Songfacts®:

• "Talking" is a two-part track from Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign's debut album, Vultures 1, released under the name of ¥$. It has lyrics written by West and Ty Dolla $ign alongside Ye's daughter North West, his frequent collaborator Ant Clemons, Chicagoan singer and songwriter Shawntoni "Mamii" Nichols, and Atlanta rapper Quentin Miller, who Meek Mill once alleged was Drake's ghostwriter.
• "Talking" opens with a battle chant sampled from the cheerleading squad at Wilkes-Barre Area High School in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The chant, boasting, "You don't want no problem, you're just talking like you do!" is modified by West to end with a gentle "talking." This duality reflects the internal struggle between wanting to shield one's child and understanding the need for growth.
• Kanye West takes a backseat in this song, appearing only on the outro with a metaphor about rain clouds releasing their burden. Instead, the spotlight shines on North West, making her musical debut with the first verse. Her presence adds a raw and emotional layer, showcasing the vulnerability of a child navigating the world.
  
  North West follows a growing trend of young children lending their voices to their rapper father's music. Drake, for instance, incorporated his son, Adonis Graham, on "Daylight" and Travis Scott's daughter, Stormi Webster, contributes a line to "Thank God."
• Ty Dolla $ign takes the baton for the second part of the song, rapping about the desire to stay present in his daughter Jailynn's life, fearing the inevitable passage of time and the mistakes she might make. He yearns for a way to freeze her childhood, echoing a sentiment many parents share.
• West produced the song alongside No I.D., James Blake and DJ Camper. Blake also sings the background vocals.
• The song was first performed in its entirety at the Vultures Rave in Miami, Florida on December 12, 2023. North was accompanied by her dad, who got slammed for wearing a hooded outfit similar to traditional Ku Klux Klan uniforms.
• The Italian filmmaking brothers Damiano and Fabio D'Innocenzo (Bad Tales, America Latina) directed the song's music video. It features shots of Kanye West and North West alongside Ty Dolla Sign and his daughter, Jailynn Crystal. The visual representation reinforces the song's message of intergenerational connection and the complexities of fatherhood.
• While the album track is titled "Talking," the single release, dropped two days earlier, was titled "Talking / Once Again."
• Kanye West and North West performed '"Talking" together for the first time on February 25, 2024 during the Paris Vultures Listening Experience at the Accor Arena.
• The video follows North West rapping in various settings: a basketball court, a boxing ring, even a car sunroof. The visual transitions to Ty Dolla $ign's vocals, culminating with Kanye on a mountaintop.
  
  North West is also credited as the video's writer and co-director. Aus Taylor, who photographed the album covers for Vultures 1 & 2, is the other co-director.