08/06/2026
THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
TODAY IS THE 49TH BIRTHDAY OF KANYE WEST.
THE TOP 10 KANYE WEST RECOMMENDATIONS.
1-Clique
2-N...s in Paris
3-Mercy
4-American Boy.
5-Gold Digger
6-Otis.
7-Bound 2
8-Through the Wire
9-Stronger
10-Diamonds From Sierra Leone
THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
267-Kanye West, Jay-Z and Big Sean-Clique.
2012-Number 22 single.
Best Bit-At 3.02. The songs title is very apt, because it’s parent Album ‘Cruel Summer’ is a showcase Album for the artists signed to Kanye West’s record label ‘Good Music.’
In 2004 Kanye West (see also best songs 1049-636 and 477) founded the American record label ‘G.O.O.D.,’ which stands for ‘Getting Out Our Dreams,’ among his first signings were the singer John Legend, and the Rapper Common. Starting in 2010 as a promotional tool West would release several tracks featuring himself, and other members of the ‘Good Music’ roster, in a free weekly giveaway known as ‘G.O.O.D. Friday’s.’ To date the label can boast two Number 1 Billboard Hot 100 singles, from John Legend with ‘All of Me’ in 2013, and also from the Rap artist Desiigner, with his 2015 song ‘Panda.’ The label has also achieved eight Number 1 Albums on Billboards 200 Album chart, three of which are Kanye West Solo Albums.
In 2012 Kanye West released the Album ‘Kanye West Presents: Good Music – Cruel Summer,’ which was a compilation Album of only artists and producers contracted to the ‘Good Music’ record label. There were four singles released, of which ‘Mercy’ (see also best songs 849) was the first, and ‘Clique’ was the fourth. Several high profile Rappers were sent the songs ‘beat’ to freestyle over, and in the final mix only three were used. The first verse is provided by Big Sean, the second by Jay-Z, (see also best songs 636-477 and 23) and the final verse by Kanye West himself. Big Sean who had signed to ‘Good Music’ in 2010 was surprised to learn that his ‘Rap’ had been chosen as he hadn’t heard anything for a while, he explained,’Then I get a call a little bit later after that, and somebody told me that Hov is on the record and I was like, ‘damn. They were like Hov and ‘Ye hopped on it, so I’m thinking, ‘Ah, they’re probably gonna take my verse off even though I laced it,’ you know, the Throne, (see also best songs 477) Kanye and Jay … but then I get the call like, ‘Nah, it’s you Kanye and Jay-Z.'”
Kanye West was born Kanye Omari West on June 8th, 1977, in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, on October 18th, 2021, he officially was granted his request to change his name to ‘Ye,’ a nickname he had used for several years prior. He has said, ‘I believe ‘ye’ is the most commonly used word in the Bible. In the Bible it means you. So, I’m you. I’m us. It’s us. It went from being Kanye, which means the only one, to just Ye.’ Kanye West is considered to be one of the most talented and influential artists of the 21st Century, and has never been frightened to push the barriers of Hip-Hop music, in 2019 he released his ninth studio Album called ‘Jesus is King,’ which explored Christian and Gospel music.
Kanye West is one of the best selling artists of all time with record sales in excess of 160 million. The discography of Kanye West includes 10 studio Albums released between 2004-2021, and 138 singles released between 2001-2025, 54 of which are as the lead artist, and 84 as a featured artist, there are also eight mixtapes, four collaborative Albums, one official compilation Album, and two live Albums available. In America on Billboard nine of his 10 studio Albums have reached Number 1, with his debut ‘The College Dropout’ (2004) making Number 2, while as the lead artist, 40 of his singles have reached the Billboard Hot 100 top 40, with three of those tracks making the Number 1 position, with ‘Clique’ reaching Number 12. As a featured artist, Kanye West has appeared on 15 top 40 Billboard Hot 100 top 40 singles, with ‘Slow Jamz’ by Twista, featuring Kanye West, and Jamie Foxx, (2003) and ‘E.T.’ by Katy Perry featuring Kanye West (2011) both making Number 1. In the UK, Kanye West has had three of his studio Albums reach the Number 1 position, while as the lead artist he has had 36 top 40 hit singles, with ‘Stronger,’ (2007) peaking the highest at Number, while as a featured artist he has had 14 top 40 entries, with ‘American Boy’ by Estelle featuring Kanye West, (2007) and ‘Run This Town’ by Jay-Z featuring Kanye West and Rihanna (2009) both peaking the highest at Number 1.
‘Clique’ was the fourth and final single released from ‘Kanye West Presents: GOOD Music – Cruel Summer,’ which is commonly referred to simply as ‘Cruel Summer.’ It is a compilation Album by recording artists of the American record label ‘GOOD Music,’ and was released in September 2012. ‘Clique’ has five credited songwriters, Chauncey Hollis, Sean Anderson, (Big Sean) (see also best songs 849) Kanye West, Shawn Carter, (Jay-Z) and James Fauntleroy, with the production being by Chauncey Hollis using his working name of ‘Hit-Boy,’ and Kanye West. Chauncey Hollis (see also best songs 636 and 477) was born Chauncey Alexander Hollis Jr. on May 21st, 1987, in Fontana, California, United States, he is professionally known as ‘Hit-Boy,’ and is a Rapper, singer, songwriter, and music producer, who first signed with Kanye West’s ‘GOOD Music’ record label as as an in-house producer in 2011. His most commercially successful produced single in America is the Travis Scott track ‘Sicko Mode, (2018-Billboard Number 1) while in the UK it is the same song, which peaked at Number 9.
‘Went through deep depression when my momma passed, su***de, what kinda talk is that? But I been talking to God for so long, and if you look at my life I guess he’s talking back.’
THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
477-Jay-Z and Kanye West-N….s in Paris.
2012-Number 10 single.
Best Bit-At 2.43. The song received it’s title, as it was recorded at ‘Le Meurice,’ which is a hotel in Paris. If you want to stay the night, that will set you back well over $3,200.
‘N….s in Paris’ which is edited for radio as ‘In Paris,’ or ‘Paris,’ was the fourth of seven singles released from the collaborative studio Album ‘Watch the Throne,’ by the American Rappers Jay-Z, (see also best songs 636-267 and 23) and Kanye West, (see also best songs 1049-849-636 and 267) from August 2011. The song was co-written by Jay-Z, Kanye West, Chauncey Hollis, and due to part of it’s sampling the American screenwriter, and film producer John Altschuler is also credited, the track was produced by Kanye West, Chauncey Hollis, Mike Dean, and Anthony Kilhoffer. Jay-Z and Kanye West had already collaborated on many occasions prior to 2011, and the idea was to record enough material for a five track extended play, (EP) but things went so well that it ended up as a 12 track Album, with seven of the songs, all with promotional video’s, being released as singles. The duo had first begun working together in 2000 on the track ‘This Can’t Be Life,’ from Jay-Z’s fifth studio Album ‘The Dynasty: Roc La Familia,’ on which West co-wrote the track with Jay-Z, and others, and also was that songs producer. They would next work closely on Jay-Z’s sixth studio Album ‘The Blueprint,’ in 2001.
Chauncey Hollis, (see also best songs 267) who was one of the co-writers, and co-producers of ‘N….s in Paris,’ was born Chauncey Alexander Hollis Jr. on May 21st, 1987, in Fontana, California, United States, he is known professionally as ‘Hit-Boy.’ In 2011 he was signed by Kanye West to his ‘GOOD Music’ record label as an in-house production staff member, prior to his signing ‘Hit-Boy’ had first gained major recognition for his work on Lil Wayne’s 2009 single ‘Drop the World,’ featuring Eminem, which had reached Number 18 on the American Billboard Hot 100. Since 2011 ‘Hit-Boy’ has gone on to work with countless ‘Hip-Hop,’ and ‘R&B’ artists, including the likes of Drake, Beyonce, and Mary J Blige. It was ‘Hit-Boy’ who wrote the ‘beat’ for ‘N….s in Paris,’ and he has said, ‘N….s in Paris’ came about from me having a beat idea already. When I went to New York, I just further went into it. It was just a batch of beats. Kanye asked me for some beats, and that was one of the beats I gave him.’ The song was recorded by Jay-Z and Kanye West in Paris, hence the songs title, and ‘Hit-Boy’ has also said that he sent all the necessary files so that the duo could complete the track. ‘They actually went over to Paris, I didn’t get to make that trip. next thing I know, they’re like, ‘Yo, I need all the files for that beat.’ Kanye West has said that he was inspired to write ‘N….s in Paris’ after a previous visit to Paris. ‘I am where art meets commercial. The sweet spot between the hood and Hollywood. When we’re in Paris dressing all crazy at fashion shows, we listening to Jay-Z. Jeezy in Paris, that’s what it is.’
‘N….s in Paris’ makes use of musical, and vocal samples, including loops, beats, and drum loops, from the American software company ‘Big Fish Audio, Inc.’ Also sampled is the 1959 song ‘Baptising Scene,’ by Reverend W.A. Donaldson, and Jay-Z raps the line, ‘Jackson, Tyson, Jordan,’ which is lifted from the 1998 song ‘Victory,’ performed by Puff Daddy, The Notorious B.I.G. and Busta Rhymes (Billboard-Number 19 single.) At the start of ‘N….s in Paris’ you hear the line We’re gonna skate to one song, and one song only,’ this is the voice of the American actor Will Ferrell, sampled from the 2007 American sports comedy film ‘Blades of Glory. Ferrell has said, ‘I was completely flattered when they asked if they could sample me into the song, and when I heard it for the first time, I just started to laugh because it felt so surreal, but I really did like the song.’
On the surface ‘N….s in Paris’ appears to contain the usual amount of bragging that can be heard on many a ‘Rap’ record, but if you dig a little deeper, you realise that all the bravado is just a safety mechanism, as the two rappers try to come to terms with dealing with all of the trappings of fame, and wealth. The Album’s title ‘Watch the Throne’ could be their way of telling us that while they are at the top of the ‘Rap’ game, the next generation are waiting in the wings, just waiting for the chance to take their crown.
What’s Gucci, my ni..a? What’s Louis, my killer? What’s drugs, my dealer? What’s that jacket, Margiela? Doctors say I’m the illest, ’cause I’m suffering from realness, got my ni**as in Paris and they going gorillas, huh. ‘I don’t even know what that means. No one knows what it means, but it’s provocative. No, it’s not, it’s gross, gets the people goin.’
THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
849- Kanye West, Big Sean, Pusha T, and 2 Chainz-Mercy.
2012-Number 55 single.
Best Bit-At 3.20. Suddenly from absolutely out of nowhere, comes a swirling blast of ‘EDM,’ to completely blow you away. As the ‘Big O’ said, some 48 years earlier, ’MERCY.’
Kanye Omari West was born on June 8th, 1977, in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, in October 2021 he legally changed his name to ‘Ye,’ with no middle or last name. West had been wanting to change his name since 2018, stating that ‘Ye’ was the most commonly used word in the Bible. He has said, ‘In the Bible it means ‘you’. So, I’m you. I’m us. It’s us. It went from being Kanye, which means the only one, to just Ye.’
Kanye West (see also best songs 1049-477 and 267) began his music career in the mid 1990’s as a music producer. His first official production credits came at the age of 19, when he produced eight tracks on ‘Down to Earth,’ the 1996 debut album by the Chicago Rapper, ‘Grav.’ West continued to learn his trade, with his most high profile production prior to the turn of the Century coming in 1999, when he co-produced the track ‘My Life,’ for the American Rapper Foxy Brown’s second studio Album ‘Chyma Doll,’ in collaboration with Deric Angelettie, (D-Dot) the Album became the first ‘Hip-Hop’ album by a female Rapper to debut at the top of the American Billboard 200 chart. In 2000 Kanye West began producing for artists on the ‘Roc-A-Fella’ records label, and he is often credited with revitalising Jay-Z’s (see also best songs 636-477-267 and 23) career, with his contributions to Jay-Z’s 2001 Album, ‘The Blueprint,’ Although he was making a name for himself as a music producer, Kanye West also had aspirations to be a Rapper, but he found himself denied or ignored by record labels, because he did not portray the ‘Gangsta’ image prominent in mainstream ‘Hip-Hop’ at that time. It was following a car accident in 2002 that West finally got around to seriously pursue his career as a Rapper, he recorded his first ‘mixtape’ in 2002, called ‘Get Well Soon,’ and then he began work on his debut studio Album,’The College Dropout,’ which was released in 2004.
In 2004 Kanye West set up his own record label ‘GOOD Music,’ in order to release his own music, and that of other artists he would sign, which would include ‘Big Sean,’ and ‘Pusha T,’ who both appear on ‘Mercy.’ In 2012 West released an Album of new music, featuring many artists from his record label to showcase the labels talents. The compilation was called ‘Cruel Summer,’ and ‘Mercy’ was the first of four singles released, peaking at Number 14 on the American Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.
‘Mercy’ was co-written by Kanye West, Sean Anderson, (Big Sean)Terrence Thornton, (Pusha T)Tauheed Epps, (2 Chainz) Mike Will Made It, Hudson Mohawke, Mike Dean, Stepan Taft, James Thomas Denzie Beagle, Winston Riley, and Reggie Williams, with the songs production credited to Lifted, Mike Dean, Mike Will Made It, Kanye West, and Hudson Mohawke.’Mercy’ contains several samples, it starts with a vocal sample from Fuzzy Jones, (-2005) from the ‘Super Beagle’s’ track ‘Dust A Soundboy.’ Another significant sample is the 2012 song ‘Lambo,’ by Yung Bizzle, that songs lyrics include the line ‘Okay, Lamborghini Mercy, your chick, she so thirsty,’ the ‘Lamborghini Murciélago,’ (Mercy for short) is a sports car produced by the Italian automotive manufacturer ‘Lamborghini’ between 2001 and 2010.
On ‘Mercy,’ Kanye West reminisces about those early days when he struggled to get recognition as a Rapper, although (in my opinion) it must be nigh on impossible living inside his head. On the one hand he can’t help himself, because he feel the need to brag about all the trappings of his success, such as the ‘Lamborghini Murcielago,’ but on the other hand as a God fearing born again Christian, he feels that he must spread the word that if you break the rules on earth, you will end up in hell, with no ‘MERCY’ being shown, hence the songs opening line,’Well it is a weeping and a moaning, and a gnashing of teeth.’
‘Most rappers taste level, ain’t at my waist level. Turn up the bass ’til it’s up-in-your-face level. Don’t do no press, but I get the most press, kid, plus, yo my bitch make your bitch look like Precious.’
THE BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
1049-Estelle featuring Kanye West-American Boy.
2008-Number 1 single.
Best Bit-At 0.41.It is difficult to convince the world that you are a ‘Gangsta Rapper’ when your favourite drink is Ribena.
Back in the early noughties Estelle was trying to break into the music business, and after a less than successful recording session in L.A. she went for something to eat in a ‘Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffle,’ where she saw Kanye West(see also best songs 849-636-477 and 267,) and John Legend, she got the nerve up, and went over to introduce herself.
Estelle Swaray was born on January 18th, 1980 in London, England, to date she has released five studio Albums, and has had five UK top 40 hit singles.
The beat of ‘American Boy’ was written by Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas, and can be heard on his solo Album ‘Songs About Girls,’ from 2007, the track is called ‘Impatient.’
Of the song Estelle has said,’There are too many man bashing songs, so it was nice to have one with the opposing view, we were also trying to get John Legend into House Music.’ Although Estelle has stated publicly that the ‘boy’ is an amalgam of male friends, it is rumoured to be about American comedy writer Sam Means.
‘Don’t like his baggy jeans, but I’ma like what’s underneath it.’
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For a list of all the best 1000 songs Google Barry Philips Discos Blog.
