The 50 Best Kanye West Songs Ever

39. Forever

Release Date: August 27, 2009

Album: More Than a Game Soundtrack

Writer(s): Aubrey Graham, Kanye West, Dwayne Carter, Marshall Mathers, Matthew Samuels

Producer(s): Boi-1da

Notable Lyric:

“Chasing the stardom will turn you to a maniac

All the way in Hollywood and I can’t even act

They pull the cameras out and goddamn, he snap

I used to want this thing forever, y’all can have it back.”

In 2016, it’s difficult to fathom how Drake, Lil Wayne, Kanye and Eminem could all fit on the same track. But in 2009, somehow, they did.

Or rather, they tried to. Predictably, “Forever” feels like its suffering from a case of multiple personality disorder.

It’s not as if this collection of rappers share a style or cadence or overall aesthetic. Drake’s smooth talking breaks into Kanye’s larger-than-life stardom, Weezy’s more humble wackiness and Eminem’s marginally contained aggression.

Still, the track works in the same way that vanilla ice cream works with olive oil and salt (not a joke — seriously try it). It’s a collection of wildly different flavors that somehow coalesce into something you might not eat all the time, but you’ll definitely eat again.

Next: 38. Swagga Like Us