Rick Ross’ new album Mastermind is now streaming in full, and with it comes the release of the his highly-anticipated collaboration with Kanye West entitled, “Sanctified”. It marks Kanye’s first piece of new music since Yeezus and also his first guest appearance on someone else’s song in two years. It also sees Kanye and Ross reunited for the first time since their My Beautiful Dark Twisted smash collaboration “Monster”.
Sure, Kanye’s the type of talent that works well in any collaborative situation (Chief Keef, anyone?), but, as their collaboration on “Monster” proved, there’s extra magic when he’s paired with The Bawse. Production wise, Kanye and DJ Mustard deliver a sonic curveball, mixing achy soul samples with jarring bass and the Avant garde tendencies of Yeezus, for a sound that’s both warm and familiar and excitingly experimental. Kanye’s rhymes are as equally multi-faceted, a blend of celebratory (“Past me? 30 bottles champagne precision/That’s that Holy water, sanctified refreshments”) and boastful (“Groupies in the lobby they just tryna get established/God, I’ve been guilty, fornicatin’ from my status”). Ross is no slouch, though; while the focus inevitably winds up on West, Ross continues his lyrical progression (“Felatio’s amazin’, make grilled cheese for you/the best Major coke figure, I’m the fresh David Koresh”). More so, however, Ross serves as the track’s hoarse and hardened heart, grounding Kanye’s high-art in gritty realism. Oh, and Big Sean shows up at some point.
Listen in below.
