Diamonds from Sierra Leone

Kanye West

About Diamonds from Sierra Leone

"Diamonds from Sierra Leone" is a song by American hip-hop artist Kanye West. It was released on July 4, 2005, as the lead single of his second studio album, Late Registration. The track features a sample of the song "Diamonds Are Forever" by Shirley Bassey. "Diamonds from Sierra Leone" peaked at number 43 on the Billboard Hot 100, and peaked at number 8 on the UK Top 40. It won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Song at the 48th Grammy Awards. Shirley Bassey had praise for West after hearing the song for herself.  


Year:
2005
3:59
105 
#3

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Diamonds are forever
They won't leave in the night
I've no fear that they might
Desert me

Diamonds are forever (forever, forever)
Throw your diamonds in the sky if you feel the vibe
Diamonds are forever (forever, forever, forever)
The Roc is still alive every time I rhyme
Forever ever? Forever ever? Ever, ever? Ever, ever?
Ever, ever? Ever, ever? Ever, ever?

Close your eyes and imagine, feel the magic
Vegas on acid, seen through Yves St. Laurent glasses
And I've realized that I've arrived
Cause it take more than a magazine to kill my Vibe
Does he write his own rhymes, well sort of, I think 'em
That mean I forgot better shit than you ever thought of
Damn, is he really that caught up?
I ask if you talked about classics, do my name get brought up?
I remember I couldn't afford a Ford Escort
Or even a four-track recorder
So it's only right that I let the top drop on a drop-top Porsche
It's for yourself, that's important
If your stripper name "Porscha" and you get tips from many men
Then your fat friend, her nickname is "Minivan"
Excuse me, that's just the Henny, man
I smoke, I drink, I'm supposed to stop, I can't because

Diamonds are forever (forever, forever)
Throw your diamonds in the sky if you feel the vibe
Diamonds are forever (forever, forever, forever)
The Roc is still alive every time I rhyme
Forever ever? Forever ever? Ever, ever? Ever, ever?
Ever, ever? Ever, ever? Ever, ever?

I was sick about awards, couldn't nobody cure me
Only playa that got robbed but kept all his jewelry
Alicia Keys tried to talk some sense in him
30 minutes later sein' there's no convincin' him
What more could you ask for? The international asshole
Who complain about what he is owed?
And throw a tantrum like he is 3 years old
You gotta love it though somebody still speaks from his soul
And wouldn't change by the change, or the game, or the fame
When he came in the game, he made his own lane
Now all I need is y'all to pronounce my name
It's Kanye, but some of my plaques, they still say Kayne
Got family in the D, Kin-folk from Motown
Back in the Chi, them Folks ain't from Moe Town
Life movin' too fast I need to slow down
Girl ain't give me no ass, ya need to go down
My father been said I need Jesus
So he took me to church and let the water wash over my caesar
The preacher said we need leaders
Right then my body got still like a paraplegic
You know who you call, you got a message, then leave it
The Roc stand tall and you would never believe it
Take your diamonds and throw 'em up like you bulimic
Yeah, the beat cold but the flow is anemic
After debris settles and the dust get swept off
Big K pick up where young Hov left off
Right when magazines wrote Kanye West off
I dropped my new shit, it sound like the best of
A&R's lookin' like, "Pssh, we messed up"
Grammy night, damn right, we got dressed up
Bottle after bottle till we got messed up
In the studio, with Really Doe, yeah, he next up
People askin' me if I'm gon' give my chain back
That'll be the same day I give the game back
You know the next question dog: "Yo, where Dame at?"
This track the Indian dance to bring our reign back
"What's up with you and Jay, man, are y'all ok man?"
They pray for the death of our dynasty like "Amen"
R-r-r-r-right here stands a man
With the power to make a diamond with his bare hands

Diamonds are forever (forever, forever)
Throw your diamonds in the sky if you feel the vibe
Diamonds are forever (forever, forever, forever)
The Roc is still alive every time I rhyme
Forever ever? Forever ever? Ever, ever? Ever, ever?
Ever, ever? Ever, ever? Ever, ever?

Diamonds are forever (forever, forever)
Diamonds are forever (forever, forever, forever)

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Kanye West

Kanye Omari West ( /ˈkɑːnjeɪ/; born June 8, 1977) is an American musician, film director and fashion designer. 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 Janet Jackson. His style of production originally used pitched-up vocal samples from soul songs incorporated with his own drums and instruments. However, subsequent productions saw him broadening his musical palette and expressing influences encompassing '70s R&B, baroque pop, trip hop, arena rock, folk, alternative, electronica, synthpop, and classical music. more »

6 fans

Written by: Andre Benjamin, Antwan Patton, David Sheats, Devon Harris, Don Black, John Barry, Kanye West

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Artist Information
Kanye West is an influential and highly acclaimed American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. He is known for using his personal experiences and topics of societal concern as part of his rap lyrics.
Song Information
"Diamonds from Sierra Leone" is a track from Kanye West's second studio album, "Late Registration," released in 2005.
Background
The song initially started out as a simple track about 'diamonds,' but West transformed it into a politically and socially conscious piece referencing the diamond trade in Sierra Leone.
Collaboration
A remix of "Diamonds from Sierra Leone" features fellow rapper Jay-Z, where both artists use the diamond industry as a metaphor for their own experiences in the music industry.
Chart Performance
The song was a commercial success. It peaked at number 43 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and later gained platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Award Achievement
"Diamonds from Sierra Leone" won Best Rap Song at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards in 2006, adding to Kanye's string of accolades.
Music Video
The music video, directed by Hype Williams, depicts the harsh realities of the conflict diamond trade. It features scenes of child labor and violence, contrasted with the glamorous portrayal of diamonds in the west.
Social Impact
The song and its video raised awareness about the unethical diamond trade in Sierra Leone, contributing to a broader conversation about the source of diamonds and consumers' responsibility.
Samples Used
"Diamonds from Sierra Leone" samples "Diamonds Are Forever" by Shirley Bassey, which is the theme song of the 7th James Bond film. This musical choice laid the foundation for the song's instrumentation and tone.
Memorable Lyrics
The song contains thought-providing lyrics such as "Over here, it's the drug trade - we die from drugs / Over there, they die from what we buy from drugs." This comparison underscores the interconnected suffering caused by different vices in different parts of the world.

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    Diamonds from Sierra Leone

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    Top Hot 100 Songs 2005

    Billboard #43


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