A joint effort between Skrillex and Kanye West has been in the works since as early as 2012. While the collaboration was ultimately shelved pre-Yeezus, nearly a decade later two of modern music’s most titanic forces have officially come together on a track, this time surrounded by an impressive list of collaborators. Ty Dolla $ign, frequent collaborator of both Skrillex and West, brings the two together on “Ego Death,” along with additional firepower from FKA twigs and Serpentwithfeet.
“Ego Death” lands hot off the heels of West and Travis Scott’s latest, “Wash Us in the Blood,” cropped from West’s upcoming LP God’s Country. The star-studded collaboration also comes shortly after Skrillex and Ty Dolla $ign’s untitled piece highlighting racial injustice from earlier this summer. The collaborative ties between these five run deep, with Skrillex also assisting on the production of FKA twigs’ critically lauded late 2019 LP MAGDALENE.
Kanye and Ty Dolla $ign had reportedly teased an early version of “Ego Death” sometime during the Yandhi or pre-Jesus Is King era. Though now, with some final touches from Serpentwithfeet and FKA twigs, the track is finally ready to see the light of day, and based on the sheer collective star power these five bring to the table, this might be the posse cut of the year.
Make no mistake—dance music is born from black culture. Without black creators, innovators, selectors, and communities, the electronic dance music we hold so dear would simply not exist. In short, dance music is deeply indebted to the global black community and we need to be doing more. Black artists and artists of color have played a profound role in shaping the sound and culture of dance music and now more than ever, it is necessary for everyone in the music community to stand up for the people that have given us so much. Mix Session pledges to make every effort to be a better ally, a stronger resource, and a more accountable member of the global dance music community. Black Lives Matter—get involved here:
Black Lives Matter
My Block My Hood My City
National Lawyers Guild Mass Defense Program
Black Visions Collective
Colin Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights Legal Defense Initiative
The Bail Project
The Next Level Boys Academy
Color of Change
Committee to Protect Journalists
