"Bound 2" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Kanye West | ||||
from the album Yeezus | ||||
Released | August 28, 2013 | |||
Recorded | 2013 | |||
Genre | Hip hop | |||
Length | 3:49 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) |
| |||
Kanye West singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Bound 2" on YouTube | ||||
Audio | ||||
"Bound 2" on YouTube |
"Bound 2" is a song by American rapper Kanye West,featured as the final track from his sixth studio album, Yeezus (2013). It was produced by West and Che Pope,with additional production being handled by Eric Danchick,Noah Goldstein,No ID and Mike Dean. The song features vocals from American soul singer Charlie Wilson and serves as the album's second single. "Bound 2" incorporates samples from "Bound" by Ponderosa Twins Plus One and the lines "Uh-huh,honey" and "Alright" from Brenda Lee's "Sweet Nothin's". The song also interpolates Wee's "Aeroplane (Reprise)" for the bridge,sung by Charlie Wilson. [1]
"Bound 2" received universal acclaim from music critics,who referred to the song as one of the highlights of the album,comparing its soul influenced,sample-based production to West's debut studio album, The College Dropout (2004). The song peaked at number 55 on the UK Singles Chart and 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song received two nominations at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards for Best Rap Song and Best Rap/Sung Performance. West performed the song live on Later... with Jools Holland and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon .
On June 1,2013,West revealed the cover art of his sixth studio album Yeezus and premiered a 13-second preview of "Bound 2". [2] It was only one of three songs that were previewed prior to the album's release,the others being "New Slaves" and "Black Skinhead". [3]
"Bound 2" features substantial soul music samples,which critics noted as reminiscent of West's production style in his earlier work. [4] The song is predominantly built around a sample taken from "Bound",a song by soul-group Ponderosa Twins Plus One from their 1971 album, 2 + 2 + 1 = Ponderosa Twins Plus One . [5] Interpolations from "Aeroplane (Reprise)",written by Norman Whiteside and performed by Wee and the line "Uh-huh,honey" from the song "Sweet Nothin's",written by Ronnie Self and performed by country singer,Brenda Lee,were also used in the song. [5] [6] Lee reacted to the sampling of her song on the track,saying:
As I've said, it's always nice to be recognized. It says a wonderful thing about Ronnie Self, who wrote the song. That 50 years after it was written, somebody in Kanye's camp knew the song and said, 'Let's use it.' That's a compliment to Ronnie. [7]
In an interview with Rolling Stone , Rick Rubin explained how the song was constructed:
The whole song was written without that main sample; it was a last-minute thing. The song had kind of a lot of R&B music in it. And Kanye gave marching orders of "Take out anything you want, but don't add. Just take away." Like, "OK." And before that, we listened to the sample together and thought, "Hmm, maybe there's a way to integrate this into the song." So we started by getting the sample to work in the song, and then taking out as much stuff as we could, and then in the chorus reducing what was this whole musical thing, just this sort of one ugly, distorted bass note. I was thinking like Alan Vega and Suicide, that kind of noise-synth minimal vibe. So that was the idea behind the chorus: Take it from this sort of R&B thing and turn it into this kind of post-punk, edge thing. And the lyrics he wrote were so good and funny. It just turned into a really good record. The sample is so good. [8]
On February 15, 2014, Hudson Mohawke played an original version of "Bound 2" during a DJ set in Leeds. [9] The earlier version features piano-driven production and a much more stripped down ending compared to the album version. [10] Rapper/Producer Tyler, the Creator revealed over Twitter that he helped produce the original version along with Hudson Mohawke. [11]
"Bound 2" was released on June 18, 2013, as the tenth and final track on West's sixth studio album Yeezus . [12] The song was revealed to be the second single released from Yeezus in August 2013, following "Black Skinhead". [13] [14] On September 9, 2013, West appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon for the first time, to promote his upcoming Yeezus Tour. During his appearance, he performed "Bound 2" with Charlie Wilson, the Roots and a male children's choir. It was his first national television performance of the song. [15] The song was also performed on the season premiere of Later... with Jools Holland by West and Wilson on September 17, 2013. To take a more minimal approach, they were accompanied by just the song's signature Ponderosa Twins sample and a brief piano intro for the Later... with Jools Holland performance. [16]
"Bound 2" received universal acclaim from music critics. Rolling Stone described "Bound 2" as "maybe the most audacious song he's ever written, not to mention the most beautiful." [17] Julian Kimble of Complex called the song "a brilliant way to end the album" and wrote that it "stands out as a love song—a dark, twisted fantasy of a love song, perhaps, but one that's beautiful in its own way." [18] David Jeffries of AllMusic described "Bound 2" as a "new wave beauty of a closer." [19] Writing for The A.V. Club , Evan Rytlewski referred to the song as "an overt homage to West's bright early production, reimagining The College Dropout's cheerful chipmunk soul." [4] Dan Buyanovsky of XXL called it the album's "emotional and musical highlight... a perfect sendoff that reminds you of Kanye's roots while pointing you in the direction of his future." [20] A writer for the Kitsap Sun cited "Bound 2" as a "classic Yeezy effort" and "arguably the album's best track." [21]
XXL positioned it at number 17 on their list of the best songs of 2013. They said, "'Bound 2' showed the doubters that he could still give them the soul-soaked laments that everyone wanted, he just decided not to. But that doesn't mean this song is a throwaway—the video might be more of one than the song itself—this is Kanye's introspection colliding with his self-doubt in a way that is eminently relatable to anyone with a pulse." [22] NME ranked "Bound 2" at number 22 on their list of the 50 best songs of 2013; "in Kanye's mind this is what constituted a pop song: sped up '70s soul samples, a totally unconventional structure and lyrical gems." [23] Pitchfork Media positioned "Bound 2" at number 40 on their list of the top 100 tracks of 2013. They commented, "On an album that takes itself awful seriously throughout, "Bound 2" is something that recontextualizes the entire affair, leaving more questions than answers." [24] Belgium magazine Le Vif/L'Express named it the seventh best song of 2013. [25] PopMatters placed it 15th on its list of the best songs of 2013. [26] Swedish newspaper Expressen named it the 22nd best song of 2013. [27] "Bound 2" was ranked 9th place on the annual Pazz & Jop critics songs poll. [28]
In end of decade lists, i-D placed it 21st on its list of "The 30 Hip-Hop Tracks that Defined the 2010s", commenting; "Having reached his artistic and technical peak somewhere around the 7 minute mark of the monumental "Runaway", Kanye began taking his creations apart to show how they worked. This consciously self-de(con)structive streak produced diminishing returns as the decade progressed but on something like "Bound 2" it felt genuinely transgressive—the lush, dusty soul samples of 'the old Kanye' but artificial-seeming (like that ludicrous green screen music video) and jarring; clever-dumb lyrics that mashed together the crude ("don't get spunk on the mink") and the affecting ("I'm tired, you tired / Jesus wept") in the space of a few bars." [29]
Rolling Stone listed it at 65th on its list of the 100 best songs of the 2010s, stating; "Seventy-six seconds into "On Sight," the gleefully abrasive opener to Kanye West's gleefully abrasive Yeezus, he says (via choral sample) that he intends to give the audience what they need, not what they want. For the next 35 minutes, he does just that, coarsening his textures into something industrial and vital and new. Then, just to prove he can, West brings the beauty back. Over a roughly looped sample of the Ponderosa Twins Plus One – with occasional interjections from Brenda Lee and Charlie Wilson – West returns to his roguish side, penning a filthy ode to his new wife at the time, Kim Kardashian West. There's a reason we’re still paying attention to West after the decade he's had; he's always capable of something you never see coming. [30]
On November 16, 2013, it was revealed that West would be premiering the music video for "Bound 2" on The Ellen DeGeneres Show the following week. [31] The Nick Knight-directed music video was released on November 19, 2013. The video features his then-fiancée Kim Kardashian, topless, riding atop West's motorbike (Honda CRF-X) through Monument Valley and other landscapes. [32] Eric Diep of XXL described it as, "a confident display of love and passion with little to no narrative." [33] Spin felt it was "a pretty bad idea seen through so completely that it stops being a bad idea". [34] Tom Breihan from Stereogum found the video confusing, saying "it'll take a little bit to figure out what all's going on there". [35] Lanre Bakare of The Guardian described it as "self-indulgent, idiosyncratic and a bit weird". [36] By the time that it had reached seven million views on YouTube, the music video's 13,000 likes were outbalanced by the 50,000 dislikes. [37]
In an interview with The Breakfast Club West explained the concept for the video.
"I wanted to take white trash T-shirts and make it into a video. I wanted it to look as phony as possible, I wanted the clouds to go one direction, the mountains to go one direction, the horses to go over there, cause I want to show you that this is The Hunger Games . I want to show you that this is the type of imagery that's been presented to all of us. And the only difference is a black dude in the middle of it." [38]
On November 25, 2013, "Bound 3", a parody of the music video was released, starring actors James Franco and Seth Rogen. The parody is a shot-for-shot remake, filmed while they were shooting their movie The Interview . [39] Afterwards, Kim Kardashian revealed through Twitter that she and West found the video to be very funny. [40] On December 11, 2013, the music video was parodied in the South Park episode "The Hobbit", where West is shown trying to convince the world that Kardashian is not a hobbit. [41] On December 21, 2013, the video was parodied on Saturday Night Live , with cast members portraying the couple having sex while riding a red-nosed reindeer. [42]
Slant Magazine listed it 15th on its list of the best music videos of 2013, commenting; "Wherein Kanye continues to dismantle white American iconography, subverting it by placing himself (and his topless reality star of a honey) in the middle of it all. This is Kanye deconstructing Marlon Brando, James Dean, and Elvis all at once while instilling fear of a black planet." [43]
On December 23, 2013, Ricky Spicer of the Ponderosa Twins Plus One filed a lawsuit against West over the sample of the group's song, "Bound," alleging that he used Spicer's voice without permission. [44] Spicer asked that West pay him or cease and desist using his vocals. Roc-A-Fella Records, Universal Music Group, Island Def Jam, and Rhino Entertainment were all named in the lawsuit along with West. [45] The suit was settled in May 2015. [46]
Despite not being released as a single initially, "Bound 2" managed to debut at number five on the US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 and number 31 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart upon the release of Yeezus. [47] [48] After its release as a single, the song debuted at number 73 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on December 7, 2013. [49] It re-entered at number 24 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in the same week. [50] On the Billboard Hot 100, the song reached its peak position of number twelve the following week. [51]
On the UK Singles Chart, the song debuted at number 94 on September 15, 2013, having been released as a single recently. [52] It peaked at number 55 the following week. [53] [54] A Drum and bass re-working titled "Nobody to Love" by Sigma topped several charts including the UK in 2014. [55]
Year | Organization | Award | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2013 | Antville Music Video Awards | Best Hip-Hop Video | Nominated | [56] |
2014 | MuchMusic Video Awards | International Video of the Year – Artist | Nominated | [57] |
2015 | Grammy Awards | Best Rap/Sung Collaboration | Nominated | [58] |
Best Rap Song | Nominated | |||
British drum and bass duo Sigma created a remix of the song entitled "Nobody to Love" featuring vocals from Daniel Pearce which was officially released on April 6, 2014. [59] It topped the UK Singles Chart upon release, with sales of over 121,000 copies in the first week. [60] Rick Ross freestyled over the instrumental of "Bound 2" on January 1, 2014. [61]
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Yeezus. [62]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [80] | 3× Platinum | 210,000‡ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [81] | Platinum | 90,000‡ |
Italy (FIMI) [82] | Gold | 50,000‡ |
Portugal (AFP) [83] | Gold | 10,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [84] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [85] | 5× Platinum | 5,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format | Label |
---|---|---|---|
Australia | September 13, 2013 [86] | Contemporary hit radio | Def Jam |
Ye is an American rapper and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After dropping out of college to pursue a career in music, West began producing for regional artists in the Chicago area. As an in-house producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, he co-produced albums including Jay-Z's The Blueprint (2001) before signing with the label as a recording artist. West's debut studio album, The College Dropout (2004), was met with critical acclaim and yielded the Billboard Hot 100-number one single "Slow Jamz". He peaked the chart on four other occasions with the singles "Gold Digger" (2005), "Stronger" (2007), "E.T.", and "Carnival" (2024).
"Stronger" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his third studio album, Graduation (2007). The song was produced by West, with an extended outro handled by Mike Dean. It was written by West and Daft Punk were credited as co-writers due to their work being sampled, while Edwin Birdsong also received a credit from a master use of "Cola Bottle Baby". West decided to sample "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" after first hearing the duo's work when touring in 2006, then made the beat and spent months re-writing his verses. The song's production process was arduous, with various engineers and 75 different mixes, even having the drum programming redone with Timbaland after its release. Daft Punk voiced their approval of the song, finding West made the sample suitable for his personality as he ventured outside of hip hop.
"Good Life" is a song by American rapper Kanye West featuring American singer T-Pain from the former's third studio album, Graduation (2007). The song includes background vocals from John Legend and Ne-Yo. West and Toomp handled the production, with additional production from Mike Dean. T-Pain thought of the concept when dining out with West, while he also recorded numerous hooks that the rapper used for his feature. On October 2, 2007, the song was released to US rhythmic contemporary radio stations by Roc-A-Fella and Def Jam as the album's third single. A pop number, it samples Michael Jackson's "P.Y.T. " and features synths. Lyrically, the song sees West celebrating his success and being determined to succeed, and T-Pain also reflecting on his success.
"Niggas in Paris" is a song by American rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West from their collaborative album, Watch the Throne (2011). The song was produced by Hit-Boy with West and Mike Dean, while Anthony Kilhoffer contributed additional production. The producers served as co-writers with Jay-Z and Reverend W.A. Donaldson, the latter of whom was credited due to a sample of his work. Jay-Z envisioned the song's concept as how the two obtained their wealth instead of showing it off, using it as a momentary question of their status. Pusha T was originally offered the beat, yet rejected it due to the playful sound. The beat was crafted by Hit-Boy in five minutes and went unused until he was called by Don C, then he provided it for the song. On September 13, 2011, the song was released to US rhythmic and urban contemporary radio stations as the album's fourth single, through Def Jam, Roc Nation, and Roc-A-Fella
"Mercy" is a song by American rapper Kanye West featuring fellow American rappers Big Sean, Pusha T, and 2 Chainz. The song was released April 10, 2012 through GOOD Music and Def Jam as the lead single from the compilation album Cruel Summer (2012). The song's production was handled by Lifted, with additional production from West, Mike Dean, and Mike Will Made It, and additional instrumentation from Hudson Mohawke. The song heavily samples the dancehall song "Dust a Sound Boy" by Super Beagle. The song received mostly positive reviews from music critics who praised the bombastic production, the varying quality of the verses, and the wordplay of the individual rappers. The song was featured on the soundtrack for NBA 2K13.
"Cold" is a song by American rapper Kanye West, released as the second single from the album Cruel Summer (2012). The song, which features DJ Khaled, was made available for purchase on the iTunes Store on April 17, 2012. Songwriting is credited to West, Chauncey Hollis, James Todd Smith and Marlon Williams, while production was handled by Hit-Boy. Lyrically, the song features West boasting about his personal issues and touching on subjects such as his relationship with Kim Kardashian, his breakup with Amber Rose, and his feelings on Wiz Khalifa and Kris Humphries. Additional vocals are included from DJ Pharris. The song received positive reviews from music critics, who praised West's lyrical performance and the boldness of his subject matter. The song contains an interpolation of "Lookin' at Me" (1997) as performed by Mase and Puff Daddy, and a sample of "Illegal Search" (1990) also performed by LL Cool J.
Yeezus is the sixth studio album by the American rapper Kanye West. It was released on June 18, 2013, through Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records. West gathered a number of artists and close collaborators for the production, including Mike Dean, Daft Punk, Noah Goldstein, Arca, Hudson Mohawke, and Travis Scott. The album also features guest vocals from Justin Vernon, Chief Keef, Kid Cudi, Assassin, King L, Charlie Wilson, and Frank Ocean.
"New Slaves" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his sixth studio album, Yeezus (2013). The song features additional vocals from Frank Ocean. It was produced by West and co-produced by Benjamin Bronfman, while Mike Dean, Noah Goldstein, Travis Scott, Sham Joseph, and Che Pope contributed additional production. West, Bronfman, and Dean co-wrote the song with Ocean, Cyhi the Prynce, Malik Yusef, Rhymefest, Elon Rutberg, Sakiya Sandifer, King Louie, and Anna Adamis, with Gábor Presser receiving credit due to a sample of his composition. In May 2013, the song was previewed by Hudson Mohawke at the Polish Free Form Festival and formally announced by Virgil Abloh. West debuted it with video projections of him rapping on buildings worldwide in locations like Los Angeles, London, and Amsterdam.
"Black Skinhead" is a song by American rapper Kanye West, from his sixth studio album Yeezus (2013). It was produced by West and Daft Punk. The song's lyrics center on racial tensions and the crumbling mental state of the character West portrays on the album. The song premiered on Saturday Night Live in May 2013, with West performing it in front of a projected backdrop. He has since performed the song live on various occasions, including at the Glastonbury Festival and the Billboard Music Awards in 2015. It was universally praised by music critics and ranked by numerous sites, including Rolling Stone and NME, as one of the best tracks of 2013. The song's accompanying music video was directed by Nick Knight and features computer-generated imagery of West, with interactive options including "screen grabbing" and adjusting the speed of his vocals. The video was released in July 2013 and has received positive reviews from critics.
"Blood on the Leaves" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Kanye West from his sixth studio album Yeezus (2013). In the song, West presents his thoughts on how fame can cause the destruction of relationships, while making comparisons of contemporary times to the lynching of African Americans in the United States during the pre-civil rights era. West delivers his vocals through an Auto-Tune processor, like on his 2008 album 808s & Heartbreak. It contains samples of both singer Nina Simone's 1965 rendition of Billie Holiday's song "Strange Fruit", and "R U Ready" by the duo TNGHT, who co-produced the track.
"I Am a God" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his sixth studio album Yeezus (2013). The song credits God as a featured performer. It was produced by West, Hudson Mohawke, Daft Punk, and Mike Dean, and includes vocals from Justin Vernon of Bon Iver. The song contains samples of "Forward Inna Dem Clothes", written by Capleton and H. Hart, and performed by the latter, and "Are Zindagi Hai Khel" by Manna Dey, R. D. Burman and Asha Bhosle.
"Sanctified" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Rick Ross, taken from his sixth studio album Mastermind (2014). The song, produced by Kanye West, Mike Dean, and DJ Mustard, featuring guest appearances by rappers Kanye West and Big Sean. It was written by the aforementioned rappers and producers and Betty Wright sang the hook. "Sanctified" garnered critical acclaim from music critics, with most praising the production and Kanye West's appearance. Despite not being released as a single, it is the highest-charting song on Mastermind to date, debuting at number 25 on the UK R&B Chart, number 78 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 99 on the Canadian Hot 100 upon the album's release.
Ponderosa Twins Plus One was an American soul vocal group formed in 1970 in Cleveland, Ohio. The group featured two sets of identical twins, Alfred and Alvin Pelham, and Keith and Kirk Gardner, along with Ricky Spicer. The group released one studio album, 2 + 2 + 1 = Ponderosa Twins Plus One, in 1971, before disbanding in 1975.
2 + 2 + 1 = Ponderosa Twins Plus One is the only album by American vocal group Ponderosa Twins Plus One, released in 1971 through Horoscope Records. The album was produced by Bobby Massey of the O'Jays and Michael Burton, a songwriter and producer of All Platinum Records.
"All Day" is a song by American rapper Kanye West. It features Trinidadian-American rapper Theophilus London, Canadian rapper Allan Kingdom, and English musician Paul McCartney. The song was produced by West and ten others, including Puff Daddy, French Montana and Travis Scott. Having initially leaked in August 2014 after being announced for release as a single by West, he premiered the song on March 2, 2015 via Power 106 and Hot 97. The following day, it was released for digital download and streaming as a standalone single, through GOOD Music and Def Jam. The song contains a re-recorded sample of "When the Wind Is Blowing" by Paul McCartney and Wings and an interpolation from "Dance with Me" by Jamaican singer Noel Ellis. It includes elements of industrial and drill music, alongside synthesizers. Rapping in a fast flow, West's lyrics center around his success in life and the music industry.
"I'm In It" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his sixth studio album, Yeezus (2013). The song features additional vocals from Justin Vernon and Assassin. West served the role of lead producer and Evian Christ co-produced it with Dom $olo, while Noah Goldstein, Arca, and Mike Dean contributed additional production. The rapper, Evian Christ, and Dean served as co-writers with the vocalists, Malik Yusef, Cyhi the Prynce, Sakiya Sandifer, and Elon Rutberg, while Dre & Vidal, Jill Scott, Carvin Haggins, and Kenny Lattimore received credits due to a sample of their composition. The song started as a six-minute arrangement with a different sample and melody, edited down to run for around three minutes. Assassin recorded different verses unaccompanied to instrumentals at Gee Jam Studios, which West used a verse from with no prior notice.
"FML" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his seventh studio album The Life of Pablo (2016), which features vocals from Canadian singer the Weeknd. It contains a sample of "Hit" by Section 25, which two of the band members praised West for sampling. In the song, West references his issues with mental health. The song charted in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada in 2016.
"Wouldn't Leave" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his eighth studio album, Ye (2018). The song includes vocals from PartyNextDoor, Ty Dolla Sign and Jeremih. It was produced by West and co-produced by Ty Dolla Sign, while additional production was handled by Mike Dean and Noah Goldstein. A minimalist track that includes gospel elements, the song contains a sample of "Baptizing Scene", performed by Reverend W.A. Donaldson. The former is a tribute to Kim Kardashian, including West addressing her reaction to his "slavery was a choice" statement. In May 2018, the song was revealed by West to be set for release on the album.
"Follow God" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his ninth studio album, Jesus Is King (2019). The song was produced by West, BoogzDaBeast and Xcelence. The producers wrote it alongside Aaron Butts, though the song's sampling of work by Whole Truth led to songwriting credits being listed for Calvin and Curtis Eubanks. It was playlisted to UK mainstream radio by the BBC as the album's lead single on November 8, 2019, through GOOD Music and Def Jam. Around the time of release, the song was the top performing track from Jesus Is King on streaming services. A religious hip hop track, it includes a sample of "Can You Lose by Following God" by Whole Truth, which is chopped up in certain sections. On February 6, 2021, a Dr. Dre Remix was leaked from the scrapped Jesus Is King II album.
"Closed on Sunday" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his ninth studio album, Jesus Is King (2019). The song was produced by West, Angel Lopez, Brian "AllDay" Miller, Federico Vindver, and Timbaland. It was co-written by the producers with No Malice, Rennard East, Pusha T and Victory Elyse Boyd, and since the song samples work by Grupo Vocal Argentino, a songwriting credit was added for Chango Farías Gómez. On November 28, 2019, the song was released by West's record labels GOOD Music and Def Jam as the second single from the album. A religious hip hop song, it is based around a sample of "Martín Fierro", performed by Grupo Vocal Argentino.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)