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Wash Us in the Blood

"Wash Us in the Blood" is a song by American rapper Kanye West featuring fellow American rapper Travis Scott. It was produced by West, Ronny J, and BoogzDaBeast, while co-produced by FnZ and A.G., with additional production from Dem Jointz and Israel Boyd. The producers wrote the song alongside Travis Scott, Aaron Butts and KayCyy Pluto. The song was released for digital download and streaming as a standalone single on June 30, 2020, through GOOD Music and Def Jam. Will Welch teased the song during an interview with West in April 2020.

For the Christian hymn, see Are You Washed in the Blood?

"Wash Us in the Blood"

June 30, 2020

Industrial hip hop

3:10

An industrial hip hop song, "Wash Us in the Blood" features electro production. The lyrics of the song see West referencing Jesus' sacrifice, alongside mentioning subjects such as slavery and genocide. The song received generally positive reviews from music critics. Some appreciated it in comparison to West's previous work, though a few critics observed a lack of originality. At the 2021 Billboard Music Awards, the song won the award of Top Gospel Song.


"Wash Us in the Blood" debuted at number 49 on the US Billboard Hot 100, while it attained top 40 positions in Australia, Greece, and Ireland. An accompanying Arthur Jafa-directed music video was released on June 30, 2020. The video makes usage of split-screen presentation, with it including various forms of footage. The music video received mostly positive reviews from critics, who often directed praise towards the combining of clips. However, it was age restricted by YouTube. West performed a version of the song live at Nebuchadnezzar in November 2019.

Composition and lyrics[edit]

Musically, "Wash Us in the Blood" is an industrial hip hop song.[17][18] Specifically, the track's industrial sound received comparisons to Yeezus and was noted for being combined with electronic sounds.[11][14][16] According to The Guardian, "Wash Us in the Blood" is "a club anthem."[12] On the other hand, the track was described as sounding "like the child of a nail grating on the chalkboard and a police siren."[19] The track contains a two-note siren motif that is a feedback sound, which has a lower semitone than the feedback on West's songs "Send It Up" (2013) and "Feedback" (2016).[12] It includes a pulse, coming from the feedback sound.[12][13] The track features production reminiscent of Yeezus through its "splintering electro-styled beats."[20] Hard-hitting drums are present within the song, alongside experimental sounds such as horns and spray cans.[16][21] The track includes bongos before introducing "a thumping cacophony of quaking beats" as well as industrial synth lines that are screams, complemented with white noise and deep vocal samples.[13] For the opening of the track, West raps "in short, repetitive bursts, drawling the end of his lines," accompanied by a sample of preacher Robert G. Moore Jr, which was contributed by producer Dem Jointz after being sent the record from Dr. Dre.[19][22][23] Travis Scott contributes seven lines to the track through his auto-tuned vocals in a performance that was interpreted as "characteristically woozy," with his vocals appearing on the bridge and part of the second verse.[13][19][21]


Lyrically, "Wash Us in the Blood" has a religious message; the song implores God "to deliver black America from evil" through Jesus' sacrifice while discussing mass incarceration, slavery, genocide, and drug-dealing.[13][15][24] In the chorus of the song, West and Travis Scott plead for the Holy Spirit to come down and "wash us in the blood."[14][15] Within the song, Travis Scott also performs ad-libs and criticizes capital punishment.[16][24] West attacks record labels for trying to "sign a calm 'Ye" as well as others who do not want him to be himself, though the antagonists are unnamed by West.[13][19] Following on from this, West switches focus by taking aim at the media alongside evoking Trump's criticism of fake news.[19][21]

Release and promotion[edit]

On June 30, 2020, "Wash Us in the Blood" was released for digital download and streaming as the lead single from God's Country.[5][25] The song was also made available for pre-order via West's website in various physical formats, including a 12-inch vinyl, 7-inch vinyl, cassette, and CD single.[5] In July 2020, West shared a track list for his upcoming tenth studio album Donda on Twitter, revealing the song to be slated for release on the album at the time.[a][27] However, it was ultimately not included on the album.[28] On November 25, 2019, West performed "Wash Us in the Blood" during Nebuchadnezzar at the Hollywood Bowl.[8] For the performance, West served as the narrator and was accompanied by operatic singers, large groups of robed people that occupied the venue's aisle, and a choir.[8] The choir wore matching robes and stood on an elevated structure that was shaped like a horseshoe, and the version of the song performed had the same instrumental as the final version.[8][29]

Commercial performance[edit]

After three days of tracking, "Wash Us in the Blood" debuted at number 49 on the US Billboard Hot 100.[42] During the tracking period, it received 6.3 million streams and sold 18,000 downloads.[42] The song became West's 108th entry on the Hot 100, bringing him one entry closer to tying with American singer Elvis Presley for the 6th most appearances in the chart's history.[42] It lasted for two weeks on the Hot 100.[43]


The song topped the US Christian Songs, Gospel Songs, Christian Streaming Songs, Christian Digital Song Sales, Gospel Streaming Songs and Gospel Digital Song Sales charts at the same time, following on from West's single "Follow God" (2019) as his second track to top all six of the charts and giving Travis Scott his first appearance on the charts. By debuting at the summit of the US Gospel Songs chart, the song ended the single's 35-week run at number one. The song opened atop the Digital Song Sales chart, becoming West's sixth number one on the chart and Travis Scott's second.[42]


In Australia, the song performed best by debuting at number 31 on the ARIA Singles Chart, becoming one of three new releases to reach the top 50 for the week of July 13, 2020.[44] "Wash Us in the Blood" experienced similar performance in Ireland, peaking at number 32 on the Irish Singles Chart.[45] It also reached the top 50 in Greece and Lithuania, attaining positions of number 37 and 47 on the Greece International Digital Singles and Lithuanian Top 100 charts, respectively.[46][47] On the UK Singles Chart, the song entered at number 69 for the issue dated July 9, 2020.[48] The following week, it rose 18 places to number 51 on the chart.[49] In total, the song remained on the UK Singles Chart for three weeks.[50]