"Silent Hill" is a song by American rappers Kendrick Lamar and Kodak Black. It was sent to rhythmic contemporary radio and urban contemporary radio through PGLang, Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment, and Interscope Records as the first US single (second overall) from Lamar's fifth studio album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, on May 31, 2022.[1][2][3] The song was produced by Boi-1da, Sounwave, and Jahaan Sweet, with additional production by Beach Noise.

"Silent Hill"
Single by Kendrick Lamar and Kodak Black
from the album Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
ReleasedMay 31, 2022 (2022-05-31)
Recorded2020–2022
GenreTrap
Length3:40
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Kendrick Lamar singles chronology
"N95"
(2022)
"Silent Hill"
(2022)
"Die Hard"
(2022)
Kodak Black singles chronology
"Slidin'"
(2022)
"Silent Hill"
(2022)
"Up n Stuck"
(2022)

Composition

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"Silent Hill" contains "crisp, lighter beats".[4] In the chorus, Lamar claims that he is "pushing the snakes, I'm pushing the fakes, I'm pushing them all off me like, 'Huh!'".[5] The song was likely named after the Silent Hill franchise by Konami.[6]

Critical reception

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NME music critic Kyann-Sian Williams felt that Lamar was inspired by the "loose rap style" of his cousin, fellow American rapper and record producer Baby Keem on "Silent Hill", which is highlighted by the "animated Kendrick voice we all love" in the chorus.[7] Matthew Trammell of Pitchfork was reminded of DaBaby and Marilyn Manson's guest appearances on Kanye West's song, "Jail pt. 2", from the latter's tenth studio album, Donda (2021), due to Kodak's involvement in the song, explaining that "it's unclear whether his presence is meant to make a case for redemption or musical kinship".[8] Writing for Rolling Stone, Jeff Ihaza conversely remarked that "in the hands of just about any other rapper, the song would read as nothing more than post Playboi Carti-era pastiche, but Kendrick finds new terrain, retracing over unexplored horizons" and "he tries out about three different cadences before Kodak Black, a perfect guest feature on the beat, arrives to deliver a case study on melodic rap".[9]

Credits and personnel

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  • Kendrick Lamar – vocals, songwriting
  • Kodak Black – vocals, songwriting
  • Boi-1da – production, songwriting
  • Sounwave – production, songwriting
  • Jahaan Sweet – production, songwriting
  • Beach Noise
    • Matt Schaeffer – additional production, songwriting, engineering
    • Johnny Kosich – additional production, songwriting
    • Jake Kosich – additional production, songwriting
  • Manny Marroquin – mixing
  • Emerson Mancini – mastering
  • Derek Garcia – engineering
  • Johnathan Turner – engineering
  • Ray Charles Brown, Jr. – engineering
  • Andrew Boyd – recording assistance
  • Wesley Seidman – recording assistance

Charts

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Release history

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Release history for "Silent Hill"
Region Date Format Label Ref.
United States May 31, 2022 Rhythmic contemporary radio [3]

References

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  1. ^ Navjosh (May 21, 2022). "Kendrick Lamar Picks 'Silent Hill' Feat. Kodak Black As First Single From 'Mr. Morale'". HipHop-N-More. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  2. ^ A., Aron (May 20, 2022). "Kendrick Lamar Chooses First Single Off Of "Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Future Releases for Rhythmic Radio Stations". All Access. Archived from the original on May 24, 2022. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
  4. ^ Smyth, David (May 13, 2022). "Kendrick Lamar – Mr Morale & the Big Steppers review: Still light years ahead of the game". Evening Standard. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  5. ^ Bryant, Ben (May 13, 2022). "Kendrick Lamar's Mr. Morale and the Bigsteppers is a tender, delicate opus – review". The Independent. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  6. ^ r, c O. V. E. R. t-R. e a D. E. (2022-12-21). "Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers by Kendrick Lamar [Song by Song: Silent Hill]". Medium. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
  7. ^ Williams, Kyann-Sian (May 13, 2022). "Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers review: a cathartic, soul-bearing autobiography". NME. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  8. ^ Trammell, Matthew (May 16, 2022). "Kendrick Lamar: Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on April 18, 2017. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  9. ^ Ihaza, Jeff (May 16, 2022). "Kendrick Lamar Has Been Going Through Something". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  10. ^ "Kendrick Lamar & Kodak Black – Silent Hill". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  11. ^ "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
  12. ^ "Kendrick Lamar & Kodak Black – Silent Hill" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  13. ^ "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
  14. ^ "2022 20-os savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. May 20, 2022. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  15. ^ "Kendrick Lamar & Kodak Black – Silent Hill". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  16. ^ "ČNS IFPI". IFPI ČR. Note: Select SK SINGLES DIGITAL TOP 100 and insert 202220 into search. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  17. ^ "Local & International Streaming Chart Top 100 Week 20-2022". The Official South African Charts. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  18. ^ "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 20". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  19. ^ "Official Audio Streaming Chart Top 100 (20 May 2022 – 26 May 2022)". Official Charts Company. May 20, 2022. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  20. ^ "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  21. ^ "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
  22. ^ "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  23. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  24. ^ "Rhythmic Songs – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2022.