Two Words
| "Two Words" | |
|---|---|
| SongbyKanye WestfeaturingMos Def,FreewayandThe Boys Choir of Harlem | |
| from the albumThe College Dropout | |
| Released | November 10, 2003 |
| Recorded | 2002 |
| Studio | Edie Road Recording Studio (Argyle, New York) Quad Recordings (New York, New York) |
| Genre | Hip hop |
| Length | 4:26 |
| Label | |
| Songwriter(s) | |
| Producer(s) | West |
| Music video | |
| "Two Words"onYouTube | |
"Two Words"is a song by American hip-hop artistKanye West,that featuresMos Def,FreewayandThe Boys Choir of Harlem,from West's debut studio albumThe College Dropout(2004). A cinematic version of the song was released as part ofThe College Dropout Video Anthology.It has been performed by Freeway regularly at his live shows over the years. An orchestral sound is used in the song. Themusic videowas released in March 2005.
Background
[edit]The original version of the track list forThe College Dropoutshowed that the song was initially scheduled to be titled "2 Words" and have the position of number 5, rather than number 18 as it stands on the official release.[1][2]Featured artist Freeway stated that Kanye wasn't initially respected as a rapper, but, after seeing West's talent, when asked to feature on the album, Freeway's response was: "Hell yeah. Let’s do it."[3]
Composition and lyrics
[edit]Within "Two Words", there is an orchestral sound that includes classical strings.Miri Ben-Arirevealed that she was the one who introduced West to this sound, which led to him falling in love with it.[4]The track contains a sample of 1970 recording "Peace and Love (Amani Na Mapenzi) Movement III (Time)", written by Lou Wilson, Ric Wilson and Carlos Wilson, and performed byMandrill.[5]On top of this, it samples drums fromThe 5th Dimension's 1971 track "The Rainmaker".[4]
West references a group he was once in known as the Go Getters with the line: "Go Getters rhyme like, should've been signed twice" and over the years, West has actually recycled multiple rhymes that he first spit when part of the group.[6]
Recording
[edit]Miri Ben-Ari revealed that "Two Words" was the first recording she ever did with West.[4]It was revealed by West that he drove to the Harlem Boys Choir's summer camp to record them in a barn for the track.[7]West actually had to pay them $10,000 to record a feature for him.[8]Freeway liked the beat when he heard it, which made him: "want to go ham on it" and the rapper laid his verse down for the song before West and Mos recorded their parts.[3]
In popular culture
[edit]An alternative version titled "Two Words (Frisky Remix)" was shared toBBC Music,which is a mashup of the original andTinie Tempah'sLabrinth-featuring single "Frisky",but only Kanye West, Labrinth and Mos Def are included as artists in the remix.[9]On February 27, 2014,Ace Hoodreleased a freestyle titled "Lyrical Exercise" over the instrumental of "Two Words".[10]
Critical reception
[edit]Eric Tullis ofSPINdescribed the track as being "the perfect playground for [the three rappers] to break character and address the American reality".[11]It was pointed out by Paul Cantor ofBillboardas what is "perhaps the symphonic high point of the record".[12]It received a nomination for Best Hip-Hop Deep Cut at the 2005 Groovevolt Music and Fashion Awards.[13]
Live performances
[edit]West and Mos performed "Two Words" live withThe Rootsas a backing band on September 18, 2004 as part ofDave Chappelle's Block Partyconcert.[14]Freeway has performed the song at his live shows for years and said himself that: "Everyone loves it."[3]On one occasion, Freeway joined West for a performance of it at aSuper Bowlparty withPepsi,which was at the time ofSuper Bowl XLin February 2006.[3]
Music video
[edit]Despite the song not being one of the album's singles, amusic videowas officially released for it as part of West'sThe College Dropout Video Anthologyon March 22, 2005.[15]He released an edited version of the video independently on November 4.[16]
All of the people who starred in the music video shot their parts in different places.[3]This didn't mark the only time a video was released for a non-single from West's debut album, since he also shot one for "Spaceship", which was posted online by featured artistGLCon June 1, 2009 - however, it was originally scheduled to be released as a single, unlike "Two Words".[17][18]
Personnel
[edit]Information taken fromThe College Dropoutliner notes.[5]
- Songwriters: Kanye West, Dante Smith, Leslie Pridgen, Lou Wilson, Ric Wilson, Carlos Wilson
- Record producer: Kanye West
- Recorders: Marc Fuller, Keith Slattery, Carlisle Young
- Mix engineer: Mike Dean
- Additional vocals: The Boys Choir of Harlem
- Keyboards: Keith Slattery
- Violin: Miri Ben-Ari
Cinematic version
[edit]| "Two Words (Cinematic)" | |
|---|---|
| SongbyKanye WestfeaturingThe Boys Choir of Harlem | |
| Released | March 22, 2005 |
| Recorded | 2004 |
| Genre | Hip hop |
| Length | 4:04 |
| Label | |
| Songwriter(s) | |
| Producer(s) | West |
On March 22, 2005,The College Dropout Video Anthologywas released, which features a bonus audio CD with a cinematic version of "Two Words" as a track on it.[15]
References
[edit]- ^Garrison, Lucas (January 25, 2016)."Kanye's Early 'College Dropout' Tracklist Will Blow Your Mind".DJBooth.RetrievedNovember 1,2018.
- ^"The College Dropout - Kanye West".AllMusic.RetrievedJanuary 20,2010.
- ^abcdeAhmed, Insanul (February 10, 2012)."Interview: Freeway Talks About The Making of Kanye West's" Two Words "".Complex.RetrievedJuly 30,2018.
- ^abcAhmed, Insanul (February 10, 2014)."The Making of Kanye West's" The College Dropout "".Complex.RetrievedSeptember 26,2018.
- ^abThe College Dropout(Media notes). Kanye West. Roc-A-Fella Records. 2004. 986 173-9.
{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^Bassil, Ryan (August 13, 2013)."Kanye West Recycles Lyrics From Old Material".Noisey.RetrievedNovember 1,2018.
- ^Carroll, Jim (June 19, 2013)."Y-Day: Kanye West's trip from" College Dropout "to" Yeezus "".On The Record.RetrievedNovember 1,2018.
- ^"50 Things You Didn't Know About Kanye West".Complex.February 26, 2013.RetrievedNovember 1,2018.
- ^West, Kanye; Labrinth."Two Words (Frisky Remix) (feat. Mos Def) - Kanye West & Labrinth Song".BBC.BBC Music.RetrievedNovember 1,2018.
- ^Lilah, Rose (February 27, 2014)."Ace Hood - Lyrical Exercise (Freestyle)".HotNewHipHop.RetrievedNovember 1,2018.
- ^Tullis, Eric (February 2, 2014)."Two Words - Kanye West - 12".SPIN.RetrievedJuly 30,2018.
- ^Cantor, Paul (February 10, 2014)."Kanye West's 'The College Dropout' at 10: Classic Track-by-Track Review".Billboard.RetrievedJuly 30,2018.
- ^"05 GV Music & Fashion Awards Winners: Hip Hop".Groovevolt.1 March 2005. Archived fromthe originalon 7 March 2005.Retrieved10 December2017.
- ^Watson, Elijah C. (10 October 2017)."Thirteen Years Ago Dave Chappelle Put On The Greatest Concert Of The Year".Okayplayer.RetrievedNovember 1,2018.
- ^ab"Kanye West - College Dropout: Video Anthology".Amazon.RetrievedNovember 1,2018.
- ^"Two Words (Edited Version) by Kanye West, Mos Def, Freeway & The Boys Choir of Harlem on Apple Music".iTunes.November 4, 2005.RetrievedNovember 1,2018.
- ^"Video: Kanye West f. GLC & Consequence," Spaceship "".The Fader.June 1, 2009.RetrievedJuly 30,2018.
- ^Schiff, Mark (January 29, 2016)."Five rare Kanye West music videos you may not have seen".AXS.RetrievedSeptember 18,2018.
