Send It Up
"Send It Up" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Kanye West, from his sixth studio album Yeezus (2013). It was produced by West, Daft Punk, Gesaffelstein, Brodinski, Arca and Mike Dean. Like other songs on the album, it features an industrial hip hop sound, with elements of electronic music. The song features vocals from American rapper King Louie, who improvised his contributions. It contains a sample of "Memories" (also known as "Stop Live Inna De Pass") by Jamaican reggae and dancehall singer Beenie Man. Eight days before its release on the album, West performed the song live at the Governors Ball Music Festival, along with four other tracks from Yeezus.
"Send It Up"
June 18, 2013
2013
2:58
- Kanye West
- Louis Johnson
- Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo
- Thomas Bangalter
- Alejandra Ghersi
- Mike Levy
- Sakiya Sandifer
- Ab Liva
- Elon Rutberg
- Mike Dean
- Moses Davis
- Colin York
- Lowell Dunbar
- West
- Daft Punk
- Gesaffelstein (co.)
- Brodinski (co.)
- Arca (add.)
- Dean (add.)
"Send It Up" has received mostly positive reviews from music critics, with many complimenting the production and party appeal. Despite not being released as a single, it charted on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and On-Demand Songs charts at number 50 and 42 respectively. One line in the song was changed to being rapped a cappella when West reworked the Apple Music version of Yeezus in 2016. It was covered by punk rock band Idles in 2018.
Critical reception[edit]
Since release, the song has received mostly positive reviews from music critics, with many complimenting its production and party appeal. Rob Markman of MTV News gave the track a positive review, calling it "a clear-cut party starter."[5] Alexis Petridis of The Guardian wrote, "the mid-tempo four-to-the-floor thud of "Send It Up" is strafed with electronic squeals and bursts of menacing, growling bass," as well as pointing out the track's "dance influences."[20] Michael Madden of Consequence of Sound described its sound as being reminiscent of the work done by DJ Mustard and the Nine Inch Nails album Pretty Hate Machine.[21] Julianne Escobedo Spephard of Spin called the song "bananas" and complimented producer Arca's work on the song, writing: "[It] recalls both the sub-bass on his EP Stretch 2, and the demonic elasticity of his beat for Mykki Blanco's "Join My Militia".[22] Gavin Haynes of NME wrote that the song "finds a natural pathway between new Robo-Kanye and the stark experiments," such as his 2012 GOOD Music collaboration "Clique".[23] In a more mixed review, Ryan Dombal of Pitchfork described the track as being "riotous" and wrote in response to King Louie's appearance: "His presence, along with that of fellow Chi-town driller Chief Keef, makes the message clear: America may want to ignore these young black men from the gang-strewn South Side, but here, they have a voice."[24]
Credits adapted from the Yeezus liner notes.[3]