', is a daily broadsheet newspaper based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The newspaper is currently published by the Pacific Newspaper Group, a division of Postmedia Network. Published s ...
'' commented that "what's entertaining about women in lingerie hanging by their necks on chains? What's artful about images of drugged, unconscious women about to be sexually assaulted?"Bramham, Daphne
"Let's label this depravity for what it is: misogyny"
. ''
Vancouver Sun The ''Vancouver Sun'', also known as the ''Sun'', is a daily broadsheet newspaper based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The newspaper is currently published by the Pacific Newspaper Group, a division of Postmedia Network. Published s ...
'' 2011-01-15.
Mikhail Lyubansky of the ''
Huffington Post ''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
'' had a negative opinion of the video, stating that the video "not-so-subtly suggests that complete female passivity, lifelessness, and even death are erotic", and interpreted the message of the video as being that "for women, what's sexually desirable is passivity, lifelessness, and death."Lyubansky, Mikhail
"Did Kanye West Create A Monster?"
''
Huffington Post ''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
'' 2011-01-03.
The release of the video was received by American activist
Ann Simonton Ann J. Simonton (born 1952) is an American writer, lecturer, media activist, and former fashion model. She founded and coordinates the non-profit group "Media Watch", which challenges what they see as racism, sexism, and violence in the media throug ...
with an internet
petition A petition is a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity. Petitions to a deity are a form of prayer called supplication. In the colloquial sense, a petition is a document addressed to some offici ...
seeking the preemptive removal of the full video from broadcast or promotion, criticizing the video as glorifying sexual violence against women. Due to the negative reactions, the video was removed from Kanye West's
YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
channel. It is unknown if it violated YouTube's policy against showing gory content or if
Vevo Vevo ( , an abbreviation for "Video Evolution", stylized as VEVO until 2013) is an American multinational video hosting service, best known for providing music videos to YouTube. The service is also available as an app on selected smart TVs, di ...
took it down for the same reason.


In other media

Minaj's verse has been praised by fans and music critics alike, with multiple celebrities including
Demi Lovato Demetria Devonne Lovato ( ; born August 20, 1992), known as Demi Lovato, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. After appearing on the children's television series ''Barney & Friends'' (2002–2004), Lovato rose to prominence for pl ...
,
Chloë Grace Moretz Chloë Grace Moretz (; born February 10, 1997) is an American actress. She is the recipient of various accolades, including four MTV Movie & TV Awards, two People's Choice Awards, two Saturn Awards, and two Young Artist Awards. She began actin ...
,
Ed Sheeran Edward Christopher Sheeran (; born 17 February 1991) is an English singer-songwriter. Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire and raised in Framlingham, Suffolk, he began writing songs around the age of eleven. In early 2011, Sheeran independently r ...
,
Kim Petras Kim Petras (born 27 August 1992) is a German singer and songwriter based in Los Angeles, California. Between 2016 and 2020, she released music as an independent artist under her own imprint, BunHead Records, before signing with Amigo and Republ ...
and
Troye Sivan Troye Sivan Mellet ( ; born 5 June 1995) is an Australian singer-songwriter, actor and YouTuber. After gaining popularity as a singer on YouTube and in Australian talent competitions, Sivan signed with EMI Australia in 2013 and released his thi ...
rapping her verse in concerts or interviews. In January 2016, singer
Adele Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (, ; born 5 May 1988), professionally known by the mononym Adele, is an English singer and songwriter. After graduating in arts from the BRIT School in 2006, Adele signed a reco ...
rapped Nicki Minaj's verse on ''
The Late Late Show with James Corden ''The Late Late Show with James Corden'' (also known as ''Late Late'') is an American late-night talk show on CBS. It is the fourth and current iteration of '' The Late Late Show''. Airing in the U.S. from Monday to Friday nights at 12:37:28am ...
'' during a segment called "Carpool Karaoke", which Minaj reacted to with praise. British actress
Millie Bobby Brown Millie Bobby Brown (born 19 February 2004) is a British actress and producer. She gained recognition for playing Eleven in the Netflix science fiction series ''Stranger Things'' (2016–present), for which she received nominations for two Prime ...
rapped the same verse while on ''
The Tonight Show ''The Tonight Show'' is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. The show has been hosted by six comedians: Steve Allen (1954–1957), Jack Paar (1957–1962), Johnny Carson (1962–1992), Jay Leno (1992–2009 and 201 ...
'' with
Jimmy Fallon James Thomas Fallon (born September 19, 1974) is an American comedian, television host, actor, and writer. He is known for his work in television as a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' and as the host of the late-night talk show ''The Ton ...
in September 2016. In 2017, Singer/Songwriter Ed Sheeran attempted to rap the verse during an interview on ''
The Breakfast Club ''The Breakfast Club'' is a 1985 American teen coming-of-age comedy-drama film written, produced, and directed by John Hughes. It stars Emilio Estevez, Paul Gleason, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, and Ally Sheedy. The film t ...
'', but forgot the words to it. The song was featured in the 2011 film ''
The Hangover Part II ''The Hangover Part II'' is a 2011 American comedy film produced by Legendary Pictures and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is the sequel to the 2009 film ''The Hangover'' and the second installment in ''The Hangover'' trilogy. Directed ...
'' as well as the ABC sitcom ''
Black-ish ''Black-ish'' (stylized as black·''ish'', `black·''ish'', and black''ish'') is an American sitcom television series created by Kenya Barris. It aired on ABC from September 24, 2014, to April 19, 2022, running for eight seasons. ''Black-ish'' ...
''. The song was remixed for the trailer of the second season of ''
The Witcher ''The Witcher'' ( pl, Wiedźmin ) is a series of six fantasy novels and 15 short stories written by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. The series revolves around the eponymous "witcher", Geralt of Rivia. In Sapkowski's works, "witchers" are bea ...
''. Minaj herself later performed the song during her medley performance for the
Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award The Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, also known as the Video Vanguard Award or the Lifetime Achievement Award, is a merit given to recording artists and music video directors at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), a ceremony that was establis ...
at the
2022 MTV Video Music Awards The 2022 MTV Video Music Awards were held at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey on August 28, 2022. The show was emceed by LL Cool J, Nicki Minaj, and Jack Harlow. Minaj was honored with the Video Vanguard Award, pr ...
.


Credits and personnel

*Produced by
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 Mike Dean and
Plain Pat Patrick Reynolds, professionally known as Plain Pat, is an American music executive, record producer, songwriter and disc jockey (DJ). He is perhaps best known for overseeing American musicians Kanye West and Kid Cudi, during their respective e ...
*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 ...
*Mixed by Mike Dean at
Electric Lady Studios Electric Lady Studios is a recording studio in Greenwich Village, New York City. It was commissioned by rock musician Jimi Hendrix in 1968 and designed by architect John Storyk and audio engineer Eddie Kramer by 1970. Hendrix spent only ten ...
and Glenwood Place Studios, Burbank – Assisted by Gaylord Holomalia, Christian Mochizuki and Pete Bischoff *Background Vocals:
Justin Vernon Justin DeYarmond Edison Vernon (born April 30, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as the primary songwriter and frontman of indie folk band Bon Iver. Known for his distinct falsetto voic ...
*
Piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...
:
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 ...


Charts


Weekly charts


Certifications


Release history


References


External links


Music Video
at
Vimeo Vimeo, Inc. () is an American video hosting, sharing, and services platform provider headquartered in New York City. Vimeo focuses on the delivery of high-definition video across a range of devices. Vimeo's business model is through software as ...
(due to issues with the content, the complete video cannot be uploaded onto
YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
) {{DEFAULTSORT:Monster (Kanye West and Jay-Z Song) 2010 singles Horrorcore songs Kanye West songs Jay-Z songs Rick Ross songs Nicki Minaj songs Song recordings produced by Kanye West Songs written by Kanye West Songs written by Jay-Z Songs written by Nicki Minaj Music videos directed by Jake Nava Music video controversies Songs written by Rick Ross Roc-A-Fella Records singles Def Jam Recordings singles Bon Iver songs Songs written by Justin Vernon Posse cuts 2010 songs Hardcore hip hop songs