Several months ago, we reported on a rumored collaboration between the infamous rapper Kanye West and Beatles legend Paul McCartney. To everyone’s surprise, these rumors have materialized into a single, titled “Only One.” The tune dropped at 2:50 AM on January 1st, and you can preview it through West’s official website.

As West describes it, the track is sung from the perspective of his late mother, who died in 2007 from surgery complications, to his new baby daughter North. “Hello my only one, just like the morning sun/ You’ll keep on rising til the sky knows your name.” The song features keyboard work from McCartney, and is apparently the first of many tracks that will be released from the duo.

A spokesperson for West said that “Only One” is the first “publicly available recording from what has become a prolific musical collaboration between these two legendary artists.” According to a statement, the sessions sprung from “a simple brainstorming session between the two, with McCartney improvising on the keyboards and Kanye vocally sketching and shaping ideas in a stream-of-consciousness riff.”

The statement talks about the song’s creation as well, saying “Kanye sat there with his family, holding his daughter North on his lap, and listened to his vocals, singing, ‘Hello, my only one…’ And in that moment, not only could he not recall having sung those words, but he realized that perhaps the words had never really come from him. The process of artistic creation is one that does not involve thinking, but often channeling. And he understood in that moment that his late mother, Dr. Donda West, who was also his mentor, confidante, and best friend, had spoken through him that day.”

West’s wife, Kim Kardashian, seems to like the new song. What do you think?

[Via Rolling Stone]