| "Through the Wire" | ||||
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| Single by Kanye West | ||||
| from the album The College Dropout and Get Well Soon…. | ||||
| B-side | "Two Words" | |||
| Released | September 30, 2003 | |||
| Recorded | November 2002 | |||
| Studio | The Record Plant (Los Angeles, California) | |||
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| Producer(s) | Kanye West | |||
| Kanye West singles chronology | ||||
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| "Through the Wire" on YouTube | ||||
"Through the Wire" is the debut solo single by American rapper and producer Kanye West, who wrote and recorded the song with his jaw wired shut after a car crash on October 23, 2002. The song samples Chaka Khan's 1985 single "Through the Fire" and was released on September 30, 2003 as the lead single from his debut album The College Dropout (2004). The song was also included on West’s debut mixtape Get Well Soon…. (2002).
"Through the Wire" peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and received near-universal acclaim from music critics. It was certified Platinum and Gold in the United States and United Kingdom respectively. The song was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance in 2005, but lost to Jay-Z's "99 Problems". The music video was financed by West, who was inspired by an Adidas advertisement. It won Video of the Year at the 2004 Source Hip Hop Awards.