Power (Kanye West song)

"Power"
Single by Kanye West
from the album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Released	July 1, 2010 (2010-07-01)
Recorded	2009–2010
Genre	Hip hop rap rock[1]
Length	4:52 (album version) 1:34 (video version)
Label	Roc-A-Fella Def Jam
Songwriter(s)	Kanye West Larry Griffin Michael Dean Jeff Bhasker Andwele Gardner Ken Lewis Francois Bernheim Jean-Pierre Lang Boris Bergman Robert Fripp Michael Giles Greg Lake Ian McDonald Peter Sinfield Ronald Isley O'Kelly Isley Rudolph Isley Billy Carter Harold Cowart Jimmy O'Rourke Ron Ziegler
Producer(s)	S1 Kanye West Jeff Bhasker Mike Dean
Kanye West singles chronology
"We Are the World 25 for Haiti" (2010) "Power" (2010) "Live Fast, Die Young" (2010)
Music video
"Power" on YouTube

"Power" (often stylized as "POWER") is a song by American rapper Kanye West, released as the lead single from his fifth studio album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010). The song features additional vocals by soul singer Dwele and is co-produced by West and Symbolyc One. It is built around samples of "21st Century Schizoid Man" by King Crimson, "Afromerica" by Continent Number 6, and "It's Your Thing" by Cold Grits. After having recorded it in Hawaii, West reported that 5,000 man-hours were spent developing "Power". In its lyrics, West comments about the United States, his mental health and his critics. Its chorus features an abrasive vocal-riff.

"Power" was West's comeback single following his 2008 album 808s & Heartbreak and his controversial incident with Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. The song received critical acclaim, and was listed among the best tracks of 2010 by several publications, including Time, Pitchfork Media, Spin, and Rolling Stone. Critics described it as a return to form for West, praising its intricate production, lyrical merit, and scope. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance at the 53rd Grammy Awards.

The song debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at position 22 and thereafter declined. The track was promoted by a music video, which was directed by Marco Brambilla. The video features a long take of the camera pulling away from West. The video received positive reviews from critics and received two nominations for MTV Video Music Awards. West performed the song on Saturday Night Live, at the 2010 BET Awards, at the 2011 Coachella Music Festival, and his Watch the Throne Tour. A remix of the track featuring Jay-Z was released on August 20, 2010, as a part of West's weekly GOOD Fridays series.