Can't Tell Me Nothing
Encyclopedia
"Can't Tell Me Nothing" is a song by American
hip hop
artist Kanye West
. It was released as the lead single of his third studio album, Graduation
, on May 15, 2007. The song was produced by Kanye West and DJ Toomp
. It received a nomination for Best Rap Song
at the 50th Grammy Awards
, but lost to West's own song "Good Life
".
. Though "Can't Tell Me Nothing" didn't impact pop radio as significantly as the album's subsequent singles, West took pride in the fact that he had attained his very first street anthem with the song. The song is featured as the sixth track on Now That's What I Call Music! 26
. It was nominated for "Track of the Year" at the 2007 BET Hip Hop Awards
. It was also featured in the movie The Hangover
.
. West stated that he drew inspiration from arena-rock bands such as The Rolling Stones
and Led Zeppelin
, elaborating that the song's chords are akin to that of a rock melody. He also explained that, with the track, he wanted to make anthemic music and create a theme song for the people.
The song contains audio samples of ad-libs provided by Young Jeezy
as well as background vocals provided by Connie Mitchell
of the Australia
n electronic
group Sneaky Sound System
.
Lyrically, "Can't Tell Me Nothing" serves as West's reflection on his fame and as such hovers between insecure and confrontional while marked by bitter regret and self-aware defiance. West begins the song by expounding his conflicted feelings regarding wealth and desire, describing a compulsion to spend that overwhelms any and all other objectives in life. He ties this into his perceived overall inability to keep himself together even as he grows into an increasingly prominent figure in the public eye with lyrics like, "I feel the pressure, under more scrutiny / And what do I do? Act more stupidly."
described "Can't Tell Me Nothing" as a "powerful single."
The Chicago Tribune chronicled West's performance as, "defiant, defensive, rueful, sarcastic and deadly passionate." Entertainment Weekly
named "Can't Tell Me Nothing" the sixth best song of 2007 while Pitchfork Media
listed the song at number twenty-five in its "Top 100 Tracks of 2007" list and Stylus Magazine
cited it as the thirteenth best song of 2007. The song debuted at number eighty on the Billboard
Hot 100 on June 7, 2007, where it eventually peaked at number forty-one.
s accompanied "Can't Tell Me Nothing", with the first aired on television and the second made available solely online. The first music video was directed by Hype Williams
and released on West's official website on May 25, 2007. To visually complement the thematically distanced, alienated feel of the track, the video was filmed in a desert. It carries a minimal aesthetic, with scenes shot in a barren, wide-open desert landscape. For a limited time, the music video was available as a free download on the U.S. iTunes Store
.
On July 25, 2007, West premiered an alternate music video for "Can't Tell Me Nothing" on his website. This version was directed by Michael Blieden and featured comedian Zach Galifianakis
and folk
singer-songwriter Will Oldham
. West had been introduced to Galifianakis' work through his personal trainer, and eventually asked him to perform in his second video after attending one of Galifianakis' stand-up shows in Los Angeles
. The unscripted, low-budget music video was filmed at Galifianakis' farm in North Carolina
and features him and Oldham lip-synching to the song. The alternate video was selected by Rolling Stone
as the third best music video of 2007 while Pitchfork Media cited the version as thirtieth best music video of the decade.
to play "Can't Tell Me Nothing" to an audience which included Sanaa Lathan
and Gabrielle Union
. He performed the song during his set at Live Earth 2007
, before joining The Police
and John Mayer
onstage to perform "Message in a Bottle
" for the concert's finale. On July 7, West performed the song as during his gig at the Manchester Apollo
for the Manchester International Festival
. West played "Can't Tell Me Nothing” alongside Common, Q-Tip
, and Mos Def
during impromptu jam session that took place on July 18 at S.O.B.'s in Manhattan
hosted by Hot 97, where he served as a DJ battle judge. West and 50 Cent later joined each other onstage to provide a surprise performance before an audience of over 20,000 people for a show held on August 22 in Madison Square Garden
during Ciara
and T.I.'s Screamfest '07
tour.
On August 7, he performed a medley of "Stronger
" and "Can't Tell Me Nothing" during an in-studio appearance on MTV
's Total Request Live
. On September 11, West performed the song live during his appearance on BET
's 106 & Park
. West performed "Can't Tell Me Nothing" for the opening of the 2007 BET Hip Hop Awards
on October 13. He performed the song during his surprise appearance at L.A.'s Griffith
Park as the launch party for the new T-Mobile
Sidekick LX. In midst of a brief European tour, West played the song at Le Zenith in Paris, France, where he expressed difficulty performing after succumbing to emotional distress following a failed attempt to perform "Hey Mama
" on November 17, merely one week after his mother's death. After a surprise appearance at a Kid Sister
concert in New York
's Museum of Natural History
on January 26, 2008, West remained onstage to perform "Can't Tell Me Nothing," "Good Life
" and "Flashing Lights
".
West performed "Can't Tell Me Nothing" alongside Jay-Z
at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida
for the opening of his Heart of the City Tour on March 22. He performed the song live for the opening of Japan
ese artist Takashi Murakami
's exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum
on April 4. Following a performance of their second collaboration "Put On
", West and Young Jeezy
performed "Can't Tell Me Nothing" at the Philips Arena
in Atlanta, Georgia
for the 13th annual Hot 107.9 Birthday Bash concert on June 13, 2008. West performed "Can't Tell Me Nothing” during his appearance at the Knitting Factory
in New York City
on September 9. "Can't Tell Me Nothing" was included within the setlist of West's conceptual Glow in the Dark Tour
that began in 2008. During the concert, an LCD screen seated behind him displayed a fiery explosion that ignited on the "oh" hook.
Near the end of the tour's North American leg, West performed the song during the final night of Lollapalooza
2008 in his hometown of Chicago
, where he co-headlined the festival with Nine Inch Nails
. Dressed in an all red outfit, West performed "Can't Tell Me Nothing" during his set a Z100
's Jingle Ball in Madison Square Garden on December 12. He performed the song in Hyde Park, London
while headlining the second and final day of the 2009 Wireless Festival
. West performed "Can't Tell Me Nothing" before an audience of 3,000 students during his free Stay In School benefit concert at Chicago Theatre
on July 11, 2009. On August 6 at the Casio G-Shock the World event at Cipriani's on Wall Street
, he performed the song in front of a shifting digital display screen that counted down his time onstage.
and was later released as a B-side which accompanied Graduations third single, "Good Life
". A second remix, featuring Lil Wayne
, Busta Rhymes
, and Young Jeezy
, was released July 25, 2007. Another remix features West's Rocafella labelmates Beanie Sigel
and Freeway
. Francis and the Lights
recorded a cover of the song for Engine Room Recordings
' compilation album Guilt by Association Vol. 2
, which was released in November 2008.
U.S. 12" single'
A-side
B-side
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
artist Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
. It was released as the lead single of his third studio album, Graduation
Graduation (album)
Graduation is the third studio album by American hip hop artist Kanye West, released September 11, 2007 on Roc-A-Fella Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during 2005 to 2007 at Chung King Studios and Sony Music Studios in New York City and at Chalice Studios and The Record Plant...
, on May 15, 2007. The song was produced by Kanye West and DJ Toomp
DJ Toomp
Aldrin Davis, better known as DJ Toomp, is an award-winning American record producer and DJ who works in Atlanta, Georgia. In the late 1980s he was MC Shy-D's DJ and went on tour with him and the 2 Live Crew as they performed at various venues across the country with other artists such as N.W.A...
. It received a nomination for Best Rap Song
Grammy Award for Best Rap Song
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Song was first awarded in 2004. It is a songwriting award given to all who wrote the lyrics and music of the song. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were presented, for works released in the previous year...
at the 50th Grammy Awards
50th Grammy Awards
The 50th Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, on February 10, 2008. Kanye West received the most nominations, with eight. Amy Winehouse was the big winner, winning a total of five awards. Herbie Hancock's River: The Joni Letters won Album of the Year,...
, but lost to West's own song "Good Life
Good Life (Kanye West song)
This article is about the Kanye West song. For the OneRepublic song, see Good Life ."Good Life" is the third single from American rapper Kanye West's album Graduation. The song features R&B artist T-Pain, and uses sampled keys from the song "P.Y.T. " as performed by Michael Jackson...
".
Background
The cover art of the single was designed by the Japanese artist Takashi MurakamiTakashi Murakami
is an internationally prolific contemporary Japanese artist. He works in fine arts media—such as painting and sculpture—as well as what is conventionally considered commercial media —fashion, merchandise, and animation— and is known for blurring the line between high and low art...
. Though "Can't Tell Me Nothing" didn't impact pop radio as significantly as the album's subsequent singles, West took pride in the fact that he had attained his very first street anthem with the song. The song is featured as the sixth track on Now That's What I Call Music! 26
Now That's What I Call Music! 26 (U.S. series)
Now That's What I Call Music! 26 was released on November 13, 2007. It is the 26th edition of the Now That's What I Call Music! series in the United States. It sold 208,000 copies in its first week, making it one of the lowest-selling debut weeks of a US Now! CD...
. It was nominated for "Track of the Year" at the 2007 BET Hip Hop Awards
BET Hip Hop Awards
The BET Hip Hop Awards are an annual awards show, airing on BET, showcasing hip hop performers, producers and music video directors. The awards ceremony began in 2006, was held on November 12, 2006 at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, was first aired November 15 and was hosted by comedian Katt...
. It was also featured in the movie The Hangover
The Hangover (film)
The Hangover is a 2009 American comedy film directed by Todd Phillips and written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. The film stars Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Heather Graham, Justin Bartha and Jeffrey Tambor...
.
Music and lyrics
"Can't Tell Me Nothing" features slow, moody synth-driven production, exemplifying the new sonic direction that would come to dominate much of GraduationGraduation (album)
Graduation is the third studio album by American hip hop artist Kanye West, released September 11, 2007 on Roc-A-Fella Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during 2005 to 2007 at Chung King Studios and Sony Music Studios in New York City and at Chalice Studios and The Record Plant...
. West stated that he drew inspiration from arena-rock bands such as The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
and Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
, elaborating that the song's chords are akin to that of a rock melody. He also explained that, with the track, he wanted to make anthemic music and create a theme song for the people.
The song contains audio samples of ad-libs provided by Young Jeezy
Young Jeezy
Jay Wayne Jenkins , better known by his stage name Young Jeezy, is an American rapper. He is the member of the hip hop group United Streets Dopeboyz of America and a former member of BMF...
as well as background vocals provided by Connie Mitchell
Connie Mitchell
Connie Mitchell is an Australian pop singer and the lead vocalist with the Sydney band Sneaky Sound System. She appears on the band's singles "Pictures", "I Love It", "UFO", "Goodbye", "Kansas City", "When We Were Young", "16" and "We Love"...
of the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
group Sneaky Sound System
Sneaky Sound System
Sneaky Sound System are a Sydney-based Australian dance music group consisting of guitarist and producer Black Angus and vocalist Connie Mitchell.-Early Years:...
.
Lyrically, "Can't Tell Me Nothing" serves as West's reflection on his fame and as such hovers between insecure and confrontional while marked by bitter regret and self-aware defiance. West begins the song by expounding his conflicted feelings regarding wealth and desire, describing a compulsion to spend that overwhelms any and all other objectives in life. He ties this into his perceived overall inability to keep himself together even as he grows into an increasingly prominent figure in the public eye with lyrics like, "I feel the pressure, under more scrutiny / And what do I do? Act more stupidly."
Reception
PopMattersPopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
described "Can't Tell Me Nothing" as a "powerful single."
The Chicago Tribune chronicled West's performance as, "defiant, defensive, rueful, sarcastic and deadly passionate." Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
named "Can't Tell Me Nothing" the sixth best song of 2007 while Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
listed the song at number twenty-five in its "Top 100 Tracks of 2007" list and Stylus Magazine
Stylus Magazine
Stylus Magazine was an online music and film magazine launched in 2002. It featured long-form music journalism, four daily music reviews, movie reviews, a number of different podcasts, an MP3 blog, and a text blog....
cited it as the thirteenth best song of 2007. The song debuted at number eighty on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot 100 on June 7, 2007, where it eventually peaked at number forty-one.
Music videos
Two separate music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
s accompanied "Can't Tell Me Nothing", with the first aired on television and the second made available solely online. The first music video was directed by Hype Williams
Hype Williams
Harold "Hype" Williams , previously known as HYPE, is an American music video and film director of African-American and Honduran descent. His nickname "Hype" comes from his hyperactive nature as a child....
and released on West's official website on May 25, 2007. To visually complement the thematically distanced, alienated feel of the track, the video was filmed in a desert. It carries a minimal aesthetic, with scenes shot in a barren, wide-open desert landscape. For a limited time, the music video was available as a free download on the U.S. iTunes Store
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
.
On July 25, 2007, West premiered an alternate music video for "Can't Tell Me Nothing" on his website. This version was directed by Michael Blieden and featured comedian Zach Galifianakis
Zach Galifianakis
Zachary Knight "Zach" Galifianakis is an American stand-up comedian and actor known for his numerous film and television appearances including his own Comedy Central Presents special...
and folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
singer-songwriter Will Oldham
Will Oldham
Will Oldham , better known by the stage name Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, is an American singer-songwriter and actor. From 1993 to 1997, he performed and recorded under variations of the Palace name, including the Palace Brothers, Palace Songs, and Palace Music...
. West had been introduced to Galifianakis' work through his personal trainer, and eventually asked him to perform in his second video after attending one of Galifianakis' stand-up shows in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. The unscripted, low-budget music video was filmed at Galifianakis' farm in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
and features him and Oldham lip-synching to the song. The alternate video was selected by Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
as the third best music video of 2007 while Pitchfork Media cited the version as thirtieth best music video of the decade.
Live performances
On June 1, 2007, West made a surprise appearance at DJ Gomez Warren's set in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
to play "Can't Tell Me Nothing" to an audience which included Sanaa Lathan
Sanaa Lathan
Sanaa McCoy Lathan is an American actress and voice actress. She has starred in numerous movies, including the box-office hits Love & Basketball, Alien vs. Predator, Something New, and The Family That Preys. Lathan was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance on Broadway in A Raisin in the Sun...
and Gabrielle Union
Gabrielle Union
Gabrielle Monique Union is an American actress and former model. Among her notable roles is as the cheerleader opposite Kirsten Dunst in the film Bring it On. Union starred opposite Will Smith and Martin Lawrence in the blockbuster film Bad Boys II and played a medical doctor in the CBS drama...
. He performed the song during his set at Live Earth 2007
Live Earth (2007 concert)
Live Earth is an annual event developed to combat climate change. The first series of benefit concerts were held on July 7, 2007. The concerts brought together more than 150 musical acts in eleven locations around the world which were broadcast to a mass global audience through televisions, radio,...
, before joining The Police
The Police
The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
and John Mayer
John Mayer
John Clayton Mayer is an American pop rock and blues rock musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and music producer. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He moved to Atlanta in 1997, where he refined his...
onstage to perform "Message in a Bottle
Message in a Bottle (song)
"Message in a Bottle" is a 1979 song by The Police, from their second album, Reggatta de Blanc.The song is ostensibly about a story of a castaway on an island, who sends out a message in a bottle to seek love. A year later, he has not received any sort of response, and despairs, thinking he is...
" for the concert's finale. On July 7, West performed the song as during his gig at the Manchester Apollo
Manchester Apollo
O2 Apollo Manchester is a concert venue in Manchester, England. Locally known as The Apollo, it is a listed building, with a capacity of 3,500 ....
for the Manchester International Festival
Manchester International Festival
The Manchester International Festival is an international cultural festival of original new work, held in the English city of Manchester. It is a biennial event, first taking place in June–July 2007, and subsequently recurring in the summers of 2009 and 2011...
. West played "Can't Tell Me Nothing” alongside Common, Q-Tip
Q-Tip (rapper)
Kamaal Ibn John Fareed , better known by his stage name Q-Tip, is an American hip hop artist, producer, singer, and actor from St. Albans, Queens, New York, part of the critically acclaimed group A Tribe Called Quest...
, and Mos Def
Mos Def
Dante Terrell Smith is an American actor and Emcee known by the stage names Mos Def and Yasiin Bey. He started his hip hop career in a group called Urban Thermo Dynamics, after which he appeared on albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul. With Talib Kweli, he formed the duo Black Star, which...
during impromptu jam session that took place on July 18 at S.O.B.'s in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
hosted by Hot 97, where he served as a DJ battle judge. West and 50 Cent later joined each other onstage to provide a surprise performance before an audience of over 20,000 people for a show held on August 22 in Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
during Ciara
Ciara
Ciara Princess Harris , known mononymously as Ciara, is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, actress and fashion model. Born in Austin, Texas, she traveled around the world during her childhood, only to land in Atlanta, Georgia where she met music producer, Jazze Pha...
and T.I.'s Screamfest '07
Screamfest '07
Screamfest '07 is a summer concert tour headlined by American rapper T.I. and R&B singer Ciara. The tour features performances from Lloyd, T-Pain, Yung Joc, Tiffany Evans, Yung Berg and 50 Cent...
tour.
On August 7, he performed a medley of "Stronger
Stronger (Kanye West song)
"Stronger" is a song by American hip hop artist Kanye West, released as the second single from his third studio album Graduation. It was produced by West and contains an extended outro co-produced with Mike Dean...
" and "Can't Tell Me Nothing" during an in-studio appearance on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's Total Request Live
Total Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
. On September 11, West performed the song live during his appearance on BET
Bet
Bet or BET may refer to:* A wager in gambling* Basic Economics Test * Bet , the second letter in many Semitic alphabets, including Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician and Syriac* Brunauer-Emmett-Teller isotherm. See BET_theory...
's 106 & Park
106 & Park
106 & Park is a Top Ten Hip-Hop and R&B music video show, set up in a countdown format, that airs weekdays at 6:00 PM on BET . Since its inception, it was the network's #1 rated show...
. West performed "Can't Tell Me Nothing" for the opening of the 2007 BET Hip Hop Awards
BET Hip Hop Awards
The BET Hip Hop Awards are an annual awards show, airing on BET, showcasing hip hop performers, producers and music video directors. The awards ceremony began in 2006, was held on November 12, 2006 at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, was first aired November 15 and was hosted by comedian Katt...
on October 13. He performed the song during his surprise appearance at L.A.'s Griffith
Park as the launch party for the new T-Mobile
T-Mobile
T-Mobile International AG is a German-based holding company for Deutsche Telekom AG's various mobile communications subsidiaries outside Germany. Based in Bonn, Germany, its subsidiaries operate GSM and UMTS-based cellular networks in Europe, the United States, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
Sidekick LX. In midst of a brief European tour, West played the song at Le Zenith in Paris, France, where he expressed difficulty performing after succumbing to emotional distress following a failed attempt to perform "Hey Mama
Hey Mama (Kanye West song)
"Hey Mama" is a song written by American rap artist Kanye West. It appears on his 2005 second album, Late Registration. Co-produced with Jon Brion, the song contains a sample of "Today Won't Come Again" by Donal Leace...
" on November 17, merely one week after his mother's death. After a surprise appearance at a Kid Sister
Kid Sister
Melisa Young better known by her stage name Kid Sister, is a rap artist based in Chicago, Illinois, well known for her single "Pro Nails", featuring Kanye West.-Background:Melisa Young was born July 3, 1980 in Markham, Illinois...
concert in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
's Museum of Natural History
Museum of Natural History
A museum of natural history is a museum with exhibits about natural history, including such topics as animals, plants, ecosystems, geology, paleontology, and climatology. Some museums feature natural-history collections in addition to other collections, such as ones related to history, art and...
on January 26, 2008, West remained onstage to perform "Can't Tell Me Nothing," "Good Life
Good Life (Kanye West song)
This article is about the Kanye West song. For the OneRepublic song, see Good Life ."Good Life" is the third single from American rapper Kanye West's album Graduation. The song features R&B artist T-Pain, and uses sampled keys from the song "P.Y.T. " as performed by Michael Jackson...
" and "Flashing Lights
Flashing Lights
"Flashing Lights" is a song by American rap artist Kanye West. It was released on November 22, 2007, as the fourth single for his third studio album, Graduation. The song was co-produced by Eric Hudson and features R&B singer Dwele as well as additional vocals provided by Connie Mitchell of Sneaky...
".
West performed "Can't Tell Me Nothing" alongside Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
for the opening of his Heart of the City Tour on March 22. He performed the song live for the opening of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese artist Takashi Murakami
Takashi Murakami
is an internationally prolific contemporary Japanese artist. He works in fine arts media—such as painting and sculpture—as well as what is conventionally considered commercial media —fashion, merchandise, and animation— and is known for blurring the line between high and low art...
's exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum
Brooklyn Museum
The Brooklyn Museum is an encyclopedia art museum located in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. At 560,000 square feet, the museum holds New York City's second largest art collection with roughly 1.5 million works....
on April 4. Following a performance of their second collaboration "Put On
Put On
"Put On" is the first single off rapper Young Jeezy's third studio album, The Recession. The song features Kanye West using an Auto-Tune effect. It was released on iTunes on June 3, 2008 under the same name. The song received a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.-Music...
", West and Young Jeezy
Young Jeezy
Jay Wayne Jenkins , better known by his stage name Young Jeezy, is an American rapper. He is the member of the hip hop group United Streets Dopeboyz of America and a former member of BMF...
performed "Can't Tell Me Nothing" at the Philips Arena
Philips Arena
Philips Arena is an indoor arena in Atlanta, Georgia.Completed in 1999 to replace The Omni, at a cost of $213.5 million, it is home to the Atlanta Hawks, of the National Basketball Association, and the Atlanta Dream, of the Women's National Basketball Association...
in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
for the 13th annual Hot 107.9 Birthday Bash concert on June 13, 2008. West performed "Can't Tell Me Nothing” during his appearance at the Knitting Factory
Knitting Factory
The Knitting Factory is a music venue and concert house with locations in Brooklyn, Boise, Reno, and Spokane. The club originally specialized in jazz and experimental music and has expanded to showcasing all genres of music, performing arts and comedy....
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on September 9. "Can't Tell Me Nothing" was included within the setlist of West's conceptual Glow in the Dark Tour
Glow in the Dark Tour
The Glow in the Dark Tour is a critically acclaimed world concert tour by Kanye West featuring Rihanna, Lupe Fiasco, N.E.R.D, and Nas. It began on April 16, 2008 in Seattle, Washington and travelled to Latin America, Asia, Europe, New Zealand and Australia through to early December.The tour...
that began in 2008. During the concert, an LCD screen seated behind him displayed a fiery explosion that ignited on the "oh" hook.
Near the end of the tour's North American leg, West performed the song during the final night of Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over a...
2008 in his hometown of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, where he co-headlined the festival with Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
. Dressed in an all red outfit, West performed "Can't Tell Me Nothing" during his set a Z100
Z100
-Internet TV:* Z100.TV, a website serving as an international directory of online TV-channels and associated video media-Radio:* WHTZ, 100.3 in New York City* KKRZ, 100.3 in Portland, Oregon* KZRO, 100.1 in Mount Shasta, California, a.k.a...
's Jingle Ball in Madison Square Garden on December 12. He performed the song in Hyde Park, London
Hyde Park, London
Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, United Kingdom, and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner.The park is divided in two by the Serpentine...
while headlining the second and final day of the 2009 Wireless Festival
Wireless Festival
The Wireless Festival is a music festival in England that takes place every year in Hyde Park, London, and took place at Harewood House, Leeds in 2006 and 2007. It is owned and managed by Live Nation....
. West performed "Can't Tell Me Nothing" before an audience of 3,000 students during his free Stay In School benefit concert at Chicago Theatre
Chicago Theatre
The Chicago Theatre, originally known as the Balaban and Katz Chicago Theatre, is a landmark theater located on North State Street in the Loop area of Chicago, Illinois. Built in 1921, the Chicago Theatre was the flagship for the Balaban and Katz group of theaters run by A. J. Balaban, his brother...
on July 11, 2009. On August 6 at the Casio G-Shock the World event at Cipriani's on Wall Street
Wall Street
Wall Street refers to the financial district of New York City, named after and centered on the eight-block-long street running from Broadway to South Street on the East River in Lower Manhattan. Over time, the term has become a metonym for the financial markets of the United States as a whole, or...
, he performed the song in front of a shifting digital display screen that counted down his time onstage.
Remixes and other versions
The official remix featured Def Jam labelmate Young JeezyYoung Jeezy
Jay Wayne Jenkins , better known by his stage name Young Jeezy, is an American rapper. He is the member of the hip hop group United Streets Dopeboyz of America and a former member of BMF...
and was later released as a B-side which accompanied Graduations third single, "Good Life
Good Life (Kanye West song)
This article is about the Kanye West song. For the OneRepublic song, see Good Life ."Good Life" is the third single from American rapper Kanye West's album Graduation. The song features R&B artist T-Pain, and uses sampled keys from the song "P.Y.T. " as performed by Michael Jackson...
". A second remix, featuring Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. , better known by his stage name Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. At the age of nine, Lil Wayne joined Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label, and half of the duo, The B.G.'z, with B.G.. In 1997, Lil Wayne joined the group Hot Boys, which also included...
, Busta Rhymes
Busta Rhymes
Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., better known by his stage name Busta Rhymes ,Smith is an American rapper, producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the alias Busta Rhymes after NFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes...
, and Young Jeezy
Young Jeezy
Jay Wayne Jenkins , better known by his stage name Young Jeezy, is an American rapper. He is the member of the hip hop group United Streets Dopeboyz of America and a former member of BMF...
, was released July 25, 2007. Another remix features West's Rocafella labelmates Beanie Sigel
Beanie Sigel
Dwight Grant , also known as Beanie Sigel, is a American rapper from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,most recently he was in talks with 50 Cent to sign with G-Unit Records and is a former member/artist of Dame Dash Music Group and Roc-A-Fella Records where he had formed a close association with rappers...
and Freeway
Freeway (rapper)
Leslie Edward Pridgen , better known by his stage name Freeway, is an American rapper. Best known for his tenure on Roc-A-Fella Records and his affiliation with Jay-Z and Beanie Sigel, he is recognized by his high-pitched delivery and for the long beard he keeps due to his Muslim faith...
. Francis and the Lights
Francis and the Lights
Francis and the Lights is the symbolic band name used by American performer and songwriter Francis Farewell Starlite. The term "and the Lights" refers both to the lights on a stage and pixels on a computer screen....
recorded a cover of the song for Engine Room Recordings
Engine Room Recordings
Engine Room Recordings is an independent record label with a roster of Indie rock and Alternative rock musicians. Beyond marketing and distribution for its artists, the label does booking and artist management....
' compilation album Guilt by Association Vol. 2
Guilt by Association Vol. 2
Guilt by Association Vol. 2 is a compilation album released November 18, 2008 by Engine Room Recordings. Like its predecessor, Guilt by Association Vol. 1, it features indie rock artists covering well-known pop and R&B songs.-Overview:...
, which was released in November 2008.
Track listing
Digital download- "Can't Tell Me Nothing" – 4:33
U.S. 12" single'
A-side
- "Can't Tell Me Nothing" (Album)
- "Can't Tell Me Nothing" (Instrumental)
- "Can't Tell Me Nothing" (Remix) (featuring Young JeezyYoung JeezyJay Wayne Jenkins , better known by his stage name Young Jeezy, is an American rapper. He is the member of the hip hop group United Streets Dopeboyz of America and a former member of BMF...
)
B-side
- "Barry Bonds" (Main)
- "Barry Bonds" (Instrumental)
- "Barry Bonds" (Accapella)
Personnel
Information taken from Graduation liner notes.- Songwriters: Kanye West, Aldrin Davis
- Producers: Kanye West, DJ Toomp
- Recorders: Andrew Dawson, Anthony Kilhoffer, Tony Rey
- Mix engineers: Mike Dean, Andrew Dawson
- Keyboards: Darryl Beaton, Chris Rob
- Additional vocals: Young Jeezy, Connie Mitchell
Chart positions
| Chart (2007) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
41 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
20 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Rap Tracks Hot Rap Tracks Rap Songs is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular hip-hop/rap songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio stations and sales in hip hop-focused or exclusive markets. From 1989 through 2001, it was based on how much the single... |
8 |
| U.S. Billboard Pop 100 Pop 100 The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009... |
55 |
| U.S. Billboard Rhythmic Top 40 | 36 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
107 |
| Canadian Singles Chart Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
16 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2007) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | 77 |
Release history
| Region | Date | Format |
|---|---|---|
| North America North America North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas... |
CD, 12", digital download | |
| United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... |
CD, digital download | |
| Ireland Ireland Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth... /International |
Digital download | |
External links
- "Can't Tell Me Nothing" Lyrics at MTVMTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....