Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Kanye West Releases Kendrick Lamar Collaboration, 'No More Parties In L.A.'
Yeezy preaches in Los Angeles, September 2015. (Jonathan Leibson/Getty Images)
()
At around 4 a.m. this morning, Kanye West tweeted out a Soundcloud link to his first full collaboration with Kendrick Lamar:
Though Kanye and K-Dot have worked together before—Lamar has a writing credit on West’s track “All Day,” released last year—“No More Parties In L.A.” is the first time the two artists have been heard rapping rhymes on the same track.
West released the song early Monday as a continuation of West's #EveryFriday series, where the artist releases new music every Friday to build buzz around his upcoming release Swish. West released Real Friends on January 8th, the first of the songs revealed as a part of the Friday series.
Support for LAist comes from
Kim Kardashian West tweeted her apologies about the late release on Friday, apparently Mr. West was in Italy:
I soooo didn't mean to lie to you guys about GOOD FRIDAYS coming back. Kanye flew to Italy for a Yezzy Season 3 fitting.
— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) January 17, 2016
The track itself sprawls across six minutes of a subdued yet sprightly beat, alternating between West and Lamar preaching the ills of stardom, among other things. Lamar's 2015 masterpiece album "To Pimp A Butterfly" works through Lamar's own challenges reconciling a past spent growing up in the inner-city, with the sudden wealth and well-being of being an A-list rapper.
In this respect, West’s message doesn’t sound all that different from Lamar’s. While West raps about many things in the track, he consistently returns to images of international fame and the lifestyle associated with that sort of stardom. The track is, in some ways, an attempt by the rapper to make peace between Kanye West the superstar and Kanye West the father. Kanye West the father can't stay out partying until 4 a.m. any longer, because Baby North needs to be fed at 7.
It's punchy track that underscores how despite the wealth and fame idols possess, they're fundamentally just as human as you and I.
West's Swish will be released on February 11th.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity. -
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
Monarch butterflies are on a path to extinction, but there is a way to support them — and maybe see them in your own yard — by planting milkweed.
-
With California voters facing a decision on redistricting this November, Surf City is poised to join the brewing battle over Congressional voting districts.
-
The drug dealer, the last of five defendants to plead guilty to federal charges linked to the 'Friends' actor’s death, will face a maximum sentence of 65 years in prison.
-
The weather’s been a little different lately, with humidity, isolated rain and wind gusts throughout much of Southern California. What’s causing the late-summer bout of gray?
Best of LAist