Rihanna and Kanye keep this tune alive with the iconic chorus, and Ye’s ability to make what he says feel innovative. This time, instead of him overloading a beautiful track, his contributions feel dumbed-down for commercial consumption – clever, but not great for the song’s longevity. Jay-Z is a classical rapper, in love with cadence and flows, but on the two songs featured in this list, Ye has surpassed him. The whole narrative is still refreshing in 2021. Why it’s great: Conceptual music is so literal sometimes.
Able to still dip into his signature quirks, Kanye shows how much of a storyteller he truly is. Taking the role of the overbearing love interest who’s willing to fight for his love, he delivers carefully crafted verses that some fans even dare to say they miss. ‘Knock You Down’ shows the trio singing about living life in a love triangle, with Hilson having to choose between Kanye and Ne-Yo. This nostalgic feature proves how great Kanye is when he’s conceptual as well. Why it’s great: The beat drop might be one of the most joyous in Ye’s producing career. However, this it was fun and lighthearted. Kanye’s widely known mental health struggles at the time may have made people see this severely under-appreciated and misunderstood song as some sort of meltdown. ‘Highlights’ should have been given more coverage: the Ray J slander, his out-of-pocket comment on his-then brother-in-law’s relationship with rap entrepreneur Blac Chyna, and the random El DeBarge feature – this song is a wild concoction, even by Kanye’s standards. Young Thug, The-Dream, El DaBarge, Kelly Price (2016) Why it’s great: People don’t talk enough about Ye being quite the cultural chameleon – “to hell with all that rub-bish” is just what a British lad would say. This is probably one that will still be spun at parties when our great-grandkids have grandkids. Ye’s flat, inanimate approach really sold his signature braggadocio. But Kanye’s verse is legendary – with such wordplay, it could take 13 years to figure out every gag. The laidback guitar, the jazzy bassline, the smooth beat interrupted by futuristic synths – this track is so of its time. In the golden era of ‘00s pop, Kanye laid down his best featured verse for none other than Hammersmith’s own Estelle.
Unfortunately, the two aren’t best buds anymore, but this song will forever be a beautiful one due to their synergy. With an ‘80s throwback feel, Ye and the lyrical mastermind Lupe Fiasco create a track to daze about the sun to, with a freeing summer spirit. However, it is often one of those songs that everyone loves and knows, but forgets to mention when they list their favourite Kanye songs. ‘Late Registration’ gave us some of Kanye’s earliest hits, including this one. Why it’s great: As we’ve established, the best verse was clearly Nicki’s, so she switches from Roman (the monstrous persona at the start) to Barbie (her sweeter side) is always fun to rap back to. Regardless of the subpar verses of the other collaborators, Nicki and Ye made a classic, so it’s nice that he lent Nicki a verse back on her ‘Pink Friday’ debut called ‘Blazin’ that was great too. Over the purely Ye-produced beat, we got to see Nicki Minaj play around with her vocal switches and characterisation, which is - of course - her signature trait.
#KERI HILSON KNOCK YOU DOWN TWISTA NEYO FULL#
It’s quite comical for a lineup full of industry A-listers to demolished by (at the time) a rap rookie. Kanye was great on the song but his collaborators – excluding the Queen Barb Nicki Minaj – let the song down. This song is on this list purely for its cultural significance. Rick Ross, Pusha-T, Jay-Z, and Nicki Minaj (2010) And it’s perhaps never been more effective than when Ye uses it for his one-liner about girl who have more “ass than the models”. Why it’s great: The late ‘00s popularised autotune with their heavy use of the vocal corrector. Proving Kanye as the sampling king once again, with the help of the beautiful autotuned harmonies of the most sought-after feature of the ‘00s, T-Pain (who did this song as a favour for Ye), ‘Good Life’ can stay on repeat until the end of eternity. But in addition, there’s something about the computer-generated fanfare and synths that elevates your moods. Sampling the feel-good Michael Jackson classic ‘PYT’, ‘Good Life’ harnesses the infectious radiance of its predecessor.