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"Pray for Me"
The Weeknd & Kendrick Lamar - Pray for Me
Single by the Weeknd and Kendrick Lamar
from the album Black Panther: The Album
ReleasedFebruary 2, 2018 (2018-02-02)
Recorded2017
GenrePop-rap[1]
Length3:31
Label
Songwriter(s)
  • Abel Tesfaye
  • Kendrick Lamar Duckworth
  • Adam Feeney
  • Jason Quenneville
  • Martin McKinney
Producer(s)
  • Doc McKinney
  • Frank Dukes[2]
The Weeknd singles chronology
"Secrets"
(2017)
"Pray for Me"
(2018)
"Call Out My Name"
(2018)
Kendrick Lamar singles chronology
"King's Dead"
(2018)
"Pray for Me"
(2018)
"The Mantra"
(2018)
Music video
"Pray for Me (Lyric Video)" on YouTube

"Pray for Me" is a song by Canadian singer the Weeknd and American rapper Kendrick Lamar from the soundtrack album of the Marvel Studios superhero film Black Panther. The song was released by Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment, and Interscope Records on February 2, 2018, as the album's third single. It serves as the second overall collaboration between the two artists.[3] The song appears in the movie during the scene where the titular hero along with his allies, Nakia and Okoye, enter a secret casino in Busan.[4]

Background and release[]

The Weeknd first hinted at his involvement with the Black Panther soundtrack album with an Instagram post that he made on January 19, 2018, which contained an illustration of the Marvel superhero Black Panther perched on a tree in front of the moon.[5] On January 26, 2018, the Weeknd then further hinted at his involvement with the soundtrack when he uploaded an official trailer for the Black Panther film to his Instagram account.[6] Then on January 31, 2018, Lamar confirmed the Weeknd's involvement with the soundtrack when he uploaded to his Twitter account the complete tracklist of the soundtrack, which contained the song "Pray for Me".[7] On February 1, 2018, the Weeknd uploaded to his Twitter account a video teasing the release date for "Pray for Me" as the soundtrack's third single.[8]

Composition[]

"Pray for Me" is composed in the key of E minor.[9]

Reception[]

Alex Robert Ross of Noisey praised the song, calling it "short, punchy, and self-lacerating."[10]

Copyright infringement lawsuit[]

In February 2020, Tesfaye and Lamar were sued by now-split American experimental rock band Yeasayer for alleged plagiarism due to vocal similarities with their 2007 song "Sunrise".[11] According to the lawsuit, the part allegedly stolen from the song includes "the recording of a distinctive choral performance, which Plaintiffs [Yeasayer] created and recorded using their own voices".[12][13] Furthermore, Yeasayer claims that "Defendants extracted Plaintiffs’ choral performance from a recording of 'Sunrise,' slightly modified it, including, on information and belief, via postprocessing to alter its pitch, among other qualities" and then subsequently used the modified audio in their own song.[12] The accused party have denied the accusation. The lawsuit later reached its conclusion in July 2020, after Yeasayer dropped it.[14]

Credits and personnel[]

Credits and personnel adapted from digital booklet.[15]

  • Kendrick Lamar – songwriting, lead vocals
  • The Weeknd – songwriting, lead vocals
  • Frank Dukes – songwriting, production
  • Doc McKinney – songwriting, production, recording
  • Beatriz Artola – recording
  • Shin Kamiyama – recording
  • Mike Sonier – recording
  • Barry McCready – recording assistance
  • Jaycen Joshua – mixing
  • David Nakaji – mixing assistance
  • Mike Bozzi – mastering
  • Chris Athens – mastering

Charts[]

Certifications[]

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Australia (ARIA)[65] Platinum 70,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[66] 3× Platinum 240,000double-dagger
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[67] Gold Expression error: Missing operand for *.^
France (SNEP)[68] Gold Expression error: Missing operand for *.*
New Zealand (RMNZ)[69] Gold Expression error: Missing operand for *.*
United Kingdom (BPI)[70] Gold 400,000double-dagger
United States (RIAA)[71] 2× Platinum 2,000,000double-dagger

xunspecified figures based on certification alone

Release history[]

Region Date Format Label(s) Ref.
United States February 2, 2018
[72]
United Kingdom Rhythmic contemporary
[73]
United States February 6, 2018 [74]
Contemporary hit radio [75]
United Kingdom February 9, 2018 [76]
Italy March 2, 2018 Universal [77]

References[]

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  2. "Black Panther OST #prayforme #seasons". February 1, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2018 – via Instagram. {{cite web}}:
  3. Madden, Sidney (February 2, 2018). "Kendrick Lamar produced the soundtrack for Black Panther". npr.org. Retrieved February 2, 2018. {{cite web}}:
  4. Alexander, Julia (March 14, 2018). "Modern culture paradoxes can be explained by a popular Friends question". Polygon. Retrieved March 25, 2018. {{cite web}}:
  5. Bonomolo, Cameron (January 22, 2018). "Kendrick Lamar produced the soundtrack for Black Panther". comicbook.com. Retrieved February 1, 2018. {{cite web}}:
  6. "Marvel Studios' Black Panther - War TV Spot". January 26, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2018 – via Instagram. {{cite web}}: [dead link]
  7. Dumaraog, Ana (February 1, 2018). "Kendrick Lamar Unveils Black Panther Album Tracklist & Cover Art". screenrant.com. Retrieved February 1, 2018. {{cite web}}:
  8. "Pray For Me". February 1, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2018 – via Twitter. {{cite web}}:
  9. The Weeknd "Pray for Me" Sheet Music
  10. Ross, Alex Robert (February 2, 2018). "Kendrick Lamar Teams with The Weeknd on "Pray for Me"". Noisey. Vice. Retrieved February 11, 2018. {{cite web}}:
  11. Berthelot, Théau (February 26, 2020). ""Pray for Me" : Kendrick Lamar et The Weeknd accusés de plagiat". Purebreak Charts. Retrieved February 27, 2020. {{cite web}}:
  12. 12.0 12.1 "Yeasayer, LLC et al v. Tesfaye et al". Scribd. Retrieved February 27, 2020. {{cite web}}:
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  69. "New Zealand single certifications – The Weeknd and Kendrick Lamar – Pray for Me". Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. {{cite web}}:
  70. "British single certifications – Weeknd/Kendrick Lamar – Pray For Me". British Phonographic Industry. {{cite web}}: Enter Pray For Me in the field Search. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Click Go
  71. "American single certifications – The Weeknd, Kendrick Lamar – Pray for Me". Recording Industry Association of America. {{cite web}}: If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
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External links[]

Template:The Weeknd Template:Kendrick Lamar songs

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