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Atmosphere’s ‘Kanye West’ Has Little to Do With Yeezy

Atmosphere, Kanye West, Track

Blaring, ominous bass — a sound evoking the zombie wake-up call in the early minutes of “Thriller” — introduces us to Atmosphere’s “Kanye West,” the newest track off of the Minneapolis ensemble‘s upcoming LP, Southsiders. It’s soon amplified by the vibrating voice of Slug, reciting an anthem of intentionally half-assed activism: “Put your hands in the air / Like you really do care.” In classic Atmosphere fashion, the MC gets to work weaving a tale involving a rocky relationship between himself and a female companion. But the titular shout-out to the Yeezus-making rap god is tribute in name only, as the chorus is the stand-alone reference to Future’s latest collaborator: “Now throw your hands up in the sky and do the Kanye West.” Then we realize he’s just recycling West’s line from Graduation’s uber-hit “Good Life” from a few years back, featuring T-Pain and one of the catchiest beats of 2007. Sadly, “The Kanye West” will probably never be a thing, which may be unfortunate to hear after 2011’s The Family Sign.