Jail (song)
{{Short description|2021 song by Kanye West}}
{{Article for deletion/dated|page=Jail (song)|timestamp=20250405014247|year=2025|month=April|day=5|substed=yes|help=off}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Jail
| type = song
| artist = Kanye West featuring Jay-Z
| album = Donda
| released = {{start date|2021|08|29}}
| recorded = May 13 – August 2021
| studio =
| genre = * Hip hop{{cite news|last=Power|first=Ed|title=Kanye West, Donda review: epic, maximalist stadium rap from a born-again naval gazer|work=The Daily Telegraph|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/what-to-listen-to/kanye-west-donda-review-epic-maximalism-stadium-rap-born-again/|date=August 29, 2021|access-date=August 29, 2021|issn=0307-1235|archive-date=August 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210829195034/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/what-to-listen-to/kanye-west-donda-review-epic-maximalism-stadium-rap-born-again/|url-status=live}}
- alternative hip hop
- pop rock{{Cite web|last=Willman|first=Chris|url=https://variety.com/2021/music/reviews/kanye-west-donda-album-review-1235051561/|title=Kanye West Obsesses About Jesus, Kim, His Mother, Himself and Drake in Overstuffed, Fascinating 'Donda': Album Review|date=August 29, 2021|work=Variety|access-date=August 30, 2021|archive-date=August 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210830014204/https://variety.com/2021/music/reviews/kanye-west-donda-album-review-1235051561/|url-status=live}}
- alt-rock
- arena rock{{cite web|last=Wood|first=Mikael|work=Los Angeles Times|title=Review: Kanye West reeks of desperation on dispiriting, exhausting 'Donda'|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2021-08-31/kanye-west-donda-album-review|date=August 31, 2021|access-date=September 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210905120907/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2021-08-31/kanye-west-donda-album-review|archive-date=September 5, 2021|url-status=live|url-access=subscription}}
| length = 4:57
| label = * GOOD
| writer = * Kanye West
- Shawn Carter
- Jonathan Kirk
- Brian Warner
- Charles Njapa
- Michael Dean
- Mark Williams
- Raul Cubina
- Dwayne Abernathy
- Sean Solymar
- John Peter Moylett
| producer = * Kanye West
- 88-Keys
- Mike Dean
- Ojivolta
- Dem Jointz
- E.Vax
- Sean Solymar
}}
"Jail" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his tenth studio album, Donda (2021). The song includes vocals from fellow American rapper Jay-Z. It contains an interpolation of The Boomtown Rats' 1979 song "Sleep (Finger's Lullaby), whose member Johnnie Fingers is credited as a songwriter. Towards the end of the album, another version of the song titled "Jail pt 2" appears, which includes more vocals from DaBaby and Marilyn Manson. It won the award for Best Rap Song at the 2022 Grammy Awards.
Background
West extensively contributed to fellow rapper Jay-Z's sixth studio album, The Blueprint (2001), and signed a recording contract with the latter's record label, Roc-A-Fella Records. West has since co-produced several Jay-Z albums, while Jay-Z executive produced and guest appeared on several of West's earlier albums. The duo's collaborative album, Watch the Throne, was released in 2011, though they had a falling out five years later when West criticized Jay-Z during the former's Saint Pablo Tour. Jay-Z addressed the fallout on the intro to his thirteenth studio album 4:44 (2017), and also assured in a promotional interview that he needed to speak with West for resolving their "family business", before the latter alleged their issues started after his wedding to Kim Kardashian in 2014.{{cite web|last1=Purdom|first1=Clayton|url=https://www.gq.com/story/kanye-west-jay-z-donda-new-song-reunion|title=Kanye West and Jay-Z Finally Reunite On a New Song|website=GQ|date=July 23, 2021|access-date=September 7, 2021}}
On July 22, 2021, West ended the first listening event for Donda at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta by playing a song that includes a verse from Jay-Z.{{cite magazine|last1=Legaspi|first1=Althea|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/kanye-west-jay-z-donda-song-1201165/|title=Kanye West and Jay-Z Reunite on New 'Donda' Song|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=July 23, 2021|access-date=September 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723050320/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/kanye-west-jay-z-donda-song-1201165/|archive-date=July 23, 2021}} The verse was reportedly recorded at 4pm on the previous day, apparently being rushed by Jay-Z for the event.{{cite web|last1=A.|first1=Aron|url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/kanye-west-and-jay-z-reunite-as-the-throne-on-jail-new-song.1992490.html|title=Kanye West & Jay-Z Reunite As The Throne On 'Jail'|website=HotNewHipHop|date=August 29, 2021|access-date=September 7, 2021}} The song's title was unveiled as "Jail" and during the album's third listening party at Soldier Field in Chicago, a version was played that replaced Jay-Z's verse with one from fellow rapper DaBaby.{{cite news|last1=Whaite|first1=Tom|url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/53974/1/kanye-west-finally-drops-donda-and-the-jay-z-verse-is-here-to-stay|title=Kanye West finally drops Donda, and the Jay-Z verse is here to stay|website=Dazed|date=August 29, 2021|access-date=September 7, 2021}} The replacement was widely condemned by fans, due to DaBaby's July 2021 homophobic rant. The final version re-added Jay-Z and removed DaBaby, marking the first track to include him and West since they both appeared on Drake's "Pop Style" (2016). Despite this, Pt. 2 features vocals from the aforementioned DaBaby as well as Marilyn Manson, who himself was embroiled in controversy, as he was accused of sexually harassing actress Evan Rachel Wood.
Critical reception
File:Jay-Z @ Shawn 'Jay-Z' Carter Foundation Carnival (crop 2).jpg's performance on "Jail" was alternately praised and derided by music critics]]
"Jail" received mixed reviews. Thomas Hobbs of The Guardian was unimpressed by West's lyrics on the track, describing them as "blunted" when compared to his previous work; he also considered its "dad-rock riffs" to be "slightly flat" and its melody "meandering".{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/aug/30/kanye-west-donda-review-misfiring-lyricism-from-a-diminished-figure|title=Kanye West: Donda review – misfiring lyricism from a diminished figure|last=Hobbs|first=Thomas|date=August 30, 2021|work=The Guardian|access-date=September 9, 2021}} In her review for The Independent, Roisin O'Connor condemned the "sluggish one-two punch of the motif" as derivative of the "superior jabs" on Kendrick Lamar's "Humble" (2017).{{cite web |last1=O'Connor |first1=Roisin |title=Kanye West review, Donda: Marilyn Manson's inexcusable presence leaves a sour taste that no amount of gospel can cleanse |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/kanye-west-review-donda-marilyn-manson-b1911087.html |website=The Independent |access-date=September 9, 2021 |date=August 30, 2021}} AllMusic's Fred Thomas dubbed it "a banger with no bang" besides its "last seconds". Conversely, Paul Thomas of Rolling Stone described it as "pure catharsis" and "clear-eyed" in its examination of "the threat police pose", highlighting it as one of the tracks off Donda which display a "sincere darkness".{{cite magazine|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/aug/30/kanye-west-donda-review-misfiring-lyricism-from-a-diminished-figure|title=Kanye West Searches for Meaning on the Muddled, Grandiose 'Donda'|last=Thomas|first=Paul|date=September 1, 2021|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=September 9, 2021}} In his review for Variety, Chris Willman called it a "pleasingly genre-crossing surprise" with "power chords and anthemic chorus lines that somebody like Imagine Dragons might give their dragons' eye teeth for".{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2021/music/reviews/kanye-west-donda-album-review-1235051561/|title=Kanye West Obsesses About Jesus, Kim, His Mother, Himself and Drake in Overstuffed, Fascinating 'Donda': Album Review|last=Willman|first=Chris|date=August 29, 2021|work=Variety|access-date=September 9, 2021}} Clash{{'}}s Mike Milenko considered it "a half-decent Kanye cut".{{cite news|url=https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/kanye-west-donda|title=Kanye West – DONDA|last=Milenko|first=Mike|date=August 31, 2021|work=Clash|access-date=September 9, 2021}}
Jay-Z's appearance divided critics. Jon Caramanica of The New York Times simply described it as "decent",{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/31/arts/music/kanye-west-donda.html|title=Kanye West's 'Donda' Era, on a Chaotic Stage|last=Caramanica|first=Jon|date=August 31, 2021|work=The New York Times|access-date=September 9, 2021}} while Tom Breihan of Stereogum wrote that "it's not peak Jay"; he considered his "underwhelming" verse to be inferior to the other guest appearances on Donda, and assessed that he "gets through his awkward verse on charisma and accumulated goodwill".{{cite news|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2159036/kanye-west-donda-album-review/reviews/premature-evaluation/|title=Kanye West 'Donda' Review: Messy & Indulgent, But Never Boring|last=Breihan|first=Tom|date=August 30, 2021|work=Stereogum|access-date=September 9, 2021}} Thomas panned his "atrociously written" verse, arguing that "it sounds like a rehearsal take from someone who knows he's written C-grade material". HipHopDX{{'}}s David Aaron Brake called it "one of the worst verses of his career", and joked that "Kanye awoke him from a nap and asked him for some quick bars in 30 minutes or less".{{cite news|url=https://hiphopdx.com/reviews/id.3778/title.kanye-wests-ego-overshadows-glimpses-of-hip-hop-excellence-on-bloated-donda-album|title=Kanye West's Ego Overshadows Glimpses Of Hip Hop Excellence On Bloated 'Donda' Album|last=Brake|first=David Aaron|date=September 2, 2021|work=HipHopDX|access-date=September 9, 2021}} In contrast, Nina Hernandez of The A.V. Club hailed it as "one of Jay's most successful feature verses in several years" and a "clear high point" on Donda.{{cite news|url=https://www.avclub.com/kanye-west-s-donda-is-a-bloated-incoherent-mess-1847593067|title=Kanye West's Donda is a bloated, incoherent mess|last=Hernandez|first=Nina|date=August 31, 2021|work=The A.V. Club|access-date=September 9, 2021}} Similarly, Milenko found Jay-Z to be "at his most recent best, sneering into the mic with a cockiness that is unmatched even by Ye himself". Riley Wallace of Exclaim! considered that he provided one of the "shiniest gems" on the album with his verse,{{cite news|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/kanye_west_donda_album_review|title=Kanye West's Bloated 'Donda' Has Glimpses of Classic Yeezy|last=Wallace|first=Riley|date=August 30, 2021|work=Exclaim!|access-date=September 9, 2021}} while Rhian Daly called it "a thrill" in her review for NME.{{cite news|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/kanye-west-donda-review-3031977|title=Kanye West – 'DONDA' review: some gems among lots – and lots – of filler|last=Daly|first=Rhian|date=August 29, 2021|work=NME|access-date=September 9, 2021}}
Commercial performance
"Jail" debuted at number 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming West's 20th top-10 hit on the chart and making him the 21st act to have this amount of top-10s.{{cite magazine|last=Zellner|first=Xander|title=Kanye West Lands 23 Songs From 'Donda' on Billboard Hot 100, With Two in Top 10|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9625539/kanye-west-donda-23-songs-hot-100|magazine=Billboard|date=September 7, 2021|access-date=September 10, 2021|archive-date=September 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210908114315/https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9625539/kanye-west-donda-23-songs-hot-100|url-status=live}} The debut was almost entirely driven by streaming, with the song entering the US Streaming Songs chart at number three and amassing 24.2 million streams.{{cite magazine|last=Trust|first=Gary|title=BTS' 'Butter' Tops Hot 100 for 10th Week|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/9625367/bts-butter-tops-hot-100-tenth-week|magazine=Billboard|date=September 7, 2021|access-date=September 10, 2021}} The song reached number two on both the US Christian Songs and Gospel Songs charts.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/christian-songs/2021-09-11|title=Hot Christian Songs Chart – September 11, 2021|magazine=Billboard|access-date=September 10, 2021}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/gospel-songs/2021-09-11|title=Hot Gospel Songs Chart – September 11, 2021|magazine=Billboard|access-date=September 10, 2021}} It debuted at number three on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, standing among West's seven simultaneous top-10 hits that tied him with Drake's record on the chart.{{cite magazine|last=Anderson|first=Trevor|title=Kanye West's 'Hurricane' Lands at No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9627057/kanye-west-hurricane-number-1-rb-hip-hop-songs-chart|magazine=Billboard|date=September 9, 2021|access-date=September 10, 2021|archive-date=September 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210910080533/https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9627057/kanye-west-hurricane-number-1-rb-hip-hop-songs-chart|url-status=live}}
In Australia, "Jail" opened at number five on the ARIA Singles Chart.{{cite news|url=https://www.noise11.com/news/australian-albums-kanye-west-donda-is-no-1-20210905|title=Australian Albums: Kanye West 'Donda' Is No 1|last=Ryan|first=Gavin|date=September 5, 2021|publisher=Noise11|access-date=September 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210905080022/https://www.noise11.com/news/australian-albums-kanye-west-donda-is-no-1-20210905|archive-date=September 5, 2021|url-status=live}} The song experienced similar performance in New Zealand, entering the NZ Singles Chart at number six. Elsewhere, it reached number eight on the Icelandic Singles Chart. The song debuted at number seven on the Irish Singles Chart, placing among West's three entries from the album in Ireland.{{cite news|url=https://www.hotpress.com/music/kanye-west-and-ed-sheeran-top-irish-charts-22869624|title=Kanye West and Ed Sheeran top Irish Charts|website=Hotpress|date=September 3, 2021|access-date=September 7, 2021}} It entered the UK Singles Chart at number 11, also standing as one of his three entries in the United Kingdom.{{Cite news|last=Green|first=Alex|title=Kanye West scores chart success with long-awaited album Donda|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/music/news/kanye-west-scores-chart-success-with-long-awaited-album-donda-40816456.html|work=Belfast Telegraph|date=September 3, 2021|access-date=September 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210905094523/https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/music/news/kanye-west-scores-chart-success-with-long-awaited-album-donda-40816456.html|archive-date=September 5, 2021|url-status=live}}
Pt 2
The second part of the song, titled "Jail pt 2", was premiered to a controversial reception at the third and final public listening party at Soldier Field in Chicago on August 26, 2021. It was subsequently released as Donda{{'}}s 24th track on August 29, 2021.{{cite web|last=Thomas|first=Fred|title=Donda – Kanye West|publisher=AllMusic|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/donda-mw0003560076|access-date=September 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210903220720/https://www.allmusic.com/album/donda-mw0003560076|archive-date=September 3, 2021|url-status=live}}{{cite web|last1=Blanchet|first1=Brenton|url=https://www.complex.com/music/kanye-west-universal-donda-release-permission|title=Kanye West Says Universal Released 'Donda' Without His Approval, Blocked 'Jail Pt 2' (Update)|website=Complex|date=August 29, 2021|access-date=September 7, 2021}} Initially, the song appeared on the album's Spotify track list while blanked out and unavailable to play, until it became playable at 10pm.{{cite news|last1=Aswad|first1=Jem|title=Kanye West Finally Releases 'Donda' Album|url=https://variety.com/2021/music/news/kanye-west-releases-donda-album-1235051264/|access-date=September 7, 2021|work=Variety|date=August 29, 2021|archive-date=August 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210829131415/https://variety.com/2021/music/news/kanye-west-releases-donda-album-1235051264/|url-status=live}}{{cite news|last1=Bloom|first1=Madison|last2=Strauss|first2=Matthew|last3=Yoo|first3=Noah|title=Kanye West Finally Releases New Album Donda: Listen|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/kanye-west-finally-releases-new-album-donda-listen/|access-date=September 7, 2021|work=Pitchfork|date=August 29, 2021|archive-date=August 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210829123107/https://pitchfork.com/news/kanye-west-finally-releases-new-album-donda-listen/|url-status=live}} West posted screenshots to his Instagram of texts between him and his manager Bu Thiam demonstrating that the song was not able to be released due to DaBaby's management refusing to clear his appearance, with West replying: "I'm not taking my brother off. He was the only person who said he would vote for me in public."{{Cite magazine|last=Netzley|first=Sara|url=https://ew.com/music/kanye-west-universal-released-donda-without-permission/|title=Kanye West claims Universal released long-awaited Donda album without his permission|date=August 29, 2021|access-date=September 7, 2021|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|archive-date=August 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210830004819/https://ew.com/music/kanye-west-universal-released-donda-without-permission/|url-status=live}} He also accused Universal Music Group of having blocked the song's inclusion on the album; sources at the company denied the allegations and called them "preposterous".
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Chart performance for "Jail pt 2" ! scope="col"| Chart (2021) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| scope="row"| Australia (ARIA){{cite magazine|title=The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 6 September 2021|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association|issue=1644|page=4|date=September 6, 2021}}
| 61 |
|---|
| scope="row"| Canadian Hot 100 (Billboard)
| 60 |
| scope="row"| Global 200 (Billboard)
| 60 |
| {{single chart|Portugal|155|artist=Kanye West|song=Jail (Pt 2)|rowheader=true|access-date=September 22, 2021|refname=PortugalPt2}} |
| scope="row"| South Africa (TOSAC)
| 41 |
| scope="row"| US Billboard Hot 100
| 63 |
| scope="row"| US Christian Songs (Billboard)
| 19 |
| scope="row"| US Gospel Songs (Billboard)
| 19 |
| scope="row"| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)
| 31 |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center"
|+2021 year-end chart performance for "Jail" !scope="col"|Chart (2021) !scope="col"|Position |
| scope="row"| US Christian Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=Hot Christian Songs – Year-End 2021|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2021/hot-christian-songs|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 20, 2021}}
| 18 |
|---|
| scope="row"| US Gospel Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=Hot Gospel Songs – Year-End 2021|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2021/hot-gospel-songs|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 20, 2021}}
| 7 |
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "Jail"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=single|artist=Kanye West|title=Jail|award=Gold|relyear=2021|certyear=2021|access-date=November 23, 2021}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=Kanye West|title=Jail|award=Gold|relyear=2021|certyear=2022|access-date=January 12, 2022}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Kanye West songs}}
{{Jay-Z songs}}
{{DaBaby}}
{{Grammy Award for Best Rap Song}}
Category:Song recordings produced by Kanye West
Category:Song recordings produced by Mike Dean (record producer)
Category:Songs written by Dem Jointz
Category:Songs written by Jay-Z
Category:Songs written by Kanye West
Category:Songs written by Mike Dean (record producer)
Category:Songs written by DaBaby
Category:American pop rock songs
Category:American alternative rock songs
Category:Alternative hip-hop songs