Champions (GOOD Music song)

Not to be confused with "Champion", another Kanye West song from the album Graduation, "Champions", a song by West featured on the Paid in Full soundtrack, or "Champion" (2018), a song by Canadian rapper Nav, that Scott was later featured on.

"Champions" is a song by American rappers Kanye West, Gucci Mane, Big Sean, 2 Chainz, Travis Scott, Yo Gotti, Quavo, and Desiigner.^[1] It was originally intended to be released as the lead single from the scrapped GOOD Music compilation album Cruel Winter. The song was produced by West alongside Low Pros and Mike Dean, with co-production from Derek Watkins and Charlie Heat, and additional production from Noah Goldstein. A freestyle video was released by Teyana Taylor in September 2016.

"Champions"
Single by Kanye West, Gucci Mane, Big Sean, 2 Chainz, Travis Scott, Yo Gotti, Quavo, and Desiigner
Released	June 7, 2016
Recorded	2016
Genre	Hip hop trap
Length	5:34
Label	GOOD Def Jam
Songwriter(s)	Kanye West Radric Davis Sean Anderson Tauheed Epps Jacques Webster II Mario Mims Quavious Marshall Sidney Selby III Alain Macklovitch Lexus Lewis Michael Dean Noah Goldstein Derek Watkins
Producer(s)	Kanye West Mike Dean Low Pros Derek Watkins (co.) Charlie Heat (co.) Noah Goldstein (add.)
Kanye West singles chronology
"Father Stretch My Hands" (2016) "Champions" (2016) "Friends" (2016)
Gucci Mane singles chronology
"Back on Road" (2016) "Champions" (2016) "All My Children" (2016)
Big Sean singles chronology
"Play No Games" (2015) "Champions" (2016) "Holy Key" (2016)
2 Chainz singles chronology
"No Problem" (2016) "Champions" (2016) "Big Amount" (2016)
Travis Scott singles chronology
"Pick Up the Phone" (2016) "Champions" (2016) "Goosebumps" (2016)
Yo Gotti singles chronology
"Order More" (2016) "Champions" (2016) "Better" (2016)
Quavo singles chronology
"Pick Up the Phone" (2016) "Champions" (2016) "Castro" (2016)
Desiigner singles chronology
"Panda" (2015) "Champions" (2016) "Tiimmy Turner" (2016)
GOOD Music singles chronology
"Clique" (2012) "Champions" (2016)

Release

"Champions" was first aired on Big Boy's 92.3.^[2] Kanye West later released the song as the first single from Cruel Winter. The single was untitled at the time, with "Round and Round" and "Champions" being used as working titles.^[3][4] It was officially released to iTunes on June 12, 2016.^[5]

Critical reception

The song was placed at number 49 on Complex's list of 2016's best songs.^[6]

Chart performance

On the chart dated July 2, 2016, "Champions" entered the US Billboard Hot 100 at number 71, powered by first-week digital download sales of 31,000 copies and it debuted at number 7 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales chart.^[7][8] On May 15, 2018, the song was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling over one million digital copies in the United States.^[9]

Freestyle video

Teyana Taylor released a video of her freestyling over the track on September 6, 2016.^[10] The video is a stop-motion clip that sees Taylor covered in smeared gold paint and dancing militaristically in front of a gray backdrop.^[10] It marked Taylor's first video since she starred in the music video for West's single "Fade".^[10]

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.^[11]

• Kanye West – vocals, production
• Gucci Mane – vocals
• Big Sean – vocals
• 2 Chainz – vocals
• Travis Scott – vocals
• Yo Gotti – vocals
• Quavo – vocals, recording engineer
• Desiigner – vocals
• A-Trak – production
• Lex Luger – production
• Mike Dean – production, bass guitar, keyboards, drum programming, recording engineer, mixing
• Fonzworth Bentley – co-production
• Charlie Heat – co-production
• Noah Goldstein – additional production, recording engineer
• Finis "KY" White – recording engineer
• Maximilian Jaeger – recording engineer
• Gregg Rominiecki – recording engineer
• Thomas Goff – recording engineer
• William J. Sullivan – assistant recording engineer
• Kez Khou – mix assistance

Charts

Chart performance for "Champions"

Chart (2016)	Peak position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)^[12]	73
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)^[13]	24
UK Singles (OCC)^[14]	128
US Billboard Hot 100^[7]	71
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[15]	22

Certifications

Certifications for "Champions"

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)^[16]	Gold	45,000^‡
United Kingdom (BPI)^[17]	Silver	200,000^‡
United States (RIAA)^[18]	Platinum	1,000,000^‡
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

1. "Kanye West releases new single, Round and Round". DIY Mag. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
2. "The Verses on Kanye West's New Song 'Champions,' Ranked". Inverse. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
3. "Kanye West premieres new single with Gucci Mane, Travis Scott and more off Cruel Winter". XXL. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
4. "Kanye West's Champions (Round and Round) feat. Desiigner, Travis Scott, Big Sean, Gucci Mane, Yo Gotti, 2 Chainz [New Song]". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
5. "Kanye West, Gucci Mane, Big Sean, 2 Chainz, Travis Scott, Yo Gotti, Quavo & Desiigner – Champions". iTunes. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
6. "Complex's Best Songs of 2016". Complex. June 16, 2016. Retrieved December 19, 2018.
7. "Kanye West Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
8. Mansell, Henry (June 25, 2016). "Hip Hop Single Sales: Drake, Desiigner & Beyoncé". HipHopDX. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
9. "Gold & Platinum - Kanye West - Champions". RIAA. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
10. Blistein, Jon (September 6, 2016). "Watch Teyana Taylor Wearing Only Gold Paint in 'Champions'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
11. "Champions / Kanye West". Tidal. Retrieved March 12, 2019.
12. "Kanye West Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
13. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 17, 2016.
14. Chart Log UK: "CLUK Update 18.06.2016 (wk24)". UK Singles Chart. Zobbel.de. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
15. "Kanye West Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
16. "Danish single certifications – Kanye West feat. Desiigner, Travis Scott, 2 Chainz, Big Sean, Gucci Mane, Quavo, Yo Gotti – Champions". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
17. "British single certifications – West/Gucci Mane/Big Sean – Champions". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
18. "American single certifications – Kanye West – Champions". Recording Industry Association of America.

External links

• Lyrics of the song at Genius