Ok Ok
by Kanye West (featuring Lil Yachty)

Album: Donda (2021)
Charted: 12
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Kanye West is not OK. He feels betrayed by onetime friends, especially Drake; the pair fell out after the Toronto MC accused the Chicago-bred rap legend of revealing he fathered a secret child, Adonis, and released the diss track "Duppy Freestyle." Drake has continued to take shots at West, and during his feature on Trippie Redd's August 2021 cut "Betrayal," he accused the Chi-legend of being "burned out." Kanye responds with some jabs at his rival during this song's first verse.

    See me in person, I look like a ghost
    You wanna come in and play with the G.O.A.T.


    The word "duppy" is Jamaican patois for "ghost."

    Ye is also parroting Drake's own lyrics from his "Behind Barz" track where Drizzy criticized Kanye for appearing more focused on fashion than music. On that song Drake rapped:

    Seen 'em in person, I'm seein' a ghost
  • Atlanta rapper Lil Yachty and Chicago native Rooga contribute guest verses. They both keep to the track's theme of calling out fake friends and detractors.
  • The song marks the first officially released collaboration between Lil Yachty and Kanye West. The pair did record music together in 2016 during the sessions for Kanye's scrapped album TurboGrafx16, when he wasn't yet a known commodity. Lil Yachty also made his debut as a model in February 2016, modeling Kanye's Yeezy Season 3 during The Life of Pablo's Madison Square Garden listening party.
  • Rooga made one other contribution to Donda when Kanye interpolated his "Angel Or Demon" track for "Jesus Is Lord."
  • Brooklyn rapper Fivio Foreign contributes ad-libs to the track's first verse and chorus. He also laid down a verse on the Donda track "Off The Grid."
  • Though this is one of the least-religious tracks on Donda, Kanye wraps up the song by explaining he just needed to get things off his chest and he is OK. He concludes by advising the fakes and detractors to "Find God 'fore it's too late."
  • West produced the track with Boi-1da. Considering the track's fake friends subject matter this is ironic on two grounds:

    The Toronto-based beatmaker is an in-house producer for Drake's OVO Sound label.

    Boi-1da previously worked with Kanye on his The Life of Pablo track "Real Friends."
  • West also included a remixed version on Donda. "Ok Ok, Pt. 2" includes a verse by dancehall star Shenseea replacing the one by Lil Yachty.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Sarah Brightman

Sarah BrightmanSongwriter Interviews

One of the most popular classical vocalists in the land is lining up a trip to space, which is the inspiration for many of her songs.

George Harrison

George HarrisonFact or Fiction

Did Eric Clapton really steal George's wife? What's the George Harrison-Monty Python connection? Set the record straight with our Fact or Fiction quiz.

Rick Astley

Rick AstleySongwriter Interviews

Rick Astley on "Never Gonna Give You Up," "Cry For Help," and his remarkable resurgence that gave him another #1 UK album.

Deconstructing Doors Songs With The Author Of The Doors Examined

Deconstructing Doors Songs With The Author Of The Doors ExaminedSong Writing

Doors expert Jim Cherry, author of The Doors Examined, talks about some of their defining songs and exposes some Jim Morrison myths.

Kip Winger

Kip WingerSongwriter Interviews

The Winger frontman reveals the Led Zeppelin song he cribbed for "Seventeen," and explains how his passion for orchestra music informs his songwriting.

Philip Cody

Philip CodySongwriter Interviews

A talented lyricist, Philip helped revive Neil Sedaka's career with the words to "Laughter In The Rain" and "Bad Blood."