Champions (GOOD Music song)

{{Hatnote|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.}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Champions

| cover = Kanye West - Champions Cover.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Kanye West, Gucci Mane, Big Sean, 2 Chainz, Travis Scott, Yo Gotti, Quavo, and Desiigner

| album = Cruel Winter

| released = June 7, 2016

| recorded = 2016

| studio =

| genre = * Hip hop

trap

| length = {{Duration|m=5|s=34}}

| label = {{hlist|GOOD|Def Jam}}

| writer = {{hlist|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 = {{hlist|Kanye West|Mike Dean|Low Pros|Derek Watkins {{small|(co.)}}|Charlie Heat {{small|(co.)}}|Noah Goldstein {{small|(add.)}}}}

| chronology = Kanye West

| prev_title = Father Stretch My Hands

| prev_year = 2016

| next_title = Friends

| next_year = 2016

| misc = {{Extra chronology

| artist = Gucci Mane

| type = single

| prev_title = Back on Road

| prev_year = 2016

| title = Champions

| year = 2016

| next_title = All My Children

| next_year = 2016

}}

{{Extra chronology

| artist = Big Sean

| type = single

| prev_title = Play No Games

| prev_year = 2015

| title = Champions

| year = 2016

| next_title = Holy Key

| next_year = 2016

}}

{{Extra chronology

| artist = 2 Chainz

| type = single

| prev_title = No Problem

| prev_year = 2016

| title = Champions

| year = 2016

| next_title = Big Amount

| next_year = 2016

}}

{{Extra chronology

| artist = Travis Scott

| type = single

| prev_title = Pick Up the Phone

| prev_year = 2016

| title = Champions

| year = 2016

| next_title = Goosebumps

| next_year = 2016

}}

{{Extra chronology

| artist = Yo Gotti

| type = single

| prev_title = Order More

| prev_year = 2016

| title = Champions

| year = 2016

| next_title = Better

| next_year = 2016

}}

{{Extra chronology

| artist = Quavo

| type = single

| prev_title = Pick Up the Phone

| prev_year = 2016

| title = Champions

| year = 2016

| next_title = Castro

| next_year = 2016

}}

{{Extra chronology

| artist = Desiigner

| type = single

| prev_title = Panda

| prev_year = 2015

| title = Champions

| year = 2016

| next_title = Tiimmy Turner

| next_year = 2016

}}

{{Extra chronology

| artist = GOOD Music

| type = single

| prev_title = Clique

| prev_year = 2012

| title = Champions

| year = 2016

| next_title =

| next_year =

}}

"Champions" is a song by American rappers Kanye West, Gucci Mane, Big Sean, 2 Chainz, Travis Scott, Yo Gotti, Quavo, and Desiigner.{{cite web|url=http://diymag.com/2016/06/03/kanye-west-releases-new-single-round-round|title=Kanye West releases new single, Round and Round|date=3 June 2016 |publisher=DIY Mag|access-date=June 4, 2016}} 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.

Release

"Champions" was first aired on Big Boy's 92.3.{{cite web|url=https://www.inverse.com/article/16545-the-verses-on-kanye-west-s-new-song-champions-ranked|title=The Verses on Kanye West's New Song 'Champions,' Ranked|date=3 June 2016 |publisher=Inverse|access-date=December 12, 2018}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2016/06/kanye-west-premieres-new-single-with-gucci-mane-travis-scott-and-more-off-cruel-winter/|title=Kanye West premieres new single with Gucci Mane, Travis Scott and more off Cruel Winter|date=3 June 2016 |publisher=XXL|access-date=June 4, 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/kanye-west-champions-round-and-round-feat-desiigner-travis-scott-big-sean-gucci-mane-yo-gotti-2-chai-new-song.1970047.html|title=Kanye West's Champions (Round and Round) feat. Desiigner, Travis Scott, Big Sean, Gucci Mane, Yo Gotti, 2 Chainz [New Song]|date=3 June 2016 |publisher=HotNewHipHop|access-date=June 4, 2016}} It was officially released to iTunes on June 12, 2016.{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/ru/album/champions-single/1445313038?l=en-GB|title=Kanye West, Gucci Mane, Big Sean, 2 Chainz, Travis Scott, Yo Gotti, Quavo & Desiigner – Champions|publisher=iTunes|access-date=June 12, 2016}}

Critical reception

The song was placed at number 49 on Complex's list of 2016's best songs.{{cite web|url=http://www.complex.com/music/2016/06/best-songs-of-2016/|title=Complex's Best Songs of 2016|publisher=Complex|date=June 16, 2016|access-date=December 19, 2018}}

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.{{cite web|url=http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.39375/title.hip-hop-single-sales-drake-desiigner-beyonce-4|title=Hip Hop Single Sales: Drake, Desiigner & Beyoncé|publisher=HipHopDX|last=Mansell|first=Henry|date=June 25, 2016|access-date=June 30, 2016}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=Kanye+West&ti=Champions#search_section|title=Gold & Platinum - Kanye West - Champions|publisher=RIAA|access-date=April 15, 2018}}

Freestyle video

Teyana Taylor released a video of her freestyling over the track on September 6, 2016.{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/watch-teyana-taylor-with-guns-gold-paint-in-champions-freestyle-110330/|title=Watch Teyana Taylor Wearing Only Gold Paint in 'Champions'|publisher=Rolling Stone|last=Blistein|first=Jon|date=September 6, 2016|access-date=May 14, 2019}} The video is a stop-motion clip that sees Taylor covered in smeared gold paint and dancing militaristically in front of a gray backdrop. It marked Taylor's first video since she starred in the music video for West's single "Fade".

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.{{cite web|url=https://listen.tidal.com/track/61880122|title=Champions / Kanye West|publisher=Tidal|access-date=March 12, 2019}}

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

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+ Chart performance for "Champions"

! scope="col"| Chart (2016)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

{{singlechart|Billboardcanadianhot100|73|artist=Kanye West|rowheader=true|access-date=June 21, 2016}}

{{singlechart|UKrandb|24|date=June 23, 2016|rowheader=true|access-date=June 17, 2016}}

{{singlechart|UKZobbel|128|id=20160618|urltitle=CLUK Update 18.06.2016 (wk24)|rowheader=true|access-date=June 24, 2016}}

{{singlechart|Billboardhot100|71|artist=Kanye West|rowheader=true|refname="billboard"|access-date=June 21, 2016}}

{{singlechart|Billboardrandbhiphop|22|artist=Kanye West|rowheader=true|access-date=June 21, 2016}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "Champions"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Denmark|type=single|artist=Kanye West feat. Desiigner, Travis Scott, 2 Chainz, Big Sean, Gucci Mane, Quavo, Yo Gotti|title=Champions|award=Gold|relyear=2016|certyear=2022|id=11148|access-date=October 8, 2022}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|artist=Kanye West and Co|title=Champions|award=Gold|relyear=2016|certyear=2021|source=radioscope|access-date=December 25, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|award=Silver|artist=West/Gucci Mane/Big Sean|title=Champions|relyear=2016|certyear=2022|id=18440-6126-1|access-date=October 16, 2022}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|award=Platinum|artist=Kanye West|title=Champions|relyear=2016|certyear=2018|access-date=March 26, 2018}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true|noshipments=true}}