American Boy is a song recorded by British rapper and singer Estelle for her second studio album Shine (2008). It features vocals from American rapper Kanye West. The song was written by Estelle, West, will.i.am, John Legend, Josh Lopez, Caleb Speir, and Keith Harris. It was produced by will.i.am, who also produced the albums previous single, Wait a Minute (Just a Touch), and uses the beat from the song Impatient from his own third studio album Songs About Girls (2007). American Boy is a breezy disco-funk song that lyrically describes a romance with an American suitor. The songs conception came after Legend, Estelles mentor, suggested she write a song about meeting an American man. American Boy was released by Atlantic Records as the albums second single on March 31, 2008. The song received positive reviews from music critics, who praised its fresh sound and production. The song reached the top five in many European and Oceanic markets, including Belgium and Estelles native United Kingdom where it reached the charts summit. It also achieved success in the United States, peaking at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming Estelles breakout song in the country. The song earned many nominations, but ultimately won a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. The music video, featuring a variety of celebrity guests, earned a Video Music Award nomination for Best UK Video. As a result of the songs popularity, Estelle performed it at several award shows and venues.
Posted on: Thu, 18 Dec 2014 12:12:39 +0000