Two Words

"Two Words" is a song by American hip-hop artist Kanye West, that features Mos Def, Freeway and The Boys Choir of Harlem, from West's debut studio album The College Dropout (2004). A cinematic version of the song was released as part of The College Dropout Video Anthology. It has been performed by Freeway regularly at his live shows over the years. An orchestral sound is used in the song. The music video was released in March 2005.

"Two Words"
Song by Kanye West featuring Mos Def, Freeway and The Boys Choir of Harlem
from the album The College Dropout
ReleasedNovember 10, 2003
Recorded2003
StudioEdie Road Recording Studio
(Argyle, New York)
Quad Recordings
(New York, New York)
GenreHip hop
Length4:26
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)West
Music video
"Two Words" on YouTube

Background

The original version of the track list for The College Dropout showed that the song was initially scheduled to be titled "2 Words" and have the position of number 5, rather than number 18 as it stands on the official release.[1][2] Featured artist Freeway stated that Kanye wasn't initially respected as a rapper, but, after seeing West's talent, when asked to feature on the album, Freeway's response was: "Hell yeah. Let’s do it."[3]

Composition and lyrics

Within "Two Words", there is an orchestral sound that includes classical strings and Miri Ben-Ari revealed that she was the one who introduced West to this sound, which lead to him falling in love with it.[4] The track contains a sample of 1970 recording "Peace and Love (Amani Na Mapenzi) Movement III (Time)", written by Lou Wilson, Ric Wilson and Carlos Wilson, and performed by Mandrill.[5] On top of this, it samples drums from The 5th Dimension's 1971 track "The Rainmaker".[4]

West references a group he was once in known as the Go Getters with the line: "Go Getters rhyme like, should've been signed twice" and over the years, West has actually recycled multiple rhymes that he first spit when part of the group.[6]

Recording

Miri Ben-Ari revealed that "Two Words" was the first recording she ever did with West.[4] It was revealed by West that he drove to the Harlem Boys Choir's summer camp to record them in a barn for the track.[7] West actually had to pay them $10,000 to record a feature for him.[8] Freeway liked the beat when he heard it, which made him: "want to go ham on it" and the rapper laid his verse down for the song before West and Mos recorded their parts.[3]

An alternative version titled "Two Words (Frisky Remix)" was shared to BBC Music, which is a mashup of the original and Tinie Tempah's Labrinth-featuring single "Frisky", but only Kanye West, Labrinth and Mos Def are included as artists in the remix.[9] On February 27, 2014, Ace Hood released a freestyle titled "Lyrical Exercise" over the instrumental of "Two Words".[10]

Critical reception

Eric Tullis of SPIN described the track as being "the perfect playground for [the three rappers] to break character and address the American reality".[11] It was pointed out by Paul Cantor of Billboard as what is "perhaps the symphonic high point of the record".[12] It received a nomination for Best Hip-Hop Deep Cut at the 2005 Groovevolt Music and Fashion Awards.[13]

Live performances

West and Mos performed "Two Words" live with The Roots as a backing band on September 18, 2004 as part of Dave Chappelle's Block Party concert.[14] Freeway has performed the song at his live shows for years and said himself that: "Everyone loves it."[3] On one occasion, Freeway joined West for a performance of it at a Super Bowl party with Pepsi, which was at the time of Super Bowl XL in February 2006.[3]

Music video

Despite the song not being one of the album's singles, a music video was officially released for it as part of West's The College Dropout Video Anthology on March 22, 2005.[15] He released an edited version of the video independently on November 4.[16]

All of the people who starred in the music video shot their parts in different places.[3] This didn't mark the only time a video was released for a non-single from West's debut album, since he also shot one for "Spaceship", which was posted online by featured artist GLC on June 1, 2009 - however, it was originally scheduled to be released as a single, unlike "Two Words".[17][18]

Personnel

Information taken from The College Dropout liner notes.[5]

  • Songwriters: Kanye West, Dante Smith, Leslie Pridgen, Lou Wilson, Ric Wilson, Carlos Wilson
  • Record producer: Kanye West
  • Recorders: Marc Fuller, Keith Slattery, Carlisle Young
  • Mix engineer: Mike Dean
  • Additional vocals: The Boys Choir of Harlem
  • Keyboards: Keith Slattery
  • Violin: Miri Ben-Ari

Cinematic version
"Two Words (Cinematic)"
Song by Kanye West featuring The Boys Choir of Harlem
ReleasedMarch 22, 2005
Recorded2004
GenreHip hop
Length4:04
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)West

On March 22, 2005, The College Dropout Video Anthology was released, which features a bonus audio CD with a cinematic version of "Two Words" as a track on it.[15]

gollark: This is... literal apioform, and I suppose an inevitable result of slash commands.
gollark: https://support-dev.discord.com/hc/en-us/articles/4404772028055-Message-Content-Access-Deprecation-for-Verified-Bots
gollark: Um. Wow.
gollark: ... what
gollark: I have no idea what that apiaristic thing could possibly do.

References
  1. Garrison, Lucas (January 25, 2016). "Kanye's Early 'College Dropout' Tracklist Will Blow Your Mind". DJBooth. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  2. "The College Dropout - Kanye West". AllMusic. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
  3. Ahmed, Insanul (February 10, 2012). "Interview: Freeway Talks About The Making of Kanye West's "Two Words"". Complex. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  4. Ahmed, Insanul (February 10, 2014). "The Making of Kanye West's "The College Dropout"". Complex. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  5. The College Dropout (Media notes). Kanye West. Roc-A-Fella Records. 2004. 986 173-9.CS1 maint: others (link)
  6. Bassil, Ryan (August 13, 2013). "Kanye West Recycles Lyrics From Old Material". Noisey. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  7. Carroll, Jim (June 19, 2013). "Y-Day: Kanye West's trip from "College Dropout" to "Yeezus"". On The Record. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  8. "50 Things You Didn't Know About Kanye West". Complex. February 26, 2013. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  9. West, Kanye; Labrinth. "Two Words (Frisky Remix) (feat. Mos Def) - Kanye West & Labrinth Song". BBC. BBC Music. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  10. Lilah, Rose (February 27, 2014). "Ace Hood - Lyrical Exercise (Freestyle)". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  11. Tullis, Eric (February 2, 2014). "Two Words - Kanye West - 12". SPIN. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  12. Cantor, Paul (February 10, 2014). "Kanye West's 'The College Dropout' at 10: Classic Track-by-Track Review". Billboard. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  13. "05 GV Music & Fashion Awards Winners: Hip Hop". Groovevolt. 1 March 2005. Archived from the original on 7 March 2005. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
  14. Watson, Elijah C. "Thirteen Years Ago Dave Chappelle Put On The Greatest Concert Of The Year". Okayplayer. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  15. "Kanye West - College Dropout: Video Anthology". Amazon. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  16. "Two Words (Edited Version) by Kanye West, Mos Def, Freeway & The Boys Choir of Harlem on Apple Music". iTunes. November 4, 2005. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  17. "Video: Kanye West f. GLC & Consequence, "Spaceship"". The Fader. June 1, 2009. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  18. Schiff, Mark (January 29, 2016). "Five rare Kanye West music videos you may not have seen". AXS. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
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