Homecoming (Kanye West song)

"Homecoming" is a song by the American rapper Kanye West from his third studio album, Graduation (2007). The song features a guest appearance from Chris Martin and he co-wrote it with West and Warryn Campbell, who served as the producers. West and the singer worked on the song when they met at Abbey Road Studios in February 2006, engaging in a jam session where Martin came up with the concept. It was a re-working of West's 2001 recording "Home (Windy)", which featured John Legend and a different beat. The recording was inspired by Common's "I Used to Love H.E.R." and themed around West's hometown of Chicago, maintained for the new version.

On February 2, 2008, "Homecoming" was released in the United Kingdom as the album's fifth and final single by Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Recordings. It is a hip hop song with elements of gospel and pub rock, accompanied by Martin's arena rock piano. The singer also performs the chorus, questioning returning home and adding a hint of reggae. In the lyrics of the song, West delivers an ode to Chicago and narrates his relationship with the city. He personifies Chicago as a childhood sweetheart named Wendy, expressing his guilt and rejection from her after leaving for fame.

"Homecoming" received mixed reviews from music critics, who were mostly divided in their responses to Martin's feature. Some praised West's lyricism and emotional impact, while a few critics identified the song as a highlight of Graduation. It was later ranked as among West's best songs by numerous publications, including The Jamaica Observer and CraveOnline. The song charted at number 69 on the US Billboard Hot 100, while reaching number 15 on the Hot Rap Songs chart. It was more successful in Europe, peaking at number five in Ireland and number nine in the United Kingdom, becoming West's eighth top-10 single in the latter territory. The song attained top 40 positions in 11 other countries, including Norway and Denmark. In the United States, the song was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It has been certified platinum in both Denmark and the UK by IFPI Danmark and the British Phonographic Industry, respectively.

An accompanying black-and-white music video was filmed in Chicago during November 2007, later released in April 2008. The video features a montage of West traversing the streets of the city and showcases its landmarks, alongside cameos from his friends and rap acts there. It was nominated for Best Hip Hop Video at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards. West delivered a live performance of "Homecoming" with Legend at The Box nightclub in August 2010, with the singer appearing at the grand piano. The rapper performed the song at the Global Gathering and Coachella festivals in 2008 and 2011, respectively. It was played live on piano by Dave in April 2022.