Kanye All The Lights
Azalee Rowling
"All of the Lights" is a song by American rapper Kanye West, released as the fourth single from his fifth studio album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010). It was produced by West and features additional vocals from several other recording artists, including John Legend, The-Dream, Drake, Alicia Keys, Fergie, Elton John, Ryan Leslie, Charlie Wilson, Tony Williams, La Roux, Alvin Fields, Ken Lewis, Kid Cudi, and Rihanna; the latter two are credited on the official music video and single version, but not on the album version. It is often played along with its accompanying interlude "All of the Lights (Interlude)", which precedes the song on the album's tracklist.
"All of the Lights" was universally acclaimed by music critics, who complimented its detailed, maximalist production and dramatic theme. It was commercially successful in the U.S., peaking at number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs; it landed at number 59 on the Billboard Year-End Charts in 2011. At the 54th Annual Grammy Awards, the song won Grammy Awards for Best Rap Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, and was nominated for Song of the Year. By December 2011, the song had sold over 1,561,000 digital units in the US.[1] As of November 2020, it has been certified quintuple platinum by the RIAA.
The song's accompanying music video, directed by Hype Williams,[2] featured strobe-lit performances of Rihanna and West, as well as Kid Cudi. It was given a discretionary warning by Epilepsy Action, stating that the video "potentially triggers seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy".[3] West and Rihanna performed the song at the 2011 NBA All-Star Game, while it was also featured in the promo for the same event.[4] A snippet of the song was performed by Rihanna at the 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show.
"All of the Lights" was written by Kanye West, Jeff Bhasker, Malik Jones, Warren Trotter, Stacy Ferguson and Terius Nash.[5][6] Its production was helmed by West himself and co-produced by Bhasker. Fourteen artists lent their voices as background vocals to the song: Alicia Keys, John Legend, The-Dream, Drake, Fergie, Kid Cudi, Elton John, Ryan Leslie, Charlie Wilson, Tony Williams, La Roux, Alvin Fields, Ken Lewis, and Rihanna, who also sang the song's hook and is labeled as a featured artist on the single version.[5][7] West and Rihanna previously collaborated with Jay-Z on "Run This Town" (The Blueprint 3, 2009).[8]
The early working title for "All of The Lights" was previously "Ghetto University" when the production on the song was just beginning.[9] Songwriter Malik Yusef revealed that the original demo for the song contained a sample of Muhammad Ali saying "The champ is here"; Yusef attempted to create rhymes around it, but ended up telling the engineer to remove the sample to clear space on the song.[10] After having taken the sample out, Yusef eventually came up with the "all of the lights" part after thinking about his son's first words which were "light";[10]
"'All The Lights' is a futurist song that started out as a Jeezy record with horns on it, then we put in another bridge, then Dream wrote the hook, then Rihanna sang it, and by the time you got it, it was to the level of like, the Nike Flyknit or something like that.[11]
During the 2010 MTV Europe Music Awards, on November 10, 2010, Rihanna was interviewed by MTV News' staff. In the interview she explained that, West already played his album to her three months ago and that "All of the Lights" was one of her favorite songs. About it, she further commented, "So when he asked me to come up to the studio at 2 o'clock in the morning, I had to, because I loved it, I knew it was that song."[7]
In an interview for the same publication, Elly Jackson said of the song's vocal layering, "He got me to layer up all these vocals with other people, and he just basically wanted to use his favorite vocalists from around the world to create this really unique vocal texture on his record, but it's not the kind of thing where you can pick it out".[12] Andrew Dawson, Anthony Kilhoffer, Mike Dean, HI and Noah Goldstein recorded West's vocals at Avex Recording Studios in Honolulu, Hawaii and Electric Lady Studios in New York City. Rihanna's vocals were recorded by Marcos Tovar at the Westlake Recording Studios in West Hollywood, California.[5]
West announced through his Twitter account that "All of the Lights" would be the album's fourth single.[16] Following the album's release, the song debuted at number 92 on the Billboard Hot 100.[17][18] It was sent to Australian contemporary hit and alternative radio stations on December 13, 2010.[19] "All of the Lights" was released as a single in the United States on January 18, 2011. Rihanna was credited as a featured artist for the single when impacting radio.[20]
"All of the Lights" is a hip hop song that runs for 4 minutes and 59 seconds.[22] According to the sheet music published by Universal Music Publishing Group at Musicnotes.com, it was composed in the key of B flat minor using common time and a steady groove. The vocal range spans from the low note of Ab3 to the high note of F5.[22]Instrumentation is provided by drums, bass,[23] piano[24] and horns.[25] The piano is played by Elton John, who also together with thirteen other vocalists provides the background vocals.[22][23] American singers Fergie and Alicia Keys, sing the break-downs and ad-libs, respectively.[26] Alex Deney from NME called the song a "sleb-studded centrepiece".[27]
The music video for "All of the Lights" was filmed in January 2011 and directed by Hype Williams.[2][38] It features strobe-lit images of Rihanna and West, Kid Cudi in a red leather suit, and visual references to Gaspar No's 2009 film Enter the Void.[39][40] The video premiered through West's Vevo channel on February 19, 2011.[38][39] After reports of the video's images causing seizures with epileptic viewers and a public response from British organization Epilepsy Action, an alternate video was released that includes a discretionary warning that the video "potentially trigger[s] seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy",[3] and removed its opening prologue and neon credits.[41]In 2015, the video faced controversy when Gaspar No commented on the similarities between the video and Enter the Void, especially the portion where Hype Williams featured his name in the title and credit sequences over and over again.[40]
An earlier version of the song's remix was leaked in 2010, featuring a verse by Drake.[42] On March 14, 2011, an unfinished version of the remix was leaked to the internet, featuring guest verses from Lil Wayne, Big Sean, and Drake, a different verse from the leak.[43] It did not feature West himself, though he did write a verse for it, according to Big Sean.[44]
On May 3, 2023, a version of the song by rapper Lil Uzi Vert was leaked onto Twitter. The few seconds were leaked by Waterfalls, an online user known for leaking songs from popular artists. The snippet has gained traction from social media and music services such as SoundCloud and YouTube. The song was supposed to release on Uzi's third album, Pink Tape.
In 2016, the song was used in a Gatorade commercial starring Serena Williams.[45] The song is also featured in the game NBA 2K14 as part of the soundtrack chosen by LeBron James.[46] In 2019, the song was featured in a Peloton TV commercial, entitled; Our Kind of Joy.[47]
Throughout his legendary career Kanye's given listeners a variety of motifs through his music, whether that's bragging about him being a genius, his struggle with monogamy, his style of dress or societies flaws. One of his most consistent motif is the use of the word "light" in the title of his songs. In our society light can be a metaphor for the sun, Good triumphing over Evil, the light waiting for us at the end of the tunnel when this chapter called life is over or merely an awakening in one's own life. Sometimes I believe Kanye means "the light" in Asshole, a language spoken by many and understood by few.
But I digress, below is a shameful list of all of Kanye's songs with the word light in the title which at this time is just five songs dating back to 2007 going all the way up to Feb. 14 2016. Note: Only full songs are included in this list. Interludes such as All of The Lights and Low Lights don't qualify.
On what most consider Kanye's most personal album on 808s and Heartbreak Kanye addressed the loss of his mother Donda West and the ending of of his engagement to Alexis Phifer. And on Street Lights Kanye gave a hard self evaluation. Questioning whether or not he will reach his true potential not as an artist but as a person.
While Kanye contemplated on not yet reaching his dreams and aspirations on a haunting production that seem to echo his sentiments. While most of Kanye's song has him speaking to an audience Street Lights has Kanye's subconscious speaking to him.
Depending on who you ask,Kim Kardashian is a highlight in Kanye's life. And depending on who you ask, her sex tape with now former boyfriend and current R&B singer Brandy's little brother Ray J is a highlight in her life. But once you get past the opening line, Kanye spends the majority of the track highlighting the highlights of his life: 21 Grammys, his family being the new Jacksons, and pulling a Diddy if a coach disrespects Saint.
It's about a girl, it's always about a girl. On "Flashing Lights" Kanye finds himself in a happier space by breaking the laws of monogamy with another woman. The only thing that awakes him from his sweet dream is the flashing lights capturing his infidelity. With eyes now wide open Kanye tries to reconcile with his former Mona Lisa.
Spawning three videos Flashing Lights is quintessential Kanye. A genius' mind is never at rest, Kanye wasn't satisfied with just one visual telling the story of man who wasn't satisfied with just one woman.
Kanye has a knack for shining a spotlight on what's it like to be a celebrity in the 21st Century. With what seems like more features on one track than an entire Dr. Dre album, Kanye paints a picture of domestic violence and the aftermath of its participants.
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