"Holy Grail" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Single by Jay Z featuring Justin Timberlake | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
from the album Magna Carta Holy Grail | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Released | July 4, 2013 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Format | Digital download | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Recorded | 2013 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Genre | Hip hop | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Length | 5:38 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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"Holy Grail" is a song by American hip hop artist Jay Z from his twelfth studio album Magna Carta Holy Grail. It features vocals from American singer Justin Timberlake and serves as the album's first single. It was produced by The-Dream, Timbaland and J-Roc, with additional production from No ID and contains elements of Nirvana's 1991 hit single "Smells Like Teen Spirit". Following the release of the album, the song charted in many regions, entering at number eight and reaching number four on the US Billboard Hot 100, as well as charting at number seven on the UK Singles Chart. "Holy Grail" has sold over 3 million copies in the United States as of March 2014.
"Holy Grail" won the Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 56th Grammy Awards. In 2014, Billboard placed it at number 25 on their list of Top 100 Hot Rap Songs of all time.
"Holy Grail", along with another track from Magna Carta Holy Grail called "Oceans" were recorded in 2011 during the recording sessions for Jay Z's collaborative album with Kanye West, Watch the Throne. West wanted the two songs to appear on Watch the Throne, but Jay Z chose to keep them for his upcoming studio album and they were replaced with "No Church in the Wild" and "Made in America". The early version of the instrumental was created in 2011 by The-Dream. When the recording sessions for MCHG started, Timbaland, together with fellow producer J-Roc, rearranged the instrumental to create the final track.