"Mercy" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Single by Kanye West, Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
from the album Cruel Summer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Released | April 3, 2012 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Format | Digital download | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Recorded | 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Genre | Hip hop | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Length | 5:32 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Kanye West singles chronology | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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"Mercy" is a song by American hip hop GOOD Music rappers Kanye West, Big Sean and Pusha T along with their Def Jam label-mate, southern rapper 2 Chainz. The song, released April 3, 2012, serves as the lead single from the compilation album Cruel Summer (2012). The song's production was handled by Lifted, with additional production from West, Mike Dean and Mike Will Made It, and additional instrumentation from Hudson Mohawke. The song heavily samples the dancehall song "Dust a Sound Boy" by Super Beagle. The song received mostly positive reviews from music critics who praised the bombastic production, the varying quality of the verses, and the wordplay of the individual rappers. The song was featured on the soundtrack for NBA 2K13.
The song peaked at number 13 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and hit number one on both the US Billboard Hot Rap Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts. The song has since been certified quadruple Platinum for four million digital sales in the US as of August 2016. A music video directed by Australian director Nabil Elderkin was released on June 6, 2012. The highly stylized video shows a long take of all four rappers featured on the song, along with other GOOD Music recording artists such as Cyhi the Prynce, Kid Cudi, Mr. Hudson and Teyana Taylor in cameos. The video features the rappers giving their verses and dancing around, with deliberate editing to make it appear as if they are disappearing and reappearing behind walls. The video received positive reviews from critics.