"Blame Game" is a song by American

hip-hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hi ...

recording artist

Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...

from his fifth studio album, ''

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'' is the fifth studio album by the American rapper Kanye West. It was released by Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records on November 22, 2010. Retreating to a self-imposed exile in Hawaii after a period of ...

'' (2010). The song features recording artist

John Legend John Roger Stephens (born December 28, 1978), known professionally as John Legend, is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He began his musical career working behind the scenes for other artists, playing piano on Lauryn Hill's " Every ...

and was produced by West, DJ Frank E, and Mike Dean. The song features a hip hop skit provided by

comedian A comedian (feminine comedienne) or comic is a person who seeks to entertainment, entertain an audience by making them laughter, laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting foolishly (as in slapstick), or employing prop c ...

Chris Rock Christopher Julius Rock (born February 7, 1965) is an American comedian, actor, and filmmaker. He first gained prominence for his stand-up routines in the 1980s in which he tackled subjects including race relations, human sexuality, and obse ...

. It uses the piano composition " Avril 14th" by

Aphex Twin Richard David James (born 18 August 1971), known professionally as Aphex Twin, is a British musician, composer and DJ active in electronic music since 1988. His idiosyncratic work has drawn on many styles, including techno, ambient music, ambi ...

. Lyrically, the song contains West's thoughts on past break-ups and explores themes of

unrequited love Unrequited love or one-sided love is love that is not openly reciprocated or understood as such by the beloved. The beloved may not be aware of the admirer's deep affection, or may consciously reject it knowing that the admirer admires them. Me ...

, heartbreak, and spousal abuse. Midway through the song, Rock delivers an extended monologue as the new boyfriend of West's past lover. Critics were generally complimentary and praised Legend's vocal delivery. The appearance by Rock was widely noted as a surprising element of the song and received mixed criticism, though some critics described it as a highlight. It charted on the South Korean Gaon Chart at position 81. West and Legend performed "Blame Game" together on ''

Vevo Vevo LLC ( , an abbreviation for "Video Evolution", stylized in all caps until 2013) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational video hosting service, best known for providing music videos to YouTube. The service is also available ...

Presents GOOD Music'' at

SXSW South by Southwest (SXSW) is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and Convention (meeting), conferences organized jointly that take place in mid-March in Austin, Texas. It began in 1987 and has conti ...

. The song was featured in West's 2010

short film A short film is a film with a low running time. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of not more than 40 minutes including all credits". Other film o ...

'' Runaway''. West planned to produce a music video for the song featuring Amber Rose but she declined and West scrapped the video.

Background

"Blame Game" was recorded in

Oahu Oahu (, , sometimes written Oahu) is the third-largest and most populated island of the Hawaiian Islands and of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital, Honolulu, is on Oahu's southeast coast. The island of Oahu and the uninhabited Northwe ...

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...

, where most of the sessions for ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'' took place.Callahan-Bever, Noah (2010-12-12)
Kanye West: Project Runaway
. ''

Complex Complex commonly refers to: * Complexity, the behaviour of a system whose components interact in multiple ways so possible interactions are difficult to describe ** Complex system, a system composed of many components which may interact with each ...

''. Retrieved on 2010-11-30. West opted to work with more familiar songwriters to maintain artistic privacy and keep a low profile after several of his publicized controversies.Rodriguez, Jayson (2010-05-25)
Kanye West's 'Power' Producer Explains How Song Happened

MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...

. Viacom Retrieved on 2010-11-30. West recorded the song with vocalist

, a frequent collaborator of his since West's 2004 debut album ''

The College Dropout ''The College Dropout'' is the debut studio album by the American rapper Kanye West. It was released on February 10, 2004, by Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Recordings. In the years leading up to its release, West had received praise for his p ...

''.Serpick, Evan
Kanye West
''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

Jann Wenner Jann Simon Wenner ( ; born January 7, 1946) is an American businessman who co-founded the popular culture magazine ''Rolling Stone'' with Ralph J. Gleason and is the former owner of '' Men's Journal'' magazine. He participated in the Free S ...

. Retrieved on 2009-12-26. During an appearance on

Ustream IBM Watson Media (formerly Ustream and IBM Cloud Video) is an American virtual events platform company which is a division of IBM. Prior to the IBM acquisition, it had more than 180 employees across San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Budapest office ...

, West announced that Legend was set to appear on a song from his currently upcoming album, titled "Blame Game". During the announcement, West cited "Blame Game" as his favorite song from the album, which was at the time unfinished.Asward, Jem. (2010-11-04
Kanye West Talks Up New Album in Live Chat
''Rolling Stone'' Jann Wenner. Retrieved on 2009-12-26. The song developed from Legend and West's brainstorming, which also led to several other tracks, including "

All of the Lights "All of the Lights" is a song by American rapper Kanye West, released as the fourth single (music), single from his fifth studio album, ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'' (2010). It was produced by West and features additional vocals from seve ...

". West asked comedian Chris Rock to appear on the song. Rock, a fan of West's, mused that he was more than happy to collaborate with West, and said, "you'd be amazed at how many people want to work with you if you just ask, if you just make a call." He had previously collaborated on other hip hop songs, such as with rappers

Ludacris Christopher Brian Bridges (born September 11, 1977), known professionally as Ludacris (, spoken as "ludicrous" in American English), is an American rapper and songwriter. Born in Champaign, Illinois, Ludacris moved to Atlanta, Georgia, at age ...

Ol' Dirty Bastard Russell Tyrone Jones (November 15, 1968 – November 13, 2004), known professionally as Ol' Dirty Bastard (often abbreviated as ODB), was an American rapper. He was one of the founding members of the New York rap group Wu-Tang Clan, which forme ...

, and

Ice Cube O'Shea Jackson Sr. (born June 15, 1969), known professionally as Ice Cube, is an American rapper, songwriter, actor, and film producer. His lyrics on N.W.A's 1989 album '' Straight Outta Compton'' contributed to gangsta rap's widespread popu ...

on the track "You Ain't Gotta Lie (Ta Kick It)".Koroma, Salima (2011-03-07)
Chris Rock Shares Sentiments About Kanye West's 'Blame Game'
HipHopDX. Retrieved on 2010-11-27. Rock described his collaboration with West as exciting in nature, commenting that he was always open to working on unusual ventures. In an interview with ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', Rock went into detail about the composition of the song:

I did that quicker than I read scripts that they offer me money to do ... I thank anyeso much it probably freaks him out. Especially at this late date, to get on something, the album of the moment, that stuff is priceless, you can't put a price tag on that. I felt invigorated by it. I've still got my fastball.

The song is partly inspired by West's relationship with

model A model is an informative representation of an object, person, or system. The term originally denoted the plans of a building in late 16th-century English, and derived via French and Italian ultimately from Latin , . Models can be divided in ...

Amber Rose.Weiner, Jonah (2010-11-22)
Review: ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy''
''

Slate Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous, metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade, regional metamorphism. It is the finest-grained foliated metamorphic ro ...

''. Retrieved on 2011-01-29. West originally met Rose in 2008, and they subsequently developed a romantic relationship, before having a dramatic break-up in 2010; Rose cited allegations of

adultery Adultery is extramarital sex that is considered objectionable on social, religious, moral, or legal grounds. Although the sexual activities that constitute adultery vary, as well as the social, religious, and legal consequences, the concept ...

.Staff (2012-01-12)
Amber Rose Cries While Discussing Kanye West In An Interview
''

The Huffington Post ''HuffPost'' (''The Huffington Post'' until 2017, itself often abbreviated as ''HPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and covers p ...

''. Retrieved on 2011-01-29. Rose also said that West had written the song about their relationship, commenting that West "talked reckless about me on his album". "Blame Game" uses the composition " Avril 14th" by

(Richard D. James). According to James, after he was sent an early version of "Blame Game" with a heavily timestretched sample of "Avril 14th", he offered to rerecord the piece at a different

tempo In musical terminology, tempo (Italian for 'time'; plural 'tempos', or from the Italian plural), measured in beats per minute, is the speed or pace of a given musical composition, composition, and is often also an indication of the composition ...

; West's team replied with "It's not yours, it's ours, and we're not even asking you any more", and tried to avoid paying for its use. The final "Blame Game" may have used a rerecorded version of "Avril 14th" rather than a sample, and James received credit. The use of the Aphex Twin sample may have been inspired by a song for the SNL Digital Short 'Iran So Far'. Saturday Night Live (2013-08-14)
Iran So Far - SNL Digital Short
Retrieved 2025-04-21. Genius.com (2018)
Iran So Far lyrics - About
Retrieved 2025-04-21. The song first aired in episode 625, September 29, 2007 during Saturday Night Live season 33, in which West was the musical guest and also appeared in a sketch co-written by

Akiva Schaffer Akiva Daniel Shebar Schaffer (; born December 1, 1977) is an American writer, producer, director, comedian, actor, and musician. He is a member of the comedy music group The Lonely Island, along with childhood friends Andy Samberg and Jorma Tacc ...

The Lonely Island The Lonely Island is an American comedy trio, formed by Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, and Akiva Schaffer in Berkeley, California, in 2001. They have written for and starred in the American TV program ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL''). The th ...

. In a 2024 episode of ''The Lonely Island and Seth Myers Podcast'', Schaffer argued that "'Blame Game'" is the exact same basic beat of ‘Iran So Far,’ and

Jorma Taccone Jorma Christopher Taccone ( ; born March 19, 1977) is an American writer, producer, director, comedian, actor, and musician. He is a member of the comedy music group The Lonely Island with his childhood friends Andy Samberg and Akiva Schaffer. I ...

, who produced the track, agrees that "I think I influenced Kanye.” The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers Podcast (2024-09-02)
Episode 23: Iran So Far Away
Retrieved 2025-04-21. McNab, JM (2024-09-02)

Cracked.com. Retrieved 2025-04-21.

Composition

"Blame Game" is built on the piano composition " Avril 14th" by Aphex Twin. The song begins with a minute long introduction sung by Legend. "Blame Game" has a lush,

cello The violoncello ( , ), commonly abbreviated as cello ( ), is a middle pitched bowed (sometimes pizzicato, plucked and occasionally col legno, hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually intonation (music), tuned i ...

-driven production with predominant piano. After Legend's introduction, West raps his verses in a highly melodic manner, almost singing his lines. West's forceful delivery expresses hurt and contempt.Embling (2010-11)
Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy , Music Review , Tiny Mix Tapes

Tiny Mix Tapes ''Tiny Mix Tapes'' (also ''TMT'' or ''tinymixtapes'') is an online music and film webzine that focuses primarily on new music and related news. In addition to its reviews, it is noted for its subversive, political, and sometimes surreal news, ...

. Retrieved on 2011-04-30. The song's soulful sound juxtaposes West's angry lyrics: "been a long time since I spoke to you in a bathroom, ripping you up, fuckin' and chokin' you".Kellman, Andy (2010-11-21). Review: ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'' Allmusic. All Music Guide Retrieved on 2010-11-21. He subsequently raps less antagonistically and repeatedly confesses "I can't love you this much". West's vocals are substantially manipulated throughout the song from "naturally clear-sounding and ominously pitched-down as it pans back and forth", as they are slowed down, sped up, edited substantially, and altered in various ways, giving the song a brooding, ominous mood. ''Pitchfork'' writer Ryan Dombal wrote that this effect "bottoms out with a verse in which Kanye's voice is sped up, slowed down and stretched out ... The effect is almost psychotic, suggesting three or four inner monologues fighting over smashed emotions."Dombal, Ryan (2010-11-21)
Review: ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy''

Pitchfork Media ''Pitchfork'' (formerly ''Pitchfork Media'') is an American online music magazine founded in 1996 by Ryan Schreiber in Minneapolis. It originally covered Alternative rock, alternative and independent music, and expanded to cover genres includin ...

. Retrieved on 2010-11-21.

AbsolutePunk ''AbsolutePunk'' was a website, online community, and alternative music news source founded by Jason Tate (the most recent CEO). The website mainly focused on artists who are relatively unknown to mainstream audiences, but it was known to featu ...

's Drew Beringer commented that the vocal altercations gives the sense of the "multiple personalities and paranoia he tries to overcome." On "Blame Game", West attempts to call his past lover, but he receives a call back instead and he hears a conversation between her and Chris Rock, who begins an extended monologue approximately five minutes into the song.Kot, Greg (2010-11-17)
Review: ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy''
''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...

''. Retrieved on 2010-11-17. Chris Rock performs a vulgar, profanity-ridden sketch in which he compliments his lover's dress sense and sexual technique, and asks her who taught her these skills.Grischow, Chad (2010-11-23)
Kanye West: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy Review - Music Review at IGN
.

IGN ''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...

. Retrieved on 2011-04-30. Each time he asks, the answer is the same: "Yeezy taught me." Rock proceeds to thank 'Yeezy', stating that he will support him by buying the album and threatens to 'shoot a bootlegger'. Rock finishes the skit by telling West's past lover that "Yeezy taught you well".Barber, Andrew (2012-12-07)
Kanye West f/ John Legend & Chris Rock "Blame Game" (2010)
''Complex''. Retrieved on 2010-11-30. Andy Gill of ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...

'' commented that a similar "alliance of aristocratic piano and cello with less rarefied elements underpins 'Blame Game', a brutal rumination on West's sexual appetite".Gill, Andy (2010-11-19)
Review: ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy''
''

''. Retrieved on 2010-11-19.Vidal, Dan (2010-11-23)
Review: ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy''
. '' URB''. Retrieved on 2010-12-08.

Reception

"Blame Game" received mostly positive reviews. ''

The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture publication based in Greenwich Village, New York City, known for being the country's first Alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, ...

''s Sean Fennessey said that it is "not the flashiest or most forward-thinking song on the album, but certainly the most earthbound. And therefore the most important."Fennessey, Sean (2010-11-17)
Review: ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy''
. ''

''. Retrieved on 2010-11-17. ''

Chicago Sun-Times The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily nonprofit newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has long held the second largest circulation among Chicago newspaper ...

'' writer complimented Rock's "hilarious,

X-rated An X rating is a film rating that indicates that the film contains content that is considered to be suitable only for adults. Films with an X rating may have scenes of graphic violence or explicit sexual acts that may be disturbing or offensive ...

spiel" and cited the song as the best example of West's ability "to contrast the light and dark pieces against each other, the profane and the sacred", writing that it utilizes "Legend's soft, pretty voice to sing a smooth, troubling refrain." (2010-11-21)
Review: ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy''
. ''

''. Retrieved on 2010-11-21. ''

'' writer

Rob Sheffield Robert James Sheffield (born February 2, 1966) is an American music journalist and author. He is a long time contributing editor at ''Rolling Stone'', writing about music, TV, and pop culture. Previously, he was a contributing editor at '' Blen ...

called it one of the funniest of West's career, a "confessional" song where he "honestly struggles to figure out why he has to be such a douchebag."Sheffield, Rob (2010-11-22)
Review: ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy''
. ''Rolling Stone'' Jann Wenner. Retrieved on 2010-11-11. Steve Jones of ''

USA Today ''USA Today'' (often stylized in all caps) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth in 1980 and launched on September 14, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headq ...

'' cited the song as the album's

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