City of Gods explained

City of Gods
Type:single
Cover:Fivio Foreign, Kanye West and Alicia Keys - City of Gods.png
Artist:Fivio Foreign, Kanye West, and Alicia Keys
Album:B.I.B.L.E. Donda 2
Released:February 11, 2022
Genre:Drill[1] [2]
Length:4:16
Label:
Chronology:Fivio Foreign
Prev Title:Off the Grid
Prev Year:2021
Next Title:Magic City
Next Year:2022

"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.[3]

Background

West and Fivio first worked together for the song "Off the Grid" (with Playboi Carti, who provides ad-libs on this song), released on West's album Donda in 2021.[4] The collaboration came together after West called Fivio Foreign to record in Mercedes Benz Stadium the night before the listening event for Donda.[5] According to Fivio Foreign, West praised the verse the rapper recorded for "Off the Grid", lauding his similarity to his frequent collaborator, Jay-Z. West was also adamant about getting Jay-Z himself to perform on "City of Gods", but this never materialized.[6] [7]

Before Donda released, Fivio Foreign told his fans on Twitter that West was executive producing and performing on his upcoming album B.I.B.L.E.[8] On February 5, 2022, Fivio Foreign tweeted "I ain't gon lie, Ye gave me the feature of the Yr.. He was talking 2 crazy on that verse" [sic]".[9]

When Fivio Foreign first got the beat for "City of Gods", it featured a sample of the 2015 track "New York City" by The Chainsmokers. When playing it for West, he said "Yo, I see something with this song" and asked Fivio to send the beat so he could change it around.[10] One of the changes West made was taking out the sample and getting Keys to sing the vocals instead.[10] Originally Fivio was rapping "Ain't no king of New York, nobody really in charge", and when he played it for West, he said "You gotta say you're the king of New York". Fivio Foreign then suggested that he should rap " Pop was the king of New York, now I'm the one that's in charge" (thereby paying tribute to late drill rapper Pop Smoke) which West responded to by saying "Yo that's even better!".[10]

The song is dedicated to late rapper, friend of Fivio Foreign and longtime collaborator TDott Woo, who was shot and killed a week before the release of the song. In a statement put up with the release of the song, Fivio said "T Dot. That's my baby boy. I never thought I'd be doing this without you here with me. You supposed to be here with me but you gon' always be the prince in the City of Gods. Your name will forever live through with me. Long Live Prince T Dot."[11]

Critics reception

The song has been compared to the collaboration "Empire State of Mind" (2009) by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, in addition to the release of the second version that references in its title "Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down", featured on Keys' album The Element of Freedom.[12] [13] [14]

Complex's writers have associated the song with both Empire State of Mind and Run This Town, appreciating the combination of Foreign's drill music with Kanye's production, even though "the glitzy synth made it feel like American Eagle drill; [...] Just too glossy" and that "overall, it’s a bit of an oblong song". At the end Alicia Keys was prized for her "singing reverently about New York City; [...] with impressive vocals on the chorus".[15] Christine Ochefu by GQ was pleasantly impressed to find Keys on a drill track.[16]

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[17]

Music

Technical

City of Gods (Part II)

City of Gods (Part II)
Type:single
Cover:Cover_of_City_of_Gods_Part_II_by_Alicia_Keys.jpeg
Artist:Alicia Keys
Released:April 7, 2022
Length:3:12
Label:
  • AKW Records
Producer:Alicia Keys
Chronology:Alicia Keys
Prev Title:City of Gods
Prev Year:2022
Next Title:Trillions
Next Year:2022

On April 7, 2022, Alicia Keys released a solo version of the song with a stripped back production called "City of Gods (Part II)".[18] The video of the song was nominated at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards in the Best R&B category.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2022)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[19] 66
Iceland (Plötutíðindi)[20] 16
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[21] 4
Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)[22] 5

Year-end charts

Chart (2022)! scope="col"
Position
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[23] 63
US Rhythmic (Billboard)[24] 41

Release history

Region! scope="col"
DateFormatLabel
VariousFebruary 11, 2022
United StatesFebruary 15, 2022Urban contemporary radioColumbia[25]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Werder . Aidan C. . Fivio Foreign, Kanye West, Alicia Keys "City of Gods" . . February 21, 2022 . February 23, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220223223833/https://nojumper.com/blogs/news/fivio-foreign-kanye-west-alicia-keys-city-of-gods . live .
  2. Web site: Duong . Paul . Video: Fivio Foreign FT. Kanye West, Alicia Keys "City Of Gods" . . 18 February 2022 . February 18, 2022 . 18 February 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220218230054/https://rapradar.com/2022/02/18/video-fivio-foreign-ft-kanye-west-alicia-keys-city-of-gods/ . live .
  3. Web site: Jackson . Angelique . January 12, 2023 . ‘Abbott Elementary,’ ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ and ‘The Woman King’ Dominate NAACP Image Award Nominations . January 13, 2023 . . en-US.
  4. Fivio Foreign Taps Kanye West, Alicia Keys for 'City Of Gods' . . February 11, 2022 . February 11, 2022 . March 9, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220309165916/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/fivio-foreign-kanye-west-alicia-keys-city-of-gods-1298656/ . live .
  5. Web site: Power 106 Los Angeles . Fivio Foreign Details Making Of Kanye West 'Donda' Collab & Speaks On Relationship With Pop Smoke . https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/1vLzk5GPvbc?url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vLzk5GPvbc. 2021-09-24. YouTube . 18 September 2021 . 11 September 2021.
  6. Web site: Kanye West was "Too Impatient" to Put Jay-Z on 'City of Gods'. March 2022. NME.com.
  7. Web site: Mahadevan . Tara . Listen to Fivio Foreign, Kanye West, and Alicia Keys on New Song "City of Gods" . Complex . February 11, 2022 . February 11, 2022 . March 4, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220304084311/https://www.complex.com/music/fivio-foreign-kanye-west-alicia-keys-city-of-gods . live .
  8. Web site: Archived copy . 2022-04-11 . Twitter . en . 2022-04-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220411002729/https://twitter.com/fivioforeign/status/1431263731590258688 . live .
  9. Web site: Saponara . Michael . Fivio Foreign Hypes Kanye West Feature & Gets Swizz Beatz Co-Sign . HipHopDX . February 11, 2022 . February 7, 2022 . March 4, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220304081309/https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.67858/title.fivio-foreign-hypes-kanye-wests-feature-of-the-year-gets-swizz-beatzs-co-sign . live .
  10. Web site: Fivio Foreign talks City of Gods w/ Kanye + Alicia Keys . Instagram . 12 February 2022.
  11. Web site: Minsker . Evan . Fivio Foreign Joined by Kanye, Alicia Keys on New Song "City of Gods": Listen . Pitchfork . February 16, 2022 . February 11, 2022 . March 9, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220309235510/https://pitchfork.com/news/fivio-foreign-joined-by-kanye-alicia-keys-on-new-song-city-of-gods-listen/ . live .
  12. Web site: Darville . Jordan . February 18, 2022 . Fivio Foreign shares "City of Gods" video featuring Kanye West and Alicia Keys . December 22, 2022 . . en . December 22, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221222162322/https://www.thefader.com/2022/02/18/fivio-foreign-shares-city-of-gods-video-featuring-kanye-west-and-alicia-keys . live .
  13. Web site: July 18, 2022 . Alicia Keys Debates If 'City of Gods' is the New 'Empire State Of Mind' . December 12, 2022 . . en . December 11, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221211015233/https://www.tmz.com/2022/12/07/alicia-keys-debate-hip-hop-city-gods-empire-state-mind/ . live .
  14. Web site: Bustard . Andy . April 7, 2022 . Alicia Keys Links With Slick Rick In 'City Of Gods (Part II)' Video . December 22, 2022 . . en . December 22, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221222161411/https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.69362/title.alicia-keys-city-of-gods-part-2-video-slick-rick . live .
  15. Web site: Skelton . Eric . Gee . Andre . McKinney . Jessica . February 11, 2022 . First Impressions of Fivio Foreign, Kanye West, and Alicia Keys’ "City of Gods" . December 22, 2022 . . en . February 12, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220212015113/https://www.complex.com/music/fivio-foreign-kanye-west-alicia-keys-city-of-god-first-impressions/ . live .
  16. Web site: Ochefu . Christine . February 11, 2022 . Fivio and Ye's "City of Gods" is proof of the overwhelming power of drill . December 22, 2022 . . en-GB . December 22, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221222202148/https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/culture/article/kanye-west-city-of-gods . live .
  17. Web site: Credits / City of Gods / Fivio Foreign . Tidal . February 11, 2022 . February 11, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220211110859/https://listen.tidal.com/album/216279087/credits . live .
  18. Web site: City of Gods (Part II) by Alicia Keys . . April 7, 2022 . April 7, 2022 . January 14, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230114235240/https://www.amazon.co.uk/music/player/browserWarning?0=%2Fplayer%2Falbums%2FB09X2MM4Q7%2F&1=player%2Falbums%2FB09X2MM4Q7%2F&subView=music&useHorizonte=true . live .
  19. The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 28 February 2022. The ARIA Report. Australian Recording Industry Association. 1669. 4. February 28, 2022.
  20. Web site: Tónlistinn – Lög - Vika 7, 2022. is. Plötutíðindi. May 14, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220221070359/https://plotutidindi.is/tonlistinn/. February 21, 2022. dead.
  21. Web site: NZ Hot Singles Chart. Recorded Music NZ. February 21, 2022. February 19, 2022. February 18, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220218234334/https://nztop40.co.nz/chart/hotsingles?chart=5287. live.
  22. Web site: Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 7. Sverigetopplistan. February 19, 2022. February 28, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220228205347/https://www.sverigetopplistan.se/chart/215?dspy=2022&dspp=7. live.
  23. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2022. Billboard. December 2, 2022. December 2, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221202025901/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2022/hot-r-and-and-b-hip-hop-songs/. live.
  24. Rhythmic Songs – Year-End 2022. Billboard. December 2, 2022. December 2, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221202022717/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2022/rhythmic-songs/. live.
  25. Web site: Urban/R&B Future Releases. AllAccess. February 16, 2022. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20220215111224/https://www.allaccess.com/urban/future-releases. February 15, 2022.

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