Blood on the Leaves

"Blood on the Leaves" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Kanye West from his sixth studio album Yeezus (2013).

In the song, West presents his thoughts on how fame can cause the destruction of relationships, while making comparisons of contemporary times to the lynching of African Americans in the United States during the pre-civil rights era.

It contains samples of both singer Nina Simone's 1965 rendition of Billie Holiday's song "Strange Fruit", and "R U Ready" by the duo TNGHT, who co-produced the track.

Since its release, West has performed the song live on multiple occasions, including at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards and on the 2016 Saint Pablo Tour.

[1] Mohawke had previously worked with West on the 2012 GOOD Music collaboration "Mercy",[2] along with other tracks on the compilation album Cruel Summer (2012).

[5] Rapper Travis Scott viewed West as "a genius" and the only person who would think of combining "Strange Fruit" with a Hudson Mohawke beat in the "crazy-ass song".

[3] "Blood on the Leaves" is a hip hop song in which West delivers his vocals through an Auto-Tune processor, similar to his 2008 album 808s & Heartbreak.

"[14] The staff of Popdust rated the song three and a half out of five, describing it as "an epic Yeezy tale about a relationship gone sour over issues of money and celebrity and bad timing and possibly even an unwanted child, depending on how you interpret the final verse.

"[17] Gil Kaufman of MTV called "Blood on the Leaves": "a churning anthem about conspicuous consumption" and: "[an] example of West's signature dichotomy in which he melds the sacred and profane.

"[6] The original version of Nina Simone's "Strange Fruit" recorded by Billie Holiday in 1939 has been deemed: "shorthand for music that deals with racial injustice.

"[6] Ryan Dombal of Pitchfork called the song the "album pinnacle" and "a nightmarish story of divorce and betrayal,"[18] while Jody Rosen of Vulture stated that: "[West is] well aware how audacious to interpolate that sacred song into a monstrously self-pitying ... a melodrama about what a drag it is when your side-piece won't abort your love child.

Sampling Nina Simone's 'Strange Fruit', West's 'Blood on the Leaves'...was a gorgeous metaphor of a failed relationship touted with bass, towering horns, and auto-tune effect reminiscent of '808s & Heartbreak'.

"[7] Spectrum Culture named it the 23rd best song of 2013, commenting;"it’s singles like “Blood on the Leaves” that offer fans a glimpse into the fears and insecurities of an artist who seems to always put forth a confident demeanour.

[42] A version titled "Blood on the Leaves (DOGMA remix)" was released in June 2013, which includes Nina Simone's vocals being mashed.