Impossible (Kanye West song)
"Impossible" | ||||
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Single by Kanye West featuring Twista, Keyshia Cole and BJ | ||||
B-side | "Impossible" (Instrumental) / "Drive Slow" (Strings Mix) | |||
Released | May 5, 2006 | |||
Recorded | March 2006, Sony Scoring Stage, Culver City | |||
Genre | Hip hop | |||
Length | 3:23 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Kanye West | |||
Kanye West singles chronology | ||||
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Twista singles chronology | ||||
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"Impossible" is a song by American hip-hop recording artist Kanye West, featuring Twista, Keyshia Cole and BJ. The song was made for the film Mission: Impossible III and used as its official theme song, but was not featured on its soundtrack album.[1] It appeared on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Bubbling Under Hot 100 charts in 2006.
Background
[edit]While the rest of the music for the film Mission: Impossible III was recorded over the course of eight days at the Sony Scoring Stage in Culver City, California.,[2] 'Impossible' was originally an outtake from Twista's fourth album Kamikaze, which West found to be the perfect offering to be used in "Mission: Impossible III", when franchise star Tom Cruise asked for a contribution.[3]
Cruise was said to be delighted at West contributing to the soundtrack, describing himself as being "a fan of Kanye's work".[4]
Composition
[edit]Vocals from "It's Impossible" by New Birth are sampled throughout the track.[5] West claimed the track took "50 hours" to produce.[6]
Critical reception
[edit]"Impossible" was placed on a list of '20 Horrible Songs Made By Great Rappers' that Al Shipley of Complex published in 2013.[7] Jonathan Ringen of Rolling Stone rated the song two out of five stars and elaborated by writing: "It doesn't quite work: The skittering beat never settles into a groove, and the rhymes never explain what, exactly, is supposed to be so impossible."[8]
Track listing
[edit]CD single[9]
- "Impossible" (Radio) – 3:23
- "Impossible" (Extended Radio) – 5:12
- "Impossible" (Instrumental) – 5:09
12" single[10]
- A-side
- "Impossible" (Radio) - 3:25
- "Impossible" (Extended Version) - 3:25
- B-side
- "Impossible" (Instrumental) - 5:09
- "Drive Slow" (feat. Paul Wall and GLC) (Strings Mix) - 5:41
Digital download[11]
- "Impossible" (Radio Edit) - 3:22
Commercial performance
[edit]The track spent a total of 16 weeks on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and managed to reach its peak position of 54 on June 24, 2006, over a month after being released as a single.[12] It reached number 27 on the US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart on May 27, 2006.[13]
Charts
[edit]Chart (2006) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[14] | 3 |
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[15] | 54 |
US Pop 100 (Billboard)[16] | 83 |
References
[edit]- ^ Abrams, J.J. (February 8, 2006). "Kanye West's Mission Impossible". IGN. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
- ^ Burlingame, Jon (May 7, 2006). "Michael Giacchino's Mission: Make the Old Music New". The New York Times. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
- ^ "Kanye Says M:i:III Track Took 50 Hours". MTV. Archived from the original on August 1, 2023. Retrieved Aug 1, 2023.
- ^ mark (July 2, 2006). "Tom Cruise Heaps Praise Upon Kanye West". Gawker. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
- ^ "Kanye West feat. Twista, Keyshia Cole and BJ's 'Impossible' sample of The New Birth's 'It's Impossible'". WhoSampled. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
- ^ "Kanye Says M:i:III Track Took 50 Hours". MTV. Archived from the original on August 1, 2023. Retrieved Aug 1, 2023.
- ^ Shipley, Al (June 26, 2013). "Kanye West f/ Twista & Keyshia Cole "Impossible" - 20 Horrible Songs Made By Great Rappers". Complex. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
- ^ Ringen, Jonathan (May 18, 2006). ""Impossible"". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 24, 2018. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
- ^ "Kanye West Feat., Twista Feat., Keyshia Cole – Impossible (CDr) at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
- ^ "Kanye West – Impossible / Drive Slow (Strings Mix) (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
- ^ "Impossible - Single by Kanye West featuring Twista, Keyshia Cole and BJ on Apple Music". iTunes. January 2006. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
- ^ "Kanye West – Impossible – Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved January 21, 2019.
- ^ "Kanye West – Impossible – Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved January 21, 2019.
- ^ "Kanye West Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
- ^ "Kanye West Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
- ^ "Kanye West – Awards (Billboard Singles)". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Archived from the original on July 2, 2012. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
- 2006 singles
- Def Jam Recordings singles
- Kanye West songs
- Keyshia Cole songs
- Mission: Impossible (film series) music
- Songs written by Armando Manzanero
- Songs written by BJ the Chicago Kid
- Songs written by Kanye West
- Songs written by Keyshia Cole
- Songs written by Sid Wayne
- Songs written by Twista
- Roc-A-Fella Records singles
- Twista songs