Lord I Need You

Last updated
"Lord I Need You"
Song by Kanye West
from the album Donda
ReleasedAugust 29, 2021 (2021-08-29)
Length2:42
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Kanye West
  • BoogzDaBeast

"Lord I Need You" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his tenth studio album, Donda (2021). It features additional vocals from the Sunday Service Choir. The song samples Briana Babineaux's cover of "Make Me Over", originally written by B.Slade; the former is also credited as an additional vocalist. Lyrically, it is themed around West's divorce from Kim Kardashian.

Contents

"Lord I Need You" originated from a studio session between West and record producer BoogzDaBeast in Wyoming. After the album's release, Babineaux alleged that she was not made aware of the song's usage of "Make Me Over" prior. West had instead contacted B.Slade to clear the sample, as he is the legal owner of the song.

Background

After working on West's ninth studio album Jesus Is King (2019), record producer BoogzDaBeast brought 166 beats into his sessions with West in Wyoming, which "Lord I Need You" originated from. Several other songs–including "Wash Us in the Blood", which was intended to be featured on Donda–were conceived during these sessions. [1] [2]

In August 2021, singer Briana Babineaux shared a since-deleted Instagram post saying that despite praise over her song "Make Me Over", she was not aware of the sample on "Lord I Need You" before the release of Donda. Babineaux declared that she would have appreciated knowing "before the album came out smh..." questioning, "Who does that voice sound like to y'all?" [3] The original composer of "Make Me Over", B.Slade, subsequently responded that Babineaux had never asked him to clear her rendition of the song when he wrote it completely, commenting West did not engage in any theft since he came to "the rightful owner of the song legally" by contacting him for approval. [3]

Composition

In the lyrics of "Lord I Need You", West discusses his divorce from media personality Kim Kardashian. Though many of West's lyrics are endearing, he also alludes to problems in their marriage, such as his struggles with alcoholism. [4]

Reception

"Lord I Need You" received positive reviews from critics. Thomas Hobbs of The Guardian complimented it as "an affecting moment of frailty, even if a memory of 'we used to do the freak seven days a week' has him sounding like Jim’s dad in American Pie." [5] Similarly, Premier Christianity 's Aaron Loose called West's verse on the song "touching", noting it as "a sign that Donda is keenly interested in how believers lean on faith during seasons of failure." [6] For The New York Times , Jon Caramanica described the song one of few moments where West can "really" be seen on the album, "[d]espite how intensely you can hear [him]" throughout the rest of it. [7]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal. [8]

Music

Technical

Charts

References

  1. ↑ McKinney, Jessica (March 25, 2022). "Kanye Collaborator BoogzDaBeast Tells Stories From the Making of 'Donda' and 'Donda 2'". Complex . Archived from the original on April 1, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  2. ↑ Nelson, Keith Jr. (March 31, 2022). "BoogzDaBeast compares a teenage Kanye West to Kobe Bryant and LeBron James". Revolt. Archived from the original on March 31, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  3. 1 2 Gibson, Charity (September 2, 2021). "Bri Babineaux: Kanye West didn't ask to use vocals for 'Donda' | Entertainment". The Christian Post . Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  4. ↑ Ahmed, Insanul (August 31, 2021). "Kanye West Details His Relationship With Kim Kardashian On 'Lord I Need You'". Genius . Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  5. ↑ Hobbs, Thomas (2021-08-30). "Kanye West: Donda review – misfiring lyricism from a diminished figure". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 2021-08-30. Retrieved 2025-08-26.
  6. ↑ Loose, Aaron (September 8, 2021). "Kanye West is rapping about Jesus again. But don't get too excited. Donda is a flawed project". Premier Christianity . Archived from the original on 2021-09-08. Retrieved 2025-08-26.
  7. ↑ Caramanica, Jon (2021-08-31). "Kanye West's 'Donda' Era, on a Chaotic Stage". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 2021-09-05. Retrieved 2025-08-26.
  8. ↑ Kanye West - Donda, 2021-08-29, retrieved 2025-08-26
  9. ↑ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 6 September 2021". No. 1644. Australian Recording Industry Association. September 6, 2021. p. 4.
  10. ↑ "Kanye West Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  11. ↑ "Kanye West Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  12. ↑ "2021 35-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. September 3, 2021. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  13. ↑ "Kanye West – Lord I Need You". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Local & International Streaming Chart Top 100: 27/08/2021 to 02/09/2021". The Official South African Charts. Archived from the original on September 9, 2021. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  15. ↑ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  16. ↑ "Kanye West Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  17. ↑ "Kanye West Chart History (Hot Christian Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  18. ↑ "Kanye West Chart History (Hot Gospel Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  19. ↑ "Kanye West Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  20. ↑ "Hot Christian Songs – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  21. ↑ "Hot Gospel Songs – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
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