GOOD Friday: Kanye West, Jay-Z and Friends Celebrate Curtis Mayfield on "The Joy"
This week Kanye West was exposed to the whole internet, just like he warned us about. Oh, and he finished his album. Then to cap it all off, he released "The Joy," a slow, magical entry in the GOOD Friday series. The track is straightforward, built on mood and sincerity, with little outward flair and solid rapping. It very well may be the best one yet. 
Kid Cudi sings a bit, as does Charlie Wilson, but the soul of track is all Curtis Mayfield, courtesy of Pete Rock, and somewhat surprisingly, Jay-Z, who has been uncharacteristically dwarfed on a couple recent Kanye West originals. Either West dusted off an old Jay-Z verse he had sitting around or something in the making of this composition tickled Mr. Carter, because he hasn't sounded this comfortable or down home in a few minutes. Based on his words, it was the beat, built around a mostly untreated section from Mayfield's "The Makings of You."
"This is my momma shit/ I used to hear this through the walls in the hood when I was back on my pajama shit," raps Jay. And later, "Give all the glory to Gloria/ They said you raised that boy too fast, but you was raising a warrior." Hi, Mom. She should be proud and you should just listen to it.
Kanye West featuring Pete Rock, Jay-Z, Charlie Wilson, Curtis Mayfield & KiD CuDi- The Joy [Kanye West / Nah Right]
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