"LOUIE BAGS" is a song by Kanye West that was released as the fourteenth track to his eleventh solo studio album under the name "DONDA", DONDA 2, on April 29, 2025.[1] The song features Jack Harlow, who, just days prior to the album's release on February 24th, received a co-sign from Ye on Instagram for his single "Nail Tech."[2][1]
The song was initially released on February 24th, 2022 as a part of the Stem Player copy of the album, serving as the ninth track on that copy. The song features production from Digital Nas, Kid Krono, and Gavin Hadley. In the song, Kanye pays respects to his dead friend Virgil Abloh, who he ironically dissed beyond the grave just months before this song's streaming release.
Production[]
The vocals, "We did it, we did it, Joe!", are sampled from a video of Kamala Harris calling Joe Biden over the phone to celebrate their election victory in November 2020.[3]
Background[]
The song dates back from the pre-Yandhi sessions, the song originally being an untitled XXXTENTACION song produced by John Cunningham that would later be reused on the fourth version of the song used for Donda 2.[4] Ultimately, the X vocals were cut from the final version of the song.
The song has 16 known versions, all recorded between January-February 2022 (Excluding the base XXXTENTACION song that was recorded in 2018) and has reference tracks done by The Game[5] and Albe Back with a scrapped spoken word intro from Albe's daughter Kaity.[6] Gunna made an Instagram post with the line not before the album's release, although whether he had any contribution to the song is unknown.
The song's chorus contains the lyric "I stopped buying Louis bags after Virgil passed," referring to the passing of the fashion designer Virgil Abloh in November 2021 following Abloh's battle with cancer.[7] Kanye himself and Virgil were both close friends, Abloh having helped Ye work on the creative direction for My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and Watch The Throne which Abloh also created cover art for.
The song would be brought back in 2025 for the DONDA 2 streaming release. The track was initially scrapped and was not going to appear on the album, likely as a result of Ye's ongoing feud beyond the grave with Virgil Abloh, though made it to initial release on April 29, 2025.[8] The song was incorrectly entitled "LOUIE BAG" on initial release and was later updated with an "S" added at the end as it was intended to be the following day.
Given Kanye's stance on Virgil as of 2025 indicated by his song "VIRGIL LET ME DOWN", it's very unclear on if he has any intent on recording a finished take. It has been speculated that the final version of the song will instead feature an unheard Fat Money AI vocal reference instead as filenames to references for "LOUIE BAGS" from Fat Money have been spotted during one of Digital Nas' streams for the album.[9] The updated version of the song with proper mixing would release on May 1st with two new AI Fat Money verses, different drums and proper mixing on the snares.[10]
Lyrics[]
[Chorus: Kanye West & Kamala Harris]
(We did it, we did it, Joe!)
I stopped buying Louis bags after Virgil passed
I stopped buying Louis bags after Virgil passed
I stopped buying Louis bags after Virgil passed
I stopped buying Louis bags after Virgil passed
I'm in the Louis store with a Gucci mask
I'm in the Louis store with a Gucci mask
I'm in the Louis store with a Gucci mask
I stopped buying Louis bags after Virgil passed
[Verse 1: Kanye West]
If we ain't doin' business, it won't be no business
If we ain't doin' business, it won't be no business
If we ain't doin' business, it won't be no business
If we ain't doin' business, it won't be no business
Pick it, Donda son, I'll take it, mmh
Pick another one and let it, mmh
Find another one and let it, mmh
Fine life and I could've—, mmh
I'm not gonna lie, I couldn't move
Couldn't even if I wanted to
Couldn't scare me if it haunted you
I'ma do what I wanna do
What you look like in that nasty Louis bag?
Remember I examined, I did too
What you look like in that nasty Louis bag?
We stopped buying Louis bags after Virgil passed
[Chorus: Kanye West]
I stopped buying Louis bags after Virgil passed
I stopped buying Louis bags after Virgil passed
I stopped buying Louis bags after Virgil passed
I stopped buying Louis bags after Virgil passed
I stopped buying Louis bags after Virgil passed
I stopped buying Louis bags after Virgil passed
What you look like in that nasty Louis bag?
We stopped buying Louis bags after Virgil passed
I stopped buying Louis bags after Virgil passed
I stopped buying Louis bags after Virgil passed
What you look like in that nasty Louis bag?
We stopped buying Louis bags after Virgil passed
(We did it, we did it, Joe!) Ayy
[Verse 2: Jack Harlow]
I'm my lil' cousin's favorite cousin
I gave 'em all my number and my phone ain't stopped buzzin'
They listen to my songs and say their parents hate the cussin'
They asked if I was nervous on TV or if I wasn't
They asked me if it's true that I don't go to church
"My daddy said you don't," well, then I guess you know
I been thinkin' about goin', though, I might let you know
One day, I'll bring you to my concert if they let you go
Pumpin' gas alone at Texaco
Hopin' I don't get approached
Don't know if it's clear until I check the coast
All these rappers dyin', I don't wan' be one that's next to go
Paranoia tickin' in my head just like a metronome
I can't walk around like Jack that wore the spectacles
I shook the hands, took the pictures, made myself accessible
Threw the parties, showed love, kept it all respectable
Tried to give you something you ain't had before but
It's all over, they got the drop on my life, it's all over
All this pressure on me, they'd wish I'd fall over
Too bad I'm a winner like fall over
I dropped, uh, heat in February
Cocky tweets in February
All-Star weekend with the court-side seats in February
I'm the champ', you come second like the E in February
All that humble **** was fake, now, can we keep it legendary?
Please
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://genius.com/Kanye-west-louie-bags-lyrics
- ↑ https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/kanye-west-jack-harlow-top-5-rapper-1235033887/
- ↑ https://www.whosampled.com/Kanye-West/Louie-Bags/
- ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/ThroughTheWire/comments/11k23n3/fresh_snippet_louie_bags_ft_xxxtentacion/
- ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/GoodAssSub/comments/16wpzgy/fresh_leak_louis_bag_ref_the_game_ftjack_harlow/
- ↑ https://krakenfiles.com/view/n47FMJ6n6n/file.html
- ↑ https://genius.com/25204775
- ↑ https://open.spotify.com/track/3vPy49voZ3KDaAefxkI8RY?si=b48ecff3be004c49
- ↑ https://x.com/yeunrlsd/status/1917624450293657661
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4Uv0b2SEPU&list=OLAK5uy_n-gdyC6yvWSNc3Gi_vQyrgyTlNppWUsGE&index=16
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