"Mercy" (stylized as "Mercy.1" on the album) is a song by American rapper Kanye West featuring fellow American rappers Big Sean,Pusha T,and 2 Chainz. The song was released on April 10,2012,through GOOD Music and Def Jam Recordings,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,Mike Will Made It,and Hudson Mohawke. The song heavily samples the spoken intro for the dancehall song,"Dust a Sound Boy" by Super Beagle. The song received mostly positive reviews from music critics,who commented on the bombastic production,the varying quality of the verses,and the wordplay of the individual rappers.
The song peaked at number 13 on the US Billboard Hot 100,and hit number one on both the US BillboardHot Rap Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts. The song has since been certified septuple platinum for seven million digital sales in the US,as of April 2023. A music video,directed by Australian director Nabil Elderkin,was released on June 6,2012. The highly stylized video shows a long take of all four rappers featured on the song,along with other GOOD Music recording artists,such as Cyhi the Prynce,Kid Cudi,and Teyana Taylor in cameos. The video features the rappers rapping their verses and dancing around,with deliberate editing to make it appear as if they are disappearing and reappearing behind walls. The video received positive reviews from critics.
West performed his portion of the song at the 2012 Watch the Throne Tour,while 2 Chainz,Pusha T,and Big Sean performed the track during Sean's setlist at the 2012 Summer Jam festival. The song was performed by all four artists at the 2012 BET Awards,with West substituting his verse from "Mercy",with his verses from "Cold" and "New God Flow". Complex and Spin named "Mercy" the best song of 2012. The song received two nominations for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance at the 55th Grammy Awards.
Background
The song was originally supposed to be released on Good Friday,but was released a day early on Thursday,following the release of the West and DJ Khaled collaboration track,"Cold".[1][2] The track was premiered by Funkmaster Flex's Hot 97 radio show,and was released the following day on West's official website.[2] The song serves as the first official single from Cruel Summer,a compilation album by West's record label,GOOD Music.[2] The release of the track continued West's GOOD Fridays,a music giveaway that provided free MP3 downloads every week to anticipate My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,which had been on hiatus since December 2010.[3] The song features Big Sean and Pusha T,rappers both signed to West's GOOD Music,along with 2 Chainz,all delivering a verse each along with West.[4] Reflecting on his collaboration with West,2 Chainz noted that they had worked together for about a year before the song's release.[5] He recalled contracting West to hear his own verse again,describing the experience as a strong addition to his professional résumé.[5] He was unaware that the song was going to be a single.[4]
The song was produced by Lifted,with additional production from West,Mike Dean,Mike Will Made It,and Anthony Kilhofer.[6] Lifted had produced the beat in November 2011,and his manager was responsible for playing the beat to West,which led to him wanting to work with Lifted.[7] Furthermore,Kanye played the embryotic version to Anthony "The Twilite Tone" Khan,and additional production was done,including,but not limited to,samples and the part in which Kanye raps over.[8] Both Pusha T and Big Sean recorded their verses in January 2012,with the song mixed and finalized in March.[7] Producer Hit-Boy,known for producing West's "Niggas in Paris",described the track as a fresh and innovative blend that incorporated trap elements while maintaining a unique sound.[5] He expressed enthusiasm for the result and admitted that he wished he had produced it himself.[5]
"Mercy" is a Southern hip-hop song with dancehall influences.[9] Beginning with a vocal sample by Fuzzy Jones,[5] the song spans a haunting bass track, sparse drums, piano keys, and a Scarface film sample.[5] The track is built around an undulating beat that runs throughout, resembling an eerie piano line.[10] Periodically, an authoritative voiceover interjects, adding a commanding tone to the production.[10] Playing off a hook (sampled from YB's song "Lambo") about a "two-seat Lamborghini". West's posse references Sarah Palin, Rick James, and Ms. Pac-Man.[11] By three minutes, the song's beat switches to an electronic dance music track.[10] As the song progresses, the beat slows dramatically, creating a contrast in pacing that gives the impression of a distinct composition embedded within the main track.[10]
Lyrically, Big Sean continues the strip clubs-inspired themes of his earlier single "Dance (Ass)", while Pusha T delivers verses focused on his luxury car collection.[5] West's lines center on his wealth and relationship with models, often used to taunt less successful rappers.[5] Without an overarching concept, 2 Chainz closes the track with a free-associative verse referencing high-end jewelry, designed accessories, and premium marijuana strains.[5] Sean repeats the phrase, "swerve", several times throughout the song.[12]LA Weekly journalist, Brian McManus, noted that the track contains references to suicide doors, which West has previously discussed in his song, "Can't Tell Me Nothing".[11] The sample of "Dust a Sound Boy" on "Mercy" was the most popular sample of 2012, according to WhoSampled.[13]
Critical reception
"Mercy" received mostly positive reviews from music critics. Idolator stated that the track "falls somewhere in the middle of the pack among West's previous G.O.O.D. Friday singles – it's nowhere near as much fun as "Good Friday" or as seductive as "Devil in a New Dress".[11] Amy Sciarretto of PopCrush praised the track's execution, describing it as a strong and cohesive piece. Despite featuring four rappers, she noted that the verses flow together seamlessly, resembling and extended freestyle session that maintains structure and energy throughout.[10]
Corban Goble of Stereogum described the song as a massive, forceful production in which the featured rappers exchange confident, swagger-filled verse over a hook influence by "syrup-music inspired" Southern rap.[14] Jayson Rodriguez of XXL observed that while the concept and presentation might seem familiar, the track's execution felt elevated, crediting West for assembling the lineup and delivering a polished result.[7] He noted that the earlier surprise release of "Cold" had been more thrilling in both sound and spectacle.[7] Josiah Hughes of Exclaim! remarked that the track met expectations with its lavish, cinematic production, slowed-down samples, and aggressive synthesizer elements, also referencing West's distinctive vocal exclamation that had become a signature of his style.[15] Kia Makarechi of The Huffington Post commented that although he song offered little lyrical depth, it functioned effectively as a confident display of boastful rap.[16]
In 2012 year-end lists, both Complex and Spin named "Mercy" the best song of 2012.[17][18]Rolling Stone named the song the 6th best song of 2012.[19]MTV named "Mercy" the seventh best song of 2012.[20]XXL named it one of the top five hip-hop songs of 2012.[21]Billboard named it the third best song of 2012.[22]NME named it the 39th best song of the year.[23] "Mercy" was placed at 31 on Club Fonograma's best songs of 2012 list.[24]MSN listed the song eighth on its best 2012 songs list.[25]
"Mercy" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at position 38, and achieved a peak position of 13.[26] The song peaked at number one on both the Hot Rap Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts.[27][28] In May 2018, it ranked as West's 14th biggest success on the Hot 100.[29] The song also became a top 50 song in both Canada and the UK (on its R&B chart).[30][31] It would go on to win Best Hip-Hop Song of the Year at the 2012 Soul Train Music Awards.[32] That same year, the song was featured on the soundtrack for NBA 2K13.[33]
"Mercy" sold one million digital copies in the United States by July 2012.[50] It was number-one on the BillboardHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for five weeks in July and August 2012.[51]
West released a black-and-white image of a Lamborghini on his Twitter account, serving as promotion for the video.[52] The music video was directed by prior West collaborator, Brandyn Tan, who has helmed prior West videos, such as "Welcome to Heartbreak" and "Paranoid".[53] It was filmed in a university at Qatar Foundation's parking garage in Doha, Qatar, while West was producing his short film, Cruel Summer.[53] On June 6, West "unleashed the deceptively minimalist video" onto his Website.[54]
The video was shot in a wide aspect ratio, featuring the artists performing in what appears to be a parking garage as the camera pans smoothly across the space.[55] A Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 is prominently displayed in the background, adding to the video's sleek aesthetic.[55] The video contains numerous cameos by other artists signed to GOOD, including Kid Cudi, Cyhi the Prynce, and Teyana Taylor.[12] In the video, Big Sean is wearing a turban-styled headpiece as he raps first.[12] At the end of the clip, a Lamborghini Gallardo moves past the screen, and the artists are gone from the scene after it passes by.[12] Marc Hogan of Spin praised the video for its minimalistic black-and-white visuals, primarily featuring West and his collaborates exuding style and attitude.[54] He highlighted the sequence coinciding with the song's synth lift as the visual peak, noting the moment when two versions of West appear simultaneously as a standout creative choice.[54] Carrie Batton of Pitchfork described the video as a minimalist yet visually striking black-and-white production, notable for its use of leather outfits, keffiyehs, and sharply composed camera angles that enhance its stylish presentation.[56]
Live performances
The song's debut performance was at The O2 Arena in London, during West's Watch the Throne Tour in May 2012, with West performing his portion of the song.[57] Big Sean performed the song with Pusha T and 2 Chainz during his 2012 setlist at Summer Jam, which was described as a "possibly a show-stealing performance".[58] At the 2012 BET Awards, all four featured rappers performed the song live, with a stage design that included a Lamborghini model as part of the set.[59]Los Angeles Times critic Randall Roberts observed that the performance reached its peak when West transitioned into his hit "Cold", followed by an improved freestyle on "New God Flow" that ended in a powerful, rhythm-driven breakdown.[59]
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