"Ni**as In Paris" (edited for radio as "Fellas In Paris" or simply "Paris") is the third track from Kanye West and Jay-Z's collaborative album, Watch The Throne (2011).[1] It released as a single on September 13, 2011, serving as the fourth single from the album.[2]
The song is one of Ye and Jay-Z's most iconic and well-known songs of all time. The song won awards for the Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards in 2012.[3]
Production[]
The song is built around a synth bell loop from the Dirty South Bangaz music library and also contains vocal samples from "Baptizing Scene" by Reverend W.A. Donaldson, an interpolation of "Victory" by Puff Daddy featuring The Notorious B.I.G. and Busta Rhymes, and dialogue excerpts from the 2007 film Blades of Glory.
Background[]
In an interview in 2010, Ye revealed that he, Karl Lagerfeld, and Jay-Z all attended fashion shows in Paris, which was possibly the inspiration for the song.[4] In the famous 2013 Zane Lowe interview, Ye said that he called the song "Ni**as in Paris" because "n***as was in Paris". In October 2011, Pusha T revealed that Ye originally gave him the beat for "Ni**as In Paris", but Pusha declined because it "sounded like a video game" to him.[5]
Music video[]
On February 9, 2012, the music video for "Ni**as In Paris", directed by Ye, was officially released. It features footage of Ye and Jay's performance at the Staples Center on December 13, 2011, in which they performed the song ten times.
Live performances[]
The song was performed during the Watch The Throne Tour as the 35th and final track on the setlist.[6] During early concerts for the tour, the song was performed three times. However, as the concerts passed, Jay and Ye performed the song more and more, to the point where it was performed ten times at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California on December 12, 2011. On June 1, 2012, Jay and Ye again broke the record by performing the song eleven times at the Accor Arena in Paris, France.[2]
Ye and Jay performed a censored version of the song at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in 2011, titled "Legends in Paris". Ye also performed the song at the Free Larry Hoover concert on December 9, 2021.
Lyrics[]
[Intro]
We're gonna skate to one song, one song only
Ball so hard, motherfuckers wanna fine me
[Verse 1]
So I ball so hard, motherfuckers wanna fine me
But first n***as gotta find me
What's fifty grand to a motherfucker like me? Can you please remind me?
(Ball so hard) This shit crazy
Y'all don't know that don't shit faze me
The Nets could go 0 for 82
And I'd look at you like this shit gravy
(Ball so hard) This shit weird
We ain't even 'posed to be here
(Ball so hard) Since we here
It's only right that we'd be fair
Psycho, I'm liable to go Michael, take your pick
Jackson, Tyson, Jordan, Game 6
(Ball so hard) Got a broke clock
Rollies that don't tick-tock
Audemars that's losing time
Hidden behind all these big rocks
(B-ball so hard) I'm shocked too
I'm supposed to be locked up too
You escaped what I escaped
You'd be in Paris getting fucked up too
(B-ball so hard) Let's get faded
Le Meurice for like six days
Gold bottles, scold models
Spillin' Ace on my sick J's
(Ball so hard) Bitch, behave
Just might let you meet Ye
Chi-Town's D. Rose
I'm moving the Nets, BK
[Chorus]
Ball so hard, motherfuckers wanna fine me
That shit cray, that shit cray, that shit cray
B-ball so hard, motherfuckers wanna fine me
That shit cray, that shit cray, that shit cray
[Verse 2]
She said, "Ye, can we get married at the mall?"
I said, "Look, you need to crawl 'fore you ball"
Come and meet me in the bathroom stall
And show me why you deserve to have it all
(Ball so hard) That shit cray, ain't it, Jay?
(B-ball so hard) What she order, fish fillet?
(B-ball so hard) Your whip so cold, this old thing?
(Ball so hard) Act like you'll ever be around motherfuckers like this again
Bougie girl, grab her hand
Fuck that bitch, she don't wanna dance
Excuse my French, but I'm in France, ahah, I'm just sayin'
Prince Williams ain't do it right, if you ask me
'Cause I was him, I would have married Kate and Ashley
What's Gucci, my n***a? What's Louis, my killer?
What's drugs, my dealer? What's that jacket, Margiela?
Doctors say I'm the illest 'cause I'm suffering from realness
Got my n***as in Paris and they going gorillas, huh
[Interlude]
I don't even know what that means
No one knows what it means, but it's provocative
No, it's not, it's gross
Gets the people going
[Chorus]
Ball so hard, motherfuckers wanna fine me
B-ball so hard, motherfuckers wanna fine me
[Outro]
You are now watching the throne
Don't let me get in my zone
Don't let me get in my zone
Don't let me get in my zone
These other n***as is lyin'
Actin' like the summer ain't mine
(I got that hot bitch in my home)
You know how many hot bitches I own?
Don't let me get in my zone
Don't let me get in my zone
Don't let me get in my zone
Don't let me get in my zone
The stars is in the building
They hands is to the ceiling
I know I'm 'bout to kill it
How you know? I got that feeling
You are now watching the throne
Don't let me into my zone
Don't let me into my zone
(I'm definitely in my zone)
Trivia[]
- It is Kanye's most streamed song of all time and Jay-Z's second most streamed song, only behind "Umbrella".[7][8]
References[]
- ↑ https://open.spotify.com/album/0OcMap99vLEeGkBCfCwRwS
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ni**as_in_Paris&redirect=no
- ↑ https://www.grammy.com/artists/kanye-west/6900
- ↑ https://www.xxlmag.com/from-the-archives-kanye-west-kanye-wests-la-dolce-vita-originally-published-october-2010/
- ↑ https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.17410/title.pusha-t-says-he-originally-passed-on-jay-z-kanye-wests-paris-beat
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watch_the_Throne_Tour
- ↑ https://kworb.net/spotify/artist/5K4W6rqBFWDnAN6FQUkS6x_songs.html
- ↑ https://kworb.net/spotify/artist/3nFkdlSjzX9mRTtwJOzDYB_songs.html