"Partynauseous", stylized as "PARTYNAUSEOUS" is a song written in 2012 by Lady Gaga. It was planned to be a collaboration with Kendrick Lamar for his debut album, good kid, m.A.A.d city in 2012. The song was scheduled to be released on iTunes on September 6, 2012, one month before the album.
The release was later scrapped due to creative differences between Gaga and Lamar's teams. The song was later used as an interlude on the ARTPOP Ball in 2014. A version of the song, different from the interlude used on the tour, with 3 minutes and 30 seconds leaked on May 2015.
Background
Gaga stated that the song is about her experiences regarding Jakarta in July of 2012, where she was forced to cancel a performance of The Born This Way Ball Tour due to strong threats of violence from Islamic extremists should the concert be performed, and how she wished she could "get high with the country" and make peace.[1]
On July 17, 2012, Tara Savelo posted a photograph of Kendrick Lamar with Gaga inside a recording studio in Chicago. Gaga confirmed via Twitter on August 15 that she worked on a song for Lamar's album.
| “ | I am so excited to announce that a record I've been working on has now become a collaboration with @KendrickLamar for HIS ALBUM. @kendricklamar and I are dropping the record SEPT 6. Its called "PARTYNAUSEOUS".[2] | ” |
—Lady Gaga announcing the collaboration via Twitter | ||
She then explained that she brought the song to Kendrick Lamar, and their discussions about life and Lamar's views of love and hip hop brought much new meaning to the song. Lamar describes his poetry in the song as dark, "but that peak of light that shines thru is hope and desperation". He also says that the song is personal on both ends.[3] During a chat on Little Monsters, Gaga revealed that the song genre is "hip hop /pop/ with a hint of J-pop techno".
The tracklist for Lamar's album was revealed on October 2, 2012, without "PARTYNAUSEOUS". On October 4, 2012, Gaga posted on Little Monsters a note explaining the situation with the song:
- "I apologize to the fans that this situation with Partynauseous is confusing. To it clear it up I must explain this. When I collaborate with an artist i work solely with them, not with their camps or management. Its purely organic and creative. I love Kendrick dearly as a friend, but was not willing to compromise musically to the changes his team was making to my music. This is why I am not his record. I have a very specific vision as a producer and songwriter, and I always have. That song will be released at a different time, for a different project. I love you, and think you should check out his stuff because he is truly great. He's a good kid, its just sometimes a mad city."
Asked about "PARTYNAUSEOUS" by MTV Hive in November of 2012, producer T-Minus confirmed what happened with the song: "From what I understand, it seemed like they [Gaga’s camp] had a direction they wanted to go in and Kendrick and I had a different direction. It just so happened that it didn’t go through. All parties have to agree. I saw it as a great opportunity for Kendrick to get a record from Gaga but if they can’t make that approval then hey, it can’t go through. But the beat is hot as fuck. I promise you."