Kanye Clause Delivers an Early Christmas Gift
Kanye Clause has a Christmas song out today. It’s called “Christmas in Harlem.”
Christmas in Harlem – Kanye Feat. Jimmy, CyHi, Pusha, Big Sean, Cam, Teyana Taylor & Musiq by soniceydotcom
If you like Kanye, or hip-hop, or good music (also G.O.O.D. Music), or Christmas, you will like this. The song is bouncy and fun. It literally sounds like an actual Christmas tune that you might hear over the speakers in Michael’s arts and crafts store, as you wait in that goddamn line for twenty minutes to pay for an embarrassingly crappy plastic wreath. The song is guaranteed to ‘get you into the spirit’ and make you hope for a ‘white Christmas’ (as in snow, not race).
It’s not Yeezy’s first foray into holiday-themed rapping– you might recall (but you probably don’t) that a few years ago he released a Christmas remix of “Jesus Walks.” Then again, this year’s entry could be the sappiest (three minutes in, the lady chorus chants: “All the flashing lights up on a tree, the house lit up nice, with your family is where you want to be, here on Christmas night”). (Note the reference to ‘Ye’s own hit “Flashing Lights.”)
Sappy can be nice, though. Kanye is pretty self-aware, i.e. aware that he has had a mega fucking end to his 2010 and hey, when your album gets perfect scores across the board, why not go record a Christmas song? Give the fans a goody bag. Goody!
The song features Dipset heavyweights Cam’ron and Jim Jones, plus, from Kanye’s Rosewood team: CyHi Da Prynce, Pusha T, and Big Sean. Teyana Taylor provides the lady vocals.
Lyrical highlights:
“I like the way you think, mami, now pour some more eggnog in your drink, mami.” (Kanye)
“Got a surprise for you that ain’t on your Christmas list, gave her the hot chocolate, she said it’s dearicious.” (Kanye) (A little scary, no? And remember, via “Devil in a New Dress,” that you and Kanye ain’t married, but tonight he needs some consummation.)
“I swear I got the freshest wardrobe, I let my beard grow ‘cuz it’s cold in the North Pole.” (CyHi Da Prince)
“You never see me ‘cuz I shop when the stores close, and my sleigh goes faster than a Porsche go.” (CyHi Da Prince)
‘Random moment’ highlights:
Kanye interrupting the chorus to say in the background, “I’m like Bad Santa though. You have to sit on my lap.”
CyHi bellowing “Ho ho ho” before he begins his verse.
All in all, a sweet holiday song. Big-time mood-enhancer at work. Thanks Kanye!
Thought Catalog readers: Kanye says, “you the star at the top of my Christmas tree.”