Songfacts®:

• "Carnival" is a song by the American hip-hop supergroup ¥$, which comprises rapper Kanye West and singer Ty Dolla $ign. Playboi Carti and Rich the Kid add verses and ad-libs. The track is from their debut collaborative studio album, Vultures 1.
• The song explores themes of partying, hedonism, and escapism, with references to carnival attractions, creating a metaphorical atmosphere of fleeting pleasure. Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign trade verses about lavish lifestyles, women, and fleeting encounters. Playboi Carti and Rich the Kid add their own perspectives, further emphasizing the party atmosphere.
• Prior to its official release, leaked versions of "Carnival" circulated online. During listening events in Chicago and New York, the song provoked controversy because of its uncleared sampling of Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" from Ozzy Osbourne's solo concert at the US Festival in 1983. Osbourne rebuked this sampling, and the band considered legal action against Kanye West.
  
  "We get so many requests for these songs," Ozzy's wife and manager, Sharon Osbourne told Billboard," and when we saw that request, we just said no way.
  
  "The simple thing is, we don't want to be associated with a hater," Sharon added. "To spread hate the way he does, it shouldn't be allowed. All the excuses - he's bipolar or whatever - doesn't change that. It's like, f--k you, basically."
  
  Instead of backing down, West replaced the sample with a twisted interpolation from his 2010 track "Hell of a Life," which itself interpolates "Iron Man." This move added an extra layer of grittiness and defiance to the dark track.
• Beyond the music, "Carnival" also drew headlines for West's verse. Some felt his comparisons to controversial figures and name-dropping of other celebrities crossed the line.
  
  Now I'm Ye Kelly, b---h
  Now I'm Bill Cosby, b---h
  Now I'm Puff Daddy rich
  That's Me Too rich
  
  R Kelly, Bill Cosby and Puff Daddy have all been accused and/or found guilty of sexual assault.
  
  Later, Ye brings up Chris Brown, who, similar to him, is blackballed but manages to thrive in the music industry. He also namedrops Taylor Swift, with whom he's had a longstanding feud. West boasts that he created six times Swift's one billion dollars net worth.
  
  I made six Taylor Swifts, ha, since I had the Rollie on the wrist
• TheLabCook, Ojivolta, and Digital Nas helped West create the beat. Their anthemic production incorporates bass guitar synths mixed with gritty, stacked 808s backed by crowd chants.
• The choir you hear comprises a couple of hundred hardcore Inter Milan soccer fans, known as "ultras," from the Curva Nord Milano section of the stadium. West, looking to capture their energy, contacted Italian manager Richard Santoro and tasked him with recording choir samples in just 36 hours. Ye incorporated their contributions on several Vultures 1 tracks.
• The song trended on TikTok, with many users posting clips lip-synching to the opening blast – a gospel choir that hits you like a sugar rush. People have latched onto this sound in all sorts of ways. Want to see yourself transformed into a superstar? There's the Carnival Mirror Trend, where folks lip-sync in front of a mirror, with the choir's power acting as their own personal hype squad. Feeling more athletic? "Carnival" is soundtracking epic sports clips, turning every dunk and touchdown into a highlight reel. Gamers are getting in on the act too, using the song to soundtrack their victories (and maybe some epic fails). There's even a dance craze, with folks grooving to the beat in all their creative glory.
• "Carnival" climbed to the Hot 100 summit in its fourth week on the chart. This accomplishment added another #1 hit to West's collection, bringing his total to five. Ty Dolla $ign also celebrated his second chart-topping single, while Rich the Kid and Playboi Carti secured their first.
  
  West previously reached the Hot 100 peak with:
  
  2004 "Slow Jamz" (by Twista featuring West and Jamie Foxx)
  2004 "Gold Digger" (featuring Jamie Foxx)
  2005 "Stronger"
  2011 "E.T." (by Katy Perry featuring West)
  
  Ty Dolla $ign previously enjoyed a week at the top in 2018 as a featured artist on Post Malone's "Psycho."
• The song was originally titled "Honor Roll."
• The song originated during a trip Rich the Kid took to Saudi Arabia to lay down some tracks with Ye and Ty Dolla $ign. During a session, Rich sifted through tracks sent to his phone by producer TheLabCook. One particular beat, "Carnival," instantly resonated with him.
  
  "Oh yeah, this is the one," Rich recalled to Billboard. He saw it as a "new-age rage rock star" anthem and wasted no time laying down the foundation – the chorus and verse – in a mere 15-20 minutes. Ty Dolla $ign was present during this creative burst, likely feeding off the energy in the room.
  
  The early version of the track eventually got into Kanye's hands, which he turned into a chanting stadium anthem with additions from Ty Dolla $ign and Playboi Carti.
• When Kanye West stopped by Los Angeles' Big Boy's Neighborhood radio show, he heaped praise on Ty Dolla $ign for their work on Vultures. Explaining why Ty was such a crucial piece of the puzzle, Ye said, "You can give him something, even a murmur, and he'll bring it back with the words, he can fix all the notes on it, he can bring in the drums, the music."