Remote Control (Kanye West song)

"Remote Control" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his tenth studio album Donda (2021). The song, which features vocals from fellow American rapper Young Thug, was produced by West alongside Cubeatz, Digital Nas, Ojivolta, 88-Keys, Mike Dean and Teddy Walton.

"Remote Control"
Song by Kanye West featuring Young Thug
from the album Donda
Released	August 29, 2021 (2021-08-29)
Recorded	May – August 2021
Length	3:19
Label	GOOD Def Jam
Songwriter(s)	Kanye West Charles Njapa Jeffery Williams Kevin Gomringer Mark Williams Mike Dean Nasir Pemberton Raul Cubina Travis Darelle Walton Tim Gomringer
Producer(s)	Kanye West Cubeatz Digital Nas Ojivolta

Background

In April 2021, music producer Digital Nas was invited to work with West in Los Angeles after West had heard some of his songs through Mowalola Ogunlesi, who is the design director for West's Yeezy Gap collaboration.^[1] Digital Nas gave West a folder of 150 beats, of which West freestyled over approximately 60 of them.^[1] Out of those 60 that made the album was two – "Junya" and "Remote Control", with four of them originally expected to make the track listing. Talking about the songs, Digital Nas said: "That sound was so mantra-like. It was just simple. It was like a feeling. [Ye and I] call it monk music".^[1]

Young Thug's feature on the track came about after warning West that their friendship would come to an end if he was not to be included on the album, saying "I just hit Kanye like, 'Bro, if I ain't on the album, we are not speaking". Young Thug clarified that his contribution to the song was not inspired or instructed by West.^[2][3][4]

Soulja Boy originally recorded a verse for the track, although he was not included on the final version of the song. Following the album's release, Soulja Boy shared a snippet of his verse on Instagram, with the caption of the post saying "Fuck Kanye". Soulja Boy expressed distaste towards West secretly taking his verse off, posting a series of tweets aimed at West, saying that "if he didn’t like the verse he should have said that".^[5][6] On November 5, 2021, in an interview with N.O.R.E. on Drink Champs, West said that he believed that Soulja Boy is one of the top 5 most influential artists, and when asked why he was taken off Donda, West joked "You ain't hear that verse?". N.O.R.E. asked "The verse wasn't good?", and West followed up with "Nah, I'll tell you what though, Soulja Boy is the future, Future the future...".^[7][8] Soulja Boy responded to the interview, saying that West's words on Drink Champs stunned him and claimed that West had praised his verse in person.^[9][10]

Pt. 2

Following the album's first listening party, a fan asked West's Kids See Ghosts cohort Kid Cudi via Twitter if he would be featured on the album, to which Cudi responded he was not. However, Cudi's vocals were later heard at the album's second listening session.^[11] Cudi would go on to detail how West subsequently reached out to him following the tweet, leading Cudi to record verses for "Moon" and "Remote Control".^[12][13] His verse was previewed at the second listening session on August 6, 2021, but was taken off the song when it was officially released on August 29, 2021, in favor for a sample from the 2012 animated short film Strawinsky and the Mysterious House, known in Internet and meme culture for the "Globglogabgalab", a song sung by the character of the same name in the film.^[14] On October 27, 2021, the stem player was made available by West. The stem player included three previously unreleased tracks, as well as a version of "Remote Control" that re-adds Kid Cudi's original contribution.^[15] "Remote Control pt 2" was officially released as part of the deluxe version of Donda on November 14, 2021.^[16]

Personnel

• Kanye West – vocals, production, songwriting
• Young Thug – featured vocals, songwriting
• Cubeatz
  • Tim Gomringer – production, songwriting, keyboards
  • Kevin Gomringer – production, songwriting, keyboards
• Digital Nas – production, songwriting, programming
• Ojivolta
  • Mark Williams – production, songwriting, keyboards
  • Raul Cubina – production, songwriting, keyboards
• 88-Keys – co-production, songwriting
• Mike Dean – co-production, songwriting
• Teddy Walton – additional production, songwriting, programming
• Brandee Younger – harp

Technical

• Irko – mixing, mastering
• Alejandro Rodriguez-Dawsøn – recording
• Bainz – recording
• Jonathan Pfzar – recording
• Josh Berg – recording
• Mikalai Skrobat – recording
• Roark Bailey – recording
• Will Chason – recording assistance
• Louis Bell – vocal editing
• Cirkut – vocal production

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Remote Control" Chart (2021) Peak position Australia (ARIA)^[17] 34 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)^[18] 39 France (SNEP)^[19] 151 Global 200 (Billboard)^[20] 38 US Billboard Hot 100^[21] 40 US Christian Songs (Billboard)^[22] 11 US Gospel Songs (Billboard)^[23] 11 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[24] 20

Year-end charts 2021 year-end chart performance for "Remote Control" Chart (2021) Position US Christian Songs (Billboard)^[25] 48 US Gospel Songs (Billboard)^[26] 15

References

1. Grow, Kory (January 28, 2022). "Kanye West Wants 'Donda 2' Played at 'Births, Graduations, Weddings, and Funerals'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
2. Saint-Vil, Sweenie (14 October 2021). "Young Thug threatened to end Kanye West friendship for appearance on 'Donda'". Revolt. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
3. Skelton, Eric (14 October 2021). "Young Thug Interview: 'Punk' Album, Kanye, Drake & Influence". Complex. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
4. Walker, Joe (14 October 2021). "Young Thug Threatened To Cut Kanye West Off Over 'Donda' Feature". HipHopDX. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
5. Saint-Vil, Sweenie (6 September 2021). "Soulja Boy demands apology from Kanye West for being left off of 'Donda'". Revolt. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
6. Blanchet, Brenton (30 August 2021). "Soulja Boy Shares Verse He Says Kanye Cut From 'Donda' Album". Complex. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
7. Bustard, Andy (5 November 2021). "Kanye West Responds To Soulja Boy & Explains Why He Took Him Off 'Donda'". HipHopDX. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
8. Thorpe, Isha (5 November 2021). "Kanye West believes Soulja Boy is one of the Top 5 most influential artists, but he still didn't belong on 'Donda'". Revolt. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
9. "Kanye's Got Me Confused... I Thought He Liked My 'Donda' Verse!!!". TMZ. November 6, 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
10. Saponara, Michael (5 November 2021). "Soulja Boy Unloads On Kanye West After Akademiks Shows Proof 'Donda' Diss Was Cap". HipHopDX. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
11. Zidel, Alex (22 July 2021). "Kid Cudi Responds To A Fan Asking If He's On Kanye West's "DONDA"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
12. Eustice, Kyle (6 August 2021). "Kanye West's 'Donda' No-Shows Again But Kid Cudi, Lupe Fiasco + More Have Their Album Critiques". HipHopDX. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
13. Grant, Rindner (August 9, 2021). "11 Ways Kanye West's Donda Album Has Already Changed". GQ. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
14. Li, Nicholaus (3 September 2021). "What is the "Globglogabgalab" Sample on Kanye's 'DONDA' Track "Remote Control"?". Hypebeast. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
15. Jones, Damian (27 October 2021). "Kanye West's 'DONDA' stem player has finally been unveiled and comes with three extra songs". NME. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
16. Blanchet, Brenton (14 November 2021). "Stream the Deluxe Version of Kanye West's 'Donda'". Complex. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
17. "Kanye West – Remote Control". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
18. "Kanye West Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
19. "Kanye West – Remote Control" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
20. "Kanye West Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
21. "Kanye West Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
22. "Kanye West Chart History (Hot Christian Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
23. "Kanye West Chart History (Hot Gospel Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
24. "Kanye West Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
25. "Hot Christian Songs – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
26. "Hot Gospel Songs – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 20, 2021.