WTF (YoungBoy Never Broke Again and Nicki Minaj song)
| "WTF" | ||||
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| Single by YoungBoy Never Broke Again and Nicki Minaj | ||||
| from the album Don't Try This at Home | ||||
| Released | April 7, 2023 | |||
| Length | 2:41 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriter(s) |
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| Producer(s) |
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| YoungBoy Never Broke Again singles chronology | ||||
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| Nicki Minaj singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "WTF" on YouTube | ||||
"WTF" is a song by American rapper YoungBoy Never Broke Again and Trinidadian-born rapper Nicki Minaj, released on April 7, 2023, as the first single from YoungBoy's sixth studio album Don't Try This at Home. It was produced by Dom Wise, D-Roc, Kenoe, Wayv, Yetty, and Yo Benji.[1][2][3][4] The song debuted at number 99 on the US Billboard Hot 100 marking YoungBoy's 99th entry on the chart alongside Nicki's 127th.
Release and promotion
[edit]The song was first announced on March 28, 2023, through the Never Broke Again Instagram page in a post in which a placeholder cover art was displayed to build up hype and anticipation for the duo's third collaboration.[5][6][7] The majority of the song's promotion was garnered by both artist's fanbase through Twitter just two days prior to the release of the song as "NBA X NICKI" had begun to start trending on the night of its release. As planned, the track was released on April 7, 2023, alongside its music video.[8]
Composition
[edit]"WTF" sees a mellow use of 808s and a mild use of the piano while the producers also add claps and bangs to add a psychedelic feel to the track. The song also features several background vocals which give the track a warm gospel-like feel. Trent Fitzgerald for XXL noted that the song is "soulful" and sees YoungBoy and Nicki "deliver cautionary verses to anyone wants to stop them from shining."[4]
Critical reception
[edit]Writing for Billboard, Carl Lamarre notes that "YoungBoy and Nicki trade punchy verses alongside ballet dancers" while Nicki simultaneously "torches her feature with a plethora of punchlines."[3] Forbes' Chris Malone Méndez compares Nicky's rhyme scheme and pattern to hers of "Red Ruby da Sleeze" as he writes: "Minaj doesn’t hold back in her rhyming on "WTF," taking aim at anyone who dares to challenge either her or YB."[9] It's also noted that in the track, Nicki "lets the world know that she got Louisiana’s legend back on all matters."[10]
Music video
[edit]The Isaac Garcia-directed music video which was released alongside the song is seen to be inspired by the 2010 horror, Black Swan as Nicki "takes on the role of [a] ballerina, donning a tutu and showing students how to plié."[9] The theme of the ballerinas play into YoungBoy's lyric: "They weren't with me when I was hangin' out that car, this ain't realest/Ballerina, we spinned the whole car, somethin' get spilled in it". The video also sees YoungBoy and his newly-wedded wife together in their Utah mansion as they dance and spend time together portraying an image of a king and a queen.[11]
Personnel
[edit]Credits and personnel adapted from Tidal.[12]
Musicians
- Adam Smith – production, composer, songwriter
- Daniel Lebrun – production, composer, songwriter
- Maurice Jordan – production, composer, songwriter
- Aaron Ho – production, composer, songwriter
- Aiden Yetman – production, composer, songwriter
- Benjamin Ibrahimovic – production, composer, songwriter
- Kentrell DeSean Gaulden – lead artist, songwriter, composer
- Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty – lead artist, songwriter, composer
Technical
- Jason "Cheese" Goldberg – mastering engineer
- Jason "Cheese" Goldberg – mixing engineer
- YoungBoy Never Broke Again – recording engineer
Charts
[edit]| Chart (2023) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100[13] | 99 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[14] | 32 |
References
[edit]- ^ A., Aron (April 7, 2023). "NBA Youngboy Taps Nicki Minaj For "WTF"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
- ^ Cho, Regina (April 7, 2023). "Nicki Minaj joins NBA YoungBoy for new "WTF" single". Revolt. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
- ^ a b Lamarre, Carl (April 7, 2023). "YoungBoy Never Broke Again Recruits Nicki Minaj For Hard-Hitting Single 'WTF': Watch". Billboard. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
- ^ a b Fitzgerald, Trent (April 7, 2023). "NBA YoungBoy, Nicki Minaj 'WTF' - Listen to New Song - XXL". XXL. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
- ^ Grant, Shawn (March 30, 2023). "NBA YOUNGBOY ANNOUNCES "WTF" COLLABORATION WITH NICKI MINAJ". The Source. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
- ^ Saponara, Michael (March 29, 2023). "NBA YOUNGBOY ANNOUNCES NEW NICKI MINAJ COLLAB AHEAD OF 'DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME'". HipHopDX. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
- ^ A., Aron (March 29, 2023). "NBA Youngboy & Nicki Minaj Announce New Single "WTF"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
- ^ Price, Joe (April 7, 2023). "YoungBoy Never Broke Again Recruits Nicki Minaj for New Video and Single "WTF"". Complex. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
- ^ a b Méndez, Chris Malone (April 7, 2023). "Nicki Minaj Joins NBA YoungBoy For New Single, 'WTF'". Forbes. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
- ^ Grant, Shawn (April 7, 2023). "NBA YOUNGBOY ALIGNS WITH NICKI MINAJ FOR NEW SINGLE "WTF"". The Source. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
- ^ Saponara, Michael (April 7, 2023). "NBA YOUNGBOY & NICKI MINAJ REUNITE FOR NEW SINGLE & VIDEO 'WTF': WATCH". HipHopDX. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
- ^ "WTF / YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Nicki Minaj on TIDAL". Tidal. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
- ^ "YoungBoy Never Broke Again Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
- ^ "YoungBoy Never Broke Again Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 18, 2023.