Mariel Concepcion of '' Billboard '' called " American Boy " " a charming duet with West . " Andy Kellman of Allmusic , Luke Bainbridge of '' Observer Music Monthly '' and Sal Cinquemani of '' Slant Magazine '' named the song as a standout on its parent album . Bill Lamb of About.com gave the song a four star rating , listing the chemistry between Estelle and West , the song 's beat and Estelle 's vocals as the song 's highlights . Lamb also added " This song is perfection for a slick , summery glide across the dance floor . " Alex Fletcher of '' Digital Spy '' found " American Boy " to " boasts bags of self-confidence ( " Do n't like his baggy jeans but I like what 's underneath 'em , " she purrs at one point ) , a winning chorus and sultry , super-sleek production from Will.i.am and John Legend " while commenting " it should n't have taken a guest spot from the self-proclaimed King of Hip-Hop to make this tune a hit . " Timothy Gabriele of '' PopMatters '' called the song " an essential piece of ebullient summer musical manna rained down from empyreal heights and granted to us passive listeners as one final gift before the world spirals off into an inescapable vortex of cyclones , earthquakes , economic collapse , and a doom-sealing Presidential race . " Joshua Love of '' Pitchfork '' praised the song 's hook and will.i.am 's production work . while Omar Jenning of '' The Skinny '' was dismissive of West 's rap interlude . Ben Hogwood of musicOMH lauded the song as an example of how " Estelle has added a large pinch of soul to take her music to the next . " In 2009 , " American Boy " earned Estelle and Kanye West a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration , while receiving a nomination for Song of the Year . The song received a nomination for BRIT Award for Best British Single . The single won Best Song at the 2008 MOBO Awards . The song was nominated for Best R&B / Urban Dance Track at the 2009 International Dance Music Awards . It received a nomination for Outstanding Duo or Group at the 40th NAACP Image Awards . " American Boy " was nominated for Best International Song at the NRJ Music Awards 2009
40th NAACP Image Awards
40th NAACP Image Awards
American Boy