Pray for Me (song)

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For other songs with the same name, see Pray for Me.
"Pray for Me"
Pray for Me by The Weeknd and Kendrick Lamar single cover.jpg
Single by the Weeknd and Kendrick Lamar
from the album Black Panther: The Album
ReleasedFebruary 2, 2018 (2018-02-02)
GenrePop-rap[1]
Length3:31
Label
Songwriter(s)
  • Abel Tesfaye
  • Kendrick Lamar Duckworth
  • Adam Feeney
  • Jason Quenneville
  • Martin McKinney
Producer(s)
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-songwriter 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 and final 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 Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[66] Platinum 70,000double-dagger
Canada (Music Canada)[67] 3× Platinum 240,000double-dagger
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[68] Platinum 90,000double-dagger
France (SNEP)[69] Gold 100,000double-dagger
New Zealand (RMNZ)[70] Gold 15,000double-dagger
Sweden (GLF)[71] Platinum 8,000,000dagger
United Kingdom (BPI)[72] Gold 400,000double-dagger
United States (RIAA)[73] 2× Platinum 2,000,000double-dagger

double-dagger Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
dagger Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

Release history[]

Region Date Format Label(s) Ref.
United States February 2, 2018
  • Digital download
  • streaming
[74]
United Kingdom Rhythmic contemporary
[75]
United States February 6, 2018 [76]
Contemporary hit radio [77]
United Kingdom February 9, 2018 [78]
Italy March 2, 2018 Universal [79]

References[]

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  7. ^ Dumaraog, Ana (February 1, 2018). "Kendrick Lamar Unveils Black Panther Album Tracklist & Cover Art". screenrant.com. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
  8. ^ "Pray For Me". February 1, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2018 – via Twitter.
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External links[]

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