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Talking / Once Again

"Talking / Once Again"
Single by ¥$ featuring North West
from the album Vultures 1
ReleasedFebruary 8, 2024 (2024-02-08)
Recorded2023–2024[citation needed]
Length3:06
LabelYZY
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
¥$ singles chronology
"Vultures"
(2023) 		"Talking / Once Again"
(2024) 		"Carnival"
(2024)
Kanye West singles chronology
"Vultures"
(2023) 		"Talking / Once Again"
(2024) 		"Carnival"
(2024)
Ty Dolla Sign singles chronology
"Vultures"
(2023) 		"Talking / Once Again"
(2024) 		"Carnival"
(2024)
North West singles chronology
"Talking / Once Again"
(2024) 		"Bomb"
(2024)
Music video
Talking / Once Again on YouTube
Music video
Talking / Once Again (Directed by North West) on YouTube

"Talking" (stylized in uppercase, single version initially titled "Talking / Once Again") is a song by the American hip hop supergroup ¥$, composed of rapper Kanye West and singer Ty Dolla Sign, featuring West's daughter North. It was first released as a promotional track on February 7, 2024, exclusively on Instagram, YouTube, and X. The song was later released on streaming services on February 8 as the second single from the duo's collaborative album Vultures 1 (2024). The song was written by West and his daughter North, along with Ty Dolla Sign, Chicagoan musician Mamii, Quentin Miller and Ant Clemons. It was produced by both West and Ty Dolla Sign, alongside Camper, Dom Maker, Edsclusive, James Blake and Swizz Beatz.

Background and release

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"Talking / Once Again" was previewed for the first time at the "Vultures Rave" event in December 2023.[1] Kanye West officially released the song alongside its music video on February 7, 2024.[2]

Composition and themes

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The song features themes of fatherhood, with Ty Dolla Sign rapping about remaining present in his daughter's life, hoping for her to avoid mistakes he made as a young man.[3]

Critical reception

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Writing for Billboard, Michael Saponara ranked "Talking" as the fifth best song on the album. Saponara praised North as he stated that she "cooked up an earworm of a chorus that will easily be stuck in listeners’ heads for the weeks to come". He wrote that "Ty Dolla $ign takes the baton" due to his "hopes [of her] properly prepared with the tools to take on the world". He concluded by writing that "Only Ye can churn a positive fatherhood anthem into a rap hit".[4]

Music videos

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The music video is directed by Italian film directors Damiano and Fabio D'Innocenzo. The video shows shots of Kanye West and his daughter, North alongside Ty Dolla Sign and his daughter, Jailynn Crystal.[5]

On April 30, 2024, a music video directed by North West was released, it was co-directed by Aus Taylor (who also photographed the album cover for Vultures 1) and Karim Belkasemi handled the cinematography.

Charts

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Chart performance for "Talking"
Chart (2024) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[6] 66
Australia Hip Hop/R&B (ARIA)[7] 19
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[8] 30
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[9] 77
Global 200 (Billboard)[10] 18
Iceland (Tónlistinn)[11] 16
Italy (FIMI)[12] 96
Latvia (LAIPA)[13] 20
Lithuania (AGATA)[14] 37
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[15] 48
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[16] 32
Poland (Polish Streaming Top 100)[17] 58
Portugal (AFP)[18] 33
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[19] 46
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[20] 69
UK Indie (OCC)[21] 14
UK Streaming (OCC)[22] 83
US Billboard Hot 100[23] 30
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[24] 12

References

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  1. ^ Cummings-Grady, Mackenzie (February 7, 2024). "Kanye and North West Plus Ty Dolla Sign and His Daughter Come Together in 'Talking/Once Again' Video". XXL. Archived from the original on February 7, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
  2. ^ Grow, Kory (February 7, 2024). "North West Sings and Raps in Kanye and Ty Dolla $ign's 'Talking / Once Again' Clip". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 7, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
  3. ^ Dunworth, Liberty (February 7, 2024). "Watch Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign's video for 'Talking/Once Again' featuring North West". NME. Archived from the original on February 7, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
  4. ^ Saponara, Michael (February 10, 2024). "Watch North West Rap in Kanye West & Ty Dolla $ign's 'Talking/Once Again' Music Video". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 11, 2024. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
  5. ^ Saponara, Michael (February 7, 2024). "Watch North West Rap in Kanye West & Ty Dolla $ign's 'Talking/Once Again' Music Video". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 7, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
  6. ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 19 February 2024". The ARIA Report. No. 1772. Australian Recording Industry Association. February 19, 2024. p. 4.
  7. ^ "ARIA Top 40 Hip Hop/R&B Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. February 19, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  8. ^ "Kanye West Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
  9. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 7. týden 2024 in the date selector. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
  10. ^ "Kanye West Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
  11. ^ "Tónlistinn – Lög" [The Music – Songs] (in Icelandic). Plötutíðindi. Archived from the original on February 18, 2024. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  12. ^ "Top Singoli – Classifica settimanale WK 7" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  13. ^ "Straumēšanas TOP 2024 – 7. nedēļa" [Streaming TOP 2024 – Week 7] (in Latvian). LAIPA. February 26, 2024. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  14. ^ "2024 7-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. February 16, 2024. Archived from the original on February 16, 2024. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  15. ^ "¥$, Kanye West, Ty Dolla $ign feat. North West – Talking / Once Again" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  16. ^ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. February 19, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  17. ^ "OLiS – oficjalna lista sprzedaży – single w streamie" (Select week 09.02.2024–15.02.2024.) (in Polish). OLiS. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
  18. ^ "¥$, Kanye West, Ty Dolla $ign feat. North West – Talking / Once Again". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  19. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 7. týden 2024 in the date selector. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
  20. ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 7". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  21. ^ "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  22. ^ "Official Streaming Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  23. ^ "Kanye West Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
  24. ^ "Kanye West Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 20, 2024.