Hurricane (Kanye West song)

Summary

"Hurricane" is a song by American rapper Kanye West and Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd featuring fellow American rapper Lil Baby, from the former's tenth studio album Donda (2021). The song features additional vocals from the Sunday Service Choir and KayCyy. It came from a jam session at Archwood Music Studio and was passed on by Chance the Rapper to West, who shared a preview in September 2018. The song was originally slated for inclusion on West's since scrapped album, Yandhi, and went through multiple reiterations prior to release, with the final version being debuted in July 2021. On August 8, 2021, it was accidentally made available via certain streaming services before being pulled less than 24 hours later, but was officially released with the rest of the album on August 29, 2021. It was also eventually sent to US rhythmic contemporary radio stations as the album's lead single on September 14, by GOOD Music and Def Jam. An R&B, hip hop, and pop jam with an atmospheric beat, it contains organs and bass.

"Hurricane"
Single by Kanye West and the Weeknd featuring Lil Baby
from the album Donda
ReleasedSeptember 14, 2021 (2021-09-14)
RecordedSeptember 1, 2018–August 2021
Studio
  • Archwood Music (Los Angeles)
Genre
Length4:04
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Kanye West singles chronology
"Smack DVD"
(2021)
"Hurricane"
(2021)
"Life of the Party"
(2021)
The Weeknd singles chronology
"Die for It"
(2021)
"Hurricane"
(2021)
"Moth to a Flame"
(2021)
Lil Baby singles chronology
"Body in Motion"
(2021)
"Hurricane"
(2021)
"Girls Want Girls"
(2021)
Music video
"Hurricane" on YouTube

In the lyrics of the song, West touches on personal issues. "Hurricane" received generally positive reviews from music critics, who mostly highlighted the Weeknd's feature. Some praised the song's creativity, while a number of them complimented Lil Baby's verse. It was named to year-end lists for 2021 by multiple publications, including Complex and Slant Magazine. The song won Best Melodic Rap Performance at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards, leading to West tying Jay-Z's record for the most Grammys among rappers.

"Hurricane" charted at number six on the US Billboard Hot 100, alongside reaching number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop, Gospel, and Christian Songs charts. The song scored top 10 positions in 10 other countries, including New Zealand and the United Kingdom. It has been certified platinum in both the United States and Canada by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and Music Canada (MC), respectively. An accompanying animated music video debuted on March 8, 2022. Digital masked avatars appear in the video, escaping the ADX Florence prison building and watching the baptizing of a faceless representation of Jesus. The song was performed live by the Sunday Service Choir on multiple occasions, including at a 2021 Halloween concert with Justin Bieber.

Background and recording edit

 
"Hurricane" originated from sessions for Yandhi and was slated to be included on the album, before being shelved.

The foundation of "Hurricane" came from a three-hour jam session at Archwood Music Studio between American music producer DJ Khalil, bassist Daniel Seeff, and songwriters Josh Mease and Sam Barsh.[1] In July 2018, Chance the Rapper announced that West was coming to Chicago to produce a seven-track studio album for him, similar to those recorded during the Wyoming Sessions.[2][3][4] According to producer BoogzDaBeast, the beat for the song was originally intended for Chance the Rapper, who passed on it after hearing it.[5] However, when West heard the beat, Boogz recalled that it "sparked something in him", leading to the creation of the song and his now-scrapped album Yandhi, which was set to release two weeks after the demo was recorded.[5]

On September 11, 2018, West reinstated his Instagram account,[6] via which he subsequently shared a snippet of a demo version for "Hurricane", including him singing the chorus; the demo was recorded one day prior to being previewed.[5][7][8] A week later, West announced via Twitter that Yandhi was set for release on September 29, 2018.[9] West reaffirmed that the song was set to be included on the album via a snippet posted to Twitter on September 27, 2018.[10] Yandhi went unreleased on its scheduled date and was eventually scrapped. Over time, "Hurricane" went through several iterations, containing vocals from Ant Clemons, Big Sean, Ty Dolla Sign, Young Thug, and Rihanna with several leaks of the song surfacing online.[11][12][13][14] Though Yandhi had been shelved, "Hurricane" later went into consideration for Donda and created heavy anticipation.[1][15]

After postponing the release of Yandhi twice, West revealed on Twitter that his recording sessions with Chance the Rapper in Chicago had helped himself reconnect with his roots and faith in Jesus.[16] In early 2019, West started hosting choir sessions with the gospel group The Samples, enlisting choir director Jason White and songwriter Nikki Grier for help with choir arrangement and writing gospel renditions of songs in his discography.[17][18][19] Clemons recalled that the sessions eventually "morphed" into West's gospel group the Sunday Service Choir, who performed around the world with the rapper.[20] West recorded with the group for their debut studio album Jesus Is Born (2019), which is credited solely to them.[21][22] The Sunday Service Choir were one of the guest appearances on Donda to be revealed at the public listening parties, while they contributed additional vocals to six of the album's tracks outside of "Hurricane".[23]

 
 
After the song went through several reiterations, the final version of "Hurricane" features vocals from the Weeknd (left) and Lil Baby (right).

On July 21, 2020, West tweeted "Lil Baby my favorite rapper but won't do a song wit me [sic]".[24][25] Responding to the tweet, Lil Baby declared that nobody had told him West wanted to collaborate and the two arranged a meeting. The rapper was subsequently flown out to Cody, Wyoming, to record for Donda.[24][25] During the session, Lil Baby recorded his verse for "Hurricane" after Kenyan-American singer songwriter KayCyy had suggested that he should contribute to it; having told him that it was one of the most anticipated songs.[26] In an attempt to appear on the track, KayCyy recorded a bridge which West "actually ended up fucking with", according to the singer.[26] The reworked song was first previewed officially on July 22, 2021, during the first listening party for Donda at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta.[27] The version played at the event featured a hook that was "heavily autotuned" and performed by West himself.[12]

In an cover story interview for GQ on August 2, 2021, Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd stated, "I'd love to work with Kanye again. Especially on production."[28] The two had worked together twice in the past; firstly when a West demo evolved into the Weeknd's "Tell Your Friends" (2015); and the singer featured on West's 2016 track "FML" for their second collaboration. Shortly after the interview, West posted a photo of his call log to Instagram that included "Abel Weeknd", leading to speculation of the Weeknd being included on Donda.[12] "Hurricane" was teased again on August 5, 2021, with the Weeknd performing the hook during the second listening party for the album at Mercedes Benz Stadium.[12] Two days later, American music producer and frequent West collaborator Mike Dean went to Discord and Twitter to ask fans which version of "Hurricane" they preferred between the original version, new version, or a blend of the two.[29][30] Dean stated in the Discord chat that he was showing West comments from fans;[29] he also told Zane Lowe in an Apple Music interview that West "took all the information he got from everyone, including online reviews, personal friends reviews and he'd just kind of digest it all and adjust the album the way he wants".[31]

Composition and lyrics edit

Musically, "Hurricane" is an R&B, hip hop, and pop jam.[32][33][34] It utilizes West's typical production style, relying on an atmospheric beat,[35][36] while including layered organs, heavy bass, and trap drums.[37][38][39] It features processed vocals by the Sunday Service Choir that are triggered and cut off in the style of a sampler, moving between digital and choral styles,[40] which was done by Italian mixing engineer Irko at the request of West over a phone call.[41] According to Rolling Stone's Paul Thompson, the choir vocals are processed "in ways that are slightly alien".[40] Alongside the group, additional vocals are provided by KayCyy.[42] West and Lil Baby perform a verse each on the song, while the Weeknd sings the chorus.[38] He delivers gospel-infused vocals, as well as contributing a falsetto.[43][44][45] The song's vocal production was handled by White and Grier, while Louis Bell and Patrick Hundley did the editing.[42]

Lyrically, West discusses ongoing personal issues on the song, such as his breakup with Kardashian, his house, past, and fears.[46][47] The hook sees the Weeknd exude confidence, singing: "Finally free, found the God in me / And I want you to see, I can walk on water."[48][43] West presents himself as having engaged in a conversation with God, rapping that he "was up for sale" yet could not tell and then declaring, "God made it rain, the Devil made it hell."[49][50] With certain lyrics, the rapper reflects on progressing from being a school dropout to a guest speaker at Yale University.[48] Lil Baby provides a mournful performance with his verse, admitting at one point that he simply wants to "restart it".[32][38][39]

Release and promotion edit

 
Justin Bieber joined the Sunday Service Choir for a performance of the song at their 2021 Halloween concert, which included him freestyle-singing.

After Donda failed to release on August 6, 2021, "Hurricane" appeared on Apple Music as the second track on the Donda pre-order page. The track was made available via international streaming services such as Yandex and Line Music on August 8, though was not available on any in the United States.[51][52] On August 29, "Hurricane" was included as the fifth track on West's tenth studio album Donda.[53] The track was playlisted by Swedish mainstream station Sveriges Radio P3 on September 3, 2021.[54] It was sent to American rhythmic contemporary radio stations as the album's lead single 11 days later, through GOOD Music and Def Jam.[55]

On October 20, 2021, American rapper Big Sean performed his unreleased verse for "Hurricane" as part of a nine minute freestyle with Power 106's L.A. Leakers.[56][57] On October 31, 2021, the Sunday Service Choir performed a gospel rendition of "Hurricane" with Canadian singer Justin Bieber for their Halloween concert at an anonymous rooftop location.[58] The group were dressed entirely in white and surrounded by an audience dressed in black, while the singer rocked a white hood. During the performance, Bieber freestyle-sang over the track.[59] On November 7, 2021, a rendition of the song was performed by the Sunday Service Choir for a session in tribute to the victims of a crowd crush at Travis Scott's Astroworld Festival set.[60] The performance was live-streamed, as was the group's performance of it at a session promoting the deluxe edition of Donda a week later.[60][61] On December 9, 2021, West performed the song at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum as part of his and Canadian musician Drake's Free Larry Hoover Benefit concert.[62] Drake accompanied him on stage and the rapper's performance marked a return after the musician had performed alone, which shocked the audience.[63]

On December 12, 2021, West performed the track as part of a surprise five-song set in the middle of fellow rapper Future's headlining performance at Rolling Loud California.[64] While performing, he rocked a white hoodie, "Free Hoover" jeans, and Yeezy boots.[65] On February 22, 2022, West performed "Hurricane" at the accompanying concert for his eleventh studio album Donda 2 in Miami's LoanDepot Park. During the performance of the song, West appeared to experience an issue with his in-ear monitors and seemingly lost his place, though it was speculated that he forgot the lyrics. The rapper's performance of "Hurricane" was followed by a performance of "Jail pt 2", which featured him reacting to the problem by throwing his microphone.[66]

Critical reception edit

"Hurricane" was met with generally positive reviews from music critics, many of whom appreciated the Weeknd's feature. In The A.V. Club, Nina Hernandez chose the song as an album highlight due to the Weeknd's appearance.[67] Echoing this opinion at PopMatters, Tony DeGanaro listed the singer's feature amongst the highlights, describing it as sublime.[68] Chris Willman from Variety wrote that he lets out "an unknown gospel side", delivering "a chorus as ineffable as any on his albums".[43] Aaron Loose of Christianity Today saw the song as proof that West is still able to orchestrate "a captivating moment", saying it "rolls into earshot like a wrathful omen" and later develops into "a gorgeous R&B prayer" delivered by the Weeknd.[34] On a similar note, The New York Times critic Jon Caramanica commented that the song shows West maintains the capability "of orchestrating impressive pop music", creating a "disarmingly pretty" track with the Weeknd's "sweet vocals".[33] Thomas Hobbs from The Guardian observed that West comes across as more authentic on the song and "less like someone delivering the doctrine of a corporate superchurch", while also noting "a massive hook" from the Weeknd, who "projects walk-on-water confidence".[48] Writing for DIY, Ryan Bell pointed it out as Donda's closest resemblance to the hits that West used to create, attributing this to the Weeknd's "smooth hook" and "an atmospheric beat with an ominous gospel inflection".[36]

At Exclaim, Riley Wallace asserted that the Weeknd and Lil Baby's features "help alley-oop Ye" one of his best works for years.[69] Mark Richardson of The Wall Street Journal stated that because of the singer's "gospel-drenched vocals" and the rapper's guest verse, the song "merits repeat plays".[45] Vulture's Craig Jenkins pointed to West and the aforementioned two as "one of the better rapper-singer collaborations" of 2021, depicting the rapper as not seeming "labored with his flow".[70] In the Los Angeles Times, Mikael Wood lauded the song as "a heaving R&B jam" and considered "a mournful Lil Baby" to be the main star.[32] Thompson viewed the collision of digital and choral palettes when the Sunday Service Choir's vocals appear as one of the most interesting moments on the album, opining that they are seemingly "instruments at West's disposal" on the "pleading" song.[40] For HipHopDX, David Aaron Brake proclaimed that its layered organs "could soundtrack the ascent to the heavens".[37] Uproxx's Wongo Okon named the song as one of the album's highlights.[38]

Not all reviews were favorable. In a negative review, Jonny Coleman of The Hollywood Reporter found the song's release coincidentally occurring on the same day as Hurricane Ida impacted the Gulf Coast to be distasteful, while he disregarded it as "another generic snooze-fest with all the usual Kanye production touchstones".[35] Coleman felt West's production style had become overused, complaining that "the instrumentation veers into parody at points" when West gets bored or unsure of what to do, even if it is "pretty cool".[35] Loud and Quiet reviewer Robert Davidson wrote off the song as possibly the album's most glaring point that West "opts for lyrical platitudes", assuring his collaboration with the Weeknd and Lil Baby passes by "without ever threatening to quicken the heartbeat", defining it as a "damp squib".[71]

Accolades edit

The track was ranked by Complex as the 15th best song of 2021, with Waiss Aramesh praising West's vocal performance, introspective lyricism, and storytelling.[72] It was picked by Slant Magazine as the 24th best song of the year; Charles Lyons-Burt was most impressed by the combination of the Weeknd's "crystal falsetto" with "the magisterial organ and booming trap drums".[39] Exclaim listed the track as the 27th best song of 2021, while The Fader named it the year's 70th best.[73][74] The song was awarded Best Melodic Rap Performance at the 2022 Grammy Awards, marking West's 24th win at the ceremony and tying him with Jay-Z's record for the most of any rappers.[75]

Music video edit

In November 2020, a music video was initially shot in Manhattan by frequent West collaborator Hype Williams. Photographs from the shoot surfaced, showing Williams on set with West and Lil Baby.[76] In the end, West went with an animated CGI music video that was directed by French film-maker Arnaud Bresson, who also directed the visual for fellow album track "Heaven and Hell". Production was handled by Laure Salgon, with motion capture being used.[47] On March 8, 2022, a music video for "Hurricane" was premiered.[77]

An army of digital masked avatars dressed in Yeezy Gap hoodies–resembling the music video released for "Heaven and Hell"–are present in the video, demonstrating a dystopian-looking society.[77][78] The visual opens with the image of a half land and half water piece of coastline, accompanied by a grey dragon.[79] This is followed by the army of digital avatars climbing fences of the ADX Florence prison building while lightning strikes, appearing merely as silhouettes initially until they can be seen wearing opaque masks.[47][79][80] The avatars then escape prison to watch a faceless representation of Jesus get baptized, appearing on a beach where acid rain falls down.[77][80] In the following scenes, people ascending towards the sky close to a beam of light, while swirling hurricane clouds can be seen.[79][81] A flash of lightning pierces the sky, inviting the avatars to follow its light.[47] The video also shows clips of West and his collaborators as CGI humanoids performing the song from a "strange heaven-like place".[80] The video ends with a black and white photograph taken from Hurricane Katrina–which killed more than 1,800 people in 2005–of an American flag emerging from a pile of rubble.[79][80][81] Wren Graves, writing for Consequence, called the video a "scatterbrained stab at a disaster epic", with "seemingly-unfinished CGI that flickers in and out of focus from frame to incomprehensible frame".[79]

Shortly after the release of the music video, Russian painter Denis Forkas, who has contributed artwork for metal bands such as Behemoth, accused West of plagiarizing his 2017 piece Hortus Aureus in the music video for "Hurricane". Forkas claimed that he had not been contacted by any party involved in the production, and that the artwork was simply re-rendered for the video.[82]

Commercial performance edit

Upon the release of Donda, "Hurricane" debuted at number six on the US Billboard Hot 100, standing as the album's highest charting track and West's 19th top-20 hit on the chart.[83] The song's entry was powered by 29 million US streams, which led to it topping the Streaming Songs chart and giving West his third number-one.[84][85] "Hurricane" lasted for 11 weeks on the Hot 100.[86] It further debuted atop the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, becoming West's eighth chart-topper and his first since "FourFiveSeconds" in 2015. The song stood among the rapper's seven simultaneous top-10 hits on the chart, which tied Drake's 2018 record.[85] It also reached the summit of both the US Christian Songs and Gospel Songs charts, marking West's third number-one on these charts.[87] On the Billboard year-end charts for 2021, the track ranked at numbers two and one on Christian Songs and Gospel Songs, respectively.[88][89] The song was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling 1,000,000 certified units in the US on January 10, 2022, becoming the album's first single to achieve this certification.[90]

In Canada, the track charted at number four on the Canadian Hot 100.[91] On November 23, 2021, "Hurricane" was certified platinum by Music Canada (MC) for pushing 80,000 units in the region.[92] The song debuted at number three on the New Zealand Singles Chart, charting similarly in Australia by reaching position 4 on the ARIA Singles Chart, becoming the highest charting track from Donda.[93][94] The song was also a top five hit in Norway and Denmark, peaking at numbers three and five on the Topp 20 Singles and Danish Top 40 charts, respectively.[95][96] It entered the UK Singles Chart at number seven, standing as the highest of West's three entries from the album.[97] On April 29, 2022, "Hurricane" was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for pushing 200,000 units in the United Kingdom.[98] As well as the UK, it charted at number seven on both the Icelandic Singles Chart and Irish Singles Chart.[99][100] The song reached numbers eight and nine on the Swedish Singles Chart and Swiss Singles Chart, respectively.[101][102] "Hurricane" also entered the top 20 in Finland,[103] Greece,[104] Lithuania,[105] Portugal,[106] India,[107] and Slovakia,[108] while it peaked at number five on the Billboard Global 200.[109]

Credits and personnel edit

Credits adapted from Tidal.[42]

  • Kanye West – vocals, production, songwriter
  • The Weeknd – vocals, songwriter
  • Lil Baby – featured vocals, songwriter
  • KayCyy Pluto – additional vocals, songwriter
  • Sunday Service Choir – additional vocals
  • Mike Dean – production, songwriter, mix engineering
  • BoogzDaBeast – production, songwriter
  • DJ Khalil – production, songwriter
  • Ronny J – production, songwriter
  • Cirkut – co-production, songwriter
  • Ojivolta – co-production, songwriter
  • Nascent – additional production, songwriter
  • 88-Keys – additional production, songwriter
  • Jason White – vocal production
  • Nikki Grier – vocal production
  • Irko – master engineering, mix engineering
  • Sean Solymar – mix assistance
  • Tommy Rush – mix assistance
  • Al Be Back – songwriter
  • Cailin Russo – songwriter
  • Consequence – songwriter
  • Cyhi the Prynce – songwriter
  • Daniel Seeff – songwriter
  • Digital Nas – songwriter
  • Josh Mease – songwriter
  • Malik Yusef – songwriter
  • Orlando Wilder – songwriter
  • Sam Barsh – songwriter
  • Tobias Smith – songwriter
  • Alejandro Rodriguez-Dawsøn – record engineering
  • Devon Wilson – record engineering
  • Jesse Ray Ernster – record engineering
  • Josh Berg – record engineering
  • Kyle Fitzgibbons – record engineering
  • Mikalai Skrobat – record engineering
  • Reno Reagan – record engineering
  • Roark Bailey – record engineering
  • Shane Fitzgibbon – record engineering
  • Shin Kamiyama – record engineering
  • Zack Djurich – record engineering
  • Louis Bell – vocal editing
  • Patrick Hundley – vocal editing
  • Todd Bergman – vocal editing

Charts edit

Certifications edit

Certifications for "Hurricane"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[92] Platinum 80,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[98] Silver 200,000
United States (RIAA)[136] 2× Platinum 2,000,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References edit

  1. ^ a b Jones, Jiggy (October 29, 2021). "Behind the boards of Kanye West's 'Hurricane'". The Source. Archived from the original on November 3, 2021. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  2. ^ Schatz, Luke (July 12, 2018). "Kanye West is heading to Chicago to work on new album with Chance the Rapper". Consequence. Archived from the original on January 20, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  3. ^ Bazerghi, Alice (August 29, 2018). "Kanye West in Chicago working with Chance the Rapper". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on January 20, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  4. ^ Young, Alex (August 30, 2018). "Kanye in Chicago to work on Chance the Rapper's new album". Consequence. Archived from the original on January 20, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  5. ^ a b c Nelson Jr., Keith (March 31, 2022). "BoogzDaBeast compares a teenage Kanye West to Kobe Bryant and LeBron James". Revolt. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
  6. ^ Ivey, Justin (September 11, 2018). "Kanye West confirms Tekashi 6ix9ine collaboration". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on September 19, 2018. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  7. ^ Saponara, Michael (September 19, 2018). "Five Things We Want From Kanye West's 'Yandhi' Album". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 20, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  8. ^ Darville, Jordan (September 14, 2018). "Kanye West shares new music snippet on Instagram". The Fader. Archived from the original on September 19, 2018. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  9. ^ Maicki, Salvatore (September 18, 2018). "Kanye West announces new project Yandhi". The Fader. Archived from the original on February 27, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  10. ^ Minsker, Evan; Yoo, Noah (September 27, 2018). "Kanye Confirms New Album Yandhi to Be Released Saturday Night". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on October 29, 2021. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  11. ^ Minsker, Evan (September 27, 2018). "Kanye Confirms New Album Yandhi to Be Released Saturday Night". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on August 24, 2021. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
  12. ^ a b c d Rindner, Grant (August 9, 2021). "11 Ways Kanye West's Donda Album Has Already Changed". GQ. Archived from the original on September 14, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  13. ^ Saponara, Michael (November 16, 2021). "Big Sean & Hit-Boy Explain Why Kanye West Is 'Very Hard' To Work With". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  14. ^ Curto, Justin (September 1, 2021). "An Exhaustive, Exhausting Attempt at Understanding Kanye West's Donda". Vulture. Archived from the original on August 31, 2021. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
  15. ^ A., Aron (August 29, 2021). "Kanye West Releases 'Hurricane' In Its Final Form Ft. The Weeknd & Lil Baby". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on March 26, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  16. ^ McKinney, Jessica (August 30, 2021). "Kanye West's Road From 'Yandhi' to 'Jesus Is King'". Complex. Archived from the original on August 31, 2019. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  17. ^ "Does Kanye West's Sunday Service Mean His 'Yandhi' Album Is Coming?". XXL. April 19, 2019. Archived from the original on November 30, 2021. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  18. ^ Faust, Aliya (April 2, 2019). "Kanye West's 'Sunday Service' Choir Director Jason White & His Wife Geneen Give Insight On The Series". Get Up. Archived from the original on April 6, 2019. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  19. ^ Leight, Elias (October 31, 2019). "How Kanye West's 'Sunday Services' Began". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 8, 2020. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  20. ^ Zidel, Alex (November 22, 2021). "Ant Clemons Details How His Relationship With Kanye West Evolved & His Approach To Music". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on November 30, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
  21. ^ Shaffer, Claire (July 19, 2021). "Kanye West to Host Album Listening Party for 'Donda' in Atlanta". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on July 19, 2021. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  22. ^ "Kanye West's 'Donda' Listening: Watch". Billboard. July 22, 2021. Archived from the original on December 2, 2021. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  23. ^ Bolden, Janee (August 6, 2021). "Kanye West Soars Toward the Heavens – Literally – During Second 'Donda' Album-Listening Event". Variety. Archived from the original on August 18, 2021. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  24. ^ a b Lavin, Will (January 25, 2021). "Lil Baby recounts working with Kanye West in Wyoming, calls it 'inspiring'". NME. Archived from the original on March 2, 2021. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
  25. ^ a b Woods, Aleia (July 28, 2020). "Lil Baby and Kanye West May Have a Collab In the Works". XXL. Archived from the original on August 24, 2021. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
  26. ^ a b Skelton, Eric (August 4, 2021). "KayCyy Is a New Star From the School of Kanye West". Complex. Archived from the original on August 24, 2021. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
  27. ^ Lewczyk, Maria (July 23, 2021). "On the scene at Kanye West's 'Donda' playback in Atlanta: 'It feels cathartic'". NME. Archived from the original on July 23, 2021. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
  28. ^ Green, Mark Anthony (August 2, 2021). "The Weeknd on His Dark Persona, Quitting Drugs, and His Grammys Snub". GQ. Archived from the original on March 1, 2022. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  29. ^ a b Skelton, Eric (August 17, 2021). "How a Kanye West Fan Discord Played a Role in the 'Donda' Creative Process". Complex. Archived from the original on August 17, 2021. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  30. ^ Luben, Zach (December 23, 2021). "Kanye West's "Hurricane" track has 10+ different versions". Daily Rap Facts. Archived from the original on January 20, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  31. ^ Triscarl, Caleb (September 8, 2021). "Mike Dean explains how Kanye West adjusted 'Donda' after each listening party". NME. Archived from the original on September 8, 2021. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  32. ^ a b c Wood, Mikael (August 31, 2021). "Review: Kanye West reeks of desperation on dispiriting, exhausting 'Donda'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 5, 2021. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
  33. ^ a b Caramanica, Jon (August 31, 2021). "Kanye West's 'Donda' Era, on a Chaotic Stage". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 5, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  34. ^ a b Loose, Aaron (September 8, 2021). "Kanye West is rapping about Jesus again. But don't get too excited. Donda is a flawed project". Christianity Today. Archived from the original on September 8, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  35. ^ a b c Coleman, Jonny (August 29, 2021). "Critic's Notebook: Kanye West's 'Donda' Is a Muddled Wallow in Navel-Gazing". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on August 29, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  36. ^ a b Bell, Ryan (September 2, 2021). "Kanye West - Donda review". DIY. Archived from the original on March 26, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  37. ^ a b Brake, David Aaron (September 2, 2021). "Kanye West's ego overshadows glimpses of hip hop excellence on bloated Donda album". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on September 4, 2021. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  38. ^ a b c d Okon, Wongo (August 29, 2021). "Kanye West And The Weeknd Reunite For Their First Track In Five Years On 'Hurricane' With Lil Baby". Uproxx. Archived from the original on December 17, 2021. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  39. ^ a b c Lyons-Burt, Charles (December 8, 2021). "The 50 Best Songs of 2021 – Page 3". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on December 9, 2021. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  40. ^ a b c Thompson, Paul (September 2021). "Kanye West Searches for Meaning on the Muddled, Grandiose 'Donda'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 1, 2021. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  41. ^ Irko (September 24, 2021). "Instagram video". Retrieved January 20, 2022 – via Instagram. On the choir when it comes in 'Don't let me drown', we just chopped it off. I can't take credit on that though, that was Kanye's call. Literally, he called me and we did it over the phone.
  42. ^ a b c "Credits / Hurricane / Kanye West, The Weeknd, Lil Baby". Tidal. Archived from the original on September 27, 2021. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  43. ^ a b c Willman, Chris (August 29, 2021). "Kanye West Obsesses About Jesus, Kim, His Mother, Himself and Drake in Overstuffed, Fascinating 'Donda': Album Review". Variety. Archived from the original on August 30, 2021. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  44. ^ Power, Ed (August 29, 2021). "Kanye West, Donda review: epic, maximalist stadium rap from a born-again naval gazer". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on August 29, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  45. ^ a b Richardson, Mark (August 30, 2021). "'Donda' by Kanye West Review: Begging for Brevity". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on March 26, 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  46. ^ Brock, Charlie (August 29, 2021). "The most Kanye album of all time". Gigwise. Archived from the original on August 31, 2021. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  47. ^ a b c d "CG inmates break out of prison in Ye's 'Hurricane' video". The Mill. March 9, 2022. Archived from the original on March 13, 2022. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  48. ^ a b c Hobbs, Thomas (August 30, 2021). "Kanye West: Donda review – misfiring lyricism from a diminished figure". The Guardian. Archived from the original on August 30, 2021. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  49. ^ Shorter, Marcus (August 30, 2021). "Kanye West Channels His Vulnerability on Donda, Delivering His Best Album in Years". Consequence. Archived from the original on August 30, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  50. ^ Daly, Rhian (August 29, 2021). "Kanye West – 'Donda' review: some gems among lots – and lots – of filler". NME. Archived from the original on August 30, 2021. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  51. ^ Mench, Chris (August 9, 2021). "Kanye West's 'Donda' Release Date Shifts Again As 'Hurricane' Reportedly Drops In Some International Markets". Genius. Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  52. ^ Callas, Brad (August 8, 2021). "Kanye West Set to Release 'Hurricane' f/ The Weeknd and Lil Baby as First Single From 'Donda'". Complex. Archived from the original on August 8, 2021. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
  53. ^ Thomas, Fred. "Donda – Kanye West". AllMusic. Archived from the original on September 3, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  54. ^ "P3:s spellista - Musiken i P3" [P3's playlist - The music in P3] (in Swedish). Sveriges Radio. Archived from the original on September 3, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  55. ^ "Top 40 Rhythmic Future Releases". All Access. Archived from the original on September 9, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
  56. ^ Kelly, Dylan (October 20, 2021). "Watch Big Sean Freestyle Over Drake's "Love All" and Kanye West's "Hurricane"". Hypebeast. Archived from the original on October 20, 2021. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  57. ^ Rose, Jordan (October 20, 2021). "Watch Big Sean's Nearly 9-Minute Freestyle Over Kanye's "Hurricane" and Drake's "Love All"". Complex. Archived from the original on November 9, 2021. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  58. ^ Saponara, Michael (October 31, 2021). "Kanye West Performs Halloween Sunday Service". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 16, 2021. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  59. ^ Blanchet, Brenton (October 31, 2021). "Watch Kanye West Perform at Sunday Service with Justin Bieber, Roddy Ricch". Complex. Archived from the original on November 16, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  60. ^ a b Langford, Jackson (November 8, 2021). "Kanye West dedicates Sunday Service to victims of Astroworld tragedy". NME. Archived from the original on December 19, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  61. ^ Carr, Debbie (November 15, 2021). "Watch Kanye West's latest Sunday Service, featuring 'Donda' cuts 'Hurricane' and 'Moon'". NME. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  62. ^ Saponara, Michael (December 10, 2021). "Kanye West Puts On Masterclass With Drake's Help For Larry Hoover Benefit Concert". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 24, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  63. ^ Jones, Marcus (December 10, 2021). "The highs and lows of Drake and Kanye's Free Larry Hoover benefit concert". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on March 26, 2022. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  64. ^ Blistein, Jon (December 13, 2021). "Future Welcomes Kanye West for Surprise Mini Set at Rolling Loud California". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  65. ^ "Future Brings Out Kanye West at Rolling Loud". Rap-Up. December 13, 2021. Archived from the original on December 20, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  66. ^ Sharp, Tyler (February 23, 2022). "Kanye West Throws Microphone During Donda 2 Concert Due to Sound Issues". XXL. Archived from the original on March 18, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  67. ^ Hernandez, Nina (August 31, 2021). "Album Review: Kanye West's Donda is a bloated, incoherent mess". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on August 31, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  68. ^ DeGenaro, Tony (August 30, 2021). "Kanye West's 'Donda' Is Not Great Art". PopMatters. Archived from the original on August 30, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  69. ^ Wallace, Riley (August 30, 2021). "Kanye West's Bloated 'Donda' Has Glimpses of Classic Yeezy". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on August 30, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  70. ^ Jenkins, Craig (September 2, 2021). "Kanye West 'Donda' Album Review". Vulture. Archived from the original on September 4, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  71. ^ Davidson, Robert (August 31, 2021). "Kanye West - Donda". Loud and Quiet. Archived from the original on August 31, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
  72. ^ Aramesh, Waiss (December 15, 2021). "50 Best Songs of 2021: Top Songs of the Year, Ranked". Complex. Archived from the original on December 30, 2021. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  73. ^ Minnow, Papa (December 2, 2021). "Exclaim!'s 30 Best Songs of 2021". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on March 2, 2022. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  74. ^ Ross, Alex Robert; Darville, Jordan; Renshaw, David; Maicki, Salvatore; Paul, Larisha; Isama, Antoinette; Raw, Son; Villa, Lucas; Richards, Janiel; D'Souza, Shaad; Elder, Sajae; Bourne, Nkosi; Helfand, Raphael; Joyce, Colin (December 16, 2021). "The 100 best songs of 2021". The Fader. Archived from the original on December 16, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  75. ^ "Kanye West Wins Best Melodic Rap Performance at 2022 Grammys". XXL. April 3, 2022. Archived from the original on April 3, 2022. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
  76. ^ Mendez, Marisa (November 18, 2020). "Lil Baby & Kanye West reportedly shooting Hype Williams-directed 'Hurricanes' video". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on October 15, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  77. ^ a b c Dalley, Hannah (March 8, 2022). "Kanye West Leads the Rapture in 'Hurricane' Video With The Weeknd & Lil Baby: Watch". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 9, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
  78. ^ Turner-Williams, Jaelani (March 9, 2022). "Watch Kanye West's 'Hurricane' Video". Okayplayer. Archived from the original on March 8, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
  79. ^ a b c d e Graves, Wren (March 8, 2022). "Music Videos Kanye West's 'Hurricane' Video Has Refugees, Jesus, Bad CGI, No Point: Watch". Consequence. Archived from the original on March 9, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
  80. ^ a b c d Mier, Tomás (March 8, 2022). "CGI Inmates Break Out of Prison to Meet Jesus Christ in Kanye West's 'Hurricane' Video". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 9, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
  81. ^ a b Saunders, Brycen (March 8, 2022). "Kanye West Unveils Striking CGI Music Video for 'Hurricane'". Hypebeast. Archived from the original on March 8, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
  82. ^ "Kanye West Blatantly Plagiarized a Metal Cover Artist's Work for His New Video". MetalSucks. March 16, 2022. Retrieved April 17, 2022.
  83. ^ Zellner, Xander (September 7, 2021). "Kanye West Lands 23 Songs From 'Donda' on Billboard Hot 100, With Two in Top 10". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 8, 2021. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  84. ^ Croker, Scott (September 8, 2021). "Kanye West's 'Hurricane' Rises To The Top Of The Streaming Charts". Idolator. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  85. ^ a b Anderson, Trevor (September 9, 2021). "Kanye West's 'Hurricane' Lands at No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 3, 2022. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  86. ^ a b "Kanye West Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
  87. ^ Asker, Jim (September 7, 2021). "Kanye West's 'Donda' Makes Historic Start on Billboard's Christian & Gospel Charts". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 7, 2021. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  88. ^ a b "Hot Christian Songs – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 2, 2021. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  89. ^ a b "Hot Gospel Songs – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 2, 2021. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  90. ^ Saponara, Michael (January 12, 2022). "Kanye West Scores 1st Platinum 'Donda' Single". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on January 16, 2022. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  91. ^ "Canadian Music: Top 100 Songs – September 11, 2021". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 30, 2021. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  92. ^ a b "Canadian single certifications – Kanye West – Hurricane". Music Canada. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  93. ^ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. September 6, 2021. Archived from the original on September 5, 2021. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  94. ^ Ryan, Gavin (September 5, 2021). "Australian Albums: Kanye West 'Donda' Is No 1". Noise11. Archived from the original on September 5, 2021. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  95. ^ "VG-lista – Topp 20 Single 2021-36". VG-lista. Archived from the original on September 10, 2021. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  96. ^ "Track Top-40 Uge 35, 2021". Hitlisten. Archived from the original on September 10, 2021. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  97. ^ Green, Alex (September 3, 2021). "Kanye West scores chart success with long-awaited album Donda". Belfast Telegraph. Archived from the original on September 5, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
  98. ^ a b "British single certifications – Kanye West – Hurricane". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  99. ^ a b "Tónlistinn – Lög - Vika 35 – 2021" [The Music - Singles - Week 35 - 2021] (in Icelandic). Plötutíðindi. Archived from the original on September 6, 2021. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
  100. ^ "Kanye West and Ed Sheeran top Irish Charts". Hotpress. September 3, 2021. Archived from the original on September 7, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
  101. ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 35" [Weekly list Singles, week 35] (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Archived from the original on September 3, 2021. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  102. ^ a b "Kanye West feat. The Weeknd & Lil Baby – Hurricane". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  103. ^ a b "Kanye West: Hurricane" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  104. ^ a b "Official IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International) – Week: 36/2021". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on September 20, 2021. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  105. ^ a b "2021 35-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. September 3, 2021. Archived from the original on September 3, 2021. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
  106. ^ a b "Kanye West feat. The Weeknd & Lil Baby – Hurricane". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  107. ^ a b "IMI International Top 20 Singles for week ending 6th September 2021 - Week 36 of 52". Indian Music Industry. Archived from the original on September 7, 2021. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  108. ^ a b "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 202135 into search. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
  109. ^ a b "Kanye West Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  110. ^ "Kanye West feat. The Weeknd & Lil Baby – Hurricane". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
  111. ^ "Kanye West feat. The Weeknd & Lil Baby – Hurricane" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  112. ^ "Kanye West Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  113. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 202135 into search. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
  114. ^ "Kanye West feat. The Weeknd & Lil Baby – Hurricane". Tracklisten. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  115. ^ "Kanye West – Hurricane" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  116. ^ "Kanye West feat. The Weeknd & Lil Baby – Hurricane" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
  117. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Stream Top 40 slágerlista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved September 10, 2021.
  118. ^ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
  119. ^ "Top Singoli – Classifica settimanale WK 35" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Archived from the original on March 18, 2020. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
  120. ^ "Kanye West feat. The Weeknd & Lil Baby – Hurricane" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
  121. ^ "Kanye West feat. The Weeknd & Lil Baby – Hurricane". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  122. ^ "Kanye West feat. The Weeknd & Lil Baby – Hurricane". VG-lista. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  123. ^ "RIAS International Top Charts Week 35". Recording Industry Association Singapore. Archived from the original on September 7, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
  124. ^ "Local & International Streaming Chart Top 100: 27/08/2021 to 02/09/2021". Recording Industry of South Africa. Archived from the original on September 9, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  125. ^ "Kanye West feat. The Weeknd & Lil Baby – Hurricane". Singles Top 100. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  126. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
  127. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
  128. ^ "Kanye West Chart History (Hot Christian Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  129. ^ "Kanye West Chart History (Hot Gospel Songs)". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 5, 2019. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  130. ^ "Kanye West Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  131. ^ "Kanye West Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  132. ^ "Kanye West Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  133. ^ "Rolling Stone Top 100 Songs Aug 27, 2021 - Sep 2, 2021". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 10, 2021. Retrieved September 10, 2021.
  134. ^ "Official IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International) – Week: (31-35)/2021". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on September 13, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  135. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 2, 2021. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  136. ^ "American single certifications – Kanye West & The Weeknd – Hurricane". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 15, 2024.

External links edit

  • Hurricane (Japanese lyric video) on YouTube