"Ego Death" is a song by American singer
Ty Dolla Sign
Tyrone William Griffin Jr. (born April 13, 1982), known professionally as Ty Dolla Sign (stylized as Ty Dolla $ign or Ty$), is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He first gained major recognition in 2010 for his feature on Ameri ...
featuring American rapper
Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
, English singer-songwriter
FKA Twigs
Tahliah Debrett Barnett (born 17 January 1988), known professionally as FKA Twigs (stylized as FKA twigs), is an English singer, songwriter, and dancer. Born and raised in Cheltenham, she became a backup dancer for numerous famous musicians aft ...
, and American DJ
Skrillex
Sonny John Moore (born January 15, 1988), known professionally as Skrillex, is an American DJ and music producer. Growing up in Northeast Los Angeles and Northern California, he joined the post-hardcore band From First to Last as the lead sing ...
, released for
digital download and
streaming
Streaming media is multimedia that is delivered and consumed in a continuous manner from a source, with little or no intermediate storage in network elements. ''Streaming'' refers to the delivery method of content, rather than the content it ...
through
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most i ...
on July 1, 2020, as the
lead single
A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date.
Release s ...
from the former's third studio album, ''
Featuring Ty Dolla Sign
''Featuring Ty Dolla Sign'' (stylized as ''Featuring Ty Dolla $ign'') is the third studio album by American singer Ty Dolla Sign. It was released on October 23, 2020, by Atlantic Records. The album features guest appearances from Kid Cudi, Post Ma ...
'' (2020). It contains additional vocals by
Serpentwithfeet
Josiah Wise (born July 9, 1988), known professionally as serpentwithfeet, is an experimental musician based in Brooklyn, New York City. Wise released the EP ''Blisters'' in 2016, his debut studio album ''soil'' in 2018, his second EP ''Appariti ...
,
Angela Davis
Angela Yvonne Davis (born January 26, 1944) is an American political activist, philosopher, academic, scholar, and author. She is a professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz. A feminist and a Marxist, Davis was a longtime member of ...
, and Jariuce "Jehreeus" Banks. Ty Dolla Sign, Skrillex, and BoogzDaBeast produced the song. According to the first of the three producers, the song expands on West's "
Fade
Fade or Fading may refer to:
Science and technology
* Fading, a loss of signal strength at a radio receiver
* Color fade, the alteration of color by light
* Fade (audio engineering), a gradual change in sound volume
* Brake fade, in vehicle brakin ...
". Initially previewed after the
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (commonly called the Coachella Festival or simply Coachella) is an annual music and arts festival held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Coachella Valley in the Colorado Desert. ...
in April 2019, the former experienced an
internet leak
An internet leak is the unauthorized release of information over the internet. Various types of information and data can be, and have been, "leaked" to the Internet, the most common being personal information, computer software and source code, a ...
in March 2020.
A
house
A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...
number, "Ego Death" has
electro-hop
Hip house, also known as rap house or house rap, is a musical genre that mixes elements of house music and hip hop, that originated in both London, United Kingdom and Chicago, United States in the mid to late 1980s.
British group the Beatmast ...
elements. The song
samples Ralphi Rosario
Ralphi Rosario is an American house musician and founding member of the influential Chicago DJ group Hot Mix 5.
Biography
When Hot Mix 5 was formed in 1981 on radio station WBMX (now WVAZ), Rosario, the youngest member of the group, was still in ...
's "
You Used to Hold Me",
Ultra Naté
Ultra Naté Wyche (born March 20, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, DJ and promoter who has achieved success on the pop charts with songs such as " Free", "If You Could Read My Mind" (as part of Stars on 54), and "Autom ...
's "
Free
Free may refer to:
Concept
* Freedom, having the ability to do something, without having to obey anyone/anything
* Freethought, a position that beliefs should be formed only on the basis of logic, reason, and empiricism
* Emancipate, to procur ...
", and
Queen Latifah
Dana Elaine Owens (born March 18, 1970), known professionally as Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, actress, and singer. Born in Newark, New Jersey, she signed with Tommy Boy Records in 1989 and released her debut album ''All Hail the Que ...
's "Dance for Me". Lyrically, it centers on
ego death
Ego death is a "complete loss of subjective self-identity". The term is used in various intertwined contexts, with related meanings. Jungian psychology uses the synonymous term psychic death, referring to a fundamental transformation of the psych ...
. The song received generally positive reviews from
music critics
Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
, most of whom praised West's verse. Some were appreciative of FKA Twigs' feature, while other critics complimented the chemistry of the aforementioned two, Ty Dolla Sign, and Skrillex. The song reached number seven on the US
Bubbling Under Hot 100
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (also known as Bubbling Under the Hot 100) is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. The chart lists the top songs that have not yet charted on the main ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Chart ...
chart, published by ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'', while peaking within the top 50 of the main charts in Ireland and the United Kingdom. An accompanying
lyric video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device ...
was released on July 20, 2020, which is
animated
Animation is a method by which still figures are manipulated to appear as moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Today, most anim ...
and features the performers in cartoon form. They act out lyrics from the song in the video, being accompanied by varying tokens.
Background and recording
Ty Dolla Sign and
Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
had previously collaborated for numerous songs, including "
Only One
Only may refer to:
Music Albums
* ''Only'' (album), by Tommy Emmanuel, 2000
* ''The Only'', an EP by Dua Lipa, 2017
Songs
* "Only" (Anthrax song), 1993
* "Only" (Nine Inch Nails song), 2005
* "Only" (Nicki Minaj song), 2014
* "The Only", by S ...
" (2014), "
Real Friends Real Friends may refer to:
*Real Friends (band)
Real Friends is an American pop punk band from Tinley Park, Illinois. To date, the band has released seven EPs and three studio albums. Previously signed to Fearless Records, the band is currentl ...
" (2016), and "
Everything We Need
"Everything We Need" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his ninth studio album, ''Jesus Is King'' (2019). The song features guest appearances from American singers Ty Dolla Sign and Ant Clemons, and additional vocals by the Sunday Ser ...
" (2019).
The former had also worked with
Skrillex
Sonny John Moore (born January 15, 1988), known professionally as Skrillex, is an American DJ and music producer. Growing up in Northeast Los Angeles and Northern California, he joined the post-hardcore band From First to Last as the lead sing ...
on multiple songs, including the 2019 releases "Two Nights Part II" and "
Midnight Hour"; that same year, he collaborated with American
experimental
An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs when ...
musician
Serpentwithfeet
Josiah Wise (born July 9, 1988), known professionally as serpentwithfeet, is an experimental musician based in Brooklyn, New York City. Wise released the EP ''Blisters'' in 2016, his debut studio album ''soil'' in 2018, his second EP ''Appariti ...
on "Receipts".
Unlike the others, "Ego Death" was
FKA Twigs
Tahliah Debrett Barnett (born 17 January 1988), known professionally as FKA Twigs (stylized as FKA twigs), is an English singer, songwriter, and dancer. Born and raised in Cheltenham, she became a backup dancer for numerous famous musicians aft ...
' first track with Ty Dolla Sign. Skrillex had collaborated with FKA Twigs in the past, while his work with West prior to the latter's sixth studio album ''
Yeezus
''Yeezus'' is the sixth studio album by American rapper and producer Kanye West. It was released on June 18, 2013, through Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records. West gathered a number of artists and close collaborators for the production, ...
'' (2013) was postponed.
The track was produced by Ty Dolla Sign, Skrillex, and BoogzDaBeast.
In April 2019, Ty Dolla Sign previewed the song at a
Coachella Festival
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (commonly called the Coachella Festival or simply Coachella) is an annual music and arts festival held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Coachella Valley in the Colorado Desert. I ...
after-party in dedication to
420
420 may refer to:
* 420 (number)
* 420 (cannabis culture), informal reference to cannabis use and celebrations on April 20
**California Senate Bill 420 or the Medical Marijuana Program Act
*AD 420, a year in the 5th century of the Julian calendar
* ...
by performing a
demo
Demo, usually short for demonstration, may refer to:
Music and film
*Demo (music), a song typically recorded for reference rather than release
* ''Demo'' (Behind Crimson Eyes), a 2004 recording by the band Behind Crimson Eyes
* ''Demo'' (Deafhea ...
version, while vocals from West were also played by the party's DJ. In August 2019, ''
Spin
Spin or spinning most often refers to:
* Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning
* Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis
* Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
'' reported that Ty Dolla Sign planned to release "Ego Death" as the
lead single
A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date.
Release s ...
for his then-upcoming album.
According to him, the song expands on West's 2016
single
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
"
Fade
Fade or Fading may refer to:
Science and technology
* Fading, a loss of signal strength at a radio receiver
* Color fade, the alteration of color by light
* Fade (audio engineering), a gradual change in sound volume
* Brake fade, in vehicle brakin ...
", which he appears on.
In March 2020, the song
leaked online. Ty Dolla Sign shared a teaser for the song on June 30, 2020, unveiling the collaborators.
He issued a
press release
A press release is an official statement delivered to members of the news media for the purpose of providing information, creating an official statement, or making an announcement directed for public release. Press releases are also considere ...
the next day, labeling the song highly special and showing admiration in working with "a genius" in West, who he makes "incredible records" with every time.
Ty Dolla Sign further stated that Skrillex and FKA Twigs provided a blessing with the magic only they are capable of delivering, while recalling everyone having gone crazy when he played the song at a house party.
The singer revealed he was not offended when the song leaked, admitting that he merely "had to find the right time" for its release and felt "excited that it's finally THAT TIME!"
Ty Dolla Sign partnered with the company
Triller
The trillers are a group of passerine birds belonging to the cuckooshrike family Campephagidae partially making up the genus '' Lalage''. Their name come from the loud trilling calls of the males. There are about 12 species that usually exist i ...
to create a 9D experience for the listener with the song, marking "the first-ever of its kind" in July 2020.
In an interview with
Zane Lowe
Alexander Zane Reid Lowe (born 7 August 1973) is a New Zealand radio DJ, live DJ, record producer, and television presenter.
After an early career in music creation, production and DJing, he moved to the UK in 1997. He came to prominence thro ...
for
Beats 1
Apple Music 1, previously branded as Beats 1, is a 24/7 music radio station owned and operated by Apple Inc. It is accessible through iTunes or the Apple Music app on a computer, smartphone or tablet, smart speaker (such as the Apple HomePod), ...
, Ty Dolla Sign detailed the origins of "Ego Death". He vaguely recalled overhearing women at a party discussing the
ego death
Ego death is a "complete loss of subjective self-identity". The term is used in various intertwined contexts, with related meanings. Jungian psychology uses the synonymous term psychic death, referring to a fundamental transformation of the psych ...
of a man, considering the concept to be "hard".
Ty Dolla Sign said he then had the idea of the song, subsequently making its beat and watching an
Instagram
Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
video of West walking through
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
that includes him commenting on a passing train. The former regarded the comment as being "so hard", thus
sampling it on the song.
Ty Dolla Sign stated that he then went to the city to record for West's then-upcoming album ''Yandhi'', which was later scrapped and became his ninth studio album ''
Jesus Is King
''Jesus Is King'' is the ninth studio album by American rapper Kanye West. It was released on October 25, 2019, through GOOD Music and distributed by Def Jam Recordings. The album follows a Christian theme, different from his usual work. Wes ...
'' (2019).
The singer went on to reveal that he played "Ego Death" to West, "and he went crazy". He admitted that all the people in the room "ran out, like, 'Oh, shit'", followed by West using the microphone to beatbox and freestyle. Ty Dolla Sign added that he traveled to London to collaborate with FKA Twigs, before Skrillex worked on the track in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
; the singer affirmed the recording "was definitely a process".
Composition and lyrics
Musically, "Ego Death" is a
house
A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...
number,
with elements of
electro-hop
Hip house, also known as rap house or house rap, is a musical genre that mixes elements of house music and hip hop, that originated in both London, United Kingdom and Chicago, United States in the mid to late 1980s.
British group the Beatmast ...
.
It was compared by numerous publications to "Fade".
The song prominently samples the 1987 house record "
You Used to Hold Me" by American producer
Ralphi Rosario
Ralphi Rosario is an American house musician and founding member of the influential Chicago DJ group Hot Mix 5.
Biography
When Hot Mix 5 was formed in 1981 on radio station WBMX (now WVAZ), Rosario, the youngest member of the group, was still in ...
.
The opening utilizes a sample of fellow house track "
Free
Free may refer to:
Concept
* Freedom, having the ability to do something, without having to obey anyone/anything
* Freethought, a position that beliefs should be formed only on the basis of logic, reason, and empiricism
* Emancipate, to procur ...
" (1997) by recording artist
Ultra Naté
Ultra Naté Wyche (born March 20, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, DJ and promoter who has achieved success on the pop charts with songs such as " Free", "If You Could Read My Mind" (as part of Stars on 54), and "Autom ...
, which is followed by the song's bass
bass progression.
A sample of "Dance for Me" (1989) by
Queen Latifah
Dana Elaine Owens (born March 18, 1970), known professionally as Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, actress, and singer. Born in Newark, New Jersey, she signed with Tommy Boy Records in 1989 and released her debut album ''All Hail the Que ...
is also included on the song, appearing alongside FKA Twigs' vocals.
The song is built on a sparse four-note bass progression, while its beat features the same
loop
Loop or LOOP may refer to:
Brands and enterprises
* Loop (mobile), a Bulgarian virtual network operator and co-founder of Loop Live
* Loop, clothing, a company founded by Carlos Vasquez in the 1990s and worn by Digable Planets
* Loop Mobile, an ...
as West's
Lil Pump
Gazzy Garcia (born August 17, 2000), better known professionally as Lil Pump, is an American rapper. He is one of the most prominent artists of the SoundCloud rap scene and is known for his minimalist music and hyperactive public persona.
Li ...
collaboration "
I Love It" (2018).
9D is utilized on the song to create additional effects such as
reverb
Reverberation (also known as reverb), in acoustics, is a persistence of sound, after a sound is produced. Reverberation is created when a sound or signal is reflected causing numerous reflections to build up and then decay as the sound is abso ...
, which enables the listener to have the sensation of the music moving around in their headphones.
A thumping
bassline
Bassline (also known as a bass line or bass part) is the term used in many styles of music, such as blues, jazz, funk, Dub music, dub and electronic music, electronic, traditional music, traditional, or classical music for the low-pitched Part ( ...
and speedy
percussion
A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...
are also included, alongside the vocals being covered in
funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...
.
Prior to the start of his verse, the song takes a sample of an Instagram video from West; it begins from the 1:50 mark of the video and features him saying "Hold on, this train going by".
Ty Dolla Sign delivers the
chorus
Chorus may refer to:
Music
* Chorus (song) or refrain, line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse
* Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound
* Chorus form, song in which all verse ...
, on which he sings and
croons in a calm tone.
The singer is followed by West, who raps a verse.
Serpentwithfeet performs on the interlude, while additional vocals are also contributed to the song by political activist
Angela Davis
Angela Yvonne Davis (born January 26, 1944) is an American political activist, philosopher, academic, scholar, and author. She is a professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz. A feminist and a Marxist, Davis was a longtime member of ...
and music composer Jariuce "Jehreeus" Banks.
FKA Twigs is the last performer on the song, singing its short outro.
The lyrics of the song focus on ego death, echoing its title.
Ty Dolla Sign sings about the subject, referencing a faltered relationship and his consideration of dismissing self-centered concerns.
The singer details his ex-lover leaving him, crooning that she "hurt" and "murdered" his ego when she "walked away".
Ty Dolla Sign mentions the "Ego death is where you find happiness" theme, performing the line and succeeding it with, "That's the only place you find happiness."
West criticizes the
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the annual final playoff game of the National Football League (NFL) to determine the league champion. It has served as the final game of every NFL season since 1966, replacing the NFL Championship Game. Since 2022, the game ...
, the
Grammys
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
, and what he classes as "halfway movements", as well as addressing
birth control
Birth control, also known as contraception, anticonception, and fertility control, is the use of methods or devices to prevent unwanted pregnancy. Birth control has been used since ancient times, but effective and safe methods of birth contr ...
and
black voter suppression.
The rapper brags about becoming a billionaire: "Just hit a billi, he gone on 'em".
Serpentwithfeet performs in the background, delivering the line "Your joy isn't tied to me". On the outro, FKA Twigs sings about letting her "ego down" before it makes a comeback.
Release and promotion
"Ego Death" was released for
digital download and
streaming
Streaming media is multimedia that is delivered and consumed in a continuous manner from a source, with little or no intermediate storage in network elements. ''Streaming'' refers to the delivery method of content, rather than the content it ...
in various countries as the lead single from ''Featuring Ty Dolla Sign'' on July 1, 2020, a day after West released his own single "
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 I ...
".
The song was later serviced to US
rhythmic contemporary
Rhythmic contemporary, also known as Rhythmic Top 40, Rhythmic CHR or rhythmic crossover, is a primarily American music-radio format that includes a mix of EDM, upbeat rhythmic pop, hip hop and upbeat R&B hits. Rhythmic contemporary never uses ...
radio stations on July 28, 2020.
On October 23, 2020, "Ego Death" was included as the twenty-fifth and final track on Ty Dolla Sign's third studio album ''Featuring Ty Dolla Sign''.
Simultaneously with the single release, an accompanying
animated
Animation is a method by which still figures are manipulated to appear as moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Today, most anim ...
visualizer was shared.
An animated
lyric video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device ...
for "Ego Death" was released on July 20, 2020, which was directed by
motion graphics
Motion graphics (sometimes mograph) are pieces of animation or digital footage which create the illusion of motion or rotation, and are usually combined with audio for use in multimedia projects. Motion graphics are usually displayed via electr ...
artist Emonee LaRussa.
The artist handled the animation alongside 10 animators, while three character designers also helped create the video. It is a psychedelic
aesthetic
Aesthetics, or esthetics, is a branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of beauty and taste, as well as the philosophy of art (its own area of philosophy that comes out of aesthetics). It examines aesthetic values, often expressed th ...
, which features cartoon versions of the song's performers and utilizes a
kaleidoscope
A kaleidoscope () is an optical instrument with two or more reflecting surfaces (or mirrors) tilted to each other at an angle, so that one or more (parts of) objects on one end of these mirrors are shown as a regular symmetrical pattern when v ...
effect.
Different personalities are conveyed by them: Ty Dolla Sign appears blood-red and stoned, West is hyper and overly busy, FKA Twigs performs the
martial arts
Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; combat sport, competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; a ...
that stage performances of hers were inspired by.
As the characters act them out, the lyrics are projected on a field of stars.
Tokens appear throughout the video, including ones that are connected to relationships, the Grammys, and internal struggles. A woman slits Ty Dolla Sign's throat, symbolizing his ego being killed.
The characters can be seen licking
neon
Neon is a chemical element with the symbol Ne and atomic number 10. It is a noble gas. Neon is a colorless, odorless, inert monatomic gas under standard conditions, with about two-thirds the density of air. It was discovered (along with krypton ...
blood off knives and tripping over magic mushrooms at points, and content that West raps about comes to life.
Critical reception
"Ego Death" was met with generally positive reviews from
music critics
Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
, with them mostly singling out West's vocals for praise. In a strongly positive review, ''
Clash''s Robin Murray asserted that the song is "basically an ''
Avengers Assemble'' kinda deal", characterizing Ty Dolla Sign as having "gone straight to the top" with "an incredible creative team" he assembled.
Murray elaborated by writing that a "resurgent Kanye West", Skrillex's "wild, lawless", exaggerated "futurism", and FKA Twigs' position of a "true auteur" all being present on the song amount to being advantageous, concluding by labelling it "a stunner".
In ''
Paper
Paper is a thin sheet material produced by mechanically or chemically processing cellulose fibres derived from wood, rags, grasses or other vegetable sources in water, draining the water through fine mesh leaving the fibre evenly distributed ...
'', Logan Potter questioned if the song is "the most powerful collaboration of 2020", lauding Ty Dolla Sign and the featured artists' "stylistic choices".
He explained, citing how FKA Twigs has "a fiery
pop outro", West returns to his signature sound from before ''Jesus Is King'', and Ty Dolla Sign demonstrates impressive lyrical ability.
Brenton Blanchet of ''
Spin
Spin or spinning most often refers to:
* Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning
* Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis
* Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
'' opined that "Ego Death" "could best be described as the second coming" of "Fade", assuring the combination of samples only West or Skrillex can put together, the "(probably) bouncy instrumental" to the latter song, West's verse, and FKA Twigs' "magic touch" lead to the song being "a flex of
y Dolla Sign'sconnections just as much as it's a flex of his
raspy vocals".
Writing for ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'', Carl Lamarre said that the track conveys an "electro-hop feel" as Ty Dolla Sign "leaps into desperation after losing out on his sweetheart" on the chorus, further praising West's "spirited" verse and FKA Twigs' "purring" ending contribution.
At
MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
, Patrick Hosken said the song carries through West's "momentum" from "Wash Us in the Blood", describing FKA Twigs, Skrillex, and Serpentwithfeet as also "giving life" to the former.
He continued, stating the "breezy interlude" is "anchored" by Serpentwithfeet's vocals and the "gorgeously spacey outro" is constructed around FKA Twigs.
Jon Caramanica
Jon Caramanica (born 1975) is an American journalist and pop music critic who writes for ''The New York Times''. He is also known for writing about hip hop music.
Biography
Born in Brooklyn, New York (state), New York, Caramanica received his ba ...
from ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' honored the song as an "eccentric, electric jolt of house music" that "deepens" Ty Dolla Sign's
catalog
Catalog or catalogue may refer to:
*Cataloging
**'emmy on the 'og
**in science and technology
***Library catalog, a catalog of books and other media
****Union catalog, a combined library catalog describing the collections of a number of libraries ...
.
Caramanica further observed "astral, calm singing" from him on the "fleet and free" song, while classifying FKA Twigs' vocals as "tart" and noting that West's verse is "frisky".
In a less glowing review for ''RapReviews'', Steve 'Flash' Juon noted how Ty Dolla Sign "needs people to feature on his songs more than the other way around" for getting over being "a better producer than a singing rapper"; he predicted "Ego Death" would be worthless without West, FKA Twigs, and Skrillex. Ben Devlin was somewhat mixed in ''
musicOMH
MusicOMH (stylized as musicOMH) is a London-based online music magazine which publishes independent reviews, features and interviews from across all genres including classical, metal, rock and R&B.
History
MusicOMH was founded and launched by ...
'', viewing the song as the album's "star-studded lead single", though he pointed to it resembling a
bonus track
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records coll ...
hurryingly added on at the end. He went on to call the production "brilliant" and similar to "Fade", despite being disappointed in West's highly mediocre verse.
Commercial performance
After its first full week of tracking, "Ego Death" debuted at number seven on the US ''Billboard''
Bubbling Under Hot 100
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (also known as Bubbling Under the Hot 100) is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. The chart lists the top songs that have not yet charted on the main ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Chart ...
for the chart issue dated July 18, 2020, with 4.5 million on-demand streams.
The song lasted for one week on the chart, though earned 2.9 million on-demand streams in its second week of tracking.
In the same week as its Hot 100 debut, the song entered the Top Triller U.S. chart at number two, before rising to the summit of the chart for the issue date of July 25, 2020.
The song later reached number 29 on the US
Rhythmic Rhythmic may refer to:
* Related to rhythm
* Rhythmic contemporary, a radio format
* Rhythmic adult contemporary, a radio format
* Rhythmic gymnastics, a form of gymnastics
* Rhythmic (chart)
The Rhythmic chart (also called Rhythmic Airplay, and ...
chart for the issue dated September 5, 2020.
Elsewhere in North America, the song charted at number 69 on the
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music industry record chart in Canada for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. The Canadian Hot 100 was launched on the issue dated March 31, 2007, and is currently the standard record chart in Canada; a n ...
. It remained on the chart for a total of two weeks.
"Ego Death" experienced similar performance in Australia, reaching number 68 on the
ARIA Singles Chart
The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...
.
In the United Kingdom, the song was most successful, entering the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
at number 34.
It spent nine weeks on the chart, the first four of which were within the top 40.
On June 11, 2021, the song was certified silver by the
British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is the British recorded music industry's Trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards, the Classic BRIT Awards, National Album Day, is home to the Mercury Prize, and co-owns the Official Charts Company with th ...
(BPI) for amassing 200,000 units in the UK.
The song performed similarly in Ireland, debuting at number 41 on the
Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is the Republic of Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA) and compiled on their behalf by the Official Charts Company. Chart rankings are bas ...
.
It peaked at number 54 on both the
Scottish Singles Chart
The Scottish Albums Chart is a chart compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC) which is based on how physical and digital sales towards the UK Albums Chart fare in Scotland. The official singles chart for Scotland, the Scottish Singles Chart, ...
and Swedish
Sverigetopplistan
Sverigetopplistan (, lit. "the Sweden top list") is the Swedish national record chart, formerly known as Topplistan (1975–1997) and Hitlistan (1998–2007) and known by its current name since October 2007, based on sales data from the Swedish R ...
chart, as well as debuting at number 57 on the
Lithuanian Top 100.
"Ego Death" further opened at number two on the Top Triller Global chart, with the top video for the song accumulating 2.3 million plays on the app.
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from
Tidal
Tidal is the adjectival form of tide.
Tidal may also refer to:
* Tidal (album), ''Tidal'' (album), a 1996 album by Fiona Apple
* Tidal (king), a king involved in the Battle of the Vale of Siddim
* TidalCycles, a live coding environment for music
* ...
.
*
Ty Dolla Sign
Tyrone William Griffin Jr. (born April 13, 1982), known professionally as Ty Dolla Sign (stylized as Ty Dolla $ign or Ty$), is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He first gained major recognition in 2010 for his feature on Ameri ...
producer, writer
*
Skrillex
Sonny John Moore (born January 15, 1988), known professionally as Skrillex, is an American DJ and music producer. Growing up in Northeast Los Angeles and Northern California, he joined the post-hardcore band From First to Last as the lead sing ...
producer, featured artist, mixer, writer
* BoogzDaBeast producer, writer
*
Serpentwithfeet
Josiah Wise (born July 9, 1988), known professionally as serpentwithfeet, is an experimental musician based in Brooklyn, New York City. Wise released the EP ''Blisters'' in 2016, his debut studio album ''soil'' in 2018, his second EP ''Appariti ...
additional vocals, writer
*
Angela Davis
Angela Yvonne Davis (born January 26, 1944) is an American political activist, philosopher, academic, scholar, and author. She is a professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz. A feminist and a Marxist, Davis was a longtime member of ...
additional vocals
* Jariuce "Jehreeus" Banks additional vocals
*
FKA Twigs
Tahliah Debrett Barnett (born 17 January 1988), known professionally as FKA Twigs (stylized as FKA twigs), is an English singer, songwriter, and dancer. Born and raised in Cheltenham, she became a backup dancer for numerous famous musicians aft ...
featured artist, writer
*
Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
featured artist, writer
*
Mike Bozzi
Mike Bozzi is an American mastering engineer at Bernie Grundman Mastering in Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood, California. He won a Grammy Award for Record of the Year for mastering Donald Glover, Childish Gambino's "This Is America (song), This ...
mastering
* James Royo recording
* Rafael "Fai" Bautista recording
* Connor Bradley Smith writer
* Craig Ritchie-Allen writer
*
Dana Owens writer
* Jason Brunton writer
* John Ciafone writer
*
writer
*
Mark Howard James writer
*
Ralphi Rosario
Ralphi Rosario is an American house musician and founding member of the influential Chicago DJ group Hot Mix 5.
Biography
When Hot Mix 5 was formed in 1981 on radio station WBMX (now WVAZ), Rosario, the youngest member of the group, was still in ...
writer
*
Robert Brackins III writer
*
Stephanie Victoria Allen
Stephanie Victoria Allen (born 14 December 1991), better known by her stage name Stefflon Don, is a British rapper and singer. She rose to fame after her 2017 single "Hurtin' Me" featuring French Montana peaked at number 7 on UK Singles Chart. ...
writer
* Sylvester Stewart writer
*
Ultra Naté
Ultra Naté Wyche (born March 20, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, DJ and promoter who has achieved success on the pop charts with songs such as " Free", "If You Could Read My Mind" (as part of Stars on 54), and "Autom ...
writer
Charts
Certifications
Release history
References
External links
*
{{authority control
2020 singles
2020 songs
FKA Twigs songs
Hip house songs
Kanye West songs
Skrillex songs
Ty Dolla Sign songs
Song recordings produced by Skrillex
Songs about drugs
Songs written by Bobby Brackins
Songs written by Kanye West
Songs written by Queen Latifah
Songs written by Skrillex
Songs written by Stefflon Don
Songs written by Ty Dolla Sign
House music songs