Kanye West Gets Old School On 'The Joy'

Even though his fifth album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, just weeks away from landing on shelves, Kanye West is still cranking out gratis G.O.O.D. Music joints. Although cutting-edge spitters Kid Cudi and Jay-Z appear on the track, the Chicago MC's newest offering, "The Joy," is a nod to the past, featuring nude '70s vixen Pam Grier on the MP3 art, buttery production courtesy of beat kingpin Pete Rock, vocals from Charlie Wilson and a contribution from soul icon Curtis Mayfield.

"Joy" is centered around Mayfield's vocals from "The Makings of You," a cut from his 1970 debut Curtis. (Yeezy has turned to Mayfield's catalogue in the past, sampling "Move On Up" for West's Late Registration single "Touch The Sky.") West helms the first two verses, using his bars to reflect upon love making, child bearing and getting out of his own way.

"I never understood Planned Parenthood/ 'Cause I never met nobody plan to be a parent in the 'hood," 'Ye spits. "Taking refills of that Plan B pill/ Another shorty that won't make it to the family will."

West drops a few words for critics ready to attack his latest moves, saying, "Though the Jewelry's Egyptian, know the hunger's Ethiopian," and, "This beat deserves Hennessy, a bad bitch and a bag of weed, the Holy Trinity/ In the mirror where I see my only enemy."

Jay-Z follows up and indulges in the nostalgia of the song, spitting lines like, "This is my momma sh--/ I used to hear this through the walls in the 'hood when I was back on my pajama sh-- /Afros and marijuana sticks/ Seeds and the ganja had it popping like the sample that I'm rhyming with."

Kid Cudi keeps a low-profile on the cut, adding a simple, positive mantra to the collabo and coolly reciting phrases like, "Keep your hands up" and "Don't let them take your fire."

The song languidly peters out as Rock adlibs, "Pete Rock, Kanye, Okay."

What do you think of Kanye West's latest G.O.O.D. Friday joint? Let us know in the comments!