"Jail" | |
---|---|
Song by Kanye West featuring Jay-Z | |
from the album Donda | |
Released | August 29, 2021 |
Recorded | May 13, 2021 - August 2021 |
Genre | |
Length | 4:57 |
Label | |
Songwriter(s) |
|
Producer(s) |
|
"Jail" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his tenth studio album, Donda (2021). The song includes vocals from fellow American rapper Jay-Z. Towards the end of the album, another version of the song titled "Jail pt 2" appears, which includes more vocals from DaBaby and Marilyn Manson. It won the award for Best Rap Song at the 2022 Grammy Awards.
West heavily contributed production to fellow rapper Jay-Z's sixth studio album The Blueprint in 2001, beginning a creative bond between the two. He has since helped produce various Jay-Z albums, while the rapper has been featured on numerous records by West, including his fifth studio album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010). [2] West and Jay-Z's collaborative album Watch the Throne was released in 2011, though they had a falling out five years later when West complained about him during the Saint Pablo Tour. Jay-Z addressed the fallout on the intro to his 13th studio album 4:44 (2017) and also assured in a promotional interview that he needed to speak with West for resolving their "family business", before the latter alleged their issues started after his wedding to Kim Kardashian in 2014. [2]
On July 22, 2021, West ended the first listening event for Donda at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta by playing a song that includes a verse from Jay-Z. [2] [5] The verse was reportedly recorded at 4pm on the previous day, apparently being rushed by Jay-Z for the event. [2] [6] The song's title was unveiled as "Jail" and during the album's third listening party at Soldier Field in Chicago, a version was played that replaced Jay-Z's verse with one from fellow rapper DaBaby. [7] The replacement was widely condemned by fans, due to DaBaby's July 2021 homophobic rant. [7] The final version re-added Jay-Z and removed DaBaby, marking the first track to include him and West since they both appeared on Drake's "Pop Style" (2016). [5] [7] Despite this, Pt. 2 features vocals from the aforementioned DaBaby as well as Marilyn Manson, who himself was embroiled in controversy, as he was accused of sexually harassing actress Evan Rachel Wood.
"Jail" received mixed reviews. Thomas Hobbs of The Guardian was unimpressed by West's lyrics on the track, describing them as "blunted" when compared to his previous work; he also considered its "dad-rock riffs" to be "slightly flat" and its melody "meandering". [8] In her review for The Independent , Roisin O'Connor condemned the "sluggish one-two punch of the motif" as derivative of the "superior jabs" on Kendrick Lamar's "Humble" (2017). [9] AllMusic's Fred Thomas dubbed it "a banger with no bang" besides its "last seconds". [10] Conversely, Paul Thomas of Rolling Stone described it as "pure catharsis" and "clear-eyed" in its examination of "the threat police pose", highlighting it as one of the tracks off Donda which display a "sincere darkness". [11] In his review for Variety , Chris Willman called it a "pleasingly genre-crossing surprise" with "power chords and anthemic chorus lines that somebody like Imagine Dragons might give their dragons' eye teeth for". [12] Clash 's Mike Milenko considered it "a half-decent Kanye cut". [13]
Jay-Z's appearance divided critics. Jon Caramanica of The New York Times simply described it as "decent", [14] while Tom Breihan of Stereogum wrote that "it's not peak Jay"; he considered his "underwhelming" verse to be inferior to the other guest appearances on Donda, and assessed that he "gets through his awkward verse on charisma and accumulated goodwill". [15] Thomas panned his "atrociously written" verse, arguing that "it sounds like a rehearsal take from someone who knows he's written C-grade material". [11] HipHopDX 's David Aaron Brake called it "one of the worst verses of his career", and joked that "Kanye awoke him from a nap and asked him for some quick bars in 30 minutes or less". [16] In contrast, Nina Hernandez of The A.V. Club hailed it as "one of Jay's most successful feature verses in several years" and a "clear high point" on Donda. [17] Similarly, Milenko found Jay-Z to be "at his most recent best, sneering into the mic with a cockiness that is unmatched even by Ye himself". [13] Riley Wallace of Exclaim! considered that he provided one of the "shiniest gems" on the album with his verse, [18] while Rhian Daly called it "a thrill" in her review for NME . [19]
"Jail" debuted at number 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming West's 20th top-10 hit on the chart and making him the 21st act to have this amount of top-10s. [20] The debut was almost entirely driven by streaming, with the song entering the US Streaming Songs chart at number three and amassing 24.2 million streams. [21] The song reached number two on both the US Christian Songs and Gospel Songs charts. [22] [23] It debuted at number three on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, standing among West's seven simultaneous top-10 hits that tied him with Drake's record on the chart. [24]
In Australia, "Jail" opened at number five on the ARIA Singles Chart. [25] The song experienced similar performance in New Zealand, entering the NZ Singles Chart at number six. [26] Elsewhere, it reached number eight on the Icelandic Singles Chart. [27] The song debuted at number seven on the Irish Singles Chart, placing among West's three entries from the album in Ireland. [28] It entered the UK Singles Chart at number 11, also standing as one of his three entries in the United Kingdom. [29]
The second part of the song, titled "Jail pt 2", was premiered to a controversial reception at the third and final public listening party at Soldier Field in Chicago on August 26, 2021. It was subsequently released as Donda's 24th track on August 29, 2021. [10] [30] Initially, the song appeared on the album's Spotify track list while blanked out and unavailable to play, until it became playable at 10pm. [31] [32] West posted screenshots to his Instagram of texts between him and his manager Bu Thiam demonstrating that the song was not able to be released due to DaBaby's management refusing to clear his appearance, with West replying: "I'm not taking my brother off. He was the only person who said he would vote for me in public." [32] [33] He also accused Universal Music Group of having blocked the song's inclusion on the album; sources at the company denied the allegations and called them "preposterous". [30] [32] [33]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada) [62] | Gold | 40,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [63] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
"Swagga Like Us" is a song by American rappers Jay-Z and T.I. featuring fellow American rappers Lil Wayne and Kanye West, the latter of whom also produced the song, constructed primarily around a vocal sample of "Paper Planes" by British musician M.I.A. It was released on September 6, 2008, in the United States as the fifth single from T.I.'s sixth album Paper Trail (2008). The track was also initially slated for inclusion on Jay-Z's eleventh album The Blueprint 3 (2009), however it ultimately failed to make the final track listing.
"Forever" is a song by rappers Drake, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, and Eminem. Written alongside producer Boi-1da, the song was originally released as the third single from the soundtrack to LeBron James's More than a Game documentary and was placed on the Refill re-release of Eminem's album Relapse. Eminem performed his verse of the song at the American Music Awards of 2009. Drake performed the song with Lil Wayne, Eminem, and Travis Barker at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards. A demo version of the song was leaked in mid-2008.
"Otis" is a song by American hip hop artists Jay-Z and Kanye West from their first collaborative album Watch the Throne (2011). The song posthumously features soul singer Otis Redding, whose version of "Try a Little Tenderness" is sampled in the song. The production was covered solely by West. The track was premiered by Funkmaster Flex's Hot 97 radio show and was released onto the Internet the day afterward. Lyrically, the song has the two rappers sharing lines discussing wealth, decadence and fame. The track received highly positive reviews from music critics who praised the trading off of verses by the two rappers and the Redding-sampled beat, which was compared to the style heard on West's The College Dropout. Several publications placed the song amongst the best of the year.
"Niggas in Paris" is a song by American rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West from their collaborative album Watch the Throne (2011). The song is built around a synth bell loop from the Dirty South Bangaz music library, and contains vocal samples from "Baptizing Scene" by Reverend W.A. Donaldson, an interpolation of "Victory" by Puff Daddy featuring The Notorious B.I.G. and Busta Rhymes, and dialogue excerpts from the 2007 film Blades of Glory. On the week of the album's release, "Niggas in Paris" debuted at number 75 on the Billboard Hot 100, eventually peaking at number five. Outside of the United States, "Niggas in Paris" peaked within the top ten of the charts in the United Kingdom. As of 2018, it has sold 6.7 million archetype digital units in the United States. The song won Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards.
"Clique" is a song by American rappers Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Big Sean from West's record label GOOD Music's debut compilation album, Cruel Summer (2012). The song features additional vocals from Cocaine 80s, Aude Cardona, and Travis Jones. It was produced by Hit-Boy, while co-produced by West, and additional production was handled by Anthony Kilhoffer alongside Noah Goldstein. Numerous rappers recorded verses for the song, yet only West, Jay-Z, and Big Sean made the final cut. Two days after it leaked, the song was debuted via West's website on September 7, 2012, and simultaneously released for digital download as the album's fourth and final single, through GOOD Music and Def Jam.
"Off the Grid" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his tenth studio album Donda (2021). The song features vocals from American rappers Playboi Carti and Fivio Foreign. It was released to US urban contemporary radio stations as the album's fourth single on November 30, 2021.
"Pop Style" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake, featuring American rappers Kanye West and Jay-Z, collectively known as The Throne. The song was released alongside "One Dance", as singles promoting Drake's fourth studio album Views, initially for exclusive digital download on iTunes on April 5, 2016. The album version features only Drake with a new verse. The single version was nominated for Best Rap Performance at the 59th Grammy Awards.
Donda is the tenth studio album by the American rapper Kanye West, released through GOOD Music on August 29, 2021, with distribution handled by Def Jam Recordings, as his final release with the label. The album features a wide range of guest performances from artists including the Weeknd, Jay-Z, Marilyn Manson, Kid Cudi, Travis Scott, Lil Yachty, Baby Keem, Playboi Carti, Jay Electronica, Lil Baby, DaBaby, Roddy Ricch, Ty Dolla Sign, Fivio Foreign, Lil Durk, Pop Smoke and Young Thug, among others; vocals from Chris Brown were also included prior to the album being updated. A deluxe edition was released on November 14, 2021 and featured guest vocals from André 3000, Tyler, the Creator, and KayCyy. West himself, as well as BoozDaBeast, Dem Jointz, Mike Dean, and Ojivolta primarily helmed the albums production. West recorded much of the material at multiple locations in the summer of 2021, including Bighorn Mountain Ranch in Wyoming and Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
"Keep My Spirit Alive" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his tenth studio album, Donda (2021). The song features vocals from fellow American rappers Conway the Machine and Westside Gunn and originally featured additional vocals from KayCyy.
"Tell the Vision" is a song by American rapper Pop Smoke featuring fellow American rappers Kanye West and Pusha T from the former's second posthumous studio album, Faith (2021). West produced the song with Boogz, FnZ, Rico Beats, and SethInTheKitchen, while Jalil Peraza and Jess Jackson served as additional producers. A drill track, it samples a choir and Angie Martinez's ode to Pop Smoke. In the lyrics of the song, the rapper discusses his upbringing in Brooklyn and the struggles he experienced during this period.
"Jonah" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his tenth studio album Donda (2021). The song features fellow American rappers Vory and Lil Durk along with additional background vocals from frequent collaborator Ty Dolla $ign. It peaked at number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and made the top ten on the Billboard Christian Songs and Gospel Songs charts.
"Hurricane" is a song by American rapper Kanye West and Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd featuring fellow American rapper Lil Baby, from the former's tenth studio album Donda (2021). The song features additional vocals from the Sunday Service Choir and KayCyy. It came from a jam session at Archwood Music Studio and was passed on by Chance the Rapper to West, who shared a preview in September 2018. The song was originally slated for inclusion on West's since scrapped album, Yandhi, and went through multiple reiterations prior to release, with the final version being debuted in July 2021. On August 8, 2021, it was accidentally made available via certain streaming services before being pulled less than 24 hours later, but was officially released with the rest of the album on August 29, 2021. It was also eventually sent to US rhythmic contemporary radio stations as the album's lead single on September 14, by GOOD Music and Def Jam. An R&B, hip hop, and pop jam with an atmospheric beat, it contains organs and bass.
"New Again" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his tenth studio album Donda (2021). The song's original version featured vocals from American singer Chris Brown.
"Moon" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his tenth studio album, Donda (2021). The song features fellow American rappers Don Toliver and Kid Cudi. It initially only had an appearance from Toliver, however Kid Cudi was added after the album's first listening event. The song peaked at number 17 on the US Billboard Hot 100, also reaching number 7 on the US Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart.
"Praise God" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his tenth studio album Donda (2021). The song features vocals from fellow American rappers Travis Scott and Baby Keem. It also features additional vocals from West's late mother, Donda West, for whom the album is named. The song peaked at number 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100, alongside reaching number 10 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and the top of the US Gospel and Christian Songs charts.
"Pure Souls" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his tenth studio album, Donda (2021). The song features vocals from fellow American rapper Roddy Ricch and Jamaican singer Shenseea.
"Believe What I Say" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his tenth studio album, Donda (2021). The song features additional vocals from Buju Banton, Dem Jointz and Stalone; and samples "Doo Wop " by Lauryn Hill. It was serviced to US rhythmic contemporary radio as the album's third single on November 30, 2021.
"Remote Control" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his tenth studio album Donda (2021). The song, which features vocals from fellow American rapper Young Thug, was produced by West alongside Cubeatz, Digital Nas, Ojivolta, 88-Keys, Mike Dean and Teddy Walton.
"Love All" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake from his sixth studio album Certified Lover Boy (2021). It features American rapper Jay-Z and was produced by Oz, Dez Wright and Leon Thomas III.
"City of Gods" is a song by American rappers Fivio Foreign and Kanye West and American singer Alicia Keys. It was released as the lead single from Fivio's debut studio album B.I.B.L.E. and the second single from West's album, Donda 2. On the song, American rapper Playboi Carti provides ad-libs, while Keys interpolates the chorus from "New York City" (2015) by The Chainsmokers. The track was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America, indicating 500,000 units recorded in the US and was nominated at the 54th NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Hip Hop/Rap Song.
{{cite magazine}}
: Cite magazine requires |magazine=
(help)