American Boy
Encyclopedia
"American Boy" is the second single from the album Shine
by British
R&B singer Estelle
and features American
rapper Kanye West
. The song is her first international single. The song won the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
and was also nominated for Song of the Year
at the 51st Grammy Awards
.
The song was listed at #238 on Pitchfork Media
's Top 500 songs of the 2000s.
, Estelle explained how the track came about: "We were just messing about in the studio, joking around. And John Legend
just said to me 'Why don't you write a song about meeting an American boy?'. So I was like 'Well, that's pretty easy' - because I have a lot of male friends out there in New York. And I unwittingly ended up creating a new ladies' anthem! And Kanye basically just brought his own cheeky self to the track, his own sense of humour. At first he was like 'How can you rap over a dance beat?' - and now he's DONE it!"
, John Stephens, Caleb Speir, Josh Lopez, and Kweli Washington and produced by will.i.am, the song uses samples from "Impatient" from will.i.am's 2007 album Songs About Girls
as well as "& Down" by Boys Noize
. American Boy was released as the second single from Shine. It was released in the UK, as a download, on 21 March 2008 and physically on 24 March 2008.
After quickly dropping in Billboard rankings, on 9 September 2008, Shine
reappeared for purchase in the iTunes
U.S. store. As a result of accumulated demand during the period of unavailability, "American Boy" quickly re-entered the top 100 songs chart, which prompted the song to jump four spots on the Billboard
Hot 100 from #57 to #53.
American Boy reached a spot in the top 6 of iTunes "Top Songs" by 13 September 2008. Those sales levels in iTunes added the 10,000 copies of Shine sold in the now-reversed album-only experiment.
During that time, the Shine album still generated 5,000 sales per week through offline sales, the UK iTunes, and non iTunes digital music channels such as Amazon which agreed to continue album sales while abiding by the publisher's wish to block sales of the single. In addition, a cover version of the song, performed by "Studio All-Stars", shot up the charts while the original was unavailable as a single.
The song was nominated for Song of the Year
and won in the category of Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards. This song was #7 on Rolling Stone
. It then dropped out and re-entered at number 1 two weeks later, and stayed four weeks at the summit of the chart. "American Boy" remained in the UK Top 40 for 22 consecutive weeks and became the sixth biggest-selling single of 2008. The single has also charted on the Irish Singles Chart
the same week where it entered at number eight on downloads and peaked at number two.
In the U.S, the song debuted at #98, her first appearance in Billboard Hot 100
. The single rose to #9 on the chart and #8 on Hot Digital Songs
. As previously mentioned above, the single and its parent album were then removed from the U.S iTunes
store, prompting the single to plummet from #11 to #37 on the following week's Hot 100. The album and song were then added back to the iTunes store on 9 September 2008. After this, "American Boy" reached a new peak on the Hot 100 of #9, becoming Estelle's first U.S. top ten hit. Also, it debuted at #96 and peaked at #9 on the Canadian Hot 100
. The song has sold over 1,500,000 downloads in the US.
The single debuted at number 7 in Australia
and so far peaked number 3. "American Boy" is Estelle's highest charting single since "1980", which peaked number 36. In New Zealand
the single first appeared on 1 April 2008 on New Zealand Chart
debuting at number 25. After a couple of weeks, it cracked the top 5 of the chart peaking number 5. It was also her first appearance in New Zealand RIANZ Chart
.
In addition, the song reached top 10 in more than 14 countries including Belgium
, Denmark
, Germany
, Brazil
, Switzerland
and Canada
.
performed an acoustic version of the song on the BBC Radio 1
Live Lounge
which was then released as a B-Side to his single 21st Century Life
. Busta Rhymes
also produced a remixed version of the song.
The American band VersaEmerge
has covered the song on YouTube
, as well as at their live shows.
Another American band that has covered the song at their live shows is Fall Out Boy
. Shrewsbury citizen Nick Nuthall also famously covered this song, which is available on YouTube.
The song has been parodied
internationally, with the eponymous character changed to be an:
for "American Boy" features guest appearances by John Legend
, Kardinal Offishall
, Taz Arnold of Sa-Ra
, Naledge and Double-O of Kidz in the Hall
, Danger Mouse
, Consequence
, Hi-Tek
, Ryan Leslie
, T.I.
, Brandon Hines, and Terrence J
of 106 & Park
, LL Cool J
, among others. It was directed by Syndrome.
The music video was nominated for Best UK Video at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards
. BET
placed it at #45 on the Notarized: Top 100 Videos of 2008 countdown, while spin-off channel BET J placed it at #10 on the year-end Last Call 2008! Top 50 Countdown.
UK CD 2
US PROMO
Remixes EP
Shine (Estelle album)
Shine is the second album by hip hop singer Estelle. The album was released on 31 March 2008 with the lead single, "Wait a Minute ", released in November 2007. The second single, "American Boy" featuring Kanye West reached number one in the UK Singles Chart on downloads alone and was released...
by British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
R&B singer Estelle
Estelle (musician)
Estelle Fanta Swaray commonly known as Estelle, and formerly as Est'elle, is an English R&B singer-songwriter, rapper and record producer.-Early Life:Estelle was born 18 January 1980 in Hammersmith, London, England...
and features American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rapper 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...
. The song is her first international single. The song won the 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...
and was also nominated for Song of the Year
Grammy Award for Song of the Year
The Song of the Year is one of the four most prestigious awards in the Grammy Awards ceremony, if not in all of the American music industry. It has been awarded since 1959 and unlike the Record of the Year award, which goes to the performer and production team of a single song, Song of the Year...
at the 51st Grammy Awards
51st Grammy Awards
The 51st Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA on February 8, 2009. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss were the biggest winners of the night, jointly winning five awards including Album of the Year and Record of the Year...
.
The song was listed at #238 on 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...
's Top 500 songs of the 2000s.
Background
Speaking in February 2008 to noted UK R&B writer Pete Lewis of the award-winning Blues & SoulBlues & Soul
Blues & Soul is a British music magazine covering black music. Genres covered include soul, R&B, jazz, hip hop, reggae and world music. It was first published in 1966 and is known for first using the term Northern Soul....
, Estelle explained how the track came about: "We were just messing about in the studio, joking around. And John Legend
John Legend
John Roger Stephens , better known by his stage name John Legend, is an American singer, musician, and actor. He is the recipient of nine Grammy Awards, and in 2007, he received the special Starlight award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.Prior to the release of his debut album, Stephens' career...
just said to me 'Why don't you write a song about meeting an American boy?'. So I was like 'Well, that's pretty easy' - because I have a lot of male friends out there in New York. And I unwittingly ended up creating a new ladies' anthem! And Kanye basically just brought his own cheeky self to the track, his own sense of humour. At first he was like 'How can you rap over a dance beat?' - and now he's DONE it!"
Song information
Written by Kanye West, Keith Harris, Estelle, will.i.amWill.i.am
William James Adams, Jr. , better known by his stage name will.i.am and occasionally by his other stage name Zuper Blahq, is an American rapper, musician, songwriter, singer, actor and producer...
, John Stephens, Caleb Speir, Josh Lopez, and Kweli Washington and produced by will.i.am, the song uses samples from "Impatient" from will.i.am's 2007 album Songs About Girls
Songs about Girls
Songs About Girls is the third studio album by rapper will.i.am, known from his work with The Black Eyed Peas. The original title of the album was "Keep the Beeper". The album was released on September 25, 2007. The first single released from the album was a club track titled "I Got It From My...
as well as "& Down" by Boys Noize
Boys Noize
Boys Noize is the stage name of Alexander Ridha, a German electronic music producer and DJ. It is similar to the name of Ridha's label, Boysnoize Records, which he established in 2005...
. American Boy was released as the second single from Shine. It was released in the UK, as a download, on 21 March 2008 and physically on 24 March 2008.
After quickly dropping in Billboard rankings, on 9 September 2008, Shine
Shine (Estelle album)
Shine is the second album by hip hop singer Estelle. The album was released on 31 March 2008 with the lead single, "Wait a Minute ", released in November 2007. The second single, "American Boy" featuring Kanye West reached number one in the UK Singles Chart on downloads alone and was released...
reappeared for purchase in the iTunes
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...
U.S. store. As a result of accumulated demand during the period of unavailability, "American Boy" quickly re-entered the top 100 songs chart, which prompted the song to jump four spots 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 from #57 to #53.
American Boy reached a spot in the top 6 of iTunes "Top Songs" by 13 September 2008. Those sales levels in iTunes added the 10,000 copies of Shine sold in the now-reversed album-only experiment.
During that time, the Shine album still generated 5,000 sales per week through offline sales, the UK iTunes, and non iTunes digital music channels such as Amazon which agreed to continue album sales while abiding by the publisher's wish to block sales of the single. In addition, a cover version of the song, performed by "Studio All-Stars", shot up the charts while the original was unavailable as a single.
The song was nominated for Song of the Year
Grammy Award for Song of the Year
The Song of the Year is one of the four most prestigious awards in the Grammy Awards ceremony, if not in all of the American music industry. It has been awarded since 1959 and unlike the Record of the Year award, which goes to the performer and production team of a single song, Song of the Year...
and won in the category of Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards. This song was #7 on 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...
Chart performance
"American Boy" is Estelle's biggest hit charting in 18 different official charts in the world. The single debuted at number 72 in UK Singles ChartUK 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 ...
. It then dropped out and re-entered at number 1 two weeks later, and stayed four weeks at the summit of the chart. "American Boy" remained in the UK Top 40 for 22 consecutive weeks and became the sixth biggest-selling single of 2008. The single has also charted on the 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...
the same week where it entered at number eight on downloads and peaked at number two.
In the U.S, the song debuted at #98, her first appearance in 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...
. The single rose to #9 on the chart and #8 on Hot Digital Songs
Hot Digital Songs
The Hot Digital Songs chart ranks the best-selling digital singles in the United States, according to Billboard.Beginning in February 2005, digital sales have been incorporated into many of Billboards music single charts. It was decided to do so mainly because of the dramatic rise in popularity of...
. As previously mentioned above, the single and its parent album were then removed from the U.S iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
store, prompting the single to plummet from #11 to #37 on the following week's Hot 100. The album and song were then added back to the iTunes store on 9 September 2008. After this, "American Boy" reached a new peak on the Hot 100 of #9, becoming Estelle's first U.S. top ten hit. Also, it debuted at #96 and peaked at #9 on the Canadian Hot 100
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...
. The song has sold over 1,500,000 downloads in the US.
The single debuted at number 7 in 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...
and so far peaked number 3. "American Boy" is Estelle's highest charting single since "1980", which peaked number 36. In New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
the single first appeared on 1 April 2008 on New Zealand Chart
Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand...
debuting at number 25. After a couple of weeks, it cracked the top 5 of the chart peaking number 5. It was also her first appearance in New Zealand RIANZ Chart
Recording Industry Association of New Zealand
The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand...
.
In addition, the song reached top 10 in more than 14 countries including Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Covers and parodies
Sam SparroSam Sparro
Sam Sparro is an Australian singer-songwriter, music producer, and former child actor. His stage name was derived from a family nickname, which in turn was inspired by the Dagenham radio mascot Sammy Sparrow...
performed an acoustic version of the song on the BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
Live Lounge
Live Lounge
The Live Lounge is a segment on the British radio station BBC Radio 1. Originally hosted by Jo Whiley on her mid-morning radio show and now hosted by Fearne Cotton, it exhibits well-known artists usually performing one song of their own and one by another artist, in an acoustic format...
which was then released as a B-Side to his single 21st Century Life
21st Century Life
"21st Century Life" is the 2nd single from Sam Sparro's eponymous album, released on 21 July 2008.The Song was featured on one episode of Britannia High and it is also the theme music to the BBC Three drama, Personal Affairs....
. 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...
also produced a remixed version of the song.
The American band VersaEmerge
VersaEmerge
VersaEmerge is an American rock band consisting of Sierra Kusterbeck and Blake Harnage, originating from Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA, currently signed to the label Fueled by Ramen. They have three EPs - Cities Built on Sand, Perceptions, and the self-titled release. Their debut album, Fixed at...
has covered the song on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
, as well as at their live shows.
Another American band that has covered the song at their live shows is Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, formed in 2001. The band consists of vocalist, guitarist and composer Patrick Stump, bassist and lyricist Pete Wentz, guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurley. The band released five studio albums from 2003–2008...
. Shrewsbury citizen Nick Nuthall also famously covered this song, which is available on YouTube.
The song has been parodied
Parody music
Parody music, or musical parody, involves changing or recycling existing musical ideas or lyrics — or copying the peculiar style of a composer or artist, or even a general style of music. Although the result is often funny, and this is the usual intent — the term "parody" in musical terms also...
internationally, with the eponymous character changed to be an:
- "Arab friend" by Bago Dago.
- "Canadian Boy" by Suzie McNeilSuzie McNeilSusan Jane "Suzie" McNeil is a Canadian pop rock recording artist.-Early life:McNeil was born in Mississauga, Ontario. She has a sister, Laura Norris, a teacher at a public high school in Toronto.-Rock Star: INXS:...
and Jay MichaelsJay MichaelsJay "Mad Dog" Michaels is a Canadian broadcaster who co-hosts The Breakfast Show with Mad Dog and Billie on Virgin Radio 999 in Toronto.... - "Cantonese Boy" by Only WonOnly WonOnly Won is a hip hop artist who has been writing, performing, rapping, beatboxing and singing as well as acting and performing stunt work. Only Won started rapping seriously in 1991 after being influenced by hip hop pioneers Run DMC, Will Smith, dcTalk, and T-Bone...
and Larissa LamLarissa LamLarissa Lam , is one of the hosts of talk show, Top 3, which airs weekly on JCTV. She also appears on the JCTV reality show, Cruise with a Cause....
. - "Chinese Boy" by Dave Soul.
- "Armenian Boy" by Hamish & AndyHamish & AndyHamish & Andy are an Australian comedy duo formed in 2003 by Hamish Blake and Andy Lee. They currently host the radio program The Hamish & Andy Show which airs in Australia on the Today Network....
. - "Egyptian Boy" by EgyptianG.
- "Somerset Boy" by Chris MoylesChris MoylesChristopher David Moyles is an English radio and television presenter and author, who currently presents The Chris Moyles Show on BBC Radio 1 and Chris Moyles' Quiz Night on Channel 4....
. - "Fake American Boy" by Peven Everett.
- "Jamaican Boy" by Bost & BimBost & BimBost & Bim are a French dancehall reggae production duo: Matthieu Bost and Jérémie Dessus. The duo has worked with the biggest Jamaican & European reggae artists such as Capleton, Morgan Heritage, Sizzla, Gentleman and Admiral T....
ft. Brisa RochéBrisa RochéBrisa Roché is an American singer-songwriter, currently residing in France. She mostly sings in English, but she sometimes sings in French.- Discography :* Soothe Me...
& Lone RangerLone Ranger (musician)Lone Ranger is a Jamaican reggae deejay who recorded nine albums between the late 1970s and mid-1980s.-Biography:...
. - John McCainJohn McCainJohn Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
- "Hungarian Boy" by Ben & Tony.
- "Malaysian Boy" is adaptation song from "American Boy" and this song for Independent Day Of Malaysian 2011 by Malaysian DJ and Artist.
In visual media
- The song is heard on the hit TV show Ghost WhispererGhost WhispererGhost Whisperer is an American television supernatural drama, which ran on CBS from September 23, 2005 to May 21, 2010.The series follows the life of Melinda Gordon , who has the ability to see and communicate with ghosts...
in the season four episode "Save Our Souls".
- It is in the film ObsessedObsessed (2009 film)Obsessed is a 2009 American thriller film directed by Steve Shill. The Screen Gems production stars Idris Elba, Beyoncé Knowles and Ali Larter...
starring Beyoncé Knowles.
- In an episode of Strictly Come DancingStrictly Come DancingStrictly Come Dancing is a British television show, featuring celebrities with professional dance partners competing in Ballroom and Latin dances. The title of the show suggests a continuation of the long-running series Come Dancing, with an allusion to the film Strictly Ballroom...
, the professionals danced to the song.
- The song is played for American ice hockey player Jay Latulippe who plays for the Cardiff DevilsCardiff DevilsThe Cardiff Devils are a Welsh ice hockey team who play in the British Elite Ice Hockey League. The team currently plays in the temporary Cardiff Arena...
.
- The song is in the video game DJ Hero 2DJ Hero 2DJ Hero 2 is a rhythm video game and a sequel to DJ Hero, a spinoff of the Guitar Hero series. DJ Hero 2 uses a special turntable-controller, the same as introduced in DJ Hero, to simulate turntablism, the act of creating a new musical work from one or more previously recorded songs using record...
- The song is in the video game Just Dance 2
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 "American Boy" features guest appearances by John Legend
John Legend
John Roger Stephens , better known by his stage name John Legend, is an American singer, musician, and actor. He is the recipient of nine Grammy Awards, and in 2007, he received the special Starlight award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.Prior to the release of his debut album, Stephens' career...
, Kardinal Offishall
Kardinal Offishall
Jason D. Harrow , better known by his stage name Kardinal Offishall , is a Canadian rapper and record producer. He is often credited as Canada's "hip-hop ambassador", and is best known for his distinctive reggae and dancehall-influenced style of hip-hop.-Life and career:Harrow was born in...
, Taz Arnold of Sa-Ra
Sa-Ra
Sa-Ra is a hip-hop group based in Los Angeles, California, also known by its full name, The Sa-Ra Creative Partners. The group is composed of Om'Mas Keith, Taz Arnold, and Shafiq Husayn...
, Naledge and Double-O of Kidz in the Hall
Kidz in the Hall
Kidz in the Hall is an American hip hop duo from Chicago, Illinois.-History:Group members Jabari Evans and Michael Aguilar met in 2000 during a talent show at the University of Pennsylvania. They began recording songs, making demos, and performing at local shows which eventually led to Double-0...
, Danger Mouse
Danger Mouse
Brian Joseph Burton , better known by his stage name Danger Mouse, is an American musician, songwriter and producer. He came to prominence in 2004 when he released The Grey Album, which combined vocal performances from Jay-Z's The Black Album with instrumentals from The Beatles' White Album.He...
, 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...
, Hi-Tek
Hi-Tek
Tony Cottrell, better known as Hi-Tek, is an American record producer and rapper from Cincinnati, Ohio. He is best known for his work with Talib Kweli on his Reflection Eternal album and on Black Star...
, Ryan Leslie
Ryan Leslie
Anthony Ryan Leslie, known professionally as Ryan Leslie, is a Grammy nominated American record producer, multi-instrumentalist, rapper, entrepreneur, and singer. Founder of the media company NextSelection Lifestyle Group, Leslie has produced singles for a number of artists in a variety of genres...
, T.I.
T.I.
Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr. , better known by his stage name T.I., is an American rap artist, film and music producer, actor and author. He is also the founder and co-chief executive officer of Grand Hustle Records....
, Brandon Hines, and Terrence J
Terrence J
Terrence Jenkins , better known as Terrence J, is an actor and television personality most famous for being the host of BET's popular music video countdown show 106 & Park, which is BET's number-one-rated show for African Americans.-Early life:Originally from Queens, New York, Terrence J grew up...
of 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...
, LL Cool J
LL Cool J
James Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J , is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor...
, among others. It was directed by Syndrome.
The music video was nominated for Best UK Video at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards
2008 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2008 MTV Video Music Awards took place on September 7, 2008 live from Paramount Pictures Studios , honoring the best music videos from the previous year. Nominations for a majority of the categories were announced on the MTV program FNMTV after being selected through viewer online voting at...
. BET
Black Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television is an American, Viacom-owned cable network based in Washington, D.C.. Currently viewed in more than 90 million homes worldwide, it is the most prominent television network targeting young Black-American audiences. The network was launched on January 25, 1980, by its...
placed it at #45 on the Notarized: Top 100 Videos of 2008 countdown, while spin-off channel BET J placed it at #10 on the year-end Last Call 2008! Top 50 Countdown.
Track listings and formats
UK CD 1- "American Boy" (clean radio edit)
UK CD 2
- "American Boy" (explicit album version)
- "Life to You"
- "American Boy" (video)
US PROMO
- "American Boy" (radio edit)
- "American Boy" (instrumental)
Remixes EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
- "American Boy" (TS7 Remix)
- "American Boy" (TS7 Remix Radio Edit)
- "American Boy" (Soul SeekerzSoul SeekerzSoul Seekerz are a dance music group and remix/production outfit based in the UK, consisting of DJs and producers Julian Napolitano, Simon Langford and Andrew Galea.-Members:...
Club Remix) - "American Boy" (Soul Seekerz Dub Remix)
- "American Boy" (Soul Seekerz Radio Remix)
- "American Boy" (Benny BenassiBenny BenassiMarco Benassi , better known as Benny Benassi, is a Grammy Award winning Italian disc jockey and record producer of electro house music. He is best known for his 2002 summer club hit "Satisfaction"...
Remix) - "American Boy" (Chew Fu "New York to L.A" Fix)
- "American Boy" (DJ DanDJ DanDJ Dan is an American electronic house music DJ and producer. Dan previously released works through the Moonshine label....
Radio Dub) - "American Boy" (Laidback LukeLaidback LukeLaidback Luke is a Dutch DJ, producer. He was voted #46 on DJ Mag's Top 100 DJ list in 2008, before jumping to #27 in 2009 and jumping up 10 places in 2010....
Radio Edit)
Weekly charts
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
3 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 7 |
| Belgian Singles Chart Ultratop 50 Ultratop 50 singles, often just Ultratop 50, is the weekly chart of fifty best-selling singles in Flanders, Belgium, and is produced and published by the Ultratop organization. The chart has existed since March 31, 1995... (Flanders) |
1 |
| Belgian Singles Chart Ultratop 40 Ultratop 40 singles, often just Ultratop 40, is the weekly chart of best-selling singles in Wallonia and Brussels Capital Region, the french-speaking parts of Belgium. Its equivalent covering the Flanders region is Ultratop 50. Both charts are produced and published by the Ultratop organization... (Wallonia) |
4 |
| Canadian Hot 100 Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007... |
9 |
| Danish Singles Chart IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... |
3 |
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
5 |
| French Singles Chart | 3 |
| European Hot 100 | 1 |
| German Singles Chart | 5 |
| Greek Singles Chart IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... |
12 |
| Hungarian Airplay Chart Mahasz Mahasz is the Hungarian music industry association, founded in 1992. Mahasz hands out the Hungarian Music Awards and maintains the music charts for Hungary.... |
3 |
| 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... |
2 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 3 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 10 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 5 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 14 |
| Swiss Singles Chart IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... |
5 |
| Turkey Top 20 Chart IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... |
2 |
| 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 ... |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 9 |
| 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,... |
55 |
| 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... |
6 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2008) | Position |
|---|---|
| German Singles Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
51 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 81 |
| 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 ... |
6 |
| 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... |
9 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2009) | Position |
|---|---|
| Hungarian Singles Chart | 125 |
End of Decade positions
| Chart (2000–2009) | Position |
|---|---|
| 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 ... |
83 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification |
|---|---|
| Australia Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956... |
Platinum |
| United States Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States... |
2× Platinum |
Release history
| Region | Date |
|---|---|
| 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... |
24 March 2008 |
| United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
8 April 2008 |
| Europe Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... |
25 April 2008 |
| 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... |
26 April 2008 |