Gorgeous

“Gorgeous” sees Kanye describing the ugly nature of social injustice in America, ironically calling the nation “gorgeous” because of it. Recorded during his self-imposed exile in Hawaii, West formed the track with elements from The Turtles’ 1968 single, “You Showed Me.” The lush and electric guitar riff present throughout the song stems from Enoch Light and the Glittering Guitars’ 1969 cover of the same Turtles' song. West reclusively worked with artists he was familiar with during his time in Hawaii, leading to Kid Cudi singing the chorus. In an interview with MTV, Cudi revealed that he had to lie in order to get on the song: "‘Gorgeous’ was one of those records that, as soon as I heard the beat, I was like, ‘Man, this is the one.‘ […] I came up to him, and I was like, ‘Man, are you working on this record? Are you working on this beat?’ He goes, ‘Yeah, do you got an idea for it?’ I was like, ‘Yeah, I might.’ I didn’t. I was lying like a motherfucker…" Wu-Tang Clan member Raekwon initially had no interest to feature on the track. He was later convinced by RZA, who assisted on “Dark Fantasy" and “So Appalled,” to work with Kanye. Regarding the collaboration, Raekwon said: "The first thing I can tell you about Kanye West is that he’s a hard worker. When you look at him, you can tell that he still has that whole hip-hop thing in his bones."

[Produced by Kanye West, Mike Dean & No I.D.] [Chorus: Kid Cudi] Ain't no question if I want it, I need it I can feel it slowly drifting away from me I'm on the edge, so why you playing? I'm saying I will never ever let you live this down, down, down Not for nothing, I've foreseen it, I dreamed it I can feel it slowly drifting away from me No more chances, if you blow this, you bogus I will never ever let you live this down, down, down [Verse 1: Kanye West] Penitentiary chances, the devil dances And eventually answers to the call of autumn All them fallin' for the love of ballin' Got caught with thirty rocks, the cop look like Alec Baldwin Inter-century anthems based off inner-city tantrums Based off the way we was branded Face it, Jerome get more time than Brandon And at the airport, they check all through my bag And tell me that it's random But we stay winning This week has been a bad massage, I need a happy ending And a new beginning and a new fitted And some job opportunities that's lucrative This the real world, homie, school finished They done stole your dreams, you don't know who did it I treat the cash the way the government treats AIDS I won't be satisfied 'til all my niggas get it, get it? [Chorus: Kid Cudi] Ain't no question if I want it, I need it I can feel it slowly drifting away from me I'm on the edge, so why you playing? I'm saying I will never ever let you live this down, down, down [Verse 2: Kanye West] Is hip-hop just a euphemism for a new religion? The soul music of the slaves that the youth is missing But this is more than just my road to redemption Malcolm West had the whole nation standing at attention As long as I'm in Polo smiling, they think they got me But they'd try to crack me if they ever see a Black me I thought I chose a field where they couldn't sack me If a nigga ain't shootin' a jumpshot, runnin' a track meet But this pimp is at the top of Mount Olympus Ready for the world's games, this is my Olympics We make 'em say ho 'cause the game is so pimpish Choke a South Park writer with a fishstick I insisted to get up off of this dick And these drugs, niggas can't resist it Remind me when they tried to have Ali enlisted If I ever wasn't the greatest, nigga, I must have missed it [Chorus: Kid Cudi] Ain't no question if I want it, I need it I can feel it slowly drifting away from me I'm on the edge, so why you playing? I'm saying I will never ever let you live this down, down, down [Verse 3: Kanye West] I need more drinks and less lights And that American Apparel girl in just tights She told the director she tryna get in a school He said, "Take them glasses off and get in the pool" It's been a while since I watched the tube 'Cause like a Crip set, I got way too many blues for any more bad news I was looking at my resume, feeling real fresh today They rewrite history, I don't believe in yesterday And what's a Black Beatle anyway, a fuckin' roach? I guess that's why they got me sitting in fuckin' coach My guy said I need a different approach 'Cause people is looking at me like I'm sniffin' coke It's not funny anymore, try different jokes Tell 'em hug and kiss my ass, X and O And kiss the ring while they at it, do my thing while I got it Play strings for the dramatic ending of that wack shit Act like I ain't had a belt in two classes I ain't got it, I'm coming after whoever who has it I'm coming after whoever, who has it? You blowin' up, that's good, fantastic That, y'all, it's like that, y'all I don't really give a fuck about it at all 'Cause the same people that tried to blackball me Forgot about two things, my Black balls [Chorus: Kid Cudi] Ain't no question if I want it, I need it I can feel it slowly drifting away from me I'm on the edge, so why you playing? I'm saying I will never ever let you live this down, down, down [Verse 4: Raekwon] Ayy, yo I done copped Timbs, lived in lenses, kid Armani suits, fresh fruits, Bally boots, and Benzes Counting up, smoking, one cuff Live as a red Jag', a Louis bag, grabbin' a blunt, fuck it Steam about a hundred and one L's Kites off to jails, buyin' sweats, running up in Stetson Nigga hat game was special It matched every black pair of Nikes, throwing dice for decimals The older head, bolder head, would train a soldier head Make sure he right in the field, not a soldier dead That meant code red, bent off the black skunk The black Dutch, back of the old shed If you can't live, you dying, you give or buy in Keep it real or keep it moving, keep grinding Keep shining, to every young man, this is a plan Learn from others like your brothers Rae and Kanye [Chorus: Kid Cudi] Not for nothing, I've forseen it, I dreamed it I can feel it slowly drifting away from me No more chances, if you blow this, you bogus I will never ever let you live this down, down, down