"Wash Us in the Blood" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Kanye West featuring Travis Scott | ||||
Released | June 30, 2020 | |||
Genre | Industrial hip hop | |||
Length | 3:10 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) |
| |||
Kanye West singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Travis Scott singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Wash Us in the Blood" on YouTube |
"Wash Us in the Blood" is a song by American rapper Kanye West featuring fellow American rapper Travis Scott. It was produced by West,Ronny J,and BoogzDaBeast,while co-produced by FnZ and A.G.,with additional production from Dem Jointz and Israel Boyd. The producers wrote the song alongside Travis Scott,Aaron Butts and KayCyy Pluto. The song was released for digital download and streaming as a standalone single on June 30,2020,through GOOD Music and Def Jam. Will Welch teased the song during an interview with West in April 2020.
An industrial hip hop song,"Wash Us in the Blood" features electro production. The lyrics of the song see West referencing Jesus' sacrifice,alongside mentioning subjects such as slavery and genocide. The song received generally positive reviews from music critics. Some appreciated it in comparison to West's previous work,though a few critics observed a lack of originality. At the 2021 Billboard Music Awards,the song won the award of Top Gospel Song.
"Wash Us in the Blood" debuted at number 49 on the US Billboard Hot 100,while it attained top 40 positions in Australia,Greece,and Ireland. An accompanying Arthur Jafa-directed music video was released on June 30,2020. The video makes usage of split-screen presentation,with it including various forms of footage. The music video received mostly positive reviews from critics,who often directed praise towards the combining of clips. However,it was age restricted by YouTube. West performed a version of the song live at Nebuchadnezzar in November 2019.
During an Instagram Live chat with French artist Michèle Lamy on May 22,2020,American cinematographer Arthur Jafa revealed that West had been working on a new track. [1] Jafa continued,telling Lamy that the track was set to be included on West's then-upcoming album God's Country and "will be,like,the first single,I guess,off of it." [1] Admitting to not being sure if he was "supposed to not be announcing it or whatever," Jafa said that he "may just be spilling the beans" on the track. [1] West later announced "Wash Us in the Blood" for release via Twitter on June 29,2020,alongside sharing a 10-second snippet of it as well as the single's cover art. [2] [3] The artwork,designed by Jafa,features a 12" picture disc. [4] An alternate cover was used that is a "blood red" 7",while the song's cassette is also red. [4] [5] American record producer Dr. Dre solely mixed "Wash Us in the Blood",after West had announced a remix version of his ninth studio album Jesus Is King (2019) with the record producer,and the song stands as part of the work that they had created together up to June 2020. [5] [6] The song was produced by West,Ronny J and BoogzDaBeast,and co-produced by Michael Mule and Isaac DeBoni of FnZ alongside A.G.,while additional production was handled by Dem Jointz and Israel Boyd. [7] The producers wrote the song alongside Aaron Butts and KayCyy Pluto. [7]
In November 2019,West premiered his Christian opera Nebuchadnezzar. [8] The opera included West performing "Wash Us in the Blood",which was listed in the setlist that he tweeted out prior to Nebuchadnezzar. [8] In April 2020, GQ journalist Will Welch reported that he had heard a playlist of 54 tracks by West while in Mexico with him. [9] Welch commented that the song contrasted with "mellow and sweet" tracks from the playlist,with him comparing its industrial sound to West's sixth studio album Yeezus (2013). [9] The lyrics of the song's chorus were also shared by Welch. [9] This interview marked the first time that the song had been mentioned. [2] The song ultimately being released on June 30,2020 marked West's first solo release since Jesus Is King in October 2019,and the first release to involve West since his gospel group the Sunday Service Choir's debut studio album Jesus Is Born in December 2019. [10] Before echoing 2017-2021 US president Donald Trump within the song,West had been a known supporter of his. [11]
Musically, "Wash Us in the Blood" is an industrial hip hop song. [17] [18] Specifically, the track's industrial sound received comparisons to Yeezus and was noted for being combined with electronic sounds. [11] [14] [16] According to The Guardian , "Wash Us in the Blood" is "a club anthem." [12] On the other hand, the track was described as sounding "like the child of a nail grating on the chalkboard and a police siren." [19] The track contains a two-note siren motif that is a feedback sound, which has a lower semitone than the feedback on West's songs "Send It Up" (2013) and "Feedback" (2016). [12] It includes a pulse, coming from the feedback sound. [12] [13] The track features production reminiscent of Yeezus through its "splintering electro-styled beats." [20] Hard-hitting drums are present within the song, alongside experimental sounds such as horns and spray cans. [16] [21] The track includes bongos before introducing "a thumping cacophony of quaking beats" as well as industrial synth lines that are screams, complemented with white noise and deep vocal samples. [13] For the opening of the track, West raps "in short, repetitive bursts, drawling the end of his lines," accompanied by a sample of preacher Robert G. Moore Jr, which was contributed by producer Dem Jointz after being sent the record from Dr. Dre. [19] [22] [23] Travis Scott contributes seven lines to the track through his auto-tuned vocals in a performance that was interpreted as "characteristically woozy," with his vocals appearing on the bridge and part of the second verse. [13] [19] [21]
Lyrically, "Wash Us in the Blood" has a religious message; the song implores God "to deliver black America from evil" through Jesus' sacrifice while discussing mass incarceration, slavery, genocide, and drug-dealing. [13] [15] [24] In the chorus of the song, West and Travis Scott plead for the Holy Spirit to come down and "wash us in the blood." [14] [15] Within the song, Travis Scott also performs ad-libs and criticizes capital punishment. [16] [24] West attacks record labels for trying to "sign a calm 'Ye" as well as others who do not want him to be himself, though the antagonists are unnamed by West. [13] [19] Following on from this, West switches focus by taking aim at the media alongside evoking Trump's criticism of fake news. [19] [21]
On June 30, 2020, "Wash Us in the Blood" was released for digital download and streaming as the lead single from God's Country. [5] [25] The song was also made available for pre-order via West's website in various physical formats, including a 12-inch vinyl, 7-inch vinyl, cassette, and CD single. [5] In July 2020, West shared a track list for his upcoming tenth studio album Donda on Twitter, revealing the song to be slated for release on the album at the time. [a] [27] However, it was ultimately not included on the album. [28] On November 25, 2019, West performed "Wash Us in the Blood" during Nebuchadnezzar at the Hollywood Bowl. [8] For the performance, West served as the narrator and was accompanied by operatic singers, large groups of robed people that occupied the venue's aisle, and a choir. [8] The choir wore matching robes and stood on an elevated structure that was shaped like a horseshoe, and the version of the song performed had the same instrumental as the final version. [8] [29]
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
The Guardian | [12] |
NME | [13] |
"Wash Us in the Blood" was met with generally positive reviews from music critics, with a number of them praising the music. Ben Beaumont-Thomas lauded the song in his review for The Guardian, hailing it as "one of [West's] most focused and arresting tracks for years" as well as "an intensely potent study of race and faith," while he explained that the motif "gets your blood up." [12] Sam Moore of NME highlighted the song as "a glorious return to 'Yeezus'-era chaos" and added that it "thankfully proves that even 2020's passionately non-secular Kanye isn't done yet with challenging and provoking his listener." [13] Jason Lipshutz from Billboard described the song as "a return to the boiling anger that made 2013's Yeezus so kinetic," praising West and Travis Scott's "fiery examination of injustice." [30] Craig Jenkins of Vulture viewed the song as a return to form for West as well as "a smoother pairing of West's newfound faith and existing politics," albeit one where he "[recycles] ideas [he's] already perfected elsewhere." [25] Consequence of Sound 's Eli Enis commented that the song's sound is "decidedly noisier and more aggressive" in comparison to West's 2019 releases and his eighth studio album Ye (2018), with him noting it being "chock-full of religious themes and motifs." [17]
In a less enthusiastic review, HipHopDX writer Devon Jefferson called the song a "banger" which "appears to be" a return form by West to "the naked and somewhat unassuming eye," though admitted that the song is "more of a mutation of Ye, which we've seen in many forms in recent years." [31] Jefferson elaborated on his viewpoint, stating that "it feels like a veiled attempt at the sort of radical musical advocacy" which West delivered with Yeezus, while dubbing the song a "watered down" version of the album's lead single "Black Skinhead" (2013). [31] Complex 's Eric Skelton opined that the song "contains many flaws" and "sounds unfinished," but nonetheless concluded that "it's encouraging to hear Kanye experiment on a song" and that "there are moments where he sounds more creatively charged than he has in quite some time." [21] Writing for Pitchfork , Hubert Adjei-Kontoh remarked that the song "feels more like a tossed-off sketch than a meticulous portrait," citing its "parodic" social commentary and noting the "woozy, clippy" production of the song. [15] Gavin Haynes of The Guardian opined that the song is a "dark, frenetic" track and "has all the commercial potential of a Metal Machine Music B-sides compilation," likening it to "someone pouring a baby into the bear enclosure." [32]
At the 2021 Billboard Music Awards, "Wash Us in the Blood" was awarded Top Gospel Song. [33]
On May 25, 2020, Jafa revealed that he had been "really busy" shooting a music video with West for the lead single from God's Country. [1] Prior to the collaboration, Jafa had used West's 2016 track "Ultralight Beam" in his film Love Is The Message, The Message Is Death that was released the same year. [1] Alongside directing the music video for "Wash Us in the Blood", Jafa designed the single's cover art. [34] West had donated to the families of African-Americans Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery before using clips of them for the video. [34] It premiered on June 30, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. EDT via YouTube. [20]
For the opening of the music video, warped faces are displayed while police sirens can be heard. [34] The opening shows a police officer berating a fellow officer, which appears to be done during a Black Lives Matter rally. [24] The video uses split-screen presentation throughout and features footage of West's Saint Pablo Tour (2016), [34] police brutality, [35] a gospel choir, people with masks on that struggle to breathe, goats, Afrofuturism, Taylor dancing, [36] Arbery soon before his shooting, protests, church services, [37] cars doing donuts, scenes from Grand Theft Auto V (2013), computer-generated images of West, [24] imprisoned people, and an unmanned drone. [11] To end the video, the camera zooms in on the face of Kanye's daughter North West as she dances at a rehearsal for the Sunday Service Choir. [24] [36] At the same time as her dancing, Kanye West says the chorus of "Wash Us in the Blood", with him doing this after the song's audio has run its full length. [36]
BBC arts editor Will Gompertz gave the music video four stars out of five, asserting that "it is a good film," albeit one inferior to Jafa's earlier work such as Love is the Message, The Message is Death and The White Album (2018) due to the position of "Wash Us in the Blood" as the visual's most important element. [38] Jon Caramanica of The New York Times judged that "Jafa's video collage of trauma and exuberance remains effective here." [39] MTV writer Patrick Hosken dubbed the visual "chaotic," noting that it opens "with police sirens and warped faces and intercut with footage of West's own glitched-out face." [34] However, Adjei-Kontoh panned the "risible" video for juxtaposing clips of Taylor and Arbery with video game footage and viral videos, which he argued denies "the sacred inherent in the very lives the song seeks to praise" and reduces black life "to digital death and instant commodification." [15] Within less than 24 hours of release, the music video had received over a million views on YouTube. [40] Based on the platform's community guidelines, the video was age-restricted. [41]
After three days of tracking, "Wash Us in the Blood" debuted at number 49 on the US Billboard Hot 100. [42] During the tracking period, it received 6.3 million streams and sold 18,000 downloads. [42] The song became West's 108th entry on the Hot 100, bringing him one entry closer to tying with American singer Elvis Presley for the 6th most appearances in the chart's history. [42] It lasted for two weeks on the Hot 100. [43]
The song topped the US Christian Songs, Gospel Songs, Christian Streaming Songs, Christian Digital Song Sales, Gospel Streaming Songs and Gospel Digital Song Sales charts at the same time, following on from West's single "Follow God" (2019) as his second track to top all six of the charts and giving Travis Scott his first appearance on the charts. By debuting at the summit of the US Gospel Songs chart, the song ended the single's 35-week run at number one. The song opened atop the Digital Song Sales chart, becoming West's sixth number one on the chart and Travis Scott's second. [42]
In Australia, the song performed best by debuting at number 31 on the ARIA Singles Chart, becoming one of three new releases to reach the top 50 for the week of July 13, 2020. [44] "Wash Us in the Blood" experienced similar performance in Ireland, peaking at number 32 on the Irish Singles Chart. [45] It also reached the top 50 in Greece and Lithuania, attaining positions of number 37 and 47 on the Greece International Digital Singles and Lithuanian Top 100 charts, respectively. [46] [47] On the UK Singles Chart, the song entered at number 69 for the issue dated July 9, 2020. [48] The following week, it rose 18 places to number 51 on the chart. [49] In total, the song remained on the UK Singles Chart for three weeks. [50]
Credits adapted from YouTube. [7]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Various | June 30, 2020 | [5] | ||
American rapper Kanye West has released ten studio albums, four collaborative studio albums, one compilation album, one demo album, two live albums, one video album, and five mixtapes. All ten of his studio albums have been certified at least gold in the United States. As of June 2021, West has certified 25 million equivalent solo albums units in the United States, placing him among the highest-certified music artists in the United States.
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.
"Hold My Liquor" is a song by American rapper Kanye West, from his sixth studio album Yeezus (2013). It was primarily produced by West and longtime collaborator Mike Dean, who also provides a guitar solo, with additional production from Arca and Noah Goldstein. It features vocals from rapper Chief Keef and singer-songwriter Justin Vernon of Bon Iver. It is a house ballad that is built upon a pulsating synth beat with metallic stabs. In the song, West stumbles into an ex-girlfriend's home for reckless sex, with lyrics that contain references to substance abuse and issues with relationships and self-image.
"On Sight" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his sixth studio album, Yeezus (2013). It was produced by West and Daft Punk, with additional production by Benji B and Mike Dean. The song includes an electronic sound that was mainly contributed by Daft Punk, who were the first people West became involved with for the album. The song itself was first heard when performed live by West at the Governors Ball Music Festival in 2013.
"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.
"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.
"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.
"Send It Up" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Kanye West, from his sixth studio album Yeezus (2013). It was produced by West, Daft Punk, Gesaffelstein, Brodinski, Arca and Mike Dean. Like other songs on the album, it features an industrial hip hop sound, with elements of electronic music. The song features vocals from American rapper King Louie, who improvised his contributions. It contains a sample of "Memories" by Jamaican reggae and dancehall singer Beenie Man. Eight days before its release on the album, West performed the song live at the Governors Ball Music Festival, along with four other tracks from Yeezus.
"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.
"All Mine" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his eighth studio album, Ye (2018). The song features vocals from American singers Ty Dolla Sign and Ant Clemons. The song's production relies on a simplistic drum-led style and was primarily handled by West, while it was co-produced by Mike Dean and additional production was handled by Francis and the Lights, and Scott Carter. West co-wrote the song alongside 13 others, with the information being revealed what lyrics co-writer Consequence was responsible for.
"Guilt Trip" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Kanye West, from his sixth studio album Yeezus (2013). It was produced by West, Mike Dean, S1, with an additional production credit for Travis Scott and Ackeejuice Rockers for the samples of "Chief Rocka" by Lords of the Underground and "Blocka" by Pusha T featuring Popcaan and Travis Scott. The song's lyrics deal with looking back at a failed relationship, similar to fellow Yeezus track "Blood on the Leaves". West provides his vocals through rapping and singing through an Auto-Tune processor, reminiscent of his 2008 album 808s & Heartbreak. The song includes vocals from rapper Kid Cudi, who later expressed negative opinions about his feature due to his vocals being recorded years prior.
"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.
Donda is the tenth studio album by American rapper Kanye West. It was released by GOOD Music and Def Jam Recordings on August 29, 2021. The album features a broad 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, the Lox, Shenseea, Westside Gunn, Conway the Machine, and Young Thug, among others; as well as vocals from Chris Brown were also included prior to the album being updated. Its deluxe version features guest vocals from André 3000, Tyler, the Creator, and KayCyy. West himself, as well as BoogzDaBeast, Dem Jointz, Mike Dean, and Ojivolta primarily helmed the album's 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.
"Ego Death" is a song by American singer Ty Dolla Sign featuring American rapper Kanye West, English singer-songwriter FKA Twigs, and American DJ Skrillex, released for digital download and streaming through Atlantic Records on July 1, 2020, as the lead single from the former's third studio album, Featuring Ty Dolla Sign (2020). It contains additional vocals by Serpentwithfeet, Angela Davis, and Jariuce "Jehreeus" Banks. Ty Dolla Sign, Skrillex, and BoogzDaBeast produced the song. According to Ty, the song expands on West's "Fade", which he was featured on alongside Post Malone. Initially previewed after the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April 2019, the former experienced an internet leak in March 2020.
Utopia is the fourth studio album by American rapper Travis Scott. It was released through Cactus Jack and Epic Records on July 28, 2023. The album features guest appearances from Teezo Touchdown, Drake, Playboi Carti, Beyoncé, Rob49, 21 Savage, the Weeknd, Swae Lee, Yung Lean, Dave Chappelle, Young Thug, Westside Gunn, Kid Cudi, Bad Bunny, SZA, Future, and James Blake. Physical releases of the album feature additional guest appearances from Lil Uzi Vert and Sheck Wes. Production was handled by a variety of record producers, including Scott and Blake themselves, WondaGurl, Ye, Allen Ritter, Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, Wheezy, Buddy Ross, Vegyn, 30 Roc, Jahaan Sweet, Boi-1da, Vinylz, Tay Keith, Bnyx, Oz, Justin Vernon, the Alchemist, Dom Maker, Illangelo, DVLP, and Metro Boomin, among others. The album serves as the follow-up to Scott's third studio album, Astroworld (2018), as well as JackBoys (2019), his compilation album that was released in collaboration with Cactus Jack. It is a concept record that was accompanied by a film titled Circus Maximus which was released the day before the album.
Mark Makora Mbogo, known professionally as KayCyy or KayCyy Pluto, is a Kenyan-American rapper, singer and songwriter.