page_title: Runaway (Kanye West song)
section_title: Recording
hierarchical_section_title: Runaway (Kanye West song) / Background / Recording
caption_attribution_description: Pusha T of Clipse at the Pitchfork Music Festival.
context_page_description: "Runaway" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Kanye West, released as the second single from his fifth studio album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. It features Pusha T, who is signed to West's label GOOD Music. The production was handled by West, alongside co-producers Emile, Jeff Bhasker, and Mike Dean. The composition features repetitive piano riffs, intricate samples and a production style with several similarities to West's album 808s & Heartbreak. Described as a deeply personal song in nature, it expresses West's thoughts on his failed relationships, and his acceptance of the media's perception of him. Lyrically the song explores criticism aimed at West in the past and serves as a "toast to the douchebags."
  Before the song's premiere at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, it generated substantial public interest due to what had happened the year prior at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. West's performance at its premiere received positive reviews, with the full song being released online on October 4, 2010.
context_section_description: Some of the inspiration of the song was derived from various media controversies, including West's interruption of recording artist Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards during her acceptance speech. The controversy caused West to exile himself in Oahu, Hawaii and record his fifth studio album mostly in a reclusive nature, shying away from collaborating with artists he wasn't personally close to. Like the majority of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, "Runaway" was produced there. Amongst the various artists invited down to Hawaii to record songs for the album was Pusha T, a rapper known for the hip-hop duo Clipse.
  According to Pusha T, the song was recorded in either March or April 2010. Most of the recording crew on the project had forgotten and or forgiven West for the incident with Swift, including Pusha T, who described the event as "old news". By the time Pusha T was supposed to record his verse for the song, West had already recorded a majority of the song. Pusha T had to record his verse several times, because West didn't think Pusha T was being mean enough for the concept of the song the first few times. Pusha T commented that re-doing a verse was something he very rarely did. Generally, Pusha T would write his verses very quickly, and noted that he made the exception for West who he had described as a perfectionist. During the recording process, the two had collaborated on several songs together. Pusha T called the recording process of the song "interesting", and stated:
  We recorded quite a few songs. He had the record already and was like, 'Yo, I want you on this record.' A lot of stuff from him comes from conversation. He'll talk to you and get a feel for your perspective and your outlook on shit. And later, he'll be like, 'Yo, I want you on this. I got a record that that perspective would fit on.' That's how he operates. [...] You will find yourself explaining yourself, and if you can't explain the reasoning behind the things you're saying in a verse or whatever the case may be, it might not fly. He won't let you get away with it.
  West was so impressed with Pusha-T's performance while recording "Runaway" that he signed him under his own personal label. About his portion of the song, West stated that he was interested in making a song that the average person could relate to, as he perceived himself as someone who identified with the average person. West mused that when writing the song he intended some parts of the song as a double entendre. According to West, some portions of the song sound like West is commenting about his relationship with a girl, when he is also talking about his relationship with the media and society. He mused, "I like leaving songs ambiguous a little bit, where it’s like, it could be about other people, It could be about yourself." The song was called an "anthem for both men and women" by him, who stated he wanted both genders to be able to relate to the song. He summarized the song as a "toast for the douchebags".
  While some of the inspiration of the song was drawn from the incident with Swift, it was noted that the song was not an apology. On his Twitter account, West commented that he had written a "beautiful" song for her, noting "if she won't take it then I'll perform it for her." Lawrence Dong was another artist who West had called down to Hawaii.  Some of the drumming pattern featured on the song were sampled from "Expo 83" performed by the Backyard Heavies and written by John Roger Branch; the same drums used on "The Basement" from Pete Rock's album Mecca and the Soul Brother.
caption: West invited Pusha T down to Hawaii to record "Runaway". While recording the song, West made Pusha-T record his verse several times.
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