City of Gods

"City of Gods" is a song by American rappers Fivio Foreign and Kanye West and American singer Alicia Keys. It was released as the lead single from Fivio's debut studio album B.I.B.L.E. and the second single from West's album, Donda 2. On the song, American rapper Playboi Carti provides ad-libs, while Keys interpolates the chorus from "New York City" (2015) by The Chainsmokers. The track was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America, indicating 500,000 units recorded in the US and was nominated at the 54th NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Hip Hop/Rap Song.[3]

"City of Gods"
Single by Fivio Foreign, Kanye West, and Alicia Keys
from the album B.I.B.L.E. and Donda 2
ReleasedFebruary 11, 2022
GenreDrill[1][2]
Length4:16
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Fivio Foreign singles chronology
"Off the Grid"
(2021)		 "City of Gods"
(2022)		 "Magic City"
(2022)
Kanye West singles chronology
"Eazy"
(2022)		 "City of Gods"
(2022)		 "Keep It Burnin"
(2022)
Alicia Keys singles chronology
"Best of Me"
(2021)		 "City of Gods"
(2022)		 "City of Gods (Part II)"
(2022)

Background

West and Fivio first worked together for the song "Off the Grid" (with Playboi Carti, who provides ad-libs on this song), released on West's album Donda in 2021.[4] The collaboration came together after West called Fivio Foreign to record in Mercedes Benz Stadium the night before the listening event for Donda.[5] According to Fivio Foreign, West praised the verse the rapper recorded for "Off the Grid", lauding his similarity to his frequent collaborator, Jay-Z. West was also was adamant on getting Jay-Z himself to perform on "City of Gods", however plans for this never materialized for reasons unknown.[6][7]

Before Donda released, Fivio Foreign told his fans on Twitter that West was executive producing and performing on his upcoming album B.I.B.L.E.[8] On February 5, 2022, Fivio Foreign tweeted "I ain't gon lie, Ye gave me the feature of the Yr.. He was talking 2 crazy on that verse" [sic]".[9]

When Fivio Foreign first got the beat for "City of Gods", it featured a sample of the 2015 track "New York City" by The Chainsmokers. When playing it for West, he said "Yo, I see something with this song" and asked Fivio to send the beat so he could change it around.[10] One of the changes West made was taking out the sample and getting Keys to sing the vocals instead.[10] Originally Fivio was rapping "Ain't no king of New York, nobody really in charge", and when he played it for West, he said "You gotta say you're the king of New York". Fivio Foreign then suggested that he should rap " Pop was the king of New York, now I'm the one that's in charge" (thereby paying tribute to late drill rapper Pop Smoke) which West responded to by saying "Yo that's even better!".[10]

The song is dedicated to late rapper, friend of Fivio Foreign and longtime collaborator TDott Woo, who was shot and killed a week before the release of the song. In a statement put up with the release of the song, Fivio said "T Dot. That's my baby boy. I never thought I'd be doing this without you here with me. You supposed to be here with me but you gon' always be the prince in the City of Gods. Your name will forever live through with me. Long Live Prince T Dot."[11]

Critics reception

The song has been compared to the collaboration Empire State of Mind (2009) by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, in addition to the release of the second version that references in its title Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down, featured on Keys' album The Element of Freedom.[12][13][14]

Complex's writers have associated the song with both Empire State of Mind and Run This Town, appreciating the combination of Foreign's drill music with Kanye's production, even though "the glitzy synth made it feel like American Eagle drill; [...] Just too glossy" and that "overall, it’s a bit of an oblong song". At the end Alicia Keys was prized for her "singing reverently about New York City; [...] with impressive vocals on the chorus".[15] Christine Ochefu by GQ is pleasantly impressed to find Keys on a drill track.[16]

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[17]

Music

Technical

  • Mix engineering – Mike Dean
  • Master engineering – Mike Dean
  • Recording engineer – John Cunningham, Non Native, Shaan Singh, Fritz Owens, Luca Zadra
  • Assistant engineer – Sean Solymar, Tommy Rush

City of Gods (Part II)
"City of Gods (Part II)"
Single by Alicia Keys
ReleasedApril 7, 2022
Length3:12
Label
  • AKW Records
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys singles chronology
"City of Gods"
(2022)		 "City of Gods (Part II)"
(2022)		 "Trillions"
(2022)

On April 7, 2022, Alicia Keys released a solo version of the song with a stripped back production called "City of Gods (Part II)".[18] The video of the song was nominated at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards in the Best R&B category.

Charts

Weekly charts
Weekly chart performance for "City of Gods"
Chart (2022) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[19] 66
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[20] 20
Global 200 (Billboard)[21] 43
Iceland (Plötutíðindi)[22] 16
Ireland (IRMA)[23] 36
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[24] 4
Portugal (AFP)[25] 174
South Africa (RISA)[26] 48
Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)[27] 5
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[28] 91
UK Singles (OCC)[29] 58
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[30] 31
US Billboard Hot 100[31] 46
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[32] 15
US Rhythmic (Billboard)[33] 7

Year-end charts
2022 year-end chart performance for "City of Gods"
Chart (2022) Position
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[34] 63
US Rhythmic (Billboard)[35] 41

Certifications
Certifications for "City of Gods"
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[36] Gold 40,000‡
United States (RIAA)[37] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history
Release history and formats for "City of Gods"
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various February 11, 2022
[11]
United States February 15, 2022 Urban contemporary radio Columbia [38]

References
  1. Werder, Aidan C. "Fivio Foreign, Kanye West, Alicia Keys "City of Gods"". No Jumper. Archived from the original on February 23, 2022. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
  2. Duong, Paul (18 February 2022). "Video: Fivio Foreign FT. Kanye West, Alicia Keys "City Of Gods"". RapRadar. Archived from the original on 18 February 2022. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  3. Jackson, Angelique (January 12, 2023). "'Abbott Elementary,' 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' and 'The Woman King' Dominate NAACP Image Award Nominations". Variety. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  4. "Fivio Foreign Taps Kanye West, Alicia Keys for 'City Of Gods'". Rolling Stone. February 11, 2022. Archived from the original on March 9, 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  5. Power 106 Los Angeles (11 September 2021). "Fivio Foreign Details Making Of Kanye West 'Donda' Collab & Speaks On Relationship With Pop Smoke". Archived from the original on 2021-09-24. Retrieved 18 September 2021 – via YouTube.
  6. "Kanye West was "Too Impatient" to Put Jay-Z on 'City of Gods'". NME.com. March 2022.
  7. Mahadevan, Tara (February 11, 2022). "Listen to Fivio Foreign, Kanye West, and Alicia Keys on New Song "City of Gods"". Complex. Archived from the original on March 4, 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  8. "Archived copy". Twitter. Archived from the original on 2022-04-11. Retrieved 2022-04-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. Saponara, Michael (February 7, 2022). "Fivio Foreign Hypes Kanye West Feature & Gets Swizz Beatz Co-Sign". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on March 4, 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  10. "Fivio Foreign talks City of Gods w/ Kanye + Alicia Keys". Retrieved 12 February 2022 – via Instagram.
  11. Minsker, Evan (February 11, 2022). "Fivio Foreign Joined by Kanye, Alicia Keys on New Song "City of Gods": Listen". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on March 9, 2022. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
  12. Darville, Jordan (February 18, 2022). "Fivio Foreign shares "City of Gods" video featuring Kanye West and Alicia Keys". The Fader. Archived from the original on December 22, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  13. "Alicia Keys Debates If 'City of Gods' is the New 'Empire State Of Mind'". TMZ. July 18, 2022. Archived from the original on December 11, 2022. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  14. Bustard, Andy (April 7, 2022). "Alicia Keys Links With Slick Rick In 'City Of Gods (Part II)' Video". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on December 22, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  15. Skelton, Eric; Gee, Andre; McKinney, Jessica (February 11, 2022). "First Impressions of Fivio Foreign, Kanye West, and Alicia Keys' "City of Gods"". Complex. Archived from the original on February 12, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  16. Ochefu, Christine (February 11, 2022). "Fivio and Ye's "City of Gods" is proof of the overwhelming power of drill". GQ. Archived from the original on December 22, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  17. "Credits / City of Gods / Fivio Foreign". Tidal. Archived from the original on February 11, 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  18. "City of Gods (Part II) by Alicia Keys". Amazon. April 7, 2022. Archived from the original on January 14, 2023. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
  19. "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 28 February 2022". The ARIA Report. No. 1669. Australian Recording Industry Association. February 28, 2022. p. 4.
  20. "Kanye West Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
  21. "Kanye West Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
  22. "Tónlistinn – Lög - Vika 7, 2022" (in Icelandic). Plötutíðindi. Archived from the original on February 21, 2022. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  23. "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  24. "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. February 21, 2022. Archived from the original on February 18, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
  25. "Fivio Foreign, Kanye West & Alicia Keys – City of Gods". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  26. "Local & International Streaming Chart Top 100 Week 07-2022". The Official South African Charts. Recording Industry of South Africa. Archived from the original on February 24, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  27. "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 7". Sverigetopplistan. Archived from the original on February 28, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
  28. "Fivio Foreign, Kanye West & Alicia Keys – City of Gods". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  29. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
  30. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  31. "Kanye West Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
  32. "Kanye West Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  33. "Kanye West Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
  34. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  35. "Rhythmic Songs – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  36. "Canadian single certifications – Fivio Foreign – City of Gods". Music Canada. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  37. "American single certifications – Fivio Foreign, Kanye West & Alicia Keys – City of Gods". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  38. "Urban/R&B Future Releases". AllAccess. Archived from the original on February 15, 2022. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
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