"MAINTENANCE" is a released song by Kanye West that was met with a release on his 2025 album DONDA 2 under the name "DONDA".[1] The song features production from Ojivolta, Digital Nas and John Cunningham.
The song's lyrics are directed to Kanye's now ex-wife Kim Kardashian.
Background[]
In 2021, amidst the DONDA: WITH CHILD sessions, the song had originally belonged to Future and was a throwaway song created during the creation of his album "I NEVER LOVED YOU" called "Still Won't Be Satisfied."[2] The song was for the most part mumble singing on Future's behalf with few understandable lines.[3]
During the creation of Donda 2, Future, who was one of the executive producers for the record have given the song to Kanye West for his record, initially called "Sky High" and featuring a very different Ojivolta produced beat.[4] Around the 5th version of the song dated February 7th, Future's vocals were incorporated and the beat began to resemble final versions of the song.[5]
On the 6th version of the song dated February 11th, Yung Lean had recorded a short reference track over the new beat.[6] Nothing about Lean's verse connects with the theme of Kanye's verses, so it may be possible that he had been intended for the song at some point in time.
The song would undergo several production changes from MIKE DEAN, Beach House, Wheezy and several others before the release date for Donda 2 came around. Maintenance was one of the many intended songs for the album that was left off. The song would continue to be worked on well into March and was most likely reconsidered for the March-April rerelease of Donda 2.[7] However, this never happened and the album had instead been shelved for three years.
Upon requests from fans, the song was brought back in 2025 by Digital Nas for the 2025 rerelease of DONDA 2, initially asking for people to send in drums for the song as the version they had been working with featured no drums.[8] Among these people, John Cunningham was one of them.[9] A snippet of the new song was shared the day of release just hours before its release. The song would officially be released on April 29th, though without the new drums and with Future and the first verse cut out completely.[1]
Lyrics[]
[Chorus: Kanye West]
I know your maintenance so high, high
High, high, sky high
And that rent is sky high
Penthouse suite, sky high, sky high
(Tell 'em)
[Verse: Kanye West]
I don't got a price
I don't got a price tag
I just tried out a nice bag
God just threw me a life raft
I've been living my life best
Step in the moment, you right there
And you not alone, you right back
Had to teach you how to fight back
Everybody not gon' like that
Overstaying with your life back
Get some real friends in your life back
People was givin' advice back
Tell 'em to take that advice back
Throw it away with they iPad
Broke a few bones on assignment
But you came home with a signed cast
Everything heals when the time pass
[Break: Kanye West]
A moment of time
This is just, a moment of time
[Chorus: Kanye West]
I know your maintenance so high, high
High, high, sky high
And that rent is sky high
Penthouse suite, sky high, sky high
I know your maintenance so high, high
High, high, sky high
And that rent is sky high
Penthouse suite, sky high, sky high
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://open.spotify.com/track/6OKn82CVhj0QlwpqX22PTN?si=be21140e99384b17
- ↑ https://pillowcase.su/f/3b57d4771c52ca07a455feea0a9f0357
- ↑ https://pillowcase.su/f/f197840f772112751b18de87f293a5ef
- ↑ https://pillowcase.su/f/661f5519ec0cafcf22111bde606a20e9
- ↑ https://krakenfiles.com/view/9Hv5S3FI5r/file.html
- ↑ https://pillowcase.su/f/a7c1c46bfdfed89c4b9a53bff9b0143b
- ↑ https://pillowcase.su/f/537f09009f4f8d2c15674983de60f6bd
- ↑ https://x.com/DIGITALNASS/status/1917344091228012795
- ↑ https://x.com/cunningham___/status/1917349634894070058
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