Niggas in Paris
"Niggas in Paris" | ||||
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Single by Jay-Z and Kanye West | ||||
from the album Watch the Throne | ||||
Released | September 13, 2011 | |||
Recorded | 2011 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:38 | |||
Mike Dean | ||||
Jay-Z singles chronology | ||||
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Kanye West singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Niggas in Paris" on YouTube |
"Niggas in Paris" (edited for radio as "In Paris" or simply "Paris"; censored on the album as "Ni**as in Paris") is a song by American rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West from their collaborative album Watch the Throne (2011). The song is built around a synth bell loop from the Dirty South Bangaz music library,[1] and contains vocal samples from "Baptizing Scene" by Reverend W.A. Donaldson, an interpolation of "Victory" by Puff Daddy featuring The Notorious B.I.G. and Busta Rhymes, and dialogue excerpts from the 2007 film Blades of Glory.[2] On the week of the album's release, "Niggas in Paris" debuted at number 75 on the Billboard Hot 100, eventually peaking at number five. Outside of the United States, "Niggas in Paris" peaked within the top ten of the charts in the United Kingdom. As of 2018, it has sold 6.7 million archetype digital units in the United States.[3] The song won Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards.[4]
Background
In an interview, Kanye West revealed that the song was inspired by his travels in Paris:
I am where art meets commercial. The sweet spot between the hood and Hollywood. Having a conversation with Karl Lagerfeld and Jay-Z within the same hour. When we're in Paris dressing all crazy at fashion shows, we listening to Jay-Z. Jeezy in Paris, that's what it is.[5]
Artwork
The artwork for "Niggas in Paris" features the
Covers, remixes and freestyles
The official remix features rapper
American post-hardcore band Pierce the Veil performed a clean part of the song on their 2011 No Guts, No Glory Tour.[8]
In March 2012, Katy Perry performed a clean version cover of the track as part of a Live Lounge special for Fearne Cotton's show on BBC Radio 1.[9]
American alternative metal band Faith No More covered the song live in 2012.[10] The British rap metal/progressive metal/djent band Hacktivist released a cover of the song with an accompanying video in August 2013.[11] Watsky released a freestyle of the song called "Ninjas in Paris".[12]
The song was used in a promo for the 2012 NBA All-Star Game.[13]
Music video
On December 13, 2011, after their last Los Angeles stop at Staples Center on their
The video received a nomination for
Critical reception
The song received universal acclaim from critics.
Pitchfork named "Niggas In Paris" the 12th best track of 2011
NME named "Niggas in Paris" the eighty-first best song of all time in 2014[32] and then later in the year, the best track of the decade thus far.[33] In 2014, Fact ranked it 64th on their list of the 100 best songs of the decade.[34] In 2015, Billboard listed it as the fifth best song of the 2010s.[35] The song was chosen for the year 2011 in The Rap Year Book, which deconstructed the most important rap song from every year since 1979.[36] The song was nominated for Anthem of the Summer at the 2013 UK Festival Awards[37] In 2018, Rolling Stone named "Niggas in Paris" the 58th best song of the 21st century.[38]
Live performances
The song has been performed on the
In early stops, the song was performed three times. Kanye West and Jay-Z began performing the song more than thrice at the
On December 12, 2011 at the
On June 1, 2012 during their first date in Paris, at the
"Niggas in Paris" was also performed in Kanye's Israel concert at Ramat Gan Stadium on 30 September 2015.
Chart performance
On August 27, 2011, "Niggas in Paris" made its debut on the US
In the United Kingdom, the song peaked at number ten on the
Credits and personnel
The credits for "Niggas in Paris" are adapted from the liner notes of Watch the Throne.[55]
Recording
- Recorded at Hôtel Meurice, Paris.
Personnel
- Kanye West – songwriting, vocals, production
- Jay-Z – songwriting, vocals
- Hit-Boy – songwriting, production
- mastering, songwriting, production
- Anthony Kilhoffer – audio mixing, additional production
- Noah Goldstein – recording
Sample credits
- Contains samples from the 2007 motion picture Blades of Glory, used courtesy of Paramount Pictures, and contains elements of "Baptizing Scene", performed and written by Reverend W.A. Donaldson (from Alan Lomax's 1960 compilation Sounds of the South).
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
|
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[101] | 2× Platinum | 140,000^ |
Belgium (BEA)[102] | Gold | 15,000* |
Canada (Music Canada)[103] | Platinum | 80,000* |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[104] | Gold | 15,000^ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[105] Streaming |
2× Platinum | 3,600,000† |
Germany (BVMI)[106] | 2× Platinum | 600,000‡ |
Italy (FIMI)[107] | Platinum | 50,000‡ |
Sweden (GLF)[108] | 2× Platinum | 80,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[109] | 3× Platinum | 1,800,000‡ |
United States (RIAA)[110] | Diamond | 10,000,000‡ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Release history
Region | Date | Format | Label |
---|---|---|---|
United States | September 13, 2011 | Rhythmic[7] and Urban radio[111] | |
November 8, 2011 | Mainstream radio[112] |
|
References
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