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About

Genius Annotation

“Blood on the Leaves” utilizes a sample of Nina Simone’s “Strange Fruit” to tell a tale of lost love.

Production was handled by six producers, one of whom was Hudson Mohawke of TNGHT. In a Pitchfork interview, he discussed the creation of the song.

I think Kanye had wanted to use that “Strange Fruit” sample for a while, but it was like, “How in the hell are you going to get that to fit?” But it miraculously came together. Obviously, “Strange Fruit” carries so much political weight, and “Blood on the Leaves” is more about past relationships, but you can draw some parallels between the two. There’s not an overtly political message in the final lyrics, but in some ways that would’ve been too easy.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

Has this track received any certifications?
Genius Answer

“Blood on the Leaves” was certified platinum by the RIAA on August 15, 2018.

Is there a performance of the song?
Genius Answer

Credits
Performance Rights
Mixing Engineer
Assistant Mixing Engineer
Mastering Engineer
Release Date
June 18, 2013
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