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Mercy - Kanye West (feat. Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz)

On “Mercy”, Big Sean begins his verse with grating “ass” puns; the workmen quality of Pusha T reaches its peak or bottom with “heads spinning…that’s Exorcist”; Kanye, well don’t tell him rap music doesn’t usually incorporate Italo Disco; 2 Chainz, my god could someone tell me what his verse is actually about beyond a weird aside about his money being tall like Jordan (6’6”), despite the fact he’s only an inch shorter (6’5”) than “His Airness”. That was my initial reaction to the song. Now, I find Big Sean’s jokes funny and accept “that’s Swiss time, and that’s excellent” is truly excellent.

I don’t know how many times I’ve heard the song again before I came around to it. And usually right here, I’d like to bring up some iTunes library count to say how many times I’ve heard this song in the last five months, but sadly that number does not represent how ingrained this specific song became in my life the last month of Sophomore year.

When the song first was released, I heard it on an online stream from a Chicago rap station. I was not underwhelmed, but I certainly wasn’t yelling at everyone I knew to listen to the new Kanye song.

Yet, soon enough a couple guys I lived with started playing the song: when people were studying, when people were getting ready to go out, or honestly any time during the day when they were awake and could press play. This started rubbed-off on me, and I kept on listening, and listening, and listening, and listening.

The same thing happened last school year with “Niggas in Paris” and “Levels”, where if I ever had to be appreciating of living with nine other dudes it came from the fact that after a while certain songs would become THAT SONG. And, by becoming THAT SONG, it would get played, and played, till a silent agreement was settled upon to cease playing it.

Yet, “Mercy” escaped that fate. It came out in that time between spring break and finals giving it a pure month of blaring across our suite. The video came out in June and the song’s popularity peaked over the summer as I was back home away from the guys that’d quote random 2 Chainz lines and I’d be ready with the next line.

It’s a new school year, and I still see those bros, but I’m living with new dudes. I enjoy my new living situation, but every time I hear “Clique”, even with friends, I cannot muster up the same excitement. The song is about the G.O.O.D Music bros being bros, but Kanye and crew already gave me and my bros THAT SONG.