Kanye West dominates the pop culture conversation at home, but lately he has been making his mark across the pond. Last week he was in London to premiere his 35-minute film "Runaway" at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. It was an occasion one MTV UK reporter simply called "a mad event."
This week, he moves from Brit art on the big screen to Brit tunes for your headphones. West laid down a guest spot on a remix of La Roux's "In For The Kill," which Entertainment Weekly debuted on Tuesday (October 12). The rejiggered tune has a more full sound than the original, ditching the almost video game-esque beeps and boops for a heavy back beat synthesized orchestration.
"I'm going in and Ima go hard/ I mean, what's the point if there ain't no scars?" West raps on the track. "A little teeth marks/ Blood on the collar/ that's real loving."
"How could you love someone that hurts you, plays you, smokes you, provokes you?" he continues. "How could you love someone that burns you, turns you into a werewolf?"
West's tune with La Roux isn't the hip-hop star's first hook-up with British artists. He and Estelle dropped "American Boy" in 2008. That song ended up being a top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hit and won the Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. West has also worked with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin ("Homecoming," from Graduation) and protege Mr. Hudson ("Paranoid," from 808s & Heartbreak).
In his "For the Kill" guest spot, West mixes riffs on U.S. pop culture with references to his European surroundings and, as you might expect, odes to his own talents
"Hannibal Lector, my American psycho/ An iller version of Ike/ The 'Thriller' version of Michael," he raps. "My recital was as bright as the lights up at the Eiffel/ A werewolf up in Paris, I'm living off your vitals."
What do you think of Kanye West's remix of La Roux's "In for the Kill"? Let us know in the comments!