Spaceship (Kanye West song)

"Spaceship" is a song by American rap artist Kanye West, that features GLC and Consequence, from West's debut studio album The College Dropout (2004). It was scheduled to be released as the album's sixth and final single, but this plan ended up being cancelled. The music video was released in June 2009. "Spaceship II" and "Spaceship III" were released by Alex Wiley in 2013 and Consequence in 2017.

"Spaceship"
Song by Kanye West featuring GLC and Consequence
from the album The College Dropout
ReleasedFebruary 10, 2004
Recorded2003
StudioSony Music Studios
(New York, New York)
Larrabee Sound North
(Los Angeles, California)
GenreHip hop
Length5:24
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)West

Composition

The track contains a sample of the recording "Distant Lover" by Marvin Gaye.[1] The Verge interpreted this sample as using soothing tones to keep "Spaceship" down to earth, even when it gets aggressive.[2] West's presence on the chorus marks one of the earliest moments of him singing within his career.[3] When West raps about working a job at the Gap formerly in "Spaceship", the story being told in the verse is actually true.[4]

Release

The song was originally scheduled to be a GLC track produced by West, until West played it to Plain Pat, whom insisted on him putting it on the album.[4] It was swapped for "Good, Bad, Ugly" as the position of number six from the original track list to the final.[5][6]

The track was originally supposed to be released as the sixth and final single from The College Dropout, but this plan was cancelled due to West's label moving on to promotion for his second studio album Late Registration (2005) instead of following through with the release of it as a single.[7]

Critical reception

Paul Cantor of Billboard had praise for the Gaye sample, describing it as being "the backdrop for Kanye and his comrades to detail needing day jobs to finance their rapping dreams".[8] The opinion was voiced by J-23 of HipHopDX regarding "Spaceship" that it "has to be the best of the additions, if not the best of the album".[9]

HotNewHipHop placed the track at number 35 on their list of West's 50 best songs.[10] When ranking his 25 best verses of all time, Complex positioned West's "Spaceship" verse at number 18.[11]

Music video

On June 1, 2009, GLC posted the previously unreleased music video on his blog and called himself, West and Consequence "young dreamers".[12] West also shared it to his blog two days later and revealed that he wasn't satisfied with the video when he directed it four years ago, but West decided that after looking back at it in 2009, he liked it.[13] A music video was shot back in 2005 because the track was originally scheduled to be released as the sixth and final single from the featuring album.[7] The video stars West as a worker in a mall, with GLC playing the role of a co-worker and Consequence playing that of a customer.[14]

On June 26, 2020, West posted the video on his website in celebration of the announcement of his clothing brand Yeezy's 10-year collaboration deal with The Gap.[15]

Legacy

It was revealed by Vince Staples in June 2017 that before he looked at the credits of the album, Staples believed that Rah Digga was rapping on "Spaceship" and not Consequence.[16] Vibe listed it among West's most revolutionary songs in December 2013, nearly ten years after The College Dropout had been released.[17]

On June 4, 2013, Alex Wiley released "Spaceship II", featuring Chance the Rapper and GLC, in tribute to the original.[18] Consequence revisited it on March 1, 2017, with "Spaceship III", featuring Chance the Rapper, Alex Wiley, GLC & Chuck Inglish.[19]

Personnel

Information taken from The College Dropout liner notes.[1]

  • Songwriters: Kanye West, Leonard Harris, Dexter Mills, Marvin Gaye, Gwen Gordy Fuqua, Sandra Greene
  • Record producer: Kanye West
  • Recorders: Tasuya Sato, Andrew Dawson, Rabeka Tunei
  • Mix engineer: Manny Marroquin
  • Additional vocals: Tony Williams, John Legend

References
  1. The College Dropout (Media notes). Kanye West. Roc-A-Fella Records. 2004. 986 173-9.CS1 maint: others (link)
  2. "Kanye West's sampling: a listenable history". The Verge. August 20, 2014. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  3. "The Complete History of Kanye West's Singing Moments". Complex. July 27, 2012. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  4. Ahmed, Insanul (February 10, 2014). "The Making of Kanye West's "The College Dropout"". Complex. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  5. Garrison, Lucas (January 25, 2016). "Kanye's Early 'College Dropout' Tracklist Will Blow Your Mind". DJBooth. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  6. "The College Dropout - Kanye West". AllMusic. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  7. Schiff, Mark (January 29, 2016). "Five rare Kanye West music videos you may not have seen". AXS. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  8. Cantor, Paul (February 10, 2014). "Kanye West's 'The College Dropout' at 10: Classic Track-by-Track Review". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  9. J-23 (February 13, 2004). "Kanye West - College Dropout". HipHopDX. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  10. Schwartz, Danny (February 15, 2018). "Top 50 Best Kanye West Songs". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  11. Ahmed, Insanul; Shipley, Al; Bry, Dave; Drake, David; Ortiz, Edwin; Kamer, Foster; Nostro, Lauren; Goldberg, Max; Scarano, Ross (July 26, 2013). "The 25 Best Kanye West Verses OF ALL TIME!!!". Complex. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  12. "Video: Kanye West f. GLC & Consequence, "Spaceship"". The FADER. June 1, 2009. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  13. Vozick-Levinson, Simon (June 3, 2009). "Kanye West's new old 'Spaceship' video: Watch it here". EW.com. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
  14. Vineyard, Jennifer (February 22, 2005). "Kanye West Takes Off In New Video For 'Spaceship'". MTV. MTV Networks. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  15. Daly, Rhian (June 27, 2020). "Kanye West shares 'Spaceship' video 16 years after song's release". NME. NME. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  16. Hahn, Bryan; Wargo, Theo; Killian, Brian; Marchant, Robin (June 22, 2017). "Vince Staples Thought Consequence Was Rah Digga on 'Spaceship'". XXL. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  17. Hope, Clover (December 11, 2013). "Kanye West's Most Revolutionary Songs". Vibe. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  18. "Alex Wiley: Spaceship II feat Chance The Rapper & GLC by Closed Sessions". Free Listening on SoundCloud. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
  19. Smith, Trevor (March 1, 2017). "Consequence - Spaceship III Feat. Chance The Rapper, Alex Wiley, GLC & Chuck Inglish". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
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