Alicia Keys has released a solo version of “City of Gods,” her recent collaboration with Fivio Foreign and Kanye West.
The new track bills itself as “Part II” and sees Keys expand upon her memorable hook from the original song, toning back the instrumental so the focus is on her voice. While the drill elements of the song do come in briefly with the shifting basslines, for the most part the song is just Keys and the lead piano melody. Her hook remains intact, but she’s also got verses around the huge chorus that further flesh it out.
To coincide with the release of “City of Gods (Part II),” Keys is set to perform the song on Ellen. Additionally, she dropped a Sylvia Zachary and Sing Lee -directed music video for this new version of the track. The video also features a cameo from Slick Rick. It’s unclear if the new version of the song is taken from a forthcoming project or not, though.
The song is her first release since becoming an independent artist, as she got out of her contract last year following the release of her eighth studio album, Keys.
“I’m so excited because KEYS is actually the last album I have on a major label,” she said during a Twitter Spaces chat in December, per Genius. Jay-Z was also a part of the conversation, and congratulated her on her independence. “The fact that you were signed to a label for 20 years is an amazing thing in itself, but the fact that you were able to complete your contract, not many people have been afforded that,” he said.
Check out “City of Gods (Part II)” above.
