Kanye West feat. Dwele: "Power"

[Q]

First single off Good Ass Job. Kanye's back. this is great.

[Grenade]

HOT.

[Franck]

This song is nice, it has to grow on me.

[Deleted]

His worst lead single IMO. It sounds like "Run This Town" meets everything on 808s - my main beef is this awful, cheap, samey production. The guitar is a nice change, but the music itself is so dreary and depressing. I was really hoping for something more old school, upbeat, and cheesy - classic Yeezy - College Drop Out/Late Registration ish.

[TotallyEnormousExtinctDinosaur]

Ugh this does not sound like a single. I thought it was some random reject leak.

[I'M ON ONE]

This will probably be a "single" in the same vein as "Diamonds" was the first release from the Late Registration album.

Then "Gold Digger" came out and was a huge smash.


May28 2010 5:01 PM EDT

Kanye West's 'Power' Producer Explains How Song Happened
Symbolyc One got a text saying, 'Kanye is loving your stuff. He said he's about to change your life.'

By Jayson Rodriguez



Kanye West has aligned a murderer's row of producers for his forthcoming album, including Pete Rock, the RZA and Q-Tip.

But "Power," the first track to emerge from the Chicago MC's highly anticipated LP, wasn't produced by one of the aforementioned acclaimed beatsmiths. Instead, underground producer Symbolyc One manned the boards for the number.

The Dallas-based producer (a.k.a. S1) has previously worked with Ghostface, Slim Thug and Chamillionaire, but he's hardly a household name.

"The way it came together, I work with Rhymefest," S1 told MTV News about the song, referring to another Chicago MC. "I did like four joints on his album. And one day, out the blue, I got a text from Rhymefest that said, 'Kanye is loving your stuff. He said he's about to change your life.' Two days later, I got an e-mail that said my flight to Hawaii [where West recorded much of the album] leaves in three hours! So I was on a flight, and it just happened like that. I went down and stayed for like two weeks, banged out some joints.

"The 'Power' joint that we did, it was actually a track that I already made and gave to Rhymefest, and he just so happened to play it for Kanye in the studio and he loved it. So when I got out to Hawaii, Kanye had already recorded to it."

A month later, S1 returned to Hawaii and heard "Power" again, this time with more "polish" added by 'Ye, who co-produced the song. However, S1 picked the sample that drives the record: a snippet of British progressive rock band King Crimson's "21st Century Schizoid Man."

Initially, he didn't think West would be interested in the beat, because a drum break resembles a sound the rapper already visited on "Crack Music," a song from one of his previous albums.

But West showed a heavy interest in the song, and used it to fire back at his detractors: "I'm living in the 21st century, doing something mean to it," 'Ye raps on the first verse. "Do it better than anybody you ever seen do it/ Screams from the haters, got a nice ring to it/ I guess every superhero need his theme music."

"It was incredible," the producer said. "We would just listen to the joint in the studio over and over, with the lights turned down and these layers of lights on in the studio. And we would bang it loud, over and over."

In addition to producing, S1 is a part of a trio billed as the Strange Fruit Project, who have been releasing material since 2004.

Their next project A Dreamer's Journey — which S1 described as "alternative hip-hop" — is set for fall release; he and his production parter Caleb oversaw all the material.

In the meantime, S1 said he's fielding phone calls and learning as much as he can from West.

"They kind of welcomed me into the family," S1 said. "I've been doing a lot of work with him. He's just a good dude. He has a super-good heart. He really took care of me and made me feel like a part of the family. And I'm so grateful for the position he's put me in right now."

[I'M ON ONE]

Jun 1 2010 1:02 PM EDT

Kanye West's 'Power' Is 'A Loud Warning Shot,' Experts Say
Kanye's message is, 'I'm here to smack you,' RapRadar's Elliott Wilson says.

By MTV News Staff, with reporting by Akshay Bhansali


Kanye West returned with a bang on Friday when his new track "Power" leaked online, making it the first offering from his highly anticipated next album. The MC has been keeping a relatively low profile in recent months, following his interruption of Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at last year's MTV Video Music Awards and subsequent apologies.

The Symbolyc One-produced "Power" finds West back in MC mode, firing away at his detractors and giving fans a preview of what's to come on his next project, which he's been recording in Hawaii with a slew of other artists and producers.

"I'm living in the 21st century, doing something mean to it," West spits on the opening lines. "Do it better than anybody you ever seen do it/ Screams from the haters, got a nice ring to it/ I guess every superhero need his theme music."

MTV News spoke with a group of hip-hop pundits — both our own and from the wider rap journalism world — to get their takes on West's latest number.

"The song comes out, and it's like everything stops," said Minya Oh, a.k.a. Miss Info. "It's a really strong, aggressive beat that's not street, but the drums are undeniable. But the lyrics really got me."

West delivers his trademark punchlines, but his rhymes are also imbued with a biting aggressiveness, particularly when he targets "Saturday Night Live."

"F--- 'SNL' and the whole cast," West rhymes. "Tell 'em Yeezy said they can kiss my whole ass. More specifically they can kiss my a--hole."

" 'SNL' caught a bad one," RapRadar.com's Elliott Wilson said. "[The song is] real rap, like, 'I want my spot back.' [It's like Kanye saying,] 'Drake is cool; Wayne is my man; Jay, I bow to him, he's a legend, he's my father in this — but I'm here to smack you.' It's sport: 'F--- all of you, I'm the best.' "

"Kanye is tired of being messed with," MTV News' Jayson Rodriguez said. "The same way we got tired of the Kanye rants or the Kanye antics, he's pushing back: 'You know what, I'm tired of you f---in' with me.'

"It's a really loud warning shot," Rodriguez added. "Anybody who had the feeling, 'Watch out for Kanye's next album,' this song confirmed: You were right."

The combination of an embattled West, rapping with the spirit of an underdog but delivering masterful arrangements is nothing new, according to MTV News' Shaheem Reid.

"To me, that kind of embodies his whole career," Reid said of "Power." "Because there's always been people that doubted Kanye; there's always been people, for one reason or another, that just don't like the dude. But just like Kobe Bryant wins championships, Kanye West makes classic albums."

Everyone agreed that West now has the game's attention.

"Kanye did what he's supposed to do," MTV News' Sean Lee said. "He said he was back, and artists at his level, when they come back big with records, it's got to be an event."

[I'M ON ONE]

#11 on iTunes




Hip-hop king Kanye West takes a stab at himself on the cover of “Power,” the first offering from his fifth studio album. The artwork, depicting a bleeding crowned head with a sword through it, appears to be designed by American visual artist George Condo, who illustrated the single’s previous artwork. “Power” is available now on iTunes.

[Someone Like You]

May 30, 2010 23:30:29 GMT -5 @drexbeutel said:

I was really hoping for something more old school, upbeat, and cheesy - classic Yeezy - College Drop Out/Late Registration ish.

I'm waiting for that as well. He's just seemed to be on a weird cruise control for a while now.

This is okay though. About as good as "Can't Tell Me Nothing".

[I'M ON ONE]

#9 on iTunes and has a HUGE first page ad

[I'M ON ONE]

This now has a Pop adds date for July 27

[TotallyEnormousExtinctDinosaur]

They're pushing this as the overall lead single? Yuck. Big mistake.

Least favorite Kanye single ever.

[I'M ON ONE]

I am thinking this is going to end up being like "Diamonds From Sierra Leone" from his second album.

[TotallyEnormousExtinctDinosaur]

Jul 13, 2010 13:28:15 GMT -5 I'M ON ONE said:

I am thinking this is going to end up being like "Diamonds From Sierra Leone" from his second album.

Yeah but they never pushed "Diamonds" or "Can't Tell Me Nothing" to Pop like they are with this one.

[Grenade]

Yeah, I'm really surprised they're pushing this as much as they are. I thought he'd for sure have a new single out this week or next.

[I'M ON ONE]

The adds date stuff can always change... we have seen it happen before.

I am hoping he has an official lead single out by August 1st... something like the "Run This Town" timeline from last summer. I think that one premiered in late July, and Blueprint 3 dropped in September.

[I'M ON ONE]

Video premieres Thursday after Jersey Shore.



“How do you visually paint a portrait of power?” asked artist Marco Brambilla when approaching Kanye West’s video for “Power.”

Inspired by Michelangelo’s frescos in the Sistine Chapel, the piece combines motion and imagery to depict a faux historical moment—an empire on the brink of collapse from its own excess, decadence, and corruption.

“It’s a moment of transition for [Kanye],” Brambilla told The New York Times. “It’s like the end of an empire. It’s him becoming mortal again.”

The apocalyptic video for “Power” premieres Thursday at 11 p.m. on MTV following “Jersey Shore.”

[I'M ON ONE]

Kanye West’s star power was shining bright in Singapore. Mr. West, clad in a fluorescent-colored suit, took the stage at SINGfest music festival on Wednesday (Aug. 4) to perform his new single “Power” along with past hits “Jesus Walks,” “Heartless,” and “American Boy.” He treated his Asian fans to a new freestyle during “Power,” in which he accepted blame for his past behavior and apologized to anyone he disappointed.

He rapped: “I’m so sorry to y’all, everyone one of y’all that had to fight for my name/ Everyone of y’all a year ago that I made feel ashamed/ Everyone that said, ‘Kanye is that ni**a’ … I am the one to blame, and the people that I, I, I let down, I wanna tell you, right here, right here, right now that I’m a new man and understand my position of power.”

[I'M ON ONE]

Kanye West got some inspiration for his “POWER (Remix)” from three powerful men. Mr. West was in the studio with two of hip-hop’s greats, Swizz Beatz and Mos Def, and basketball champ Kobe Bryant while completing the song.

“Power … Me Kobe Swiss and Mos vibing in the studio,” Yeezy tweeted along with a Polaroid from their session. “Kobe helped me finish my #POWER ®emix verse … Just building on the concept of #POWER… and Mos helped me find the ‘old me’ lyrically.”

[I'M ON ONE]

Aug 16 2010 9:25 AM EDT

Kanye West Ropes In Nicki Minaj, John Legend, Swizz Beatz, Others for 'Power' Remix
'I might have to put out 5 albums this year ... My spirit is full ,' Kanye tweeted.

By Gil Kaufman


Now that Kanye West is back on his grind, the LV Don appears determined to push harder than ever to produce unique music. Case in point: Over the past five days, in addition to performing at an intimate club show on Thursday, where he covered songs by Rihanna and Billy Joel and was joined by Estelle, Yeezy hit the studio to work on a remix of "Power" with an all-star cast.

Given his new status as the Titan of Twitter, he, of course, tweeted about the progress of the sessions. "Scheduled studio visits 2day, Nikki [Minaj], John Legend, Mos Def, Swizz Beatz, Pusha T, Phillip Lim," he wrote of a remix session that roped in everyone from the newlywed producer he has called one of the greatest of all time (Beatz), to Clipse member T and piano man Legend, who tickled the ivories for 'Ye at Thursday night's show.

He likened the sessions to the all-star power summits of the early jazz era, writing, "remember jazz musicians used to collab and do 4 song albums or James Brown used to just keep dropping sh-- back to back." In that spirit, West added, "I might have to put out 5 albums this year ... My spirit is full ... My heart is open ... People want new music ... I can't hold it back."

And that wasn't all. He uploaded a photo from the studio that featured him with Beatz and Def, as well as another pal who knows a thing or two about harnessing the power: Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant. "Kobe helped me finish my #POWER remix verse ... Just building on the concept of #POWE... and Mos helped me find the 'old me' lyrically," he explained early Sunday morning.

After a "super late" night in the lab with Mos that lasted early into Sunday morning, West said he was feeling so inspired that he actually had to unplug himself before he laid down the longest verse in rap history. "I had to cut my POWER remix verse short to not over do it with the million bar verse like the 2nd verse of 'See Me Now,' " he wrote. "There's so many ways to break down the subject of power ... me and Kobe went in on it... Perfect person to help out on that."

In addition to teasing a possible Justin Bieber/Raekwon collabo, throwing out some random props to M.I.A., Matt & Kim, and Fiona Apple, and taking a break to go jogging (in Lanvin gear, of course), 'Ye ended what sounded like a sleepless weekend on a creative and emotional high. "Sometimes I can't control my excitement," he wrote Sunday afternoon. "So happy ... so creative ... in the studio ... ready to create ... finished 'Power' verse ... more music."

And, in keeping with his status as the new pied piper poet of Twitter, 'Ye — who will appear at this year's MTV VMAs on September 12 — wrapped the creative marathon with an early morning tweet on Monday that summed up his new philosophy: "I'm just tryna keep it symmetrical." Right.

[I'M ON ONE]

The remix is out!!! Features Jay-Z, John Legend and Swizzy!


Aug 20 2010 9:21 AM EDT

Kanye West 'Power' Remix Co-Stars Jay-Z, Swizz Beatz
Jay gives advice and encouragement to Kanye in his verse, which premiered Thursday.

By Gil Kaufman



If you're putting together a remix of a song called "Power," it just makes sense that you should hand over the first few verses to the Forbes magazine Hip-Hop Cash King. That explains why Kanye West invited Jay-Z to bless the remake of the first single from his new album.

"Is this thing on? Oh, I thought they silenced us, 'Ye. Power to the people," Jay says before dropping into his first verse on the song, which Funkmaster Flex aired in part on New York's Hot 97 and then posted in full on his site Thursday night.

"We livin' in that 31st century/ Futuristic fly sh--/ The penthouse is the projects and everybody flies private," Jigga raps, taking the tune a century ahead of Kanye's original. "New watches, you know what time it is, watch us/ They can't stop us, the prophets, beyotches," he adds, before Yeezy lays down the song's now-indelible chorus.

But Jay's not done yet. "Rumble young man, rumble/ Life is a trip so sometimes we gon' stumble/ You gotta go through pain in order to become you/ But once the world numbs you you'll feel like there's only one you/ Now you got the power to do anything you want to/ Until you ask yourself, 'Is this what it's all come to?' "

Giving some sage advice to his younger charge, Jay adds, 'F--- all these labels/ F--- what everyone wants from you," warning that they're trying to "Axl Rose you/ Welcome to the Jungle." The Chairman follows up with a reference to the philosophy of renowned late author, womanizer and pugilist Norman Mailer, explaining that his man is "in search of the truth/ Even if it goes through Taylor Swift."

By the time it's Kanye's time to shine, he's ready to brag about how "Power" has already created its own universe. "Now when I walk in, everybody do the 'Power' clap/ Clap, clap, clap/ Fresh for the club, I just took a half an hour nap," raps the tireless MC. Then he alludes to the time he spent off after the Swift incident at last year's MTV VMAs with the line, "My socket was out the plug, now it's time to get the power back."

After pondering the abuse of power, 'Ye says while we can't all become "American Idols," we can at least "grab a camera, shoot a viral/ Huh? Take the power in your own hands/ I'm a grown man, doin' my grown dance." Considering his video for "Power" is like a moving painting, it's fitting that the Louis Vuitton Don drops an art history reference, ending his verse with the line, "I don't stop until I see the end, my vision is clear, b----/ I'm on my Van Gogh, I don't hear s---."

Uncharacteristically, West gets a bit political in his next verse, sending prayers out to those who lost family members in the Pakistani floods, praying that we keep our troops out of Iran and that we don't get tangled up with North Korea. Swizz Beatz drops in to pump West up a bit more, and then Yeezy brings it home with an extended verse in double time over his background singers, who slide into the iconic chorus from Snap!'s 1990 club banger "The Power."

Showing he's still feeling like the king, Kanye drops references to the crucifixion and compares himself to NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon and Michael Jordan. "But I be feelin' like Jordan when I'm recordin'," he says, elongating the end of each line, " 'Cause every time I record, I duck to slap the boards."

But don't think he doesn't have a sense of humor about his public image. "I don't know what these rappers gon' do afterwards/ Prolly spazz like I might do at the awards," he says, admitting that the remix is another realization of one of his life's dreams.

"Now Jay my big brother and Bey my 'lil sister."