| "New God Flow" | ||||
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| Single byKanye West andPusha T | ||||
| from the albumCruel Summer | ||||
| Released | July 21, 2012 (2012-07-21) | |||
| Recorded | 2012 | |||
| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 4:55(single version) 5:57(album version) | |||
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| Pusha T singles chronology | ||||
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| Kanye West singles chronology | ||||
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| GOOD Music singles chronology | ||||
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"New God Flow" is a song by American rappersKanye West andPusha T. It was released as the third single from thecompilation albumCruel Summer (2012), a collaboration between members of their record labelGOOD Music. It was released as the album's third single on the 21st of July, 2012. Produced by West,Anthony Kilhoffer and Boogz & Tapez, "New God Flow", which is a hip hop song, incorporates numeroussamples into its arrangement.
It features lines by Pusha T directed at American rapper and record producerBirdman. American rapperGhostface Killah, whose song "Mighty Healthy" is prominently sampled in the song, is featured on an alternate version entitled "New God Flow.1" that appears onCruel Summer. West and Pusha T performed "New God Flow" on several occasions, including the2012 BET Awards andJay-Z'sMade in America Festival. The song was awarded Best Beat at theXXL Awards.
The song's hook is made from a vocalsample of "Mighty Healthy" as performed byGhostface Killah, which was also later sampled byMadlib in Kanye's 2016Kendrick Lamar-featured single "No More Parties in LA" from his albumThe Life of Pablo.[1][2] On the album version, there is a verse by theWu-Tang Clan member (who is sampled on the original version) replacing Kanye West's GOOD Music chant.[3] The main sample used in the song is a piano riff fromMarcos Valle's "Bodas De Sangue", from his 1971 albumVento Sul.[1] The drum break in the track is sampled from "Synthetic Substitution" by Melvin Bliss. In the outro, Kanye references the "I don't know, but I've been told" military cadence.[4]
Pusha T confirmed in October 2012 that within the song, he was responding to a Birdman interview where the rapper dissed GOOD Music.[5] West raps the pair of lines: "Hold up, I ain't tryna stunt, man/But the Yeezys jumped over the Jumpman", referencing the popularity of hisNike Air Yeezy shoes in comparison to that of theAir Jordan brand.[6] The second line was span in his 2015 promotional single "Facts" to: "Yeezy, Yeezy, Yeezy just jumped over Jumpman".[7]
On June 27, 2012, West's website was updated for the cover art for "New God Flow".[8] The artwork is styled in black and red, revealing track info and key participants.[9] The cover art is nearly identical to that of the GOOD Music single "Mercy" that was released earlier in 2012.[9]
In comparison to the live performance of it at the2012 BET Awards, Nathan Reese ofRefinery29 viewed the song as what "manages a similarly intense effect, letting Pusha T and Kanye West maintain all the anger and vulnerability they showed at that show".[10]Complex listed the song at #34 on their list of the 50 best songs of 2012.[11] At theXXL Awards in 2013, "New God Flow" won the award for Best Beat.[12]
At the 2012 BET Awards, Kanye West,Big Sean, Pusha T and2 Chainz performed their hit single "Mercy", followed by West delivering a solo performance of his single "Cold" and then an a cappella version of his verse on "New God Flow", marking the very first preview of the song.[13]
On July 7, 2012, Kanye West performed "New God Flow" alongside Pusha T as the first performance together of the song in Atlantic City, New Jersey.[14] On September 1, 2012, Kanye West & Pusha T performed "New God Flow" during their surprise G.O.O.D. Music set at Jay-Z'sMade In America Festival, accompanied by Big Sean. The set also included performances of "I Don't Like (Remix)", "Can't Tell Me Nothing" & "Dance (A$$)".[15]
Upon its release, "New God Flow" charted at number 66 on theCanadian Hot 100,.[16] The song also peaked at number 89 on the USBillboard Hot 100,[17] and performed its best on theHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, peaking at number 43.
| Chart (2012) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[18] | 66 |
| USBillboard Hot 100[19] | 89 |
| USHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[20] | 43 |
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