What We Talkin' About

Album: The Blueprint 3 (2009)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is the opening track from American rapper Jay-Z's 11th studio album, The Blueprint 3.
  • Australian musician Luke Steele of pop duo Empire of the Sun appears on this track., (check out "We Are The People"). Steele told MTV News that their collaboration came about after Jay-Z heard the Empire of the Sun track "Standing on the Shore," from their debut album Walking on a Dream, on the "Running on E" episode of Entourage. He explained: "Apparently, he was watching Entourage, and he heard one of our songs and he needed this chorus for one of the tracks." The Brooklyn MC sent his track to Steele in Australia. "I tracked it all day, for 12 hours, and then I sent it back," he said. "I was a bit nervous, wondering what everyone thought, and Jay-Z called me at 3 in the morning, and he said he loved it." Steele added that he took the original hook of "Standing on the Shore" and did his usual studio manipulation on it. "It's just whatever comes to mind," he said. "I added some reverse [vocals] and wrote a Neptunes-y, Beach Boys melody on the chorus, and it turned out to be great."
  • On one of the verses Jay Z targets rapper The Game and former best friend/business partner Dame Dash.
  • This samples "Spirit" by French musician Frederic Mercier from his 1978 cosmic electronica album, Pacific.

Comments: 1

  • Robert from Bronx, NyThis song is Real, one of my 2 favorites in the album.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Facebook, Bromance and Email - The First Songs To Use New Words

Facebook, Bromance and Email - The First Songs To Use New WordsSong Writing

Where words like "email," "thirsty," "Twitter" and "gangsta" first showed up in songs, and which songs popularized them.

Incongruent Opening Acts

Incongruent Opening ActsSong Writing

Here's what happens when an opening act is really out of place with the headliner, like when Beastie Boys opened for Madonna.

Who Did It First?

Who Did It First?Music Quiz

Do you know who recorded the original versions of these ten hit songs?

Tony Joe White

Tony Joe WhiteSongwriter Interviews

The writer of "Rainy Night in Georgia" and "Polk Salad Annie" explains how he cooks up his Louisiana swamp rock.

David Clayton-Thomas of Blood, Sweat & Tears

David Clayton-Thomas of Blood, Sweat & TearsSongwriter Interviews

The longtime BS&T frontman tells the "Spinning Wheel" story, including the line he got from Joni Mitchell.

Susanna Hoffs - "Eternal Flame"

Susanna Hoffs - "Eternal Flame"They're Playing My Song

The Prince-penned "Manic Monday" was the first song The Bangles heard coming from a car radio, but "Eternal Flame" is closest to Susanna's heart, perhaps because she sang it in "various states of undress."