Pray for Me (The Weeknd and Kendrick Lamar song)

For other songs with the same name, see Pray for Me.

"Pray for Me" is a song by the Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd and the American rapper Kendrick Lamar from the soundtrack album of the Marvel Studios superhero film Black Panther. The song was released by Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment, and Interscope Records on February 2, 2018, as the album's third and final single. It serves as the second overall collaboration between the two artists.^[3] The song appears in the movie during the scene where the titular hero along with his allies, Nakia and Okoye, enter a secret casino in Busan.^[4]

"Pray for Me"
Single by the Weeknd and Kendrick Lamar
from the album Black Panther: The Album
Released	February 2, 2018 (2018-02-02)
Genre	Pop rap[1]
Length	3:31
Label	Top Dawg Aftermath Interscope
Songwriter(s)	Abel Tesfaye Kendrick Lamar Duckworth Aydin & Adam J Jason Quenneville Martin McKinney
Producer(s)	Doc McKinney Frank Dukes[2]
The Weeknd singles chronology
"Secrets" (2017) "Pray for Me" (2018) "Call Out My Name" (2018)
Kendrick Lamar singles chronology
"King's Dead" (2018) "Pray for Me" (2018) "Dedication" (2018)
Music video
"Pray for Me (Lyric Video)" on YouTube

Background and release

The Weeknd first hinted at his involvement with the Black Panther soundtrack album with an Instagram post that he made on January 19, 2018, which contained an illustration of the Marvel superhero Black Panther perched on a tree in front of the moon.^[5] On January 26, 2018, the Weeknd then further hinted at his involvement with the soundtrack when he uploaded an official trailer for the Black Panther film to his Instagram account.^[6] Then on January 31, 2018, Lamar confirmed the Weeknd's involvement with the soundtrack when he uploaded to his Twitter account the complete tracklist of the soundtrack, which contained the song "Pray for Me".^[7] On February 1, 2018, the Weeknd uploaded to his Twitter account a video teasing the release date for "Pray for Me" as the soundtrack's third single.^[8]

Composition

"Pray for Me" is composed in the key of E minor.^[9]

Reception

Alex Robert Ross of Noisey praised the song, calling it "short, punchy, and self-lacerating."^[10]

Copyright infringement lawsuit

In February 2020, Tesfaye and Lamar were sued by now-split American experimental rock band Yeasayer for alleged plagiarism due to vocal similarities with their 2007 song "Sunrise".^[11] According to the lawsuit, the part allegedly stolen from the song includes "the recording of a distinctive choral performance, which Plaintiffs [Yeasayer] created and recorded using their own voices".^[12][13] Furthermore, Yeasayer claims that "Defendants extracted Plaintiffs' choral performance from a recording of 'Sunrise,' slightly modified it, including, on information and belief, via postprocessing to alter its pitch, among other qualities" and then subsequently used the modified audio in their own song.^[12] Both Tesfaye and Lamar have denied the accusation. The lawsuit later reached its conclusion in July 2020, after Yeasayer dropped it.^[14]

Credits and personnel

Credits and personnel adapted from digital booklet.^[15]

• Kendrick Lamar – songwriting, lead vocals
• The Weeknd – songwriting, lead vocals
• Frank Dukes – songwriting, production
• Doc McKinney – songwriting, production, recording
• Beatriz Artola – recording
• Shin Kamiyama – recording
• Mike Sonier – recording
• Barry McCready – recording assistance
• Jaycen Joshua – mixing
• David Nakaji – mixing assistance
• Mike Bozzi – mastering
• Chris Athens – mastering

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2018) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[16] 9 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[17] 32 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[18] 22 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[19] 39 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[20] 5 Canada CHR/Top 40 (Billboard)[21] 1 Canada Hot AC (Billboard)[22] 16 Colombia (National-Report)[23] 63 Czech Republic (Rádio – Top 100)[24] 57 Denmark (Tracklisten)[25] 6 Euro Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[26] 14 Ecuador (National-Report)[27] 95 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[28] 9 France (SNEP)[29] 44 Germany (GfK)[30] 24 Greece International (IFPI)[31] 3 Hungary (Single Top 40)[32] 36 Hungary (Stream Top 40)[33] 10 Ireland (IRMA)[34] 12 Italy (FIMI)[35] 72 Lebanon (OLT20)[36] 2 Mexico Airplay (Billboard)[37] 34 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[38] 14 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[39] 22 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[40] 12 Norway (VG-lista)[41] 6 Portugal (AFP)[42] 10 Scotland (OCC)[43] 19 Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[44] 37 Spain (PROMUSICAE)[45] 84 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[46] 4 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[47] 21 UK Singles (OCC)[48] 11 UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[49] 5 US Billboard Hot 100[50] 7 US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[51] 31 US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[52] 47 US Dance/Mix Show Airplay (Billboard)[53] 4 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[54] 4 US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[55] 3 US R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (Billboard)[56] 19 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[57] 1

Year-end charts Chart (2018) Position Australia (ARIA)[58] 71 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[59] 33 Denmark (Tracklisten)[60] 75 Iceland (Plötutíóindi)[61] 16 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[62] 81 Portugal (AFP)[63] 107 US Billboard Hot 100[64] 40 US Dance/Mix Show Airplay (Billboard)[65] 24 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[66] 19 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[67] 23 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[68] 8

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[69]	4× Platinum	280,000‡
Austria (IFPI Austria)[70]	Gold	15,000‡
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[71]	Diamond	160,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[72]	5× Platinum	400,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[73]	Platinum	90,000‡
France (SNEP)[74]	Platinum	200,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[75]	Gold	200,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[76]	Gold	50,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[77]	2× Platinum	60,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[78]	Platinum	50,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[79]	Gold	30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[80]	Platinum	600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[81]	2× Platinum	2,000,000‡
Streaming
Greece (IFPI Greece)[82]	Platinum	2,000,000†
Sweden (GLF)[83]	Platinum	8,000,000†
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. † Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	February 2, 2018	Digital download streaming	Top Dawg Aftermath Interscope	[84]
United Kingdom		Rhythmic contemporary	Top Dawg XO Republic Interscope	[85]
United States	February 6, 2018			[86]
		Contemporary hit radio		[87]
United Kingdom	February 9, 2018			[88]
Italy	March 2, 2018		Universal	[89]