Many might not know how few songs Kanye West actually does make himself. There are hundreds of people (thousands even) at work behind the scenes, providing us with the music we hear on albums. It’s always been this way, and honestly most likely always will be. We live in a world where we adore and obsess over indiviuals. We need celebreties in America. For whatever reason, we just love stars – even if we know there are many people helping them.

“Cruel Summer” is a clear cut example of us the listener needing to dive deeper to truly find out what and who we are hearing.

Clique (2012) sampled

• Funky President by James Brown (1974)

I Don’t Like (Remix) (2012) sampled

• Under Mi Sensi by Barrington Levy (1985)
• Cold by Kanye West feat. DJ Khaled (2012)

New God Flow (2012) sampled

• Sound Off (The Duckworth Chant) by Private Willie Duckworth (1944)
• A Sermon Fragment by Rev. G.I. Townsel (1959)
• Bôdas De Sangue by Marcos Valle (1972)
• Synthetic Substitution by Melvin Bliss (1973)
• Funky President by James Brown (1974)
• Mighty Healthy by Ghostface Killah (2000)
• I Don’t Like (Remix) by Chief Keef and Kanye West feat. Pusha T, Jadakiss and Big Sean (2012)

The One (2012) sampled

• Double Barrel by Dave & Ansel Collins (1971)
• Public Enemy No. 1 by Public Enemy (1987)
• N****s in Paris by Jay-Z and Kanye West (2011)

To the World (2012) sampled

• Walk on By by Sterling Simms (2011)

Bliss (2012) sampled:

• Hudson Mohawke – Ice Viper (2009)