Who Gon Stop Me
Encyclopedia
"Who Gon Stop Me" is a song by American
hip hop
artists Kanye West
and Jay-Z
, from their first collaboration album Watch the Throne
. The song is the 9th song
on the official track list for the album. The song samples English dubstep
DJ Flux Pavilion
's hit single "I Can't Stop", from his EP Lines In Wax and his mix album Circus One with Doctor P
.
gave the song a positive review and stated that the track used dubstep
. They described the hook in the song "This is something like a holocaust / Millions of our people lost," by adding that "He's making the point that inner-city violence, by the dictionary definition of the word ("a mass slaughter of people"), is a holocaust, but is never framed as such". Rolling Stone similar to Spin also stated that the song was an experimental
track that featured a dubstep bass line and that it is flattering to Kanye West's vocal talents. Billboard
described Who Gon Stop Me by saying "The Throne throw the middle finger to haters and hardships of the past. "Til I die/ I'mma f***in ball," West raps. Perfect song for wildin'." The Hollywood Reporter
stated that the album also had a "dubstep-like" beat and described Kanye West and Jay-Z's verses by saying "It’s unclear what Kanye’s referring to by “our people.” Judging by the lyrical content of the previous songs, it’s possible that he’s alluding to Playboy bunnies who got lost at his estate during a heated game of nude hide n’ go seek. Jay-Z admits that he still likes Picasso, but now he also likes Rothko and Rilke. Somewhere the ghost of Jackson Pollack is very disappointed." The Guardian
described the song as using "Romping, ravey synths, a big stomp without much give."
at 44, without actually being released as a single. The reason for the song's relatively high debut on the Billboard Hot 100 is because of the song's high digital performance. On the week of August, 27th 2011, Who Gon Stop Me debuted on the Billboard digital songs chart at number 19 which was the second highest debut of the week only under Drake's single "Headlines". In its second week on the Hot 100 it dropped to 79, and by the third week it exited the chart entirely. The song is the only non-single off of Watch the Throne that managed to chart in the Top 50 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song performed similarly in Canada
, debuting at 60 on the Canadian Hot 100
the week of the album's release.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
artists Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
and Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
, from their first collaboration album Watch the Throne
Watch the Throne
Watch the Throne is a collaborative studio album by American rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West, released on August 8, 2011, by Roc-A-Fella Records, Roc Nation, and Def Jam Recordings. Recording sessions for the album took place at various recording locations and began in November 2010. It was...
. The song is the 9th song
on the official track list for the album. The song samples English dubstep
Dubstep
Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in south London, England. Its overall sound has been described as "tightly coiled productions with overwhelming bass lines and reverberant drum patterns, clipped samples, and occasional vocals"....
DJ Flux Pavilion
Flux Pavilion
Joshua Steele, known professionally as Flux Pavilion, is an English dubstep producer and DJ. He is the co-founder of Circus Records, along with Doctor P and DJ Swan-E. He is best known for his 2011 single "Bass Cannon", which peaked at number 56 on the UK Singles Chart, and was placed on the Radio...
's hit single "I Can't Stop", from his EP Lines In Wax and his mix album Circus One with Doctor P
Doctor P
Doctor P is the stage name of the English dubstep record producer and DJ, Shaun Brockhurst. Shaun also produces drum and bass under the aliases Sounds Destructive, Slum Dogz and DJ Picto...
.
Critical reception
Spin (magazine)Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
gave the song a positive review and stated that the track used dubstep
Dubstep
Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in south London, England. Its overall sound has been described as "tightly coiled productions with overwhelming bass lines and reverberant drum patterns, clipped samples, and occasional vocals"....
. They described the hook in the song "This is something like a holocaust / Millions of our people lost," by adding that "He's making the point that inner-city violence, by the dictionary definition of the word ("a mass slaughter of people"), is a holocaust, but is never framed as such". Rolling Stone similar to Spin also stated that the song was an experimental
Experimental music
Experimental music refers, in the English-language literature, to a compositional tradition which arose in the mid-20th century, applied particularly in North America to music composed in such a way that its outcome is unforeseeable. Its most famous and influential exponent was John Cage...
track that featured a dubstep bass line and that it is flattering to Kanye West's vocal talents. Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
described Who Gon Stop Me by saying "The Throne throw the middle finger to haters and hardships of the past. "Til I die/ I'mma f***in ball," West raps. Perfect song for wildin'." The Hollywood Reporter
The Hollywood Reporter
Formerly a daily trade magazine, The Hollywood Reporter re-launched in late 2010 as a unique hybrid publication serving the entertainment industry and a consumer audience...
stated that the album also had a "dubstep-like" beat and described Kanye West and Jay-Z's verses by saying "It’s unclear what Kanye’s referring to by “our people.” Judging by the lyrical content of the previous songs, it’s possible that he’s alluding to Playboy bunnies who got lost at his estate during a heated game of nude hide n’ go seek. Jay-Z admits that he still likes Picasso, but now he also likes Rothko and Rilke. Somewhere the ghost of Jackson Pollack is very disappointed." The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
described the song as using "Romping, ravey synths, a big stomp without much give."
Chart performance
Due to the hype around Watch the Throne, Who Gon Stop Me debuted on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
at 44, without actually being released as a single. The reason for the song's relatively high debut on the Billboard Hot 100 is because of the song's high digital performance. On the week of August, 27th 2011, Who Gon Stop Me debuted on the Billboard digital songs chart at number 19 which was the second highest debut of the week only under Drake's single "Headlines". In its second week on the Hot 100 it dropped to 79, and by the third week it exited the chart entirely. The song is the only non-single off of Watch the Throne that managed to chart in the Top 50 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song performed similarly in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, debuting at 60 on the Canadian Hot 100
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...
the week of the album's release.
Charts
| Chart (2011) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| South Korea (Gaon Chart Gaon Chart The Gaon Chart is a national record chart of South Korea. It is complied by the Korea Music Content Industry Association and sponsored by South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism; with an aim to create a national chart for Korea similar to the Billboard charts and Oricon charts... ) |
116 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
44 |
| Canadian Hot 100 Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007... |
60 |