[2] The former had also worked with Skrillex on multiple songs, including the 2019 releases "Two Nights Part II" and "Midnight Hour"; that same year, he collaborated with American experimental musician Serpentwithfeet on "Receipts".

[6] In April 2019, Ty Dolla Sign previewed the song at a Coachella Festival after-party in dedication to 420 by performing a demo version, while vocals from West were also played by the party's DJ.

[7][8] In August 2019, Spin reported that Ty Dolla Sign planned to release "Ego Death" as the lead single for his then-upcoming album.

[4] He issued a press release the next day, labeling the song highly special and showing admiration in working with "a genius" in West, who he makes "incredible records" with every time.

[2] Ty Dolla Sign further stated that Skrillex and FKA Twigs provided a blessing with the magic only they are capable of delivering, while recalling everyone having gone crazy when he played the song at a house party.

"[2] Ty Dolla Sign partnered with the company Triller to create a 9D experience for the listener with the song, marking "the first-ever of its kind" in July 2020.

[4][12] Ty Dolla Sign said he then had the idea of the song, subsequently making its beat and watching an Instagram video of West walking through Chicago that includes him commenting on a passing train.

Ty Dolla Sign added that he traveled to London to collaborate with FKA Twigs, before Skrillex worked on the track in Los Angeles; the singer affirmed the recording "was definitely a process".

[11][14][20] Serpentwithfeet performs on the interlude, while additional vocals are also contributed to the song by political activist Angela Davis and music composer Jariuce "Jehreeus" Banks.

[34] The characters can be seen licking neon blood off knives and tripping over magic mushrooms at points, and content that West raps about comes to life.

[35] Murray elaborated by writing that a "resurgent Kanye West", Skrillex's "wild, lawless", exaggerated "futurism", and FKA Twigs' position of a "true auteur" all being present on the song amount to being advantageous, concluding by labelling it "a stunner".

[35] In Paper, Logan Potter questioned if the song is "the most powerful collaboration of 2020", lauding Ty Dolla Sign and the featured artists' "stylistic choices".

[5] He explained, citing how FKA Twigs has "a fiery pop outro", West returns to his signature sound from before Jesus Is King, and Ty Dolla Sign demonstrates impressive lyrical ability.

[18] Writing for Billboard, Carl Lamarre said that the track conveys an "electro-hop feel" as Ty Dolla Sign "leaps into desperation after losing out on his sweetheart" on the chorus, further praising West's "spirited" verse and FKA Twigs' "purring" ending contribution.

[11] At MTV, Patrick Hosken said the song carries through West's "momentum" from "Wash Us in the Blood", describing FKA Twigs, Skrillex, and Serpentwithfeet as also "giving life" to the former.

[23] Jon Caramanica from The New York Times honored the song as an "eccentric, electric jolt of house music" that "deepens" Ty Dolla Sign's catalog.

[15] Caramanica further observed "astral, calm singing" from him on the "fleet and free" song, while classifying FKA Twigs' vocals as "tart" and noting that West's verse is "frisky".

[15] In a less glowing review for RapReviews, Steve 'Flash' Juon noted how Ty Dolla Sign "needs people to feature on his songs more than the other way around" for getting over being "a better producer than a singing rapper"; he predicted "Ego Death" would be worthless without West, FKA Twigs, and Skrillex.

[36] Ben Devlin was somewhat mixed in musicOMH, viewing the song as the album's "star-studded lead single", though he pointed to it resembling a bonus track hurryingly added on at the end.

[17] After its first full week of tracking, "Ego Death" debuted at number seven on the US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 for the chart issue dated July 18, 2020, with 4.5 million on-demand streams.