| "Guilt Trip" | |
|---|---|
| Song byKanye West | |
| from the albumYeezus | |
| Released | June 18, 2013 |
| Recorded | 2013 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 4:03 |
| Label | |
| Songwriters | |
| Producers |
|
"Guilt Trip" is a song by Americanhip hop recording artistKanye West, from his sixth studio albumYeezus (2013). It was produced by West,Mike Dean,S1, with an additional production credit forTravis Scott and Ackeejuice Rockers for the samples of "Chief Rocka" byLords of the Underground and "Blocka" byPusha T featuringPopcaan andTravis Scott. The song's lyrics deal with looking back at a failed relationship, similar to fellowYeezus track "Blood on the Leaves". West provides his vocals through rapping and singing through anAuto-Tune processor, reminiscent of his 2008 album808s & Heartbreak. The song includes vocals from rapperKid Cudi, who later expressed negative opinions about his feature due to his vocals being recorded years prior.
Since release, "Guilt Trip" has received positive reviews from music critics, with multiple commenting on its melodic sound. The song charted at number 2 on the USBillboardBubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. West performed the song live onThe Yeezus Tour in 2013.
In October 2014, producerS1 revealed that he created the earliest version of the beat during sessions for West's collaboration albumWatch the Throne (2011) withJay-Z, who revealed that the song was originally intended for that album; a version exists with an unfinished verse by Jay-Z.[1][2] After being passed on for that album, West revisited the song during theYeezus sessions, reworking it with S1 andMike Dean, and adding it to the final tracklist forYeezus.[1] West andKid Cudi had collaborated on numerous tracks in the past, including the former's "Welcome to Heartbreak" and the latter's "Erase Me".[3]
West began to useAuto-Tune on a regular basis with the release of his album808s & Heartbreak in 2008.[4] It eventually came to define the sound of West's music, with him using his own voice as an "instrument."[4] The song's combining ofhip hop withexperimental music focuses on lyrics as being of a lesser importance, which West later did again in his 2016 single "Fade".[4]
"Guilt Trip" is a hip hop song that includes elements of experimental music in its instrumentation.[4] The song, like other tracks onYeezus, sees West looking back at a failed relationship; he delivers his vocals through both rapping and singing through an Auto-Tune processor, similar to his album808s & Heartbreak.[5][6] He delivers only one verse using the same rhyme scheme for over half of it, during which he namechecks several cultural references, including Jamaicandancehall musicianShabba Ranks, the song "Chief Rocka" by hip hop trioLords of the Underground (of which the song also samples),[7] andStar Wars characterChewbacca.[6] On top of "Chief Rocka", the song also contains a sample of "Blocka" by rapperPusha T featuringPopcaan andTravis Scott.[7] The song's outro is sung by Kid Cudi, who asks the question, "If you loved me so much, then why'd you let me go?"[6][8] West's reference to Chewbacca is one of numerous times theStar Wars franchise has been referenced in music.[9]
"Guilt Trip" was released on June 18, 2013, as the eighth track on West's sixth studio albumYeezus.[10] The song received positive reviews from music critics, with the melodic sound garnering praise.[11][6] The melody at the end of the song was described byLou Reed, formerly ofthe Velvet Underground, as "so beautiful, it makes me so emotional, it brings tears to my eyes."[11] When comparing the track to "Blood on the Leaves", the staff ofPopdust described it as being "even closer to the 'Say You Will' or 'See You in My Nightmares' feel of [West's]808s & Heartbreak LP."[6] The site also praised West's verse and Kid Cudi's cameo, calling it "well-placed," concluding: "'Blood on the Leaves' might have the showier setup, but in the end, "Guilt Trip" is arguably the more moving song."[6] The staff ofBillboard looked at the track's position on the album as "a brief thumper with Kanye once again looking back at a failed relationship" and claimed for his vocals to be "delivered as a hybrid of raps and singing."[5]
In an interview withComplex in February 2014, Kid Cudi revealed he had negative feelings about his feature, due to the vocals being a few years old.[12][13] He also revealed West never told him he was going to be on the song; he found out viaTwitter.[12][14] He ultimately stated he felt "underused" onYeezus and wished he wasn't on the song, due to him not being present at the recording sessions.[12] Despite Kid Cudi's negative feelings toward his appearance, Charles Holmes ofComplex placed the song at number two on the magazine's list of the best collaborations between West and Kid Cudi in August 2017, behind the 2010 song "Gorgeous".[15] Holmes felt that the song "perfected" what the duo introduced on West's 2008 album808s & Heartbreak – "an entire sub-genre of rap with their melodic and heartfelt lyrics."[15] Holmes ultimately felt Kid Cudi wasn't underused, writing: "If time has taught us anything it is that in Kanye's hand 50 seconds of Cudi hums and melodic ruminations speak more than some artist's entire careers."[15]
On the week of July 6, 2013, "Guilt Trip" peaked at number 2 on the USBillboardBubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, remaining on it for a total of two weeks.[16] The same week, it peaked at number 39 on the USBillboardOn-Demand Songs chart.[17][18]
The song was performed live by West during the first concert ofThe Yeezus Tour atSeattle'sKeyArena in October 2013.[19] The next month, West performed it at the first concert inNew York City on the tour at theBarclays Center.[20] In December 2013, he delivered a live performance of "Guilt Trip" at theNew Orleans Arena as part of The Yeezus Tour.[21] During the performance, anonymous female figures wearing robes braided themselves around him.[21] The figures were also involved with West's performance of "I Am a God" during the concert, holding him aloft.[21] In 2016, Kid Cudi performed his verse atCoachella, which he stated in 2017 would be his last time.
Credits adapted from theYeezus liner notes.[22]
| Chart (2013) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| USBubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[16] | 2 |
| USOn-Demand Songs (Billboard)[17] | 39 |
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