Devil in a New Dress
Encyclopedia
"Devil in a New Dress" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Kanye West
. It appears as the eighth song on the track-listing of his fifth studio album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Originally released as the fourth G.O.O.D. Fridays track on September 3, 2010, the song was later featured on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy with a guitar solo
and an additional guest verse featuring rapper Rick Ross
. The song was the only one on the album not produced by West, instead produced Bink!
, and written by West, Ross, Malik Jones and Bink!. Built on a sample
of Smokey Robinson
's quiet storm
recording "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow", "Devil in a New Dress" contains lyrics about lust and heartache.
It has received several remixes and freestyle
s from several notable musicians, such as Rick Ross, J. Cole, Jay Electronica
and Joell Ortiz
, amongst others. Ross had a music video
produced promoting his version of the song, and the song was prominently featured in Runaway
, a 35 minute music video directed by Kanye West set to music from My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.
's G.O.O.D. Fridays
, a music giveaway that provided free MP3
downloads every week. Though it was the fourth GOOD Fridays song released, it was the second completely original track premiered. During it's initial release, Consequence of Sound
reported, "the Chicago
based rapper has shared “Devil in a New Dress”, a song which is rumored to be included on West’s still untitled fifth studio album. Compared to his other recent joints, the track is rather minimal in nature. It clocks in at less than three minutes and features no guest contributors. In fact, it’s the accompanying beat which actually makes the post-midnight release worth our time." The song was often rumored to be a song that would be featured on West's new album, even being featured on a leaked rumored tracklist. It was later confirmed it would appear My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, though the original track was vastly different to the one finally appearing on the album. The album version featured a guitar solo
, remastered production and a verse delivered by rapper Rick Ross
, who West approached with the proposition of being on the song. The song was a collaboration between West and Bink!
, who Pitchfork Media
stated "is most famous for his contributions to Jay-Z
's pioneering LP The Blueprint
".
of Smokey Robinson
's quiet storm
recording "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow", with an extended guitar solo
. The song features a synth-heavy breakdown, complete with guitar riffs, before Ross arrives, spitting: "I never needed acceptance from you outsiders/ Had cyphers with Yeezy before his mouth wired/ Before his jaw shattered, climbing up the lord's ladder/ We still speeding, running signs like they don't matter." "Devil in a New Dress" contains lyrics about lust and heartache, with sexual and religious imagery described by one critic as "part bedroom allure, part angelic prayer". It is the only album track without production by West, but features his characteristic style of manipulating the pitch and tempo of classic soul samples. MTV
stated that "Dress continues 'Ye's return to the soulful old-school sounds he championed in his early work" and that "West works an easy flow over the midtempo joint replete with feathery falsetto backing vocals an overall buttery '70s
feel. Despite the laidback groove, West shows his vulnerable side, as he laments being loved and left. "How she gon' wake up/And not love me no more/I thought I was the a--hole/I guess it's rubbin' off." Consequence of Sound
called it a "soulful
track" with a "boasting a slow-rolling beat with a haunting vocal sample. Hard to be humble when you’re stunting on a Jumbotron
,” raps Yeezy on the female-focused song. “We ain’t married, but tonight I need some consummation.” Alex Koening of Knightnews wrote "over piano
flourishes and a scintillating string section contain some of the funniest tongue-in-cheek
lyrics about women Kanye ever managed: “I hit the Jamaican spot, at the bar, take a seat/ I ordered the jerk, she said you are what you eat.” Kanye might be on his quest for love, but he still isn’t able to tolerate gold-digging girls who are only after his cash: “And outta all the colors that are still up the skies/ You got green on your mind, I can see it in your eyes.”
's verse. It was considered a highlight of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, and has been described as "perhaps the easiest song to like on first listen." It was compared favorably to songs from The College Dropout
by Jon Caramanica of The New York Times
. Channing Freeman of Sputnikmusic
felt that the "Devil In A New Dress brings out the best in Rick Ross." MTV
stated "West's breezy G.O.O.D. Fridays
release gets a wintertime tune-up with Ross riding shotgun. The Miami Don's majestic contribution comes with a revamped breakdown setting up his slick boats. Still, Yeezy's verse holds up over the Boss's even with the refinement." Dan Vidal of URB stated "Rick Ross steps his tired old coke-rhymes up to intense lyrical portraits on the final version of Devil In A New Dress”. Slant Magazine
felt "On Devil in a New Dress, he perfects the sampling style he invented, manipulating the pitch and tempo of Smokey Robinson
's "Will You Love Me Tomorrow
?" until it crawls luxuriantly out of the speakers like wine poured in slow motion. It's a gorgeous slow burner that turns tragic in its third act, as Kanye's rhymes swap lust for heartache before distorted guitar lines and a muscular verse from Rick Ross close it out". Chicago Sun-Times
praised West's vocal delivery, saying "he rips more hard raps on "Devil in a New Dress" -- chuckling through lines like, "We love Jesus / but you done learned a lot from Satan / We ain't married / but tonight I need some consummation," and later chewing through an impersonation of a preacher, "Say-tan! Say-tan! Say-tan!" -- all over a fluttery, high, quiet-storm soul vocal that's part bedroom allure, part angelic prayer.
used the instrumental
of the track to create "Devil in a Blue Dress" a freestyle
he released onto the Internet. Roc Nation
's Jay Electronica
recorded his own freestyle and had a music video
created for his version. Grammy nominated Young Chris
did a freestyle over the original version of the song. Fiend
released a freesytle onto mix-tape Life Behind Limo Tint and a filmed a music video. Canadian native Shad
performed a freestyle of the song during a concert
, and Fabolous
used the song's instrumental to record Wolves In Sheeps Clothing which was featured on mix-tape The S.O.U.L. Tape
. He directed a music video to promote the song. In addition, J. Cole performed a freestyle over the song, which he had stated was a tribute to West, writing “That beat is incredible, shout out to Yeezy. Much Love.” The song, titled "Vilematic" was featured on his Friday Night Lights
mixtape. AllHipHop
praises his version, saying “'Villematic', '2 Face', and 'Higher' are all songs which make up a strong midsection – it is easy to become lost in this mixtape."
during the introduction to the dinner party sequence. Rick Ross
had a music video directed containing his portion of the song, which was released on January 27, 2011. According to Rap Radar, "Kanye couldn’t make it, so Ross took matters into his own hands and shot a video for his portion of “Devil In A New Dress” from My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Complex
wrote that "Rick Ross gives us visuals for just about every freestyle, verse and song he's ever recorded. Rozay dropped off a Spiff TV-directed video for "Devil In A New Dress" from Kanye's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. It's him smoking a blunt while cruising the streets of Toronto
in the back seat of his 62S Maybach glancing out the window. Standard, but awesome, clip from Ross." Ross would perform the song during his live concerts and it has even become a mainstay of his live sets. During a live performance in New York
, West joined Ross and performed "Devil in a New Dress" and "Monster".
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
. It appears as the eighth song on the track-listing of his fifth studio album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Originally released as the fourth G.O.O.D. Fridays track on September 3, 2010, the song was later featured on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy with a guitar solo
Guitar solo
In popular music, a guitar solo is a melodic passage, section, or entire piece of music written for an electric guitar or an acoustic guitar. Guitar solos, which often contain varying degrees of improvisation, are used in many styles of popular music such as blues, jazz, rock and metal styles such...
and an additional guest verse featuring rapper Rick Ross
Rick Ross (rapper)
William Leonard Roberts II , better known by his stage name Rick Ross, is an American rapper. He derived his stage name from the drug trafficker "Freeway" Ricky Ross, to whom he has no connection...
. The song was the only one on the album not produced by West, instead produced Bink!
Bink (producer)
Bink is a Grammy nominated hip hop producer who is noted for his work with Roc-A-Fella Records artists. His most high-profile work has been Jay-Z's critically acclaimed album The Blueprint, for which he produced three tracks, including the first and last tracks on the album...
, and written by West, Ross, Malik Jones and Bink!. Built on a sample
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
of Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
's quiet storm
Quiet storm
Quiet storm is a late-night radio format, featuring soulful slow jams, pioneered in the mid-1970s by then-station-intern Melvin Lindsey at WHUR-FM, in Washington, D.C. Smokey Robinson's like-titled hit single, released in 1975 as the title track to his third solo album, lent its name to the format...
recording "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow", "Devil in a New Dress" contains lyrics about lust and heartache.
It has received several remixes and freestyle
Freestyle rap
Freestyle rap commonly refers to rap lyrics which are improvised through a acapella or with instrumental beats, i.e. performed with no previously composed lyrics, or "off the top of the head"...
s from several notable musicians, such as Rick Ross, J. Cole, Jay Electronica
Jay Electronica
Timothy Elpadaro Thedford , better known by his stage name Jay Electronica, is an American hip hop recording artist and record producer...
and Joell Ortiz
Joell Ortiz
Joell Ortiz is an American rapper from Brooklyn, New York, and a member of the group Slaughterhouse.-Biography:Joell Ortiz was born to Puerto Rican parents. Ortiz grew up in the Cooper Park Houses in the East Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, New York formerly signed to Dr. Dre's Aftermath...
, amongst others. Ross had a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
produced promoting his version of the song, and the song was prominently featured in Runaway
Runaway (2010 film)
Runaway is a 35-minute short film directed by and starring Kanye West. It serves as the music video for a compilation of songs from West's album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. It is inspired by other music-related films such as Purple Rain, Pink Floyd The Wall and Michael Jackson's Thriller...
, a 35 minute music video directed by Kanye West set to music from My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.
History
"Devil in a New Dress" was first released on September 3, 2010, and was the fourth song to be featured apart of Kanye WestKanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
's G.O.O.D. Fridays
G.O.O.D. Fridays
G.O.O.D. Fridays was a weekly free music giveaway started by rapper Kanye West. The name originates from the name of his label, G.O.O.D. Music, and is also a reference to the Friday before Easter, which is known as Good Friday. Every Friday, beginning on August 20, 2010, Kanye planned on releasing...
, a music giveaway that provided free MP3
MP3
MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
downloads every week. Though it was the fourth GOOD Fridays song released, it was the second completely original track premiered. During it's initial release, Consequence of Sound
Consequence of Sound
Consequence of Sound, also known often as CoS, is a Chicago-based music website featuring news, album and concert reviews, and editorials. In addition, the website also features the Festival Outlook micro-site, which serves as an on-line database for music festival news and rumors...
reported, "the Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
based rapper has shared “Devil in a New Dress”, a song which is rumored to be included on West’s still untitled fifth studio album. Compared to his other recent joints, the track is rather minimal in nature. It clocks in at less than three minutes and features no guest contributors. In fact, it’s the accompanying beat which actually makes the post-midnight release worth our time." The song was often rumored to be a song that would be featured on West's new album, even being featured on a leaked rumored tracklist. It was later confirmed it would appear My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, though the original track was vastly different to the one finally appearing on the album. The album version featured a guitar solo
Guitar solo
In popular music, a guitar solo is a melodic passage, section, or entire piece of music written for an electric guitar or an acoustic guitar. Guitar solos, which often contain varying degrees of improvisation, are used in many styles of popular music such as blues, jazz, rock and metal styles such...
, remastered production and a verse delivered by rapper Rick Ross
Rick Ross (rapper)
William Leonard Roberts II , better known by his stage name Rick Ross, is an American rapper. He derived his stage name from the drug trafficker "Freeway" Ricky Ross, to whom he has no connection...
, who West approached with the proposition of being on the song. The song was a collaboration between West and Bink!
Bink (producer)
Bink is a Grammy nominated hip hop producer who is noted for his work with Roc-A-Fella Records artists. His most high-profile work has been Jay-Z's critically acclaimed album The Blueprint, for which he produced three tracks, including the first and last tracks on the album...
, who Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
stated "is most famous for his contributions to Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
's pioneering LP The Blueprint
The Blueprint
The Blueprint is the sixth studio album by American rapper Jay-Z, released September 11, 2001 on Roc-A-Fella Records in the United States. Its release was set a week earlier than initially planned in order to combat bootlegging. Recording sessions for the album took place during 2001 at Manhattan...
".
Composition and lyrics
The song is 5 minutes, 52 seconds long, though the originally released version was less than 3 minutes. The song is built on a sampleSampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
of Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
's quiet storm
Quiet storm
Quiet storm is a late-night radio format, featuring soulful slow jams, pioneered in the mid-1970s by then-station-intern Melvin Lindsey at WHUR-FM, in Washington, D.C. Smokey Robinson's like-titled hit single, released in 1975 as the title track to his third solo album, lent its name to the format...
recording "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow", with an extended guitar solo
Guitar solo
In popular music, a guitar solo is a melodic passage, section, or entire piece of music written for an electric guitar or an acoustic guitar. Guitar solos, which often contain varying degrees of improvisation, are used in many styles of popular music such as blues, jazz, rock and metal styles such...
. The song features a synth-heavy breakdown, complete with guitar riffs, before Ross arrives, spitting: "I never needed acceptance from you outsiders/ Had cyphers with Yeezy before his mouth wired/ Before his jaw shattered, climbing up the lord's ladder/ We still speeding, running signs like they don't matter." "Devil in a New Dress" contains lyrics about lust and heartache, with sexual and religious imagery described by one critic as "part bedroom allure, part angelic prayer". It is the only album track without production by West, but features his characteristic style of manipulating the pitch and tempo of classic soul samples. MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
stated that "Dress continues 'Ye's return to the soulful old-school sounds he championed in his early work" and that "West works an easy flow over the midtempo joint replete with feathery falsetto backing vocals an overall buttery '70s
1970s
File:1970s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: US President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office after the Watergate scandal in 1974; Refugees aboard a US naval boat after the Fall of Saigon, leading to the end of the Vietnam War in 1975; The 1973 oil...
feel. Despite the laidback groove, West shows his vulnerable side, as he laments being loved and left. "How she gon' wake up/And not love me no more/I thought I was the a--hole/I guess it's rubbin' off." Consequence of Sound
Consequence of Sound
Consequence of Sound, also known often as CoS, is a Chicago-based music website featuring news, album and concert reviews, and editorials. In addition, the website also features the Festival Outlook micro-site, which serves as an on-line database for music festival news and rumors...
called it a "soulful
Soulful
Soulful, an album by Dionne Warwick, was released in 1969 on Scepter Records. It was the first of Warwick's Scepter albums that did not directly involve her longtime production and songwriting team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David being produced by Warwick and Chips Moman and comprising covers of...
track" with a "boasting a slow-rolling beat with a haunting vocal sample. Hard to be humble when you’re stunting on a Jumbotron
Jumbotron
A JumboTron is a large-screen television using technology developed by Sony, typically used in sports stadiums and concert venues to show close-up shots of the event. Although JumboTron is a registered trademark owned by the Sony Corporation, the word jumbotron is often used by the public as a...
,” raps Yeezy on the female-focused song. “We ain’t married, but tonight I need some consummation.” Alex Koening of Knightnews wrote "over piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
flourishes and a scintillating string section contain some of the funniest tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek is a phrase used as a figure of speech to imply that a statement or other production is humorously intended and it should not be taken at face value. The facial expression typically indicates that one is joking or making a mental effort. In the past, it may also have indicated...
lyrics about women Kanye ever managed: “I hit the Jamaican spot, at the bar, take a seat/ I ordered the jerk, she said you are what you eat.” Kanye might be on his quest for love, but he still isn’t able to tolerate gold-digging girls who are only after his cash: “And outta all the colors that are still up the skies/ You got green on your mind, I can see it in your eyes.”
Reception
"Devil in a New Dress" has received positive reviews from music critics, and was noted for its soulful production, as well as Rick RossRick Ross (rapper)
William Leonard Roberts II , better known by his stage name Rick Ross, is an American rapper. He derived his stage name from the drug trafficker "Freeway" Ricky Ross, to whom he has no connection...
's verse. It was considered a highlight of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, and has been described as "perhaps the easiest song to like on first listen." It was compared favorably to songs from The College Dropout
The College Dropout
The College Dropout is the debut album by American hip hop artist Kanye West, released February 10, 2004, on Roc-A-Fella Records. It was recorded over a period of four years, beginning in 1999. Prior to the album's release, West had worked on rapper Jay-Z's The Blueprint , which showcased his...
by Jon Caramanica of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
. Channing Freeman of Sputnikmusic
Sputnikmusic
Sputnikmusic, or simply Sputnik, is a music website offering music criticism and music news alongside features commonly associated with wiki-style websites...
felt that the "Devil In A New Dress brings out the best in Rick Ross." MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
stated "West's breezy G.O.O.D. Fridays
G.O.O.D. Fridays
G.O.O.D. Fridays was a weekly free music giveaway started by rapper Kanye West. The name originates from the name of his label, G.O.O.D. Music, and is also a reference to the Friday before Easter, which is known as Good Friday. Every Friday, beginning on August 20, 2010, Kanye planned on releasing...
release gets a wintertime tune-up with Ross riding shotgun. The Miami Don's majestic contribution comes with a revamped breakdown setting up his slick boats. Still, Yeezy's verse holds up over the Boss's even with the refinement." Dan Vidal of URB stated "Rick Ross steps his tired old coke-rhymes up to intense lyrical portraits on the final version of Devil In A New Dress”. Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
felt "On Devil in a New Dress, he perfects the sampling style he invented, manipulating the pitch and tempo of Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
's "Will You Love Me Tomorrow
Will You Love Me Tomorrow
"Will You Love Me Tomorrow", also known as "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow", is a song written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King and originally recorded by The Shirelles. It has been recorded by many artists and was ranked among Rolling Stone 's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time at #125...
?" until it crawls luxuriantly out of the speakers like wine poured in slow motion. It's a gorgeous slow burner that turns tragic in its third act, as Kanye's rhymes swap lust for heartache before distorted guitar lines and a muscular verse from Rick Ross close it out". Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
praised West's vocal delivery, saying "he rips more hard raps on "Devil in a New Dress" -- chuckling through lines like, "We love Jesus / but you done learned a lot from Satan / We ain't married / but tonight I need some consummation," and later chewing through an impersonation of a preacher, "Say-tan! Say-tan! Say-tan!" -- all over a fluttery, high, quiet-storm soul vocal that's part bedroom allure, part angelic prayer.
Covers
The song has been frequently covered and remixed by several notable rappers. Slaughterhouse member Joell OrtizJoell Ortiz
Joell Ortiz is an American rapper from Brooklyn, New York, and a member of the group Slaughterhouse.-Biography:Joell Ortiz was born to Puerto Rican parents. Ortiz grew up in the Cooper Park Houses in the East Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, New York formerly signed to Dr. Dre's Aftermath...
used the instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
of the track to create "Devil in a Blue Dress" a freestyle
Freestyle rap
Freestyle rap commonly refers to rap lyrics which are improvised through a acapella or with instrumental beats, i.e. performed with no previously composed lyrics, or "off the top of the head"...
he released onto the Internet. Roc Nation
Roc Nation
Roc Nation is an American management, music publishing and entertainment company founded by Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter.-History:In April 2008, Live Nation partnered with Jay-Z to create Roc Nation...
's Jay Electronica
Jay Electronica
Timothy Elpadaro Thedford , better known by his stage name Jay Electronica, is an American hip hop recording artist and record producer...
recorded his own freestyle and had a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
created for his version. Grammy nominated Young Chris
Young Chris
Young Chris is a Grammy nominated American rapper and songwriter. A member of Philadelphia rap trio Young Gunz, formerly signed to Roc-A-Fella records through Beanie Sigel’s State Property collective, early success included the hit single "Can't Stop, Won't Stop"...
did a freestyle over the original version of the song. Fiend
Fiend (rapper)
Richard Jones, better known as Fiend is an American rapper and producer best known for his time spent with Master P's No Limit Records. Fiend was also briefly a member of DMX's label Ruff Ryders Entertainment....
released a freesytle onto mix-tape Life Behind Limo Tint and a filmed a music video. Canadian native Shad
Shad (rapper)
Shadrach Kabango , credited as Shad or Shad K., is a Canadian hip hop artist.-Early life:Born in Kenya, of Rwandan parents, Shad was raised in London, Ontario. His mother worked in London as a hospital lab technician; his father, as a machinist...
performed a freestyle of the song during a concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
, and Fabolous
Fabolous
John David Jackson , better known by his stage name Fabolous, is an American rapper of African American and Dominican descent. He grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Part of his early popularity arose from his hit single "Can't Deny It" in 2001, from his debut...
used the song's instrumental to record Wolves In Sheeps Clothing which was featured on mix-tape The S.O.U.L. Tape
The S.O.U.L. Tape
-Sample credits:*"Pain" – Contains a sample of "Pour Out a Little Liquor" and "Pain" by 2Pac.*"Wolves In Sheeps Clothing" – Contains a sample of "Devil in a New Dress" by Kanye West featuring Rick Ross....
. He directed a music video to promote the song. In addition, J. Cole performed a freestyle over the song, which he had stated was a tribute to West, writing “That beat is incredible, shout out to Yeezy. Much Love.” The song, titled "Vilematic" was featured on his Friday Night Lights
Friday Night Lights (mixtape)
Friday Night Lights is the third official mixtape from Fayetteville, North Carolina rapper J. Cole. It was released on 12 November 2010. The mixtape was to originally be called Villematic and contain J. Cole's previous leaks and freestyles, however, J. Cole later stated it would have original...
mixtape. AllHipHop
AllHipHop
AllHipHop.com is a hip hop news website. It was founded in 1998. At five million visitors a month, it is the world's most popular hip hop website. Essence magazine has dubbed it "the CNN of hip-hop". In 2006, AllHipHop won the Rising Stars Award from Black Enterprise magazine. In 2007, PC Magazine...
praises his version, saying “'Villematic', '2 Face', and 'Higher' are all songs which make up a strong midsection – it is easy to become lost in this mixtape."
Promotion
The song appears West's 35 minute long short film RunawayRunaway (2010 film)
Runaway is a 35-minute short film directed by and starring Kanye West. It serves as the music video for a compilation of songs from West's album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. It is inspired by other music-related films such as Purple Rain, Pink Floyd The Wall and Michael Jackson's Thriller...
during the introduction to the dinner party sequence. Rick Ross
Rick Ross (rapper)
William Leonard Roberts II , better known by his stage name Rick Ross, is an American rapper. He derived his stage name from the drug trafficker "Freeway" Ricky Ross, to whom he has no connection...
had a music video directed containing his portion of the song, which was released on January 27, 2011. According to Rap Radar, "Kanye couldn’t make it, so Ross took matters into his own hands and shot a video for his portion of “Devil In A New Dress” from My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Complex
Complex
A complex is a whole that comprehends a number of intricate parts, especially one with interconnected or mutually related parts; for example, a complex of buildings.Complex may refer to:-Biology:...
wrote that "Rick Ross gives us visuals for just about every freestyle, verse and song he's ever recorded. Rozay dropped off a Spiff TV-directed video for "Devil In A New Dress" from Kanye's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. It's him smoking a blunt while cruising the streets of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
in the back seat of his 62S Maybach glancing out the window. Standard, but awesome, clip from Ross." Ross would perform the song during his live concerts and it has even become a mainstay of his live sets. During a live performance in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, West joined Ross and performed "Devil in a New Dress" and "Monster".
Charts
| Chart (2011) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
187 |
| South Korean Gaon Chart Gaon Chart The Gaon Chart is a national record chart of South Korea. It is complied by the Korea Music Content Industry Association and sponsored by South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism; with an aim to create a national chart for Korea similar to the Billboard charts and Oricon charts... |
99 |