City of Gods
"City of Gods" is a song by American recording artists Fivio Foreign, Kanye West and Alicia Keys. It was released as the lead single from Fivio Foreign's debut studio album "B.I.B.L.E." and West's eleventh studio album "Donda 2". On the song, Keys interpolates the chorus from "New York City" (2015) by the Chainsmokers. Background. West and Fivio Foreign first worked together for the song "Off the Grid", released on West's album "Donda" in 2021. The collaboration came together after West called Fivio Foreign to record in Mercedes Benz Stadium the night before the listening  event for "Donda". According to Fivio Foreign, West praised the verse the rapper recorded for "Off the Grid" and said that he reminds him of Jay-Z. 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". 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]". 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. One of the changes West made was taking out the sample and getting Keys to sing the vocals instead. 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!". 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." On April 7, 2022, Keys released a solo version of the song with a stripped back production called "City of Gods (Part II)". Personnel. Credits adapted from Tidal. Music Technical