| "Paranoid" | ||||
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| Single by Kanye West featuring Mr Hudson | ||||
| from the album 808s & Heartbreak | ||||
| Released | March 23, 2009 | |||
| Recorded | 2008 | |||
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| Genre | New wave | |||
| Length | 4:37 (album version) 4:45 (new mix) 3:25 (video version) | |||
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| Producer(s) | Kanye West | |||
| Kanye West singles chronology | ||||
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| Mr Hudson singles chronology | ||||
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| "Paranoid" on YouTube | ||||
"Paranoid" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his fourth studio album, 808s & Heartbreak (2008). The song features vocals from English musician Mr Hudson and background vocals from fellow American rapper Kid Cudi. West handled the production, with co-production from Jeff Bhasker and Plain Pat. The song was written by the producers alongside Kid Cudi and American rapper Consequence. It was serviced to top 40 radio stations in the United States on March 23, 2009, as the fourth and final single from the album. An upbeat new wave track, the song features electronic drum effects and pop synths. Its lyrical content is centered around West being pushed away by the mistrustful thinking of a woman that he is in love with.
The song received universal acclaim from music critics, with the majority of them being complimentary towards the production, while some critics compared "Paranoid" to the works of other artists. It charted at numbers 14 and 90 on the Belgium Ultratip Wallonia chart and ARIA Singles Chart, respectively, in 2009. That same year, the song reached number 18 on the US Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart, and has since been certified gold in the US by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). West and Mr Hudson have performed the song live together on numerous occasions, including at the 2009 iTunes Festival. An accompanying music video, directed by Nabil Elderkin and starring Rihanna, was released on June 3, 2009. Based around a fantasy from her paranoid mindstate, the video sees her going through a dream sequence. It received a nomination for Best Visual Effects at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. A remix, featuring Mr Hudson and rapper Big Sean, was released in December 2008. Since its release, the song has been covered by both the Suzan and Kali Uchis.