"Devil in a New Dress" is a song by American hip hop recording artist and rapper Kanye West from his fifth studio album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010).

The song received acclaim from music critics, who praised the delivery of West's verse, the lush production and the guest appearance by Ross.

"Devil in a New Dress" was first released on September 3, 2010, and was the fourth song to be featured as a part of Kanye West's GOOD Fridays, a music giveaway that provided free MP3 downloads every week.

[3] During its initial release, Consequence of Sound reported, "the Chicago-based rapper has shared Devil in a New Dress, a song which is rumoured to be included on West’s still untitled fifth studio album.

[7][8] Following some media controversies, West chose to record the majority of his fifth studio album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy in a reclusive manner in Oahu, Hawaii.

[12] West enjoyed what Ross brought to the song and invited him back to his studio during the final stages of the album, to record a guest verse on "Devil in a New Dress".

[3][17][18] The song features a synth-heavy breakdown, complete with guitar riffs, before Ross arrives, spitting: "I never needed acceptance from all 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.

"[19] 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.

[22][23][24] Ann Powers of Los Angeles Times commented that the track reveals West's true feelings on women; His tormenters are usually untrustworthy temptresses, though occasionally they're authority figures who judge him as a criminal trespasser or a cultural arriviste.

[19][25] Rap-Up called it a "female-focused song" and a "soulful track, boasting a slow-rolling beat with a haunting vocal sample.”[3] 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.

'"[26] "Devil in a New Dress" has received widespread acclaim from music critics, and was noted for its soulful production, as well as the verse provided by Ross.

"[26] It was compared favorably to songs from West's debut studio album The College Dropout by Jon Caramanica of The New York Times.

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".

[19] 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!

"[29] Dan Vidal of URB stated Ross brought his best to the track, writing that he "steps his tired old coke-rhymes up to intense lyrical portraits on the final version of 'Devil In A New Dress'.

"[30] Stereogum's Amrit Singh described the production style as a throwback to vintage hip-hop beats, and praised West's extended use of metaphors on the track.

[32] AllMusic's Andy Kellman also described the beat as a "throwback soul production", writing that it was "provided by the Smokey Robinson-sampling Bink, it’s as gorgeous as any of West’s own early work, yet it’s marred by an aimless instrumental stretch, roughly 90 seconds in length, that involves some incongruent electric guitar flame-out.

But the album version is something bigger, with a magisterial guest verse from Rick Ross (appearing twice here) that comes after an odd but sumptuous acid-jazz breakdown.

"[34] Andrew Barber of Complex stated that for the people disappointed in the briefness of the verses provided by Ross on "Monster", this track more than makes up for it.

[37] 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.

[48] 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.