Can't Tell Me Nothing

Album: Graduation (2007)
Charted: 41
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Songfacts®:

  • This features vocal samples from Jeezy's 2006 album track "I Got Money."
  • Kanye West told Concrete Loop about what he feels is the wide appeal of this song: "I hear records that are super hot for two months, but the records won't last in people's minds. I set out not to just make records that could hop off the radio instantly, but stuff that will speak to people. People still bring up 'Spaceships' to me. And people compare 'Can't Tell Me Nothing' to 'Spaceships' saying that's a song that inspires them when they going to work. But the chords itself, is like a Led Zeppelin, rock melody. Yeah, you thinking it's made for the car and you thinking it's made for the club, and it works in the arena because DJ Toomp did the drums and all that, but the actual melody is made to rock 50,000 people."
  • Two music videos were made. The first was directed by Hype Williams and shows West rapping in the middle of the desert. The second was directed by Michael Blieden, and features comedian Zach Galifianakis and folk singer Will Oldham lip-syncing the tune at Galifianakis' North Carolina farm.

Comments: 2

  • Matt from Boston, MaThat line is also in the song "School of Hard Knocks" by P.O.D.
  • Mikey from San Jose, CaThe line "Your homies lookin' like "Why God?", when they reminisce over you, my God", is a reference to the song "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" by Pete Rock and CL Smooth.
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