Facts

Album: The Life of Pablo (2015)
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Songfacts®:

  • Ever since Kanye West signed to Adidas in late 2013, his shoes have outperformed those released by his former employer Nike. Kanye West indulges in some chest-puffing on this track as he raps at length about his Adidas Yeezy Boost sneaker collection and spits some lyrical shots at Nike:

    I ain't dropped an album but those shoes went platinum.
  • The Metro Boomin and Southside-produced beat is clearly inspired by the one that Metro Boomin did for Drake and Future's celebration of Nike's Air Jordan shoes "Jumpman." Drake previously referenced Michael Jordan's clothing brand logo on his "Yeezy just jumped over Jumpman," bar from "New God Flow."
  • West dropped the track on his Soundcloud page just before midnight on New Year's Eve 2015. He adds some celebrity names to the mix in the second verse that had recently been in the news including Steve Harvey Miss Universe reference and a mention of the Bill Cosby sexual assault accusations. The rapper also gives some love to Kim Kardashian's app Kimoji, which was so popular it caused Apple's App store to crash, and he confirms his interest in running for president: "2020, I'ma run the whole election."
  • West ends the song with a shout-out to Timbuck2, who passed away of cancer on December 19, 2015 aged 34. The late Chicago radio personality had toured with Kanye.
  • This was the second straight year that West rung in the New Year by debuting a song. Late on December 31, 2014 he dropped the Paul McCartney-assisted lullaby "Only One."
  • The release was the first of a series of "Good Friday" weekly free music giveaways, launched in support of West's upcoming Swish album. The rapper's previous GOOD Fridays series ran for a few months in 2010 to promote his My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy record.
  • Many assumed that the shot aimed at Nike was also a dig at Michael Jordan, especially as West also states "Yeezy jumped over the Jumpman." However, this is not how Ye wants it interpreted. The rap star tweeted an apology to the basketball legend, noting that he "loves and respects" Jordan, adding that his beef was with Nike CEO Mark Parker.
  • An alternative version, produced by G.O.O.D. Music signee Charlie Heat, was included on The Life of Pablo album.
  • The intro and outro of the Charlie Heat Version samples of "Dirt and Grime" performed by Father's Children. It is a track from their 1989 album Who's Gonna Save the World.
  • Drake is listed on the song's credits due to its interpolation of the rapper's collaboration with Future, "Jumpman."
  • I'ma run the whole election, yah!

    Four and a half years after stating his intention on this song to run for the Oval Office, West announced on July 4, 2020 that he would indeed run in the 2020 presidential election. The rapper detailed that he would run under the Birthday Party because "when we win, it's everybody's birthday."

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