Diamonds (From Sierra Leone)
2005 · Roc-A-Fella B0004940-11 · Atlanta, Georgia
- Artist
- Kanye West
- Title
- Diamonds (From Sierra Leone)
- Release
- Diamonds From Sierra Leone
- Year
- 2005
- Label
- Roc-A-Fella # B0004940-11
- Format
- Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Genre
- Hip Hop · Experimental Hip Hop · Pop Rap · Hip Hop
- Primary theme
- Post-War
Annotation
Hip hop
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Annotation — Rap / Hip Hop Songs
Kanye West, associated with Experimental Hip Hop and Pop Rap, born on 8 June 1977 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Having sold 160+ million records and winning many Grammy and other music awards, he is one of the more prominent and successful Hip Hop artists.1 Several songs referenced Vietnam: "Get By" (2003) (with Mos Def, JAY-Z, Talib Kweli, and Busta Rhymes), "Diamonds (From Sierra Leone)" (2005), "Eyez Closed" (2011) (with Snoop Dogg and John Legend), and "Power" (2010) (with JAY-Z and Swizz Beatz).The song "Diamonds (From Sierra Leone)" (Roc-A-Fella Records # B0004940-11) - it featured on his second album, "Late Registration" (2005) - is protest song focused on blood diamonds, mined in war zones, in this case, Sierra Leone. He compared the conflict to the Vietnam War, including a play on the popular 1987 film Good Morning, Vietnam, based around the rebellious radio broadcaster Adrian Cronauer, who began each show with "Good Morning Vietnam": "good mornin', this ain't Vietnam, still, people lose hands, legs, arms, for real".Sources1Wikipedia: Kanye West↩
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Lyrics
English: Diamonds are forever / They are all I need to please me / They can stimulate and tease me / They won't leave in the night / I've no fear that they might desert me... / Good mornin', this ain't Vietnam, still / People lose hands, legs, arms, for real / Little was known of Sierra Leone / And how it connect to the diamonds we own / When I speak of diamonds in this song / I ain't talkin' about the ones that be glowin'
About the artist
Kanye West, associated with Experimental Hip Hop and Pop Rap, born on 8 June 1977 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Having sold 160+ million records and winning many Grammy and other music awards, he is one of the more prominent and successful Hip Hop artists. (1).
Themes
Anti-War · Sierra Leone · Good Morning, Vietnam · Film · Vietnam Analogy