"City of Gods" is a song by Fivio Foreign, Kanye West, and Alicia Keys, that was released as a single on February 11, 2022.[1] The track also features ad-libs from Playboi Carti. It was later rereleased as the fourteenth track from Kanye's demo studio album, Donda 2, and the fourth track from Fivio's debut studio album, B.I.B.L.E..
The single is Ye's third release of 2022 following "Eazy" and "Diet Coke", the latter released just three days prior to this single. A music video was released one week after the song's release.
Production[]
The song heavily interpolates The Chainsmokers' 2015 song, "New York City".[2][3] In earlier versions of the song, it directly sampled The Chainsmokers' song.
Background[]
Earlier the same year, Ye and The Game linked up for the joint single "Eazy" which released on January 14. Just three days before the release of "City of Gods," Pusha T released his single titled "Diet Coke" which features production from Kanye West and Mike Dean.
The song comes after Ye's divorce with Kim Kardashian and during his ex-wife's relationship with Pete Davidson, who is not only dissed in this song but also in his previous single "Eazy."
Earlier in the same month of the song's release, Ye took shots at his ex's family for restricting access to his children and for allowing his daughter North to have a TikTok account. Just hours before the song's release, he also took shots at Billie Eilish for an alleged diss toward his colleague Travis Scott. He also announced Travis will appear at Coachella 2022 with him even though Travis was allegedly replaced due to the controversy around the fatal 2021 crowd crush at his Astroworld festival.[4]
Like "Eazy," the song was played on Hot 97 just hours before proper release.
Regarding Donda 2, it was listed on the February 4 track list for the album but removed on the initial February 18 edition before being added later on in the day.
In an interview with Apple Music, Fivio revealed that Ye wanted Jay-Z to be on the song, but Jay was too busy, so they got Alicia Keys instead.[5]
Cover art[]
The cover art for the single features a black statue of TDott Woo doing the iconic Woo Walk. Eleven days before the single released on February 1, TDott was shot and killed in Brooklyn.[6] Fivio dedicated the track to TDott, paying homage to him in a statement made with the release of the track.[7]
Music video[]
Fivio Foreign announced the music video for the song less than an hour before its premiere on YouTube on February 18. All three artists appear in the black-and-white video, which also has a tribute to the late T Dott at the end.[8]
Lyrics[]
[Chorus]
New York City, please go easy on me tonight
New York City, please go easy on this heart of mine (What?)
[Verse 1]
Yeah, look, huh, n***a, this my shit
Welcome to the city of Gods (What?)
Pop was the king of New York, now I'm the n***a in charge
Only the drillers, the city is ours
We found out the opps and we pick 'em apart
I give 'em my time so I give 'em my heart
If the city love me, then I'm really a star (What?)
[Chorus]
New York City, please go easy on me tonight
New York City, please go easy on this heart of mine
'Cause I'm losing my lover to the arms of another
New York City, please go easy on me
[Verse 2]
Yeah, look, this is the city of money and violence
Everything we do is gon' come with a challenge
Every bitch you fuck is gon' come with a balance (What?)
Every shooter with me is coming in silence (What?)
And you n***as better pick a side (Better pick a side)
You n***as side hoppin' (You n***as side hoppin')
If I want 'em to not let you come into the city, it's my option (Baow)
This is the home of the fly shoppin' (Yeah)
This where the bitches gon' watch pockets (Yeah)
When I'm on TV, I gotta look good
'Cause I know the whole block watchin'
If you chill with the opps, we is not vibing
If I see 'em in person, we Fox 5 'em
Yeah, the police is on us, we not stoppin'
(Yeah, the police is on us, we not stoppin', nah)
This is the town of the big drip (Big drip), smooth talk (Smooth talk, ha)
Milly Rock (Milly Rock), Shmoney Dance (Shmoney Dance), Woo Walk (Woo)
You will not survive being too soft (No)
Been a long time, we took a new loss (No)
Shooters shootin' 'til we got a new corpse (Baow)
If we stop then we lettin' it cool off (Baow, boom)
[Chorus]
New York City, please go easy on me tonight
New York City, please go easy on this heart of mine
'Cause I'm losing my lover to the arms of another
New York City, please go easy on me
[Verse 3]
We went off the grid (What?)
We ain't watch the throne, we took it
We went viral on 'em, they lookin'
It's a Sunday Service in Brooklyn (What?)
It's the city that come with the lights
I'm with the drillers that come with the night
They ain't do four years in college, but they'll do twenty-five to life
We make money every night (What?)
Never too big of a price (What?)
After I buy the Chicago Bulls (What?), I'ma go and link with Mike (What?)
And if I let 'em have my wife, n***as should thank me
With this Balenciaga and Balenci' boots and a new blue Yankee
This is Ye, I'm so focused, throw on a mask, no COVID
I'ma turn your life to a meme, let Justin LaBoy post it
You got a album? Postpone it
I drop two and they both going
I got a feeling they in they feelings
They filmin' a show, but won't show it
You gotta watch me in slow motion, I'm in that wide-body Benz
I go back to college, do an album, and then drop out again
Took me a minute to get here, my vision is crystal clear
Ayy, Fivi', excuse me, but this the feature of the year
I feel like Sinatra in these streets, me and Drizzy, we at peace
This the backpack with the Polo and the first Jesus piece
I'm from the Chi' but I'm always New York
In the city, they treat me like Jesus is walkin'
I been through the pain and all of the torment
I'm sayin' His name, I make that important (What?)
Now it's time to give 'em hell
Ask my staff, I pay 'em well
This afternoon, a hundred goons pullin' up to SNL (What?)
When I pull up, it's dead on arrival
They act like they love you, they don't even like you
They throw a party, won't even invite you
I seen the same thing happen to Michael
When you black and you rich, they sayin' you psycho (What?)
It's like a cycle
If you text me anything hype, you better text back and say it's a typo
The city of Gods, no city is like you
This the new New York, Ye is the GOAT
Fivi' is viral and this is the B.I.B.L.E (What?)
[Chorus]
New York City, please go easy on me tonight (What the fuck? The fuck?)
(What the fuck?) New York City, please go easy on this heart of mine
'Cause I'm losing my lover to the arms of another
New York City, please go easy on me
[Outro]
Don't leave me, go easy, go easy, go easy
Don't leave me, go easy, go easy, go easy
Don't leave me, go easy, go easy, go easy
New York City, please go easy on me
References[]
- ↑ https://www.rap-up.com/2022/02/10/kanye-west-alicia-keys-fivio-foreign-city-of-gods/
- ↑ https://genius.com/Fivio-foreign-city-of-gods-lyrics
- ↑ https://www.whosampled.com/Fivio-Foreign/City-of-Gods/
- ↑ https://variety.com/2022/music/news/kanye-west-billie-eilish-travis-scott-coachella-1235177896/
- ↑ https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/fivio-foreign-jay-z-city-of-gods-kanye-west-1235059580/
- ↑ https://nypost.com/2022/02/03/nyc-rapper-tdott-woo-fatally-shot-in-brooklyn-after-signing-with-record-label/
- ↑ https://pitchfork.com/news/fivio-foreign-joined-by-kanye-alicia-keys-on-new-song-city-of-gods-listen/
- ↑ https://www.instagram.com/tv/CaIVtB5JCfR/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
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