"Niggas in Paris" (edited for radio as "In Paris" or simply "Paris", edited for album as "Ni**as in Paris") is a song by American rappers Kanye West and Jay-Z from their collaboration album Watch the Throne (2011).
The song contains samples from "Baptizing Scene" by Reverend W.A. Donaldson and also samples dialogue from DreamWorks Pictures' 2007 film Blades of Glory. It debuted at number 75 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on the week of the album's release. The song has since peaked at number 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Kanye West's 14th top-10 single and Jay-Z's 18th making Jay-Z the rapper with the most top-10 hits. As of November 2012, it has sold 3 million digital units in the United States.
"Niggas in Paris" won Best Rap Performance at the 55th Grammy Awards.
In an interview, Kanye West revealed that the song was inspired by his travels in Paris:
The song's production was originally offered to rapper Pusha T by Hit-Boy. However, Pusha turned it down, saying "It sounds like a video game. Get that shit out of here!"
Paris (UK: /ˈpærɪs/ PARR-iss; US: i/ˈpɛərɪs/ PAIR-iss; French: [paʁi]) is the capital and most populous city of France. Situated on the Seine River, in the north of the country, it is in the centre of the Île-de-France region, also known as the région parisienne, "Paris Region". The City of Paris has an area of 105 km² (41 mi²) and a population of 2,241,346 (2014 estimate) within its administrative borders essentially unchanged since 1860.
Since the 19th century, the built-up area of Paris has grown far beyond its administrative borders; together with its suburbs, the whole agglomeration has a population of 10,550,350 (Jan. 2012 census).Paris' metropolitan area spans most of the Paris region and has a population of 12,341,418 (Jan. 2012 census), or one-fifth of the population of France. The administrative region covers 12,012 km² (4,638 mi²), with approximately 12 million inhabitants as of 2014, and has its own regional council and president.
Paris was founded in the 3rd century BC by a Celtic people called the Parisii, who gave the city its name. By the 12th century, Paris was the largest city in the western world, a prosperous trading centre, and the home of the University of Paris, one of the first in Europe. In the 18th century, it was the centre stage for the French Revolution, and became an important centre of finance, commerce, fashion, science, and the arts, a position it still retains today.
"Paris (Ooh La La)" is the second single from Grace Potter and the Nocturnals' eponymous third studio album.
Oscar Jackson, Jr. (born October 29, 1967), better known by his stage name Paris, is an American rapper from San Francisco, California, known for his highly charged political and socially conscious lyrics. Influenced by the Black Panthers, he was once a member of the Nation of Islam, but now is agnostic.
Paris was catapulted onto the national scene in 1990 with his hit single The Devil Made Me Do It and album of the same name, after earning a bachelor's degree in economics from UC Davis. Originally released on Tommy Boy Records, his first single was banned by MTV. Since then his stance on political issues and social commentary have both aided and hindered his quest to bring his music and messages to the masses.
When his second album, Sleeping with the Enemy, was ready for release in 1992, Paris was dropped from now-defunct Tommy Boy Records (since rechristened Tommy Boy Entertainment in 2002) and distributor Warner Bros. Records, owned by Time Warner, when the parent company discovered its incendiary content, which included fantasy revenge killings of then-President Bush and racist police officers. Also problematic was the album's insert, which featured the artist waiting behind a tree, holding a Tec 9, as the president was waving to the crowd. Paris eventually released the LP himself on his newly formed Scarface Records. Also in 1992, Paris contributed to industrial music band Consolidated's 1992 album Play More Music with the track "Guerrillas in the Mist."
[Jay-Z]
So I ball so hard muhf*ckas wanna fine me
But first ni**as gotta find me
What's 50 grand to a muhf*ka like me
Can you please remind me?
Ball so hard, this sh*t crazy
Ya'll don't know that don't sh*t phase me
The Nets could go 0-82 and I look at you like this sh*t gravy
Ball so hard, this sh*t weird
We ain't even spose to be here,
Ball so hard, Since we here
It's only right that we be fair
Psycho, I'm liable to be go Michael
Take your pick, Jackson, Tyson, Jordan, Game 6
Ball so hard, got a broke clock, Rolleys that don't tick tok
Audemars thats losing time, Hidden behind all these big rocks
Ball so hard, I'm shocked too, I'm supposed to be locked up too
If you escaped what I've escaped
You'd be in Paris getting f*cked up too
Ball so hard, let's get faded, Le Meurice for like 6 days
Gold bottles, scold models, Spillin' Ace on my sick J's
B**ch behave, Just might let you meet Ye,
Chi towns D. Rose, I'm movin' the Nets to BK
[Hook]
Ball so hard muhf*ckas wanna fine me
That sh*t crazy (x6)
[Kanye West]
She said Ye can we get married at the mall?
I said look you need to crawl 'fore you ball
Come and meet me in the bathroom stall
And show me why you deserve to have it all
That sh*t crazy, Ain't it Jay?
What she order, fish filet
Your whip so cold, this old thing
Act like you'll ever be around muhf***as like this again
Bougie girl, grab her hand
F**k ol girl she don't wanna dance
Excuse my French but I'm in France (I'm just sayin)
Prince William's ain't do it right if you ask me
Cause if I was him I would have married Kate &a Ashley
What's Gucci my ni**a?
What's Louie my killa?
What's drugs my deala?
What's that jacket, Margiela?
Doctors say I'm the illest
Cause I'm suffering from realness
Got my niggas in Paris
And they going gorillas, huh!
[Jay-Z]
ball so hard muhf*ckas wanna fine me
ball so hard muhf*ckas wanna fine me
[Kanye West]
You are now watching the throne
Don't let me get in my zone (x3)
These other niggaas is lyin
Actin' like the summer ain't mine
[Jay-Z]
I got that hot bitch in my home
[Kanye West]
You know how many hot b**ches I own
Don't let me in my zone (x4)
The stars is in the building
They hands is to the ceiling
I know I'm bout to kill it
How you know, I got that feeling
You are now watching the throne
Don't let me into my zone (x2)
[Jay-Z & Kanye West]