All Falls Down
Encyclopedia
"All Falls Down" is a song by American
hip hop
artist Kanye West
. It was released as the second single from his debut album, The College Dropout
. The song was produced by West and features singer Syleena Johnson
. It was released in February 2004 and entered the UK Singles Chart
at number ten and peaked at number seven on the US Hot 100 on May 11, 2004, the first Top 10 in USA. The song was nominated for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
at the 47th Grammy Awards.
of Lauryn Hill
's "Mystery of Iniquity." Kanye originally attempted to acquire legal clearance to sample the recording but due to various complications, the permission was withheld. West then called upon Johnson to re-sing the relevant vocal portions of "Mystery of Iniquity" which ended up in the final track. The version of the song with the original sample can be heard on West's Freshman Adjustment mixtape. Lyrically, "All Falls Down" examines the self-consciousness and insecurity within society, particularly the black community, and how these characteristics pertain to materialism
.
for "All Falls Down" was directed by Chris Milk
and shot at LA/Ontario International Airport in Ontario, California
. It follows Kanye as he accompanies his girlfriend, played by Stacey Dash
, to the airport to catch her flight. The music video is shot in first-person perspective, displaying the journey from their car to the airport terminal through West's eyes. The video also features cameos by Common
, Kel Mitchell
, and Syleena Johnson
who act as a gate agent, passenger, and ticket counter, respectively. In addition, rappers GLC
and Consequence
can also be seen as Dash is running through the airport in slow motion.
B-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 second single from his debut album, The College Dropout
The College Dropout
The College Dropout is the debut album by American hip hop artist Kanye West, released February 10, 2004, on Roc-A-Fella Records. It was recorded over a period of four years, beginning in 1999. Prior to the album's release, West had worked on rapper Jay-Z's The Blueprint , which showcased his...
. The song was produced by West and features singer Syleena Johnson
Syleena Johnson
Syleena Johnson is a Grammy award-nominated American R&B and soul singer-songwriter and actress.-Biography:...
. It was released in February 2004 and entered the 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 ...
at number ten and peaked at number seven on the US Hot 100 on May 11, 2004, the first Top 10 in USA. The song was nominated for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
The Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality songs on which rappers and singers collaborate...
at the 47th Grammy Awards.
Background
The song features an interpolationInterpolation (music)
Interpolation in music refers to an abrupt change in musical elements from the main theme.-In classical music:In music and musical composition, especially 20th century and later, interpolation is an abrupt change of elements, with continuation of the first idea...
of Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Noelle Hill is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress.Early in her career, she established her reputation as a member of the Fugees. In 1998, she launched her solo career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album, The Miseducation of...
's "Mystery of Iniquity." Kanye originally attempted to acquire legal clearance to sample the recording but due to various complications, the permission was withheld. West then called upon Johnson to re-sing the relevant vocal portions of "Mystery of Iniquity" which ended up in the final track. The version of the song with the original sample can be heard on West's Freshman Adjustment mixtape. Lyrically, "All Falls Down" examines the self-consciousness and insecurity within society, particularly the black community, and how these characteristics pertain to materialism
Materialism
In philosophy, the theory of materialism holds that the only thing that exists is matter; that all things are composed of material and all phenomena are the result of material interactions. In other words, matter is the only substance...
.
Music video
The 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...
for "All Falls Down" was directed by Chris Milk
Chris Milk
Chris Milk is an American music video director and photographer. He has directed videos for Kanye West, U2, Green Day, Courtney Love, Audioslave, Modest Mouse, Gnarls Barkley and Arcade Fire. He also has numerous television commercials to his credit...
and shot at LA/Ontario International Airport in Ontario, California
Ontario, California
Ontario is a city located in San Bernardino County, California, United States, 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. Located in the western part of the Inland Empire region, it lies just east of the Los Angeles county line and is part of the Greater Los Angeles Area...
. It follows Kanye as he accompanies his girlfriend, played by Stacey Dash
Stacey Dash
Stacey Lauretta Dash is an American film and television actress.-Career:She made her first TV appearance in Farrell for the People starring Valerie Harper and a virtually unknown Ed O'Neill in 1982, which did not make it past its pilot episode...
, to the airport to catch her flight. The music video is shot in first-person perspective, displaying the journey from their car to the airport terminal through West's eyes. The video also features cameos by Common
Common (rapper)
Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. , better known by his stage name Common , is an American hip-hop artist and actor....
, Kel Mitchell
Kel Mitchell
Kel Johari Mitchell is an American actor, comedian, singer, rapper, screenwriter, producer, parodist, dancer and musician. He was best known for his work as a regular cast member of the Nickelodeon sketch comedy series All That, his portrayal of Kel Kimble on the Nickelodeon sitcom Kenan & Kel,...
, and Syleena Johnson
Syleena Johnson
Syleena Johnson is a Grammy award-nominated American R&B and soul singer-songwriter and actress.-Biography:...
who act as a gate agent, passenger, and ticket counter, respectively. In addition, rappers GLC
GLC (rapper)
Leonard D. Harris is an American rapper from Chicago.-Early life:Leonard D. Harris found poetry and hip-hop at an early age and used both to cope with the passing of his parents. “As long as you’re talking about the negativity, you’re only attracting more negativity into your life. Stay positive. I...
and Consequence
Consequence (rapper)
Dexter Mills , better known as Consequence, is an American rapper. He is the cousin of rapper Q-Tip of the hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, and was formerly an affiliate of Kanye West's GOOD Music family. Consequence debuted in 1996 on A Tribe Called Quest's album Beats, Rhymes, and Life...
can also be seen as Dash is running through the airport in slow motion.
12" vinyl #1
A-Side- "All Falls Down" (Clean)
- "All Falls Down" (Dirty)
- "All Falls Down" (A cappella)
B-Side
- "Get 'Em High" (Clean)
- "Get 'Em High" (Extended Dirty)
- "Get 'Em High" (A cappella)
12" vinyl #2
A-Side- "All Falls Down" (Explicit)
- "All Falls Down" (Edited)
B-Side
- "Heavy Hitters" (Dirty)
- "Heavy Hitters" (A cappella)
Personnel
Information taken from The College Dropout liner notes.- Songwriters: Kanye WestKanye WestKanye 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...
, Lauryn HillLauryn HillLauryn Noelle Hill is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress.Early in her career, she established her reputation as a member of the Fugees. In 1998, she launched her solo career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album, The Miseducation of... - Producer: Kanye West
- Record engineer: Tatsuya Sato, Rabeja Tunei
- Mix engineerMix engineerA mix engineer, also referred to as "mixing engineer", is a person who, once all instruments, voices, and sounds, etc., have been recorded, creates what is called the final version of a song, hence the term "mix engineer"...
: Manny MarroquinManny MarroquinManny Marroquin, born 21 September 1971 in Guatemala, is a Grammy winning mixing engineer. His family moved to Los Angeles when he was nine due to the Guatemalan Civil War.... - Guitar: Eric "E-Bass" Johnson
- Acoustic Guitar: Ken Lewis
Chart positions
| Chart (2004) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| 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.... |
9 |
| German Singles Chart | 72 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
23 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 19 |
| 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 ... |
10 |
| 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... |
7 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | 4 |
| 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... |
2 |
| U.S. Billboard Pop Songs | 22 |