'It wasn’t until I hung out with Dead Prez and understood how to make, you know, raps with a message sound cool that I was able to just write “All Falls Down” in 15 minutes.” Live performances In a 2013 interview with The New York Times, West revealed Dead Prez's impact on the song Lyrically, 'All Falls Down' examines the self-consciousness and insecurity within society, particularly the black community, and how these characteristics pertain to economic materialism. However, the earliest version of the song can be found on West's 2001 mixtape The Prerequisite, on which it called 'Dream Come True'. The version of the song with the original sample can be heard on West's Freshman Adjustment mixtape. West then called upon Syleena Johnson to re-sing the relevant vocal portions of 'Mystery of Iniquity' which ended up in the final track.

West originally attempted to acquire legal clearance to sample the recording but due to various complications, the permission was withheld. The song contains an interpolation of 'Mystery of Iniquity' by Lauryn Hill from her live album MTV Unplugged No.

Alan walker all falls down