American Boy

Listen online

DJ Rashad, Kanye West, Estelle

About American Boy

"American Boy" is a song recorded by British rapper and singer Estelle for her second studio album Shine (2008). It features vocals from American rapper Kanye West. The song was written by Estelle, West, will.i.am, John Legend, Josh Lopez, Caleb Speir, and Keith Harris. It was produced by will.i.am, who also produced the album's previous single, "Wait a Minute (Just a Touch)", and uses the beat from the song "Impatient" from his own third studio album Songs About Girls (2007). "American Boy" is a breezy disco-funk song that lyrically describes a romance with an American suitor. The song's conception came after Legend, Estelle's mentor, suggested she write a song about meeting an American man. "American Boy" was released by Atlantic Records as the album's second single on 31 March 2008. The song received positive reviews from music critics, who praised its fresh sound and production. The song reached the top five in many European and Oceanic markets, and peaked at number-one in Belgium and Estelle's native United Kingdom. It also achieved success in the United States, peaking at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming Estelle's breakout song in the country. The song earned many nominations, and ultimately won a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. The music video, featuring a variety of celebrity guests, earned a Video Music Award nomination for Best UK Video. As a result of the song's popularity, Estelle performed it at several award shows and venues. "American Boy" was featured in the 2009 film Obsessed. 


Year:
2013
4:08
109 

Lyrics currently unavailable…


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

15 facts about this song

Release Date
"American Boy" was released on March 31, 2008.
Chart Success
The song peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart and also achieved number one position on the European Hot 100 Singles chart.
Album Inclusion
The song is included in Estelle's second studio album "Shine."
Genre
It is a fusion song that encompasses genres like funk, disco, electro, and hip-hop.
Collaboration Detail
"American Boy" is a collaborative song between English singer Estelle and American rapper Kanye West.
Grammy Wins
In 2009, the song won Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 51st Grammy Awards.
Platinum Sales
It was certified quadruple Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry and double Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Lyrics Theme
The lyrics of "American Boy" are about a romance between Estelle and an American man. It showcases the city tour given to her by him.
Receiving Recognition
Rolling Stone and Spinner.com both placed "American Boy" at number seven on their year-end best songs list for 2008.
Positive Reviews
The song has received positive reviews from critics, some even considering it Estelle's best song in her career.
Widely Covered
The song has been covered by multiple artists and was even parodied by "Weird Al" Yankovic.
Producer
The song was produced by will.i.am.
Music Video
The music video for "American Boy" was directed by Syndrome and features both Estelle and Kanye West. It won Best UK Video at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards.
Sampling
The song contains a sample of "Impatient" from will.i.am’s album Songs About Girls.
Impact on Estelle's Career
The success of "American Boy" largely boosted the career of Estelle, helping her achieve worldwide fame.

Discuss the American Boy Lyrics with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add these lyrics to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "American Boy Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 16 Apr. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/30251830/Kanye+West/American+Boy>.

    Powered by CITE.ME Cite.Me

    Missing lyrics by Kanye West?

    Know any other songs by Kanye West? Don't keep it to yourself!

    Watch the song video

    American Boy

    184.5M
    1.9M     0

    Top Hot 100 Songs 2008

    Billboard #9


    more tracks from the album

    Urban Hits 2010

    Browse Lyrics.com

    #ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

    Our awesome collection of

    Promoted Songs

    »

    Quiz

    Are you a music master?

    »
    Which band sang The Final Countdown?
    A Foreigner
    B Survivor
    C Scorpions
    D Europe

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Chrome

    Get instant explanation for any lyrics that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Firefox

    Get instant explanation for any acronym or abbreviation that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Kanye West tracks

    On Radio Right Now

    Loading...

    Powered by OnRad.io

    Think you know music? Test your MusicIQ here!