Babushka Boi

"Babushka Boi"
Single by ASAP Rocky
Released	August 28, 2019 (2019-08-28)
Genre	Memphis rap trap
Length	3:07
Label	ASAP Forever Polo Grounds RCA
Songwriter(s)	Rakim Mayers Alexander Ridha Hector Delgado Mario Reddick
Producer(s)	Boys Noize Hector Delgado
ASAP Rocky singles chronology
"Live Fast" (2019) "Babushka Boi" (2019) "Twisted" (2019)
Music video
"Babushka Boi" on YouTube

"Babushka Boi" is a song by American rapper ASAP Rocky, released as a single through ASAP Rocky Recordings, Polo Grounds Music and RCA Records on August 28, 2019. The music video was released the same day. ^[1]

Background

ASAP Rocky began wearing a babushka headscarf to cover the resulting cut on his face after he fell off his scooter in September 2018. This inspired Frank Ocean, who posted a picture on his Instagram of himself in a babushka, with ASAP Rocky commenting "Babushka Boi" on the image and later adding the phrase to his own Instagram. ^[2] Rocky previewed the song at the 'Injured Generation Tour' in January 2019, ^[3] and shared a trailer of its music video on August 26. ^[4]

Music video

The Nadia Lee Cohen-directed music video was also released on August 28. It was inspired by Dick Tracy and features ASAP Rocky, ASAP Ferg, Schoolboy Q, ASAP Nast and Kamil Abbas as prosthetic-enhanced gangsters robbing a bank and on the run from police, who are portrayed as anthropomorphic pigs. ^{[5] [6]} The criminals get into a shootout with the police which "leaves ASAP and his crew with some fresh sausage meat." ^{[7] [8]}

It has been noted that it was filmed before ASAP Rocky's arrest and detainment in Sweden. The video was produced by Virgin Soil Pictures. ^{[5] [9]}

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2019)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA) [10]	60
Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [11]	48
Latvia (LAIPA) [12]	12
Lithuania (AGATA) [13]	21
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [14]	39
Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan) [15]	5
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [16]	66
UK Singles (OCC) [17]	89
US Billboard Hot 100 [18]	69
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [19]	27
US Rolling Stone Top 100 [20]	32

Certifications

Certifications for "Babushka Boi"

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [21]	Gold	40,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ) [22]	Gold	15,000‡
Poland (ZPAV) [23]	Gold	25,000‡
United States (RIAA) [24]	Gold	500,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

1. Kim, Michelle (August 28, 2019). "ASAP Rocky Drops Video for New Song "Babushka Boi"". Pitchfork . Retrieved September 10, 2019.
2. Marine, Brooke (January 24, 2019). "A$AP Rocky Finally Explained Why He Keeps Wearing Babushkas". W . Retrieved September 10, 2019.
3. Li, Nicolaus (2019-01-09). "A$AP Rocky Previews New "Babushka" Track at Minneapolis 'Injured Generation' Tour". HYPEBEAST. Archived from the original on 2019-01-10.
4. Lamarre, Carl (August 26, 2019). "A$AP Rocky Shares Mysterious Trailer For 'Babushka Boy,' Featuring Clip Of New Music: Watch". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2019-08-28.
5. Shaffer, Claire (August 28, 2019). "A$AP Rocky Turns Pig-Cops Into Sausages in 'Babushka Boi' Video". Rolling Stone . Retrieved September 10, 2019.
6. "Watch ASAP Rocky's "Babushka Boi" Video". Complex. August 28, 2019. Archived from the original on 2019-12-22.
7. Sajonas, Felson (2019-08-28). "A$AP Rocky Tries to Evade the Police in 'Dick Tracy'-Inspired "Babushka Boi" Video". HYPEBEAST. Archived from the original on 2019-12-15.
8. Kaye, Ben (2019-08-28). "ASAP Rocky drops Dick Tracy-inspired video for new single "Babushka Boi": Watch". Consequence. Archived from the original on 2021-04-25.
9. Saponara, Michael (August 28, 2019). "A$AP Rocky Terrorizes the City in Satirical 'Babushka Boi' Video: Watch". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2019-08-28.
10. "ARIA Chart Watch #541". auspOp. September 7, 2019. Archived from the original on September 29, 2019. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
11. "AAP Rocky Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
12. "Mūzikas Patēriņa Tops/ 37. nedēļa" (in Latvian). LAIPA. Archived from the original on October 10, 2019. Retrieved November 27, 2019.
13. "Savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. September 9, 2019. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
14. "A$AP Rocky – Babushka Boi". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
15. "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 36". Sverigetopplistan . Retrieved September 10, 2019.
16. "A$AP Rocky – Babushka Boi". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
17. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
18. "AAP Rocky Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
19. "AAP Rocky Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
20. "Top 100 Songs". Rolling Stone . August 30, 2019. Archived from the original on August 30, 2019. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
21. "Canadian single certifications – A$AP Rocky – Babushka Boi". Music Canada . Retrieved October 27, 2021.
22. "New Zealand single certifications – A$AP Rocky – Babushka Boi". Radioscope. Retrieved December 27, 2024.Type Babushka Boi in the "Search:" field.
23. "OLiS - oficjalna lista wyróżnień" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry . Retrieved September 11, 2024. Click "TYTUŁ" and enter Babushka Boi in the search box.
24. "American single certifications – ASAP Rocky – Babushka Boi". Recording Industry Association of America.