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Kanye West, “Spaceship”: Rap BNGRZ 🔥 No. 9 (2022) [📷: Brent Faulkner, cottonbro, The Musical Hype, Pexels, Roc-A-Fella, RODNAE Productions, WoodysMedia]On the 9th edition of Rap BNGRZ 🔥 (2022), we break down the banger status of “Spaceship” performed by Kanye West.

Kanye West, The College Dropout [📷: Roc-A-Fella]

B

ring on the braggadocio, drip, sex, and kick-a$$ery – is that even a real word?  Regardless of whether it is or isn’t, you’ve entered Rap BNGRZ 🔥 territory! On Rap BNGRZ 🔥 (bangers, spelled properly), the premise is simple and like other columns gracing The Musical Hype (Outlandish Rock 🎸🤘 is its rock brotha from a different motha). BNGRZ provides background info and commentary on cocky, confident, ferocious hip-hop/rap songs. The bangers featured on BNGRZ can be brand-spanking-new or certified classics. On the 9th edition of Rap BNGRZ 🔥 (2022), we break down the banger status of 🎵 “Spaceship” performed by 🎙 Kanye West featuring 🎙 GLC and 🎙 Consequence.


Theme & Lyrics

Bitmoji Image“I’ve been workin’ this grave shift and I ain’t made shit / I wish I could buy me a spaceship and fly past the sky.” Woo! 🎵 “Spaceship” marks one of the best songs from 💿 The College Dropout, 2004’s 🏆 Grammy-winning masterpiece by 🎙 Kanye West.  Call this one a classic Rap BNGRZ 🔥 entry. Is West really going to buy himself a spaceship? Nah dawg – it’s escapism!

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Bitmoji ImageThe production work (West) on this five-and-a-minute banger is terrific, hearkening back to old-school soul.  Notably, Mr. West brilliantly samples the 🎙 Marvin Gaye classic 🎵 “Distant Lover”, which fuels the fire for sure.  Of course, Mr. West doesn’t escape on his own – he’s assisted by 🎙 GLC and 🎙 Consequence, not to mention additional vocals from 🎙 The World Famous Tony Williams and a then little-known 🎙 John Legend.  For some context, Legend would release his major-label debut, 💿 Get Lifted later that year.

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Bitmoji ImageFocusing on the song, West expands on the sentiment conveyed by chorus in the first verse. He expresses disillusionment with his job.  I must agree with Complex Magazine that this is one of West’s best verses – a gem through and though.

“If my manager insults me again

I will be assaulting him

After I fuck the manager up

Then I’m gonna shorten the register up

Let’s go back, back to the Gap

Look at my check, wasn’t no scratch

So, if I stole, wasn’t my fault

Yeah, I stole, never got caught.”

superWOO! Following up West’s brilliant verse is tough, but GLC and Consequence bring their own fair share of excellence. A prime example of the hunger and desire to escape for GLC also references a mall job just like West:

“In the mall until 12 when my schedule had said 9

Putting them pants on shelves waiting patiently I ask myself

Where I want to go, where I want to be

Life is much more than running in the streets.”

As for Consequence, he focuses on the present and never returning to being an unknown rapper and broke:

“Had to be a catastrophe with the fridges staring back at me

Cause nothing’s there, nothing’s fair

I don’t want to ever go back there

So, I won’t be taking no days off ‘till my spaceship takes off.”

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Final Thoughts 💭 

Bitmoji ImageJust to reiterate, “Spaceship” ranks among the best Kanye West songs.  Furthermore, I’d argue it’s one of the best rap records of the aughts.  Sure, “Jesus Walks” is bigger, and “Through the Wire” marked a breakthrough, but “Spaceship” is magnificent.

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Appears in 🔽:


🎙 Kanye West • 💿 The College Dropout🏷 Roc-A-Fella • 🗓 2004

Kanye West, “Spaceship”: Rap BNGRZ 🔥 No. 9 (2022) [📷: Brent Faulkner, cottonbro, The Musical Hype, Pexels, Roc-A-Fella, RODNAE Productions, WoodysMedia]

 


the musical hype

the musical hype (Brent Faulkner) has earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees in music (music education, music theory/composition respectively). A multi-instrumentalist, he plays piano, trombone, and organ among numerous other instruments. He's a certified music educator, composer, and freelance music blogger. Faulkner cites music and writing as two of the most important parts of his life. Notably, he's blessed with a great ear, possessing perfect pitch.

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