Drive Slow
Encyclopedia
"Drive Slow" is a song by American
rap
artist Kanye West
. It was released on June 6, 2006 as the fifth and final single
of West's second studio album, Late Registration
. The song contains a sample of Hank Crawford
's "Wildflower
" and features Paul Wall
and GLC
, with back-up vocals provided by singer Tony "Penafire" Williams. Though it received approval by music critics for is lyricism and intricate sound, the single did not chart due to lack of airplay.
who opted out of the appearance due to a busy schedule. Like a majority of the sophomore effort, the single marks a significant evolution in West's production, as it demonstrated him substituting his then characteristic sped-up
soul
style in favor of a slowed-down, alto jazz
-infused drum loop.
Wall later included "Drive Slow" as the eleventh track on his international debut album The Peoples Champ
. A remix
for the song was released onto mixtapes and featured an additional verse from T.I.
, who later released it on the limited edition bonus disc DVD of his album, King
. The Game
used a vocal sample from "Drive Slow" in his song "LAX Files" for his album LAX.
and filmed in both Reno, Nevada
and Las Vegas, Nevada
. The video uses the remix version of the song and thus features an appearance by T.I.
alongside Paul Wall
and GLC
. Additionally, violin strings provided by Miri Ben-Ari
were applied to the slightly altered song while certain notes were lengthened and made more frequent. In the video's closing moment, the song suddenly transforms into a chopped and screwed
tempo. American singer Tony Williams is also credited on the music video.
B-side
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rap
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
artist Kanye West
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 was released on June 6, 2006 as the fifth and final single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
of West's second studio album, Late Registration
Late Registration
Late Registration is the second studio album by American hip hop artist Kanye West, released August 30, 2005, on Roc-A-Fella Records. Recording sessions for the album took place over the course of a year at various recording studios located in New York City and Hollywood...
. The song contains a sample of Hank Crawford
Hank Crawford
Bennie Ross "Hank" Crawford, Jr. was an American R&B, hard bop, jazz-funk, soul jazz alto saxophonist, arranger and songwriter...
's "Wildflower
Wildflower (Skylark song)
"Wildflower" is a song written by Doug Edwards and Dave Richardson in 1972. First performed by the Canadian band Skylark, it has been covered by many artists and more recently has been sampled in a number of hip hop songs.-Skylark recording:...
" and features Paul Wall
Paul Wall
Paul Michael Slayton , better known by his stage name Paul Wall, is an American rapper. He is currently affiliated with Swishahouse Records, having released several albums under the label as well as...
and GLC
GLC (rapper)
Leonard D. Harris is an American rapper from Chicago.-Early life:Leonard D. Harris found poetry and hip-hop at an early age and used both to cope with the passing of his parents. “As long as you’re talking about the negativity, you’re only attracting more negativity into your life. Stay positive. I...
, with back-up vocals provided by singer Tony "Penafire" Williams. Though it received approval by music critics for is lyricism and intricate sound, the single did not chart due to lack of airplay.
Background
The song was originally to feature M.I.A.M.I.A. (artist)
Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam , better known by her stage name M.I.A. , is an English singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, painter and director of Sri Lankan Tamil descent. Her compositions combine elements of hip hop, electronica, dance, alternative and world music. M.I.A...
who opted out of the appearance due to a busy schedule. Like a majority of the sophomore effort, the single marks a significant evolution in West's production, as it demonstrated him substituting his then characteristic sped-up
soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
style in favor of a slowed-down, alto jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
-infused drum loop.
Wall later included "Drive Slow" as the eleventh track on his international debut album The Peoples Champ
The Peoples Champ
The Peoples Champ is the major label debut album by rapper Paul Wall. The album debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling 176,000 copies its first week. This is his second studio album overall and first to reach #1 on the Billboard 200. This album is also available in a Chopped...
. A remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
for the song was released onto mixtapes and featured an additional verse from T.I.
T.I.
Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr. , better known by his stage name T.I., is an American rap artist, film and music producer, actor and author. He is also the founder and co-chief executive officer of Grand Hustle Records....
, who later released it on the limited edition bonus disc DVD of his album, King
King (T.I. album)
King is the fourth studio album by American rapper T.I., released on March 28, 2006 through Grand Hustle Records and Atlantic Records. Recording sessions for the album only took a year in a half to record towards late-2005, T.I. stated in an interview with MTV News...
. The Game
The Game (rapper)
Jayceon Terrell Taylor , better known by his stage name Game, formerly The Game, is an American rapper and actor. As a member of G-Unit, he rose to fame in 2005 with the success of his debut album, The Documentary, which earned him two Grammy Award nominations...
used a vocal sample from "Drive Slow" in his song "LAX Files" for his album LAX.
Music video
The music video for "Drive Slow" was directed by Hype WilliamsHype Williams
Harold "Hype" Williams , previously known as HYPE, is an American music video and film director of African-American and Honduran descent. His nickname "Hype" comes from his hyperactive nature as a child....
and filmed in both Reno, Nevada
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
and Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
. The video uses the remix version of the song and thus features an appearance by T.I.
T.I.
Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr. , better known by his stage name T.I., is an American rap artist, film and music producer, actor and author. He is also the founder and co-chief executive officer of Grand Hustle Records....
alongside Paul Wall
Paul Wall
Paul Michael Slayton , better known by his stage name Paul Wall, is an American rapper. He is currently affiliated with Swishahouse Records, having released several albums under the label as well as...
and GLC
GLC (rapper)
Leonard D. Harris is an American rapper from Chicago.-Early life:Leonard D. Harris found poetry and hip-hop at an early age and used both to cope with the passing of his parents. “As long as you’re talking about the negativity, you’re only attracting more negativity into your life. Stay positive. I...
. Additionally, violin strings provided by Miri Ben-Ari
Miri Ben-Ari
Miri Ben-Ari is an Israeli violinist, who currently resides in the United States.Ben-Ari grew up playing classical music; she started training at age 5 and at age 12, she was presented with a violin by Isaac Stern. During her mandatory Israeli military service, she was chosen to play for the...
were applied to the slightly altered song while certain notes were lengthened and made more frequent. In the video's closing moment, the song suddenly transforms into a chopped and screwed
Chopped and screwed
Chopped and screwed refers to a technique of remixing hip hop music which developed in the Houston hip hop scene in the 1990s...
tempo. American singer Tony Williams is also credited on the music video.
Track listing
A-side- "Drive Slow" (Clean)
- "Drive Slow" (Dirty)
- "Drive Slow" (Instrumental)
B-side
- "We Major" (Clean)
- "We Major" (Dirty)
- "We Major" (Instrumental)
Personnel
Information taken from Late Registration liner notes.- Songwriters: Kanye West, Paul Slayton, and Leonard Harris
- Producer: Kanye West
- Mix engineer: Mike DeanMike Dean (producer)Mike Dean is an American hip-hop producer. He is known for pioneering the "Dirty South" sound in the 1990s, particularly in work for artists from Rap-A-Lot Records. Dean has most notably worked alongside Scarface of the Geto Boys, 2Pac, Do or Die, Tha Dogg Pound, Yukmouth of the Luniz, Outlawz,...
- Assistant engineers: Richard Reitz, Nate Connelly and Mike Mo
- Additional vocals: Tony "Penafire" Williams