I'm In It

"I'm In It" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Kanye West, from his sixth studio album, Yeezus (2013). It was produced by West, Evian Christ, Dom Solo, Noah Goldstein, Arca and Mike Dean. The song features vocals from Justin Vernon and Assassin and a sample of "Lately" by Kenny Lattimore. In the song, West describes numerous sexual fantasies using very sexually explicit lyrics. The song has received mixed reviews from music critics, with its explicit lyrics receiving the most criticism. Despite charting in the United States in 2013, the song is one of the worst performing songs on Yeezus.

"I'm In It"
Song by Kanye West
from the album Yeezus
ReleasedJune 18, 2013
Recorded2013
Genre
Length3:54
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)

Background

Within the same week of the album's release, a remix of the song was released by DMNDZ.[1] The song was part of West's setlist during the first concert of The Yeezus Tour, performing at the Barclays Center in New York City.[2]

Composition

The song contains very sexually explicit lyrics, in which West describes a sexual night with his wife Kim Kardashian and reflects on living a life of constant sexual arousal.[3] He discusses wanting sweet and sour sauce when he's with an Asian woman, putting his fist in a black woman "like a civil rights sign," and referencing Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech "thank God almighty, we are free at last" speech while referring to unclothing a pair of breasts.[3]

The track includes a chopped and screwed sample of "Lately" by Kenny Lattimore.[4] Anthony Kilhoffer revealed that during the recording sessions for Yeezus, the song started out with a different sample and melody.[5] After West removed the sample, producer Rick Rubin edited the track down from a six-minute arrangement.[6] The song includes additional vocals from Justin Vernon of Bon Iver and Jamaican DJ Assassin.[7] The type of lyrical absurdity shown by West in "I'm In It" was later displayed by him in the 2018 singles "XTCY" and "I Love It" (with Lil Pump).[3]

Release and reception

"I'm In It" was released on June 18, 2013, as the sixth track on West's sixth studio album Yeezus.[8] Since release, the song has received generally mixed reviews from critics, with much criticism regarding its sexually explicit lyrics.[9] Billboard described "I'm In It" as where West "mangles his voice and flips to beast mode".[10] Jon Dolan of Rolling Stone wrote that the song "sounds something like the soundtrack to a snuff film for Cylons," and commented upon the "civil rights sign" lyrics, in which West is described as sounding at once "righteous and evil."[11] Ryan Dombal of Pitchfork described the song as a "XXX creeper" and sounds like "a dancehall orgasm mired in quicksand," effectively making his similar songs, such as "Slow Jamz", come off like a Disney theme song.[12] Ian Kan of Heavy.com found the track one of the weakest on the album, writing "There are some moments when the song feels like it'll pick up, but it doesn't really get there."[13] Sputnikmusic called the track "sexually charged and completely insane" and called its lyrics "completely ridiculous."[14] Of the criticism, West said in a 2013 interview with Jimmy Kimmel: "I'm totally inappropriate sometimes".[15] However, Lou Reed, formerly of the Velvet Underground, described it as West "just having fun" and criticized the negative reaction to its lyrics.[16]

Commercial performance

Upon the release of the album, the track made its debut at number 17 on the US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100.[17] It also charted at number 43 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in the same week.[18] It also peaked at number 27 on the US Billboard On-Demand Songs chart the week of July 6, 2013.[19]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[20]

  • Producer – Kanye West
  • Co-producer – Evian Christ and Dom $olo
  • Additional production – Noah Goldstein, Arca, and Mike Dean #MWA
  • Engineer – Brent Kolatalo, Noah Goldstein, Anthony Kilhoffer, and Mike Dean
  • Engineer assisted – Marc Portheau, Khoï Huynh, Raoul Le Pennec, Nabil Essemlani, and Keith Perry
  • Mix – Noah Goldstein at Shangri-La Studios, Malibu, CA
  • Mix assisted – Sean Oakley, Eric Lynn, Dave "Squirrel" Covell and Josh Smith
  • Vocals – Justin Vernon and Assassin

Charts
Chart (2013) Peak
position
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[21] 17
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[22] 43
US On-Demand Songs (Billboard)[19] 27

Notes
  1. Credited as co-producer
  2. Credited as additional producer
gollark: The plant is, though, I must say, a bit far from anywhere where it might be used or where fuel could be produced.
gollark: I can fiddle with my program for managing P2P tunnels for this.
gollark: I'll make some sort of control system for the reactor to turn it on when needed, and make fuel production.
gollark: Oh, we have some spare solenoids.
gollark: I made half a stack.

References
  1. Khal (June 16, 2013). "The "Yeezus" Remixes Are Here". Complex. Archived from the original on April 15, 2019. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  2. Farber, Jim (November 20, 2013). "Concert review: Kanye West startles, appalls during 'Yeezus' show at Barclays". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on November 2, 2018. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  3. Gordon, Jeremy (September 10, 2018). "Kanye West is too horny for his own good". The Outline. Archived from the original on December 16, 2018. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  4. Green, Alexander (May 13, 2016). "How Kanye West Made the Most Polarizing Album of His Career". Medium. Archived from the original on February 4, 2019. Retrieved January 12, 2019.
  5. Dombal, Ryan (June 24, 2013). "The Yeezus Sessions". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on November 6, 2018. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
  6. Dombal, Ryan (June 24, 2013). "The Yeezus Sessions". Pitchfork. Pitchfork Media Inc. Archived from the original on June 26, 2013. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  7. "Kanye West's "Yeezus" Reviewed: "I'm In It"". Popdust. June 17, 2013. Archived from the original on June 23, 2018. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  8. Jeffries, David. "Yeezus – Kanye West". AllMusic. Archived from the original on June 21, 2013. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
  9. Brounstein, Sam (June 18, 2013). "Kanye West 'Yeezus' Review: Song 'I'm In It' Unsurprisingly Vulgar (Video)". Mic. Archived from the original on May 15, 2016. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  10. "Kanye West, 'Yeezus': Track-by-Track review". Billboard. June 14, 2013. Archived from the original on June 24, 2018. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  11. Dolan, Jon (June 14, 2013). "Kanye West, 'Yeezus'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 10, 2018. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  12. Ryan, Dombal (June 18, 2013). "Kanye West: Yeezus Album Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on September 20, 2018. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  13. Kar, Ian (June 14, 2013). "Kanye West 'Yeezus' Track-by-Track Review: The Only Review You Need to Read". Heavy.com. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  14. "Kanye West – Yeezus (album review)". Sputnikmusic. October 7, 2018. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  15. Duboff, Josh (October 10, 2013). "Kanye on Kimmel: "I'm totally weird and I'm totally honest". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  16. Reed, Lou (July 3, 2013). "Lou Reed on Kanye West's Yeezus: 'It brings tears to my eyes'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on August 2, 2013. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  17. "Kanye West I'm In It Chart History". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 9, 2018. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  18. "Top Hip-Hop Songs / R&B Songs Chart – July 6, 2013". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 10, 2018. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  19. "Kanye West Chart History (On-Demand Songs)". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 14, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  20. Yeezus (PDF) (Media notes). Kanye West. Def Jam Recordings. 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 3, 2013. Retrieved June 22, 2013.CS1 maint: others (link)
  21. "Kanye West Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  22. "Kanye West Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
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