Jonah (song)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search
"Jonah"
Song by Kanye West
from the album Donda
ReleasedAugust 29, 2021 (2021-08-29)
Length3:15
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)

"Jonah" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his tenth studio album Donda (2021). The song features Houston singer Vory and Chicago rapper Lil Durk, marking their first collaborations with Kanye, along with additional background vocals from frequent West collaborator Ty Dolla $ign.

Background[edit]

The song began as a solo Vory track dedicated to Jonah Ware, a rapper from Louisville who was fatally shot and killed on August 8, 2020.[1][2] Vory posted a snippet of the song on his Instagram on August 17, 2020. The song was first played at the Donda Mercedes-Benz Stadium listening party on July 23, 2021 with no vocals from West.[3] The subsequent second listening party on August 5, 2021 at the same stadium premiered West's verse on the track.

Summary[edit]

"Jonah", the seventh track off of Donda, the album that saw the reunification of Jay-Z and Kanye, begins with Lil Durk celebrating that moment, but then lamenting "I lost my brother when we was millionaires / I wasn't scared to die, but him, that was my biggest fear."[4] Durk's verse is dedicated to his brother, DThang, who was murdered in 2021.[5] The Guardian said in a review of the song that Lil Durk powerfully references a nephew and a niece now without a father, and goes on to say that "West clearly inspires frank admissions from all of the featured artists on Donda, who treat him like a priest they’ve visited for a group therapy session."[5]

The song paints a portrait of isolation and being in need with lyrics such as "Who's there when I need a shoulder to lean on?", and, "I hope you're here when I need the demons to be gone."[6]

Reception[edit]

Donda was one of the most discussed albums of 2021, and likewise many there have been many reviews of "Jonah". The theme of the song, loneliness and isolation, has been noted as being particularly well portrayed, making the song easily relatable.[7] Charlie Recchia of The Maneater called the song "an emotionally devastating track that discusses fighting inner demons and how lonely that process can be, even if you are a star" and said that "the ghostly hook on this song always gives me chills."[8]

Credits and personnel[edit]

Credits adapted from Spotify.[9]

  • Kanye West – writer, producer, performer
  • Lil Durk – writer, producer
  • Michael Suski – writer
  • Mike Dean – writer, producer
  • Tahrence Brown – writer
  • Vory – writer
  • Wheezy – writer, producer
  • DrtWrk – producer
  • Audi – producer

Charts[edit]

Chart performance for "Jonah"
Chart (2021) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[10] 19
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[11] 28
Denmark (Tracklisten)[12] 28
France (SNEP)[13] 99
Global 200 (Billboard)[14] 24
Iceland (Plötutíðindi)[15] 19
Lithuania (AGATA)[16] 46
Portugal (AFP)[17] 56
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[18] 68
South Africa (RISA)[19] 82
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[20] 62
US Billboard Hot 100[21] 27
US Christian Songs (Billboard)[22] 9
US Gospel Songs (Billboard)[23] 9
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[24] 14

References[edit]

  1. ^ Gazaway, Charles (8 August 2020). "Local recording artist identified as victim shot, killed in Chickasaw neighborhood". Wave3. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  2. ^ "Jonah by Kanye West". Songfacts. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  3. ^ Lewczyk, Maria. "On the scene at Kanye West's 'DONDA' playback in Atlanta: "It feels cathartic"". NME. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  4. ^ "The Best Features on Kanye West's 'Donda,' Ranked". Complex. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  5. ^ a b "Kanye West: Donda review – misfiring lyricism from a diminished figure". the Guardian. 2021-08-30. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  6. ^ "Kanye West's 'Donds' : the NME review". NME. 2021-08-29. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  7. ^ Velasquez, Angelina. "No track left behind! "Donda" by Kanye West has finally dropped". The Scarlet. Retrieved 2021-11-02.
  8. ^ "Kanye West's long awaited 10th album feels like a beautiful raging fire that West started, but cannot fully control | The Maneater". themaneater.com. Retrieved 2021-11-02.
  9. ^ "Credits / Donda / Kanye West". Retrieved 23 September 2021 – via Spotify.
  10. ^ "Kanye West – Jonah". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  11. ^ "Kanye West Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  12. ^ "Track Top-40 Uge 35, 2021". Hitlisten. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
  13. ^ "Kanye West – Jonah" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
  14. ^ "Kanye West Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  15. ^ "Tónlistinn – Lög – Vika 35 – 2021" (in Icelandic). Plötutíðindi. Archived from the original on September 6, 2021. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
  16. ^ "2021 35-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. September 3, 2021. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
  17. ^ "Kanye West – Jonah". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
  18. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 202135 into search. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
  19. ^ "Local & International Streaming Chart Top 100: 27/08/2021 to 02/09/2021". The Official South African Charts. Recording Industry of South Africa. Archived from the original on September 9, 2021. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
  20. ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 35". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
  21. ^ "Kanye West Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  22. ^ "Kanye West Chart History (Hot Christian Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  23. ^ "Kanye West Chart History (Hot Gospel Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  24. ^ "Kanye West Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jonah_(song)&oldid=1055323594"