Released: August 20, 2010

Featuring: JAY-Z Swizz Beatz

Songwriter: JAY-Z Kanye West Swizz Beatz

Producer: Swizz Beatz Kanye West S1

[Intro: JAY-Z]
Is this thing on?
Oh, I thought they silenced us, Ye
Power to the people

[Verse 1: JAY-Z]
We livin' in that 31st century, futuristic fly shit
The penthouse is the projects and everybody flies private
New watches (You know what time it is), watch us (You see us)
They can't stop us, the prophets, biatches!

[Chorus: Kanye West, JAY-Z & Kobe]
No one man should have all that power (Yeah)
The clock's tickin', I just count the hours (Yeah)
Stop trippin', I'm trippin' off the power
No one man should have all that power

[Verse 2: JAY-Z]
Rumble, young man, rumble
Life is a trip, so sometimes, you gon' stumble
You gotta go through pain in order to become you
But once the world numbs you, you'll feel like it's only one you
Man, you got the power to do anything you want to
Until you ask yourself, "Is this what this all comes to?"
Looking at life through sunglasses and a sunroof
But do you have the power to get out from up under you?
Fuck all these labels, fuck what everybody wants from you
They tryna Axl Rose you, welcome to the jungle
To be continued, we on that Norman Mailer shit
In search of the truth even if it goes through Taylor Swift
Tell her this!

[Chorus: Kanye West, John Legend & Kobe]
No one man should have all that power
Yea-ey-yea-ey-yeah-ey!
Oh oh (And they say) yeah-ey (And they say)
Oh oh (And they say) yeah-ey (And they say)
Oh oh (And they say) yeah-ey (And they say)
No one man should have all that power

[Bridge: Kanye West]
Now when I walk in, everybody do the "Power" clap
Clap, clap, clap
Fresh for the club, I just took a half an hour nap
Clap, clap, clap
I seen people go crazy when the whole world in our lap
Clap, clap, clap
My socket was out the plug, now it’s time to get the power back
Clap, clap

[Verse 3: Kanye West]
I seen people abuse power, use power
Misuse and then lose power
Power to the people at last, it’s a new hour
Now we all ain't gonna be American Idols
But you can 'least grab a camera, shoot a viral
Hanh! Take the power in your own hands
I’m a grown man, doing my grown dance
I don’t stop until I see the end, my vision clear, bitch
I’m on my Van Gogh, I don’t hear shit

[Chorus: Kanye West & John Legend]
No one man should have all that power
The clock's tickin', I just count the hours
Stop trippin', I'm trippin' off the power
'Til then, fuck that, the world's ours (Ey-yeah!)
Oh oh (And they say) yeah-ey (And they say)
Oh oh (And they say) yeah-ey (And they say)
Oh oh (And they say) yeah-ey (And they say)
Ay, ay, ay, ay, ay, ay, ay, ay (The power)

[Verse 4: Kanye West]
Now everything I'm rhyming on cause a Ramadan
Been a don, praying for the families lost in the storm
Bring our troops back from Iraq, keep our troops out of Iran
So the next couple bars, I'ma drop 'em in Islam
They say "As-salamu alaykum", say "Wa alaikum as-salaam"
That's no Oscar Mayer bacon, you should run and tell your mom
Now the question is, how we gon' stop the next Vietnam
Keep Flex out of Korea, 'cause you know he drop bombs

[Break: Swizz Beatz]
Showtime!
Aiyyo Yeezy, man, stop playing with these people, man
They want see you act all crazy in this motherfucker, man
Take that jacket off and go crazy on them niggas, man
You know what I’m talking about? (I got the power!)

[Verse 5: Kanye West & Swizz Beatz]
What do it mean to be the boss? (Oh!)
It mean second place is the first one who lost (Oh!)
The crucifixion, the being nailed to the cross (Oh!)
Truth or fiction, it’s a hell of a cost
Do the dishes! (Bounce!)
I’m about to hit that Jeff Gordon (Ayy!)
Michael Jordan, the only one more important (Ayy!)
But I be feeling like Jordan when I’m recording (C-c-c)
'Cause every time I record, I dunk and slap the boards
I don’t know what these rappers gonna do afterwards (Oh!)
Prol'ly spaz like I might do at the awards (Right!)
Huh, I got the whole crowd going crazy (Ayy!)
Homie, I should be rewarded (Woo!)
Gettin' money, Yeezy, Yeezy, how you do it, huh? (Woo!)
Eating Wheaties, drinkin' Fiji, being greedy, huh (C-c-c)
Don’t even think you can allude to the rumors (C'mon!)
I’m immune to the boos, I’ma prove to you losers (Huh?)
It’s all in timing, nigga (Get 'em!)
See, I dreamed my whole life that I could rhyme with Jigga (Get 'em!)
Now Jay my big brother and Bey my lil' sister (Get 'em!)
And excuse me, but, you can’t see my lil' sister (Hands in the air!)
Number one sound across the board, hey (Oh!)
Number one now and forevermore, hey (Oh!)
Number one rule is, "Niggas, don’t hate"
Maybe I’ll drop the album... nah, y’all gotta wait (Oh!)
And on the net, they showing pictures of my Cali place
My Maybach in NY but it still got the Cali plates
All my old girls know that I’m the one that got away (Woo!)
I think about 'em Christmas and play some Donny Hathaway (Ayy!)
And keep my bulletproof-hater coat on
Chill, Ye, Ye, chill! Chill, chill, chill!
Looking at some photos that I’m looking crazy dope on (Yah!)
Hand up, talking shit, yeah, I get my Pope on
And go home with something to poke on (Woo!)
That’s what Dre said, but this what 'Ye said (Right!)
How 'Ye doing? Who 'Ye screwin'? (Huh?)
That’s for my dick to know, before you get to know him
She ain’t give you ass, that pussy fictional
I gotta give her the eviction no-
-tice, "Get yo’ ass out, bitch, vamonos" (Oh!)
Five seconds to the song and we getting close (Hah?)
I got the power, motherfucker, if you didn’t know

[Outro: Swizz Beatz]
Chill, chill, chill, man
Chill, 'Ye, chill, chill, chill
Shit's burned up already
It's over

Kanye West

The ubiquitous Kanye West—from his famous quip, “George Bush doesn’t care about black people,” to “I'ma let you finish,” to marrying Kim Kardashian, to announcing that he’s running for President, and admitting his love for President Trump—you can see that he’s a staple of the tabloids and the entertainment world, industry-wide.

That certainly doesn’t take anything away from his music; as a matter of fact, it only seems to add to his fortuitous career. For instance, his 2010 album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, was universally praised by fans and critics alike; it was recorded during the backlash he received from the Swift interruption and during his break-up with then-girlfriend Amber Rose.

He has scored other well-known hits, as well, from each of his previous studio albums—such as “Stronger,” “Heartless,” and “Gold Digger.” Each of his albums has been massive critical and commercial successes, including his collaboration album with JAY-Z, Watch the Throne. As of 2020, West has won an astounding 21 Grammys, tied with JAY-Z as the most decorated hip-hop artist in Grammy history.