"Off the Grid" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his tenth studio album Donda (2021). The song features vocals from American rappers Playboi Carti and Fivio Foreign, with choir vocals performed by opera singer Justin Austin. It was released to US urban contemporary radio stations as the album's fourth single on November 30, 2021 (third promoted to radio formats).[1]

"Off the Grid"
Single by Kanye West featuring Playboi Carti and Fivio Foreign
from the album Donda
ReleasedNovember 14, 2021 (2021-11-14)
Recorded2020–21
StudioMercedes Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
Genre
Length5:39
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Kanye West singles chronology
"Believe What I Say"
(2021)
"Off the Grid"
(2021)
"Eazy"
(2022)
Playboi Carti singles chronology
"Unlock It"
(2021)
"Off the Grid"
(2021)
"Popular"
(2023)
Fivio Foreign singles chronology
"Panicking"
(2021)
"Off the Grid"
(2021)
"City of Gods"
(2022)

Background and recording

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On July 18, 2020, West announced Donda on his Twitter and posted a track listing that had "Off the Grid" on it.[2][3] Before the song morphed into its final version, it had scrapped contributions from KayCyy, Pusha T, 2 Chainz, Baby Keem, and more, alongside versions with entirely different, siren-based production.

In December, it was revealed that West was recording and executive producing for Playboi Carti's album Whole Lotta Red, which released on December 25.[4][5] Playboi Carti recorded his verse for "Off the Grid" during these sessions. A snippet of Playboi Carti's part leaked after West played the song on his speakers during his stay at a hotel in Belgium in December. The collaboration with Fivio Foreign came together after West asked Fivio Foreign to come to Mercedes Benz Stadium on the night before the August 5 listening party.[6] Talking about the collaboration, Fivio Foreign recalled:

He gave me my space, but every eight couple bars, "I'm like yo look, I got some shit" and he's like, "Yo, keep going". That’s why it is so long, he kept telling me to keep going, keep going like three times. Like how much more, "Just keep going". [...] I was playing a couple of songs, and he was like "Who produced this?", and I'm like my man AyoAA – Ozzy, and he's like "Get him on a plane, get him out here". The "Off the Grid" shit was already done, he sent me that beat before I even met him. It wasn't drill. He got my producer Ozzy to add the drill to the song on my part.[6]

The song was first officially previewed at the August 5 listening party at Mercedes Benz Stadium.[7] It was previewed again in Soldier Field on August 26, with an added verse from West at the end.[citation needed]

Reception

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The track was named the best song of 2021 by Complex.[8]

Credits and personnel

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Credits adapted from Tidal.[9]

  • Kanye West – production, vocals
  • Playboi Carti – vocals
  • Fivio Foreign – vocals
  • 30 Roc – production
  • AyoAA – production
  • Ojivolta – production
  • David & Eli – co-production
  • Sloane – additional production
  • Irko – mastering, mixing
  • Alejandro Rodriguez-Dawsøn – recording
  • Drrique Rendeer – recording
  • James Kelso – recording
  • Josh Berg – recording
  • Lorenzo Wolff – recording
  • Mikalai Skrobat – recording
  • Roark Bailey – recording
  • Will Chason – recording
  • Louis Bell – vocal editing
  • Patrick Hundley – vocal editing

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[40] Gold 40,000
Poland (ZPAV)[41] Gold 25,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[42] Silver 200,000
United States (RIAA)[43] Platinum 1,000,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ "Urban/R&B Future Releases". All Access. Archived from the original on November 24, 2021. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  2. ^ Curto, Justin (August 30, 2021). "An Exhaustive, Exhausting Attempt at Understanding Kanye West's Donda". Vulture. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  3. ^ Rolli, Bryan (July 18, 2020). "Kanye West Is Apparently, Maybe, Releasing A New Album Called 'Donda' Next Week". Forbes. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  4. ^ Eustice, Kyle (December 21, 2020). "Playboi Carti Confirms Kanye West-Produced 'Whole Lotta Red' Album Arrives On Christmas Day". HipHopDX. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  5. ^ Darville, Jordan (December 14, 2020). "Playboi Carti's producer may have revealed Whole Lotta Red's release date". The Fader. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  6. ^ a b Power 106 Los Angeles (September 11, 2021). "Fivio Foreign Details Making Of Kanye West 'Donda' Collab & Speaks On Relationship With Pop Smoke". YouTube. Archived from the original on September 24, 2021. Retrieved September 18, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ Rindner, Grant (August 9, 2021). "11 Ways Kanye West's Donda Album Has Already Changed". GQ. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  8. ^ "The Best Songs of 2021". Complex. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  9. ^ "Credits / Donda / Kanye West". Tidal. Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  10. ^ "Kanye West – Off The Grid". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  11. ^ "Kanye West – Off The Grid" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  12. ^ "Kanye West Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  13. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 35. týden 2021 in the date selector. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  14. ^ "Track Top-40 Uge 35, 2021". Hitlisten. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  15. ^ "Kanye West – Off The Grid" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  16. ^ "Kanye West Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  17. ^ "Official IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International) – Week: 36/2021". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on September 20, 2021. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  18. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Stream Top 40 slágerlista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  19. ^ "Tónlistinn – Lög - Vika 35 – 2021". Plötutíðindi. Archived from the original on September 6, 2021. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  20. ^ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  21. ^ "Top Singoli – Classifica settimanale Wk 35" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  22. ^ "2021 35-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. September 3, 2021. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  23. ^ "Kanye West – Off The Grid" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  24. ^ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. September 6, 2021. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  25. ^ "VG-lista – Topp 20 Single 2021-36". VG-lista. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  26. ^ "Kanye West – Off The Grid". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  27. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 35. týden 2021 in the date selector. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  28. ^ "Local & International Streaming Chart Top 100: 27/08/2021 to 02/09/2021". The Official South African Charts. Archived from the original on September 9, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  29. ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 36". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  30. ^ "Kanye West – Off The Grid". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  31. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  32. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  33. ^ "Kanye West Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  34. ^ "Kanye West Chart History (Hot Christian Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  35. ^ "Kanye West Chart History (Hot Gospel Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  36. ^ "Kanye West Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  37. ^ "Official IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International) – Week: (31-35)/2021". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on September 13, 2021. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  38. ^ "Hot Christian Songs – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  39. ^ "Hot Gospel Songs – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  40. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Kanye West – Off the Grid". Music Canada. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  41. ^ "OLiS - oficjalna lista wyróżnień" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 22, 2024. Click "TYTUŁ" and enter Off the Grid in the search box.
  42. ^ "British single certifications – Kanye West – Off the Grid". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  43. ^ "American single certifications – Kanye West – Off the Grid". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
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