• Source: Murder to Excellence

      • "Murder to Excellence" is a song by American rappers Kanye West and Jay-Z, from their collaborative album Watch the Throne (2011). It samples "La La La", an original song written and produced by Romanian-American duo Indiggo Twins, inspired by Romanian folklore.The voices in the song are from Moldavian singers "Surorile Osoianu". The song features additional vocals from Kid Cudi. The song was nominated for Impact Track at the 2012 Bet Hip Hop Awards. An edited version of the song featured in the trailer for 2022 film Black Adam.


      Background and recording


      Jay-Z and West are both American rappers who have collaborated on several tracks together, such as the singles "Swagga Like Us" (2008), "Run This Town" (2009), and "Monster" (2010). In 2010, the two began production and recording together for a collaborative record titled Watch the Throne. "Murder to Excellence" serves as a tribute from them to 20–year old college student Danroy Henry, who was unarmed when police of Westchester County, New York shot him in 2010. Record producer Swizz Beatz described working with Jay-Z and West on the record as akin to being in the studio with Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson at the same time. Swizz Beatz explained that despite the majority of people not feeling the same way, this comparison would be made in hip hop history within 10 to 15 years. The producer recorded with Jay-Z and West during their sessions at The Mercer Hotel in SoHo, Manhattan for Watch the Throne in 2011. The rappers and Swizz Beatz co-wrote the song with S1 and Kid Cudi, while Indiggo's members Mihaela and Gabriela Modorcea were credited as songwriters as a result of the sample of their song "La La La". Due to a sample of "Celie Shaves Mr./Scarification" from the soundtrack to The Color Purple (1985), Jones, Harvey Mason, Jr., Joel Rosenbaum, Caiphus Semenya, and Bill Summers also received songwriting credits. Following the album's release, Semenya declared that he was unaware of the sample and the composer found out about it once City Press reached out to him. Semenya alleged that Jay-Z and West did not "even go through my publisher" to obtain permission and he still did not know which composition they used, having worked on many with Jones despite no prior contact being made to him about this sample. The composer was not favorable towards the rappers merely crediting him and insisted they should have followed the full process of obtaining his permission, not feeling any honor at all as he should have been able to grant approval if he liked their work. Jay-Z and West show consciousness on the song, addressing black-on black murder and black excellence with energy from both of them.
      Speaking in 2011, S1 revealed that the song was part of his second batch of beats sent to West and during sessions for Watch the Throne in London, West repeatedly played its beat. West recorded his verse after Jay-Z, who completed his recording in 10 to 15 minutes and questioned to S1 when he heard the beat, "What the heck is this?" Speaking to Revolt for the album's five-year anniversary in 2016, S1 recalled that "Murder to Excellence" originated from two separate songs. The first half was Swizz Beatz's song "Black on Black Murder" and S1's second half was titled "Black Excellence"; both parts being combined led to the two being credited as the song's producers. West played these songs in the same order during a studio session and he suggested a merger after the collaborators enjoyed them, which was then completed by the engineer Noah Goldstein with a smooth transition from the first part into the next. The song names were also combined for the title of "Murder to Excellence", which is listed as having the two parts "Murder" and "Excellence" from Swizz Beatz and S1, respectively. Samples were incorporated by the producers, using these to blend both parts.


      Critical reception


      Tom Breihan of Pitchfork cited the subject matter of "black-on-black crime and the scarcity of people of color at society's highest seats" as an example on Watch the Throne of "how often Jay and Kanye address matters beyond their bank accounts". Brian Josephs of Complex expressed his opinion of Kanye and Jay's rapping: "They were stunting for a higher purpose."
      "Murder to Excellence" earned a nomination for Impact Track at the 2012 Bet Hip Hop Awards, and ultimately lost to "Daughters" by Nas.


      Credits and personnel


      Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.
      Recording

      Recorded at Real World Studios (Wiltshire, UK) and (The Mercer) Hotel (New York)
      Mixed at (The Mercer) Hotel (New York)
      Personnel


      References

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