I Wonder (Kanye West song)

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"I Wonder"
Song by Kanye West
from the album Graduation
ReleasedSeptember 11, 2007 (2007-09-11)
RecordedMarch 2007
Studio
GenreHip hop
Length4:03
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Kanye West

"I Wonder" is a song by American hip-hop recording artist and record producer Kanye West. It was released as the fourth song on his third studio album Graduation (2007). The track was produced by West and retains influences from stadium rock, alternative music, and a variety of electronic-music subgenres. It contains a sample from "My Song" by British singer-songwriter, musician, and poet Labi Siffre. A major development in the song's creation was West touring the world the year prior with Irish rock band U2 on their Vertigo Tour. Afterwards, he sought out to compose a hip hop-oriented variation of "City of Blinding Lights," the band's 2005 single. The layered arrangement contains experimental orchestrations, with a distorted electronic synthesizer that acts as the lead instrument. The maximalist synths are further supplemented with a sweeping string section as well as winding keyboards. Its experimental musical composition is also notable for West's rapping technique. His lyrical delivery features a fragmented, forceful flow where he raps minimalist verses in an intense staccato vocal style. Lyrically, "I Wonder" is an introspective number, containing a blend of melancholic lines that discuss finding one's dreams.

The song received widespread acclaim from contemporary music critics, who hailed it as an album highlight. Even though it did not enter charts, the album track has become a cult classic amongst fans and listeners. West himself actually cited "I Wonder" as one of his top three favorite songs from Graduation. At one point, he even contemplated releasing "I Wonder" as the albums' fourth single, but subsequently chose "Flashing Lights" in its place. Nevertheless, "I Wonder" has since been certified triple Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Although an accompanying music video was never produced for "I Wonder," a special video clip was made for the track. The video clip premiered during an album listening session West held for Graduation at the New World Stages in New York City. It was one of seven clips that were designed by West and edited by film editor Derrick Lee exclusively for the event. The video clip for "I Wonder" features a montage of scenes from the 1982 science fiction film Tron. West performed the song on the set-list on his worldwide Glow in the Dark Tour (2008).

Background and development[edit]

West set out to compose his version of "City of Blinding Lights" by U2 (pictured) after witnessing them perform it on their Vertigo Tour (2005–06).

"I Wonder" was written and produced solely by West.[1] The experimental production of the song represents a musical progression from the sound of West's past work, incorporating influences from rock and electronic music.[2][3][4][5] West said that more than any other song from Graduation, "I Wonder" was the most directly influenced by the Irish rock band U2.[6] After touring with the band on their Vertigo Tour from 2005 to 2006, he became jealous witnessing lead singer Bono open stadium concerts with their 2005 single "City of Blinding Lights". West then sought out to compose rap songs that could operate just as effectively in similar live venues.[7] He set to create his variation of "City of Blinding Lights" with "I Wonder", focusing on delivering his message in a slower flow with few words and sloganeering to be chanted in unison. Having also been accompanied by the Rolling Stones on tour and inspired by both the touring acts, West found that complex lyrics did not consistently generate reactions.[6][8] He jokingly said that "this 50-year-old white lady" would be waiting for the band to appear as he delivered his "super raps".[6] The song moves towards minimalism, featuring a melancholy style.[5][9]

"And I'm rapping "Diamonds" and stuff like that trying to over rap, and I was like you know what? I don't need to over rap and that's how you get a song like "I Wonder" [...] Like no rappers would really, you know, put it out like that, because people are trying to prove themselves all the time."[10]

—West talking to Concrete Loop about rapping "I Wonder", October 2007

West mentioned that the song focuses on the concerns of university graduates, echoing the title of Graduation. He explained that he offers the graduates a small amount of advice, mainly posing the question of how they make their decisions and "letting them zone out to the music" to figure these out.[11] Throughout the album, West reconditioned his lines to be simpler, more direct, and more autobiographical in order to make them more accessible to listeners and appeal to the widest audience possible.[12] The song's swelling, anthemic energy was the result of West's influences from the touring bands in his attempt to attain a "stadium status" for his music.[7][13] Prior to the release of Graduation, West spoke of the desire to write songs that listeners could connect with and personalize. This is largely demonstrated in the song, which also resembles an anthem.[14] His lyrics talk about chasing after dreams and address his rise to fame.[15][16] West explained that he made a conscious effort not to overexert his rapping on Graduation, imparting that he felt he too often did so in the past on songs. He did not try and instead "zoned out", entering the studio and feeling his words came from God as he focused on the beat of "I Wonder".[10]

Recording[edit]

The song features a sample of the 1972 recording "My Song" by British singer Labi Siffre, which stands as one of the multiple occasions a rapper sampled him and led to the singer receiving a songwriting credit.[1][17] The sample is combined with its synths,[18][19] which were inspired by "City of Blinding Lights".[8] West placed the sample under this instrumentation and this caused it to sound trapped in a machine, while he sampled directly rather than altering the pitch like most of the album.[20][21] Synths appear on nearly every track of Graduation, which served as West's introduction to electronic music.[16][22] West later experimented with abrasive, electronic production on his albums Yeezus (2013) and The Life of Pablo (2016).[5]

In an interview, West stated that among his primary objectives on his third studio album Graduation was for his drums to "bang harder in stadiums".[10] His newfound fascination with house music had an influence on this endeavor to achieve stronger drum beats. West relied less on his signature shuffling rhythmic patterns and placed more emphasis on clipped electro tones, strengthening his programmed beats.[23] The rhythm section of "I Wonder" is structured on a combination of West's drum kit and pounding breakbeats.[24][25] Its snare drum was reportedly heard while he was shopping for furniture at Moss.[26] West had a meticulous approach, spending around 10 recording sessions working on the drum track across weeks.[10][27]

Despite its experimental nature, "I Wonder" still happens to be one of the few tracks from Graduation that harbor certain characteristics of West's once trademark musical style.[3][28][29] Speaking of the song retrospectively, fellow rapper Cyhi the Prynce described West as "very musical".[16] It features a soulful sample from Siffre's "My Song", maintaining West's audience from his earlier style.[28][29] Alongside the sample, the orchestration includes his familiar elegant piano and lush strings.[30] The track's keyboards were played by West collaborator Jon Brion, who delivered a full string section.[16]

Composition[edit]

"I Wonder" is a mid-tempo hip hop song that lasts for a duration of four minutes and three seconds (4:03).[1] The song incorporates elements similar to that of traditional R&B and classic soul music in addition to influences from stadium rock and subgenres of electronic-music including electro, house, and rave music.[10][18][31][32] Its downbeat instrumentation consists of an immense orchestra which sees a combining of West's trademark strings, piano, and samples along with abrasive synths and a distorted drumbeat.[13][19][30][33] An experimental track, "I Wonder" features a stop-and-start arrangement with gradual, melodic cadence and a stuttering rhythm.[2][7] West's simplistic yet forceful rapping makes extensive use of rests as the song builds into a bombastic crescendo.[7][16] Over the course of his three verses, West showcases an untraditional approach to cadence for his leaner rhyme schemes.[34][35][36] With a halting delivery, West manipulates his vocal articulation in order to match the melodies of the musical composition.[37][38] He initially delivers his lyrics in terse phrases at loud volume and high velocity with an intense staccato style in between a vocal sample from "My Song" by British singer and poet Labi Siffre.[1][37] He enunciates and stresses each syllable in every word within the first minimalist staccato verse, then transitions to a faster, more fluid flow for the more intricate second and third verses.[39] West routinely stops his full-throated rapping and allows the sample, strings and pianos to wander indistinctly for measures at a time.[40]

Its musical composition begins at a medium tempo with a graceful, intricate introduction.[41][42] The track's intro is steeped in lilting melody, consisting of twinkling piano keys and a soft vocal sample from "My Song" by Labi Siffre.[25][41][37] Suddenly, the off-kilter, dreamlike composition erupts, abruptly unleashing an overdriven electronic synthesizer.[18][43] "I Wonder" opens with West proclaiming, "I've been waiting for this moment my whole life," accompanied by a sinuous synth-lead over crunchy drumbeats.[18][28] Its distorted snare drum strokes, crashing rimshots, and a bottom-heavy kick drum combine to form the track's breakbeats.[19][25][44] The discordant synthesizer gives off roaring feed-back and intertwines with the melody of the sample, which evolves over the duration of the song to transform into an anthemic, piano-driven refrain.[45] A torrent of dissonant synths undulate as they are ornamented with ethereal keyboard lines and throbbing bass.[18] Following the second verse, the synths retract as the song adopts a heavy string section.[6] The operatic strings mimics the melodies of the synthesizer and the vocal sample.[9] At the start of the third verse, the strident synth-lead and later on the piercing drum strokes and rumbling kick drums make their return.[24] Towards its end, the musical composition enters an energetic breakdown.[46] During this period, its snares, kick drums, and keyboards are brought to the forefront before the lush orchestration finish off with a sweeping string arrangement.[18][24][47]

"I Wonder"
A 21-second sample of West rapping the song's first verse. He forcefully recites soul-searching lyrics at high volume with an emotive staccato delivery. Each of his lines are followed by a hook that contains samples of "My Song" by Labi Siffre. The bombastic orchestration express a distorted synth-lead and crashing snare drum strokes.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

The lyrical content of "I Wonder" contains introspection regarding dream chasers, being melancholic in tone.[21][9] The song features a chorus that pertains to discovering one's elusive dreams. During the verses, West depicts the struggle others experience to figure out their lives.[21] The dark, intimate track is where West finds himself alternating from anguished soul-searching to swaggering bravado over the lush orchestration.[47][48] West varies his highly emotive style of rapping in order to convey the struggle a person goes through in the pursuit to determine the meaning behind their life.[21] During the song's first two verses, when West is in difficult relationship, his rapping unnatural and staggering. But for the third and final verse, when the relationship has been seemingly severed, West returns to his confident demeanor and usual cadence.[49] His lyrics throughout the track engage in a poignant discussion that talks about the burden of expectations as well as struggle in a relationship from an honest perspective.[46][50] All of which West acknowledges that he once went through before he figured out his own life and found his own dreams.[21] He also takes the time to address the negative criticism that was directed towards him along the way.[45] West ponders on the prospect of achieving success by staying true to one's own unique disposition, while utilising the sample as a hook to ask the existential question, "And I wonder if you know what it means to find your dreams?"[12]

Some music journalists noted a sense of melancholia in the track's lyrical content and delivery that were at odds with its aspirational themes. To Hillary Crosley from Billboard, West's primary goal was to place lyrical focus on individual inspiration: "I've been waiting on this my whole life/You can still be what you wish you is, that's what intuition is."[4] However, Greg Kot of Chicago Tribune detected that at the heart of the song lies a crept-in hint of self-doubt: "And I wonder if you know what it all means?"[31] Todd Williams from The Boombox remarked that West sounds as if he's in mired in disbelief regarding his accomplishments in his career and life.[42] Jesal Padania for RapReviews.com concludes that the song's ambivalent lyricism serves to loosely document the miscommunication between West and everyone else around him, while its multiple buzz-lines and his liberal use of Shakespearian open text function to hook the listener in: "Do you even remember what the issue is?"[14] 411Mania reviewer Sean Comer commented on the storytelling abilities that West exhibited. He states, "Kanye always delivers his stories in compelling fashion – it's just that he's writing what he knows: his life, triumphs, travails and all. In reality, this was assessment on the state of his fame. Sometimes, it's from a place of bemusement and others, a contemplative resting place."[51]

Release and promotion[edit]

West at the Methodist Central Hall, Westminster on August 20, 2007, where he first performed "I Wonder" in secret.

"I Wonder" was first previewed when the digital radio station BBC Radio 1Xtra hosted an "Audience With Kanye West" event at the BBC Radio Music Theatre in London on August 13, 2007. West guided a specially selected audience through Graduation, playing the album on his MacBook Air laptop via a speaker system.[52] West first performed "I Wonder" live during a secret show with Barbadian singer Rihanna at the Methodist Central Hall in the City of Westminster on August 20, 2007.[53][54] The show was held to 500 fans and invited guests, who were mostly competition winners and music industry insiders.[53][55] Initially, the guests were greeted with graduation outfits and Mortar Boards in reference to the album's title.[55]

"I Wonder" was one of the tracks that West played during a listening session for Graduation at the New World Stages in Manhattan, New York on August 28, 2007, accompanied by a video clip. Inside an auditorium, West revealed his influences and aspirations. West played the songs from start-to-finish uninterrupted, with special programs of the lyrics handed out.[6][20][24] He mentioned that the song served as his version of U2's "City of Blinding Lights" and how he simplified his lyrics to generate reactions from audiences.[6] Despite originally being set to serve as the opener, "I Wonder" was ultimately released as the fourth track of Graduation on September 11, 2007.[27][30] In an October interview with Concrete Loop, West imparted that the song was one of his three favorites from the album. He focused on the song's level of emotion and its stadium feel, mentioning a favorite composition of his as Gold's strings in the third verse.[10] West reportedly considered the track as an option for the record's fourth single a month prior,[56] although he subsequently chose to instead release "Flashing Lights", another of his favorites that he saw as its "coolest" number rather than "I Wonder".[10][57]

Reception[edit]

"I Wonder" received acclaim from music critics, who cite the orchestral arrangement and West's soul-searching, staccato delivery as an album highlight.

"I Wonder" received general acclaim from contemporary music critics, many of whom considered it a main highlight of Graduation. Los Angeles Times music critic Ann Powers was intrigued by West's performance, saying that he "treats the soulful Labi Siffre sample on "I Wonder" like a punching bag, his staccato delivery undermining the lyrics' Don Juan come-ons."[37] Comparing it to the single "Flashing Lights", Alex Swhear from Uproxx described the track as "minimalist in its sparse vocals but intimate and emotionally affecting."[5] Washington Post staff writer J. Freedom du Lac lists "I Wonder" as one of the four best tracks from Graduation.[58] CraveOnline ranked "I Wonder" as one of Kanye West's fifteen best songs, writing, "It's hard to understand how a song with such a chopped off, aggressive flow can be so inspiring and motivating. One of those Graduation tracks that is certain to give you goose ... Signature vocal-instrumental is illuminating as one can get, and while it's not one of the more popular tracks of Kanye's best album, it's certainly a hidden gem."[59] Sharing similar sentiments, Mark Pytlik for Pitchfork Media and AllMusic's Andy Kellman both cite "I Wonder" as one of the immediate highlights of the third album, with Pytlik calling the song "stunning".[18][30]

Louis Pattison from New Musical Express gave an assessment of West's musical style, saying, "As well as Daft Punk, Kanye claims he's been listening to Thom Yorke's The Eraser and you can hear these influences – synthesizers, electronic, but soulful – all over this record. The opening 'I Wonder' sees Kanye announcing "I've been waiting for this moment my whole life" over zig-zagging keyboards and crunchy Game Boy beats.[28] Commenting on its twinkling keys and hiccuping breakbeats, the music magazine The FADER hailed the composition as the album's "most timeless artifact". [25] Prefix Magazine's Jesse Manne remarked, "Bursting with operatic string sections and much-talked-about synths, the production on Graduation is truly remarkable. Even on the melancholy numbers, such as the piano-led "I Wonder," West turns it out with a crashing beat and winding keys."[9] Japie Stoppelenburg of No Ripcord described the heavy electronic aestheic of the hip-hop production as "surprising". He favorably compares its abrasive synth-driven instrumentation to that of the studio album's thirteenth track, "Big Brother."[19]

In a review of Graduation, Greg Kot, music critic for Chicago Tribune, stated that "I Wonder" serves to "amps up the soul-fired feel of West's early productions to stadium-rap levels."[31] Writing for contactmusic.com, after panning the album's second single "Stronger" as the "low-point" of Graduation, Ben Davis turns around to compliment "I Wonder." He asserts that its instrumental exemplifies how the album's "superior moments come when West's production really cuts loose on more experimental sounds" and voiced his approval of the manner in which he "manages to take a Labi Siffre sample and make it sound positively alien."[60] Likewise, Paste magazine expressed fascination with the way that West experiments with unconventional song structure. He stated that "the sample of "My Song" by Labi Siffre does get a bit insistent, but it's overpowered by Kanye's interesting song construction."[49] Regarding West's use of sampling for the record production, Kevin Jones for exclaim! wrote, "Where traditional samples are concerned, Kanye transforms more than a few gems into some of the disc's more enveloping moments, the most prominent being the beautiful Labi Siffre material that serves as the foundation for the catchy "I Wonder."[44]

Rolling Stone music journalist Nathan Brackett opined, "As a lyricist, West will never possess the pure cool or formal mastery of his mentor Jay-Z, but he's grown as a songwriter."[43] Calling the record a "stomping synth-soul track", Chicago Reader writer Miles Raymer also voiced his appreciation for West's songwriting progression. He observed that "I Wonder" stands as a prime example of the manner in which West was "relying less on old-school beat-and-one-sample combos and more on layered arrangements that camouflage his borrowings. This new subtlety reminds me of Portishead--[West] shows how samples can be used to expand his music's vocabulary."[61] Likewise, Rajveer Kathwadia for RWD Magazine regards West's musicality on the track as the true measurement of his talent, saying the orchestration take center stage over his improvement as a rapper.[62][45] He continued by writing, "Kanye the rapper doesn't match the quality of Kanye the producer as he uses some disjointed flow" but nevertheless labeled "I Wonder" as probably his most favorite track from Graduation and an "immaculate piece of music".[33]

Nick Marx of the webzine Tiny Mix Tapes claims that "critics of Kanye's staggered half-rhymes will find ample fodder here, but the track's real downfall is its scrap-heap Neptunes synthesizers."[63] Jesa Padania from RapReviews expresses disappointment that on "I Wonder," West misses an opportunity for "delivering a beautiful and impassioned plea". He critiques that West "so squarely aims for 'stadium anthem' territory that by the end of the song, forgets about us and our 'everyman' struggles, instead falling back on his blustery bravado."[14] Jake Boyer of Highsnobiety stated that "shows of lyrical dexterity aren't enough to transform this track into the memorable slow-ballad 'I Wonder' tries so hard to be." Concluding that "things just aren't clicking into place" with the track, he faulted its placement on the album in between two of the strongest pop-leaning singles.[64]

On June 15, 2018, "I Wonder" was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for reaching 500,000 certified units in the United States, becoming the first non-single from Graduation to receive a certification.[65] The track later received a triple platinum certification from the RIAA for amassing 3,000,000 units in the US on December 4, 2023.[66] On December 22, it was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for shelving 400,000 units in the United Kingdom.[67] Elsewhere in Europe, the track reached number 88 on the Lithuania Top 100 during 2023.[68]

Video clip[edit]

Tron costumes, 2011
Characters from Tron (1982), the film that West used for the song's video clip during a listening session at New World Stages in Manhattan.

Even though "I Wonder" doesn't have a music video, a special video clip was created for the track prior to the release of Graduation. It was displayed for the first time during the album's session at the New World Stages on August 28, 2007.[20][24] The video clip for "I Wonder" was one of seven that were designed by West and Derrick Lee exclusively for the event.[69] Lee was also the editor of the music video for "Flashing Lights" and was able to edit all seven clips in the span of three days.[70]

West presented his session inside the auditorium with an evocative light-show across a stage that featured theatrical smoke machines, laser beams, stage spotlights, and other special effects.[20][69] While the music played, a large screen positioned in the middle of the stage displayed footage of films edited to be in sync. The footage for "I Wonder" was taken from scenes of Tron (1982), one of the multiple science fiction films that West used.[20][24] West made the video clip available for viewing via his blog on March 24, 2008; he posted one clip from the session every two days that month.[69][71] In the blog entry, West stated that it may be his favorite out of all these clips.[71]

Live performances[edit]

West performed "I Wonder" twice at his Methodist Central Hall secret show in August 2007, sponsored by Vodafone and Sony Mobile's series of one-off gigs across the UK. The first performance opened the show and West arrived late, wearing grey tracksuit bottoms, a black jacket, sun shades, and white trainers.[53] He was accompanied by a string section, background vocalists, a keyboardist, and a DJ.[55] The orchestra was made up of 21 women, who wore plastic dresses with their faces colored in using fluorescent face paint.[53] West performed the track to open his charity foundation's benefit concert promoting and raising funds for higher education at Chicago's House of Blues on August 24, 2007, conducting his 16-piece band.[72] One of the initiatives funded by the concert is the Loops Dreams Teacher Training Institute, which encourages the incorporation of hip hop into Chicago Public Schools curriculum.[73] For the performance, West wore an untucked white shirt, a purple cardigan, jeans, and sun shades.[72] West abruptly paused mid-performance after a minute and exited stage as he left his band there, returning three minutes later to perform a string of tracks from his first two studio albums. He eventually restarted "I Wonder" and played a few chords on an upright piano at one point, an arrangement that Kot considered to feel under-rehearsed and "not as fully realized as recorded version".[72]

West included the track as the second number in the set list for his Glow in the Dark Tour, which began on April 16, 2008, at the KeyArena in Seattle, Washington. It is one of the tracks taken from his first three studio albums that served to form a space opera storyline, telling the tale of how a stranded space traveler struggles for over a year making attempts to escape from a distant planet while on a mission to bring creativity back to Earth.[74] In the narrative, West appears as the traveler who crashes onto an unknown planet after talking with his robotic on-board computer Jane, then begins performing.[75][76] The song was performed by West during his 90-minute headlining set for the annual dance music festival Global Gathering at Long Marston Airfield near Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, on July 25, 2008. West was the first hip hop artist to headline the festival and he was accompanied by lighting and smoke effects, alongside backup singers.[77][78][79] On October 20, 2013, West performed the song at the KeyArena for his kickoff show of The Yeezus Tour, although he stopped rapping a few times.[80] West delivered a performance of "I Wonder" in a low tempo for his headlining set at the 2015 Glastonbury Festival, considered a rare song for him to perform at this time.[81][82][83] On January 6, 2019, West's then-wife Kim Kardashian shared rehearsal footage of his gospel group the Sunday Service Choir performing the song to her Instagram Stories.[84] Later that day, the group performed a rendition of the song as the fifth number of their first concert, beginning from around six minutes in.[85]

Appearances in media[edit]

Detroit rapper Big Sean performed a cover of "I Wonder" for BBC Radio 1Xtra Live Lounge.

"I Wonder" was remixed by DJ Terry Urban and included on The Graduate, a collaborative remix mixtape with fellows DJs Mick Boogie and 9th Wonder that was hosted by West. For the remix, Urban combined the song with rapper Nas' single "Life's a Bitch" (1994).[86] In a similar manner, a remix of the song by Scottie B was included as the 18th track of Sky High on November 17, 2008, a mixtape consisting of remixes of various tracks that West originally produced and it was compiled by DJ Benzi with the rapper's associate Plain Pat. The project was commissioned by West and his team in the lead-up to his fourth studio album 808s & Heartbreak, with each remix experiencing at least five reiterations before release and they are mostly club-friendly dance themed numbers.[87]

In October 2009, Nabil Elderkin published his book Glow in the Dark that focuses on West's tour of the same name, with a bonus CD including the live instrumental of the track.[88] Entertainer Donald Glover, under his stage name of Childish Gambino, interpolated "I Wonder" on the track "We Ain't Them" from his 2012 mixtape Royalty.[89] On February 6, 2017, fellow rapper Big Sean, who was mentored and signed to GOOD Music by West, covered the song on BBC Radio 1Xtra's Live Lounge for the 10-year anniversary of Graduation and the lead-up to his fourth album I Decided.[90][91] Big Sean was backed by a live-band and appropriated certain lyrics for his life, including rapping that his name "would help light up the Detroit skyline".[92]

Legacy[edit]

"I Wonder" directly inspired Raury to pursue a career as a musician.

Though it was never released as a single, nor did it enter record charts, "I Wonder" has since gone on to become a cult classic amongst fans and listeners.[93] The musical composition has also left a profound impact on other recording artists and musicians. In an interview with The Guardian, while making a list of his most influential songs, the Atlanta musician Raury describes "I Wonder" as the song that helped kickstart his career.[94] Raury elaborated that Graduation was one of the first albums he ever purchased, and that its songs played an important role in shaping his early beginnings. At the age of nine, Raury was deeply inspired by "I Wonder" in particular and wrote his first rhymes that he later went on to rap to his manager over the track's instrumental.[95] He imparted, "This was around the same age: nine was a pivotal age for me, I was diving into music. I didn't even really know who Kanye was, but I bought the album because I liked the bears and the artwork. And I just love music about the imagination and becoming more than who you are. I wrote a verse to it at the age of 14 that I would later rap to my manager, Justice [Baiden], that convinced him to manage me. This song has stuck with me, I still play it today."[94]

During an interview with Big Boy's Neighborhood on Los Angeles radio station Power 106, the Canadian rapper Drake was asked to make a list of songs and verses from other artists of any genre that he wishes he himself recorded. At one point, Drake cites "I Wonder" as one clear example.[96] Other hip-hip artists such as Vic Mensa and Kyle have also stated that "I Wonder" is their favorite song from Graduation and regaled fond memories of listening to it and the rest of the record.[97]

Credits and personnel[edit]

Information taken from Graduation liner notes.[1]

Recording

Personnel

  • Kanye West – songwriter, producer
  • Labi Siffre – songwriter
  • Andrew Dawson – recording, mix engineer
  • Greg Koller – recording
  • Anthony Kilhoffer – recording
  • Bram Tobey – assistant mix engineer
  • Jason Agel – assistant mix engineer
  • Nate Hertweck – assistant mix engineer
  • Dale Parsons – assistant mix engineer
  • Omar Edwards – piano & synths
  • Jon Brion – keyboards
  • Emma Kummrow – violin
  • Igor Szwec – violin
  • Gloria Justen – violin
  • Olga Konopelsky – violin
  • Luigi Mazzocchi – violin
  • Charles Parker – violin
  • Peter Nocella – viola
  • Alexandra Leem – viola
  • Jennie Lorenzo – cello
  • Tim Ressler – bass
  • Larry Gold – string arranger, conductor

Charts[edit]

Chart performance for "I Wonder"
Chart (2023) Peak
position
Lithuania (AGATA)[68] 88

Certifications[edit]

Certifications for "I Wonder"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[67] Gold 400,000‡
United States (RIAA)[66] 3× Platinum 3,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e Kanye West (2007). Graduation (Media notes). Roc-A-Fella Records.
  2. ^ a b Niedzielski, Nick (February 18, 2013). "MEB Ranks: Best Albums Of 2007'". Mind Equals Blown. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  3. ^ a b Louie, King (September 11, 2017). "Looking Back: Kanye West's 'Graduation' Is The Most Important Album Of His Career [Video]". Hot 97. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  4. ^ a b Crosley, Hillary (September 15, 2007). "Graduation". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 14, 2007. Retrieved September 15, 2007.
  5. ^ a b c d Swhear, Alex (September 11, 2017). "How The Showdown Between Kanye's 'Graduation' And 50 Cent's 'Curtis' Changed Hip-Hop Forever". Uproxx. Uproxx Media Group. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Reid, Shaheem (August 29, 2007). "Kanye's Graduation: Inside The NYC Listening Party For West's So-Called Comeback'". MTV. Retrieved August 29, 2007.
  7. ^ a b c d Shipley, Al. Kanye West's 'Graduation': 10 Things You Didn't Know Archived February 3, 2018, at the Wayback Machine. Rolling Stone. Retrieved on 2017-09-11.
  8. ^ a b Lyons, Patrick (September 11, 2017). "Kanye West's 'Graduation,' Ten Years On". HotNewHipHop. Urbanlinx Media. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
  9. ^ a b c d Manne, Jesse (March 5, 2008). "Album Review Kanye West Graduation". Prefixmag. Prefix. Retrieved July 4, 2013.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g Laws, Angel (October 5, 2007). "Exclusive Interview W/ Kanye West". Concrete Loop. Archived from the original on April 28, 2013. Retrieved October 5, 2007.
  11. ^ Beaumont, Mark (2015). Kanye West: God & Monster. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9781783233946. Archived from the original on May 25, 2024. Retrieved May 25, 2024 – via Google Books.
  12. ^ a b DeVille, Chris (September 11, 2017). "Graduation Turns 10". Stereogum. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
  13. ^ a b Luckerson, Victor (September 11, 2017). "Ten Years Ago, Kanye's 'Graduation' Aimed for the Stars". The Ringer. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
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External links[edit]

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