| "River" | |
|---|---|
| Song by¥$ andYoung Thug | |
| from the albumVultures 2 | |
| Released | August 3, 2024 (2024-08-03) |
| Genre | |
| Length | 3:35 |
| Label | YZY |
| Songwriters | |
| Producers | |
"River" is a song by the Americanhip-hopsuperduo¥$, composed of rapperKanye West and singerTy Dolla Sign, and American rapperYoung Thug. It was released through West'sYZY brand as the eleventh track from the superduo's second collaborative album,Vultures 2, on August 3, 2024. The song features additional vocals from American singerCharlie Wilson. The song was produced by West and Ty Dolla Sign alongsidePi'erre Bourne,Wes Singerman, Taydex, andthe Legendary Traxster.
According to AyoAA, whose production is featured on the updated streaming version of the song, "River" started out as a collaboration between West and Young Thug, where Young Thug's verse was taken from a separate unreleased song. The song originally did not feature Ty Dolla Sign.[1]
After it was officially debuted at theVultures Rave event in Miami, a representative for American singerLeon Bridges called its sampling of Bridge's work "a surprise", as Bridges has never recorded with West, "nor has he ever been in the studio with him." Though they were both unaware that West had sampled the song, they did not seem to object to it.[2]
In January 2024, West's daughter North would be spotted wearing a t-shirt that contained an early track listing for Vultures 1, with "River" included as its fifteenth track and Bridges being credited as a feature.[3] In March, the song would appear as a sound on Instagram and TikTok alongside other Vultures 2 tracks, though this upload was likely unofficial, as the audio was allegedlyripped from existing leaks.[4]
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"River" makes several references to other public figures. Young Thug opens with a verse that emphasizes luxury. He raps about affordingluxury goods for women, showing off expensive watches like theAudemars Piguet, and maintaining a lifestyle characterized by high-end fashion and extravagant spending.
The chorus, performed by West, pleas for freedom forincarcerated individuals. West repeatedly chants, "Too much money to be in the streets / Too much money to spend all on me / Too much hate and not enough love / FreeLarry, free Young Thug."West has advocated for Larry Hoover's release from prison for over a decade. On May 9, 2022, Thug was arrested in Atlanta on gang-related charges. On West's third verse, he advocates for the release ofDemetrius Flenory as well.[5]
The outro of "River" is based around a sample of American singerLeon Bridges' track of the same name, from his 2015 albumComing Home.[6][7]
The song was met with highly positive reviews and is generally considered one of the best songs fromVultures 2, an otherwise negatively received album.[8][9] Michael Saponara ofBillboard ranked "River" as the seventh best song onVultures 2. He wrote "While calling for Young Thug's freedom – as he opens 'River' with a silky verse – the inspiring track gives fans a holy bath, and looks to purify Ye and Ty's souls with help from Leon Bridges and Uncle Charlie Wilson."[10] Mosi Reeves fromRolling Stone wrote, "[Ty Dolla Sign's] intentions don't seem as fraught — or as impactful — as Ye, or guest stars like Young Thug, the now-imprisoned ATL innovator who appears on 'River.' Given Thugger's never-ending racketeering trial, his claim that he has 'too much money to be in the streets' feels sadly ironic."[11] Sam Moore fromHipHopDX wrote, "...'River,' which heavily interpolates the Leon Bridges track of the same name, should have been a pillar that the album was built around."[9] Gabriel Nevares fromHotNewHipHop wrote, "Yet no one stands out the way that guests did on albums likeDonda because of how rickety the foundations for their appearances are. One definite exception is 'River,' with progressive production and a charismatic Young Thug verse that (if only for its inclusion) speaks to Kanye's themes of freedom and justice on the track. Ye's passionate vocal performance and lyricism are a rare highlight here, and Ty Dolla Sign leads the outro with heavenly vocals."[8] Paul Attard fromSlant Magazine wrote, "'River' transforms a fairly pedestrian Leon Bridges song into a touching and triumphant plea for freedom on behalf of both Larry Hoover and Young Thug, with a sleek Thugger feature tacked onto the start for good measure."[12]
Credits adapted from Tidal.[13]
| Chart (2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| USBubbling Under Hot 100 (Billboard)[14] | 11 |
| USHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[15] | 32 |
