This was definitely the peak of my interest in Kanye. And mashing himself up with Daft Punk got my attention. I liked the singles from 808, but this might be my second favorite Ye track after Gold Digger. I have to go with a 9 for this one.

He was still at least trying to be charming and funny in his cocky way. Maybe we all encouraged him too much, because that attitude has completely curdled into… well, whatever he is now.

One top 10 that Tom didn’t mention was Ye’s feature on Estelle’s American Boy the next year. I really liked that one. Estelle gave a performance that was both warm and cool, and his verses were really good. I especially like:

“Dressed smart like a London Bloke/ Before he speak his suit bespoke” and the way he says “rubbish”.

https://youtu.be/FAD_5NWzM5g

This article made me realize one thing: Boomers often take 5 mins to describe technology that can be explained in 10 secs.

It’s possible to listen to “Stronger” and mourn, for here’s the appearance of the Kanye West whose monstrous ego and casual pathologies would contort future performance; but from the sinuosity with which he weaves the Daft Punk sample to the three-note guitar plucks in the performance here’s a master producer at work, creating a track that’s of the moment yet a forerunner of what was too come: the EDM chokehold on the charts from 2008 to 2016. One of the most beautifully produced singles. The easiest of 9’s. P.S. He improved on the Daft Punk song.

Great song, great video, would also like to hear the Drake diss version.

I make $6,000 a week selling hair to aging punk legends! DM me @hair4punksnow to find out how you could too!

since last july, i’ve commented on any article about or mentioning H.E.R., to remind all the gummers that in 2021, she wrote and released a song with domestic-abuser chris brown, who has been fucking up women and not apologizing since 2009, when he beat rihanna to a pulp.

i can’t believe i have to add another young artist to my queue. the world is so fuckin’ complicated—but choosing to work with literally anyone but chris brown is such an easy, uncomplicated choice. (obviously there are other terrible people to choose, but those choices aren’t any more complicated.)

he’s violated people and property in 2011, ’12, ’13, ’15, twice in ’16, ’18, and ’19. last year, most recently, he’s got a 20 million dollar lawsuit accusing him of drugging and raping a woman on a yacht in Florida in 2020. like, what the ever-living fuck??

anyone still working with this absolute piece of shit—no matter how talented they are, including H.E.R. and now chloe bailey—are absolutely complicit in his career-funded carnage. he is the living definition of who #cancelculture should justly annihilate, but for some reason he keeps dodging any accountability, and people keep flocking to work with him. so: denounce him now, chloe. do the same now, H.E.R.

@gum staff, i appreciate you publishing her pathetic excuses, and more importantly emphasizing all the terrible shit chris brown has done. thanks!

also the song sucks.

Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker’s dad

Came for the juice, stayed for the 71 year old man’s expertise on telecom stuff.

Love it when people are so insulated by celebrity that they confuse revulsion at legitimately abhorrent behavior with just having “haters.”

The first time the police show up when a black man gets robbed.

Kiss Kiss is one of only twelve songs that debuted at #100 and went on to #1. The list:

Bad Habit – Steve Lacy                          

Black & Yellow – Wiz Khalifa                         

Can’t Help Falling In Love – UB40                                    

Go Away Little Girl – Steve Lawrence                               

Heat Waves – Glass Animals                   

Kansas City – Wilbert Harrison             

Kiss Kiss – Chris Brown                       

Michael – The Highwaymen            

See You Again – Wiz Khalifa                         

Teen Angel – Mark Dinning                    

The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia – Vicki Lawrence                 

When A Man Loves A Woman – Percy Sledge                     

#1s can theoretically debut anywhere and in fact we’ve had #1s debut at 98 of the 100 spots on the chart, the exceptions being #19 and #30.

You might be puzzled by the lack of 80’s songs on the list. That’s an artifact of the way Billboard constructed charts in those days. On the 14 May 1977 chart “Discomania” by The Lovers debuted at #100. There wasn’t another #100 debut for the next 11 years, when “Only a Memory” by The Smithereens did so on the 21 May 1988 chart. Billboard has done this a couple of other times (November 1996 to January 1999 & August 2000 to July 2004).