"Girls in the Hood" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Megan Thee Stallion | ||||
from the album Good News | ||||
Released | June 26, 2020 | |||
Genre | Hip hop | |||
Length | 2:34 | |||
Label |
| |||
Songwriter(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) |
| |||
Megan Thee Stallion singles chronology | ||||
|
"Girls in the Hood" is a song by American rapper Megan Thee Stallion from her debut studio album, Good News (2020). It was released on June 26, 2020, through 1501 Certified Entertainment and 300 Entertainment, as the album's lead single. Built around a sample of "Boyz-n-the-Hood" by Eazy-E and featuring electric guitar and 808 drums, it is a hip hop song with braggadocious lyrics.
The song received widespread critical acclaim from music critics, some of whom praised it for repurposing what they believed to be misogynoir in "Boyz-n-the-Hood" into an anthem for women. "Girls in the Hood" peaked at number 28 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and at number 3 on the Deutsche Black Charts. It was certified platinum in the United States by the Recording Industry of America (RIAA). A lyric video for the song was released on June 26, 2020. To promote the song, Megan Thee Stallion performed it at the BET Awards 2020 and as part of a virtual concert for Tidal that same year.
The release date of "Girls in the Hood" was announced on June 24, 2020, as June 26 via Megan Thee Stallion's social media accounts. [2] On June 26, 2020, prior to the song's official release, Megan Thee Stallion teased the song by posting a video clip to Instagram of her twerking in a sundress. [3] After the song was teased, American rapper Reemarkable, daughter of Eazy-E, spoke out regarding Megan Thee Stallion sampling "Boyz-n-the-Hood" since, according to her, she and his other children were barred from allowing recreation or sampling of his music. [4]
The song was released on June 26, 2020, as the lead single for Good News. [5] It was written by Megan Thee Stallion, Bobby Sessions, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ilyah Fraser, and Scott Storch, while produced by IllaDaProducer and Storch. [6] [7] The cover for the single features Megan Thee Stallion in a pink paisley halter top with a fuzzy hood and hoop earrings, standing in front of a pink paisley background. [2] [8] Merchandise for the song was created by black female artists; Megan Thee Stallion boasted that she "can't wait for y'all to see it". [9] A lyric video for "Girls in the Hood" was released on June 26, 2020, and features a "colorful" compilation of pictures, videos, and animations of Megan Thee Stallion, including the rapper flexing her body. [10] [11] On TikTok, a clip of US Vice President (VP) Kamala Harris saying, "Mister Vice president, I'm speaking," to former VP Mike Pence during the 2020 United States VP debate, set to "Girls in the Hood", became a trend in October 2020. [12] Another trend on TikTok featuring the song with a clip of Megan Thee Stallion saying, "I can't talk right now, I'm doing hot girl shit," in which users showed themselves doing mundane tasks, was created by makeup artist Chelsea Uchenna in November 2020. It became popular in early 2021. [13]
"Girls in the Hood" heavily samples Eazy-E's 1987 song "Boyz-n-the-Hood", putting a "modern", "feminist" spin on it. [14] [15] Its instrumental includes electric guitar and 808 drums. [16] Lyrically, the song mainly consists of "defiant", [12] braggadocious one-liners, [17] including its opening lyrics, "Fuck being good, I'm a bad bitch/I'm sick of motherfuckers trying tell me how to live". [9] Kyann-Sian Williams of NME surmised that the lyrics are from the perspective of Megan Thee Stallion's pimp alter ego Tina Snow. [18] Several lyrics were directly inspired by Eazy-E's original lyrics. [3] Megan Thee Stallion also references her haters on Instagram, her love of anime, and the Japanese manga series Naruto in the song. [19] [18] [20] Jessica McKinney of Complex described the rapper's flow on the song as "aggressive", "relentless", and "reminiscent of ... the freestyles that put her on the map in the early stages of her career". [21] Clover Hope of W described the song as "vigorously immodest". [22]
"Girls in the Hood" was met with moderate praise from music critics. Pitchfork gave "Girls in the Hood" the title of "Best New Track", with Sheldon Pearce remarking that the song repurposes the misogynoir of "Boyz-n-the-Hood" "for those it disenfranchised", adding, "It feels like Megan is leading a revolt of the women mistreated in rap songs." [23] British GQ 's Olive Pometsey similarly commented on the connection to the misogynoir of the original, writing that it "hasn't aged well post-MeToo", and that, with "Girls in the Hood", "Megan flipped the switch and turned it into a song that gives power back to women". [24] For All Songs Considered , NPR's Sidney Madden also wrote about the misogynoir in "Boyz-n-the-Hood" and praised Megan for using "venomous, crushing one-liners" to "stomp out and shrivel up every last shred of male ego frailty". [25] MusicOMH 's Ben Devlin stated that "Girls in the Hood" "continu[ed] a trend of [Megan Thee Stallion] reappropriating male-centric rap songs that started with Suga 's B.I.T.C.H". [26] Justin Curto of Vulture said that the rapper switched "the misogynistic violence of "Boyz-n-the-Hood" by Eazy-E", turning it "into one of her strongest empowerment anthems yet". [27]
Williams gave the song a rating of four out of five stars, calling the song a "banger" with "cocksure attitude" and writing, "The larger-than-life braggadocio is what we all love Megan for, and it's in abundance on this single." [18] Chuck Arnold of the New York Post named "Girls in the Hood" the number one "song of the summer", dubbing it a "rock-edged banger". [28] Billboard 's Jason Lipshutz called the song "a distinctive anthem for [Megan Thee Stallion] and for women everywhere" and "a fresh showcase for her skills", calling her wordplay "top-notch" and her punchlines "unexpected". [29] Consequence 's Nina Corcoran wrote that the song's "rapid-fire verses" are a "straight-up vocal flex", referring to it as "memorable". [14] Vulture 's Craig Jenkins called Megan Thee Stallion's rapping on the song "immaculate", writing that, on the song, "Meg's unique character and interests shine through". [20] Fred Thomas of AllMusic stated that the song had the "same direct impact" of "Boyz-n-the-Hood". [30] Devlin of MusicOMH called the song "well-judged" and regarded her "flexing" on the track as "effortless and masterful". [26] Complex Australia wrote that the song had "the reckless, cocky attitude that made 'Boyz-N-The-Hood' timeless", and considered the song's message "unflinchingly progressive, positive and quintessentially 2020". [19] BrooklynVegan 's Andrew Sacher wrote that the song "does not disappoint one bit". [31] Clash 's Robin Murray called the track an "emphatic close" on the album. [32] For Teen Vogue , Asia Milia Ware named "Girls in the Hood" one of the best songs of 2020. [33]
For Consequence, Candace McDuffie wrote that, although "Girls in the Hood" was an "exciting opportunity", the chorus of "Boyz-n-the-Hood" was not interpolated enough "for its potency to stick". [34] Kyle Kohner of Exclaim! called the song "refreshing" in a review of Good News, but added that it and "Savage Remix felt "ultimately unnecessary" on the album due to their being released "what seems like ages ago". [35] BuzzFeed News 's Niela Orr stated that the song lacked a "middle ground" between "the lofty idealism that [Megan Thee Stallion has] come to stand for and the escapism that's fueled her so far". [36] In a ranking of the 17 songs on Good News, Carl Lamarre of Billboard ranked the song 15th, saying that the song "is placed at a point in which Meg begins losing steam". [37]
"Girls in the Hood" peaked at number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100, at number 9 on the Rolling Stone Top 100, at number 90 on the Canadian Hot 100, and at number 3 on the Deutsche Black Charts. [38] [39] [40] [41] It was certified platinum in the United States by the Recording Industry of America (RIAA). [42]
Megan Thee Stallion gave her debut performance of the song at the BET Awards 2020 on June 28, 2020, in a medley with "Savage (Remix)". [43] The pretaped performance was directed and choreographed by Megan Thee Stallion's frequent creative collaborator JaQuel Knight. [44] Inspired by the Mad Max film series, it took place in a desert setting and showed the rapper in feathers and black leather, accompanied by off-road vehicles and "warrior women". [45] [46] [47] [48] It was staged with the help of a taskforce that ensured safety measures for the COVID-19 pandemic were followed.
The performance was included on a list of the best music videos made in lockdown during the pandemic by Mark Savage of BBC News, who remarked that Megan Thee Stallion "stole the show". [49] It was also named the third best music video of June 2020 by Pitchfork's Eric Torres, who wrote, "In under five minutes, she sets the bar for any virtual awards show performances that dare follow," also regarding it as the best performance of the night. [50] Pometsey of British GQ commented that the performance "channelled all of the fury of Mad Max, but with much more attitude and better choreography"; Esquire 's Gabrielle Bruney identified it as "one of the most fun moments of the night". [24] [51] Harper's Bazaar 's Lauren Michele Jackson wrote that it was "as sleek as any music video", while Zach Seemayer of Entertainment Tonight called the video's setting "one of the best postapocalyptic settings in any music video in recent memory". [48] [44] During Megan Thee Stallion's first virtual live concert on August 29, 2020, which was streamed on Tidal, she performed the song. [52]
Credits adapted from Tidal. [6]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA) [42] | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Various | June 26, 2020 |
| [60] |
"Boyz-n-the-Hood" is the debut single by Eazy-E, then leader of a new rap group, N.W.A. Released in March 1987, the single was a local hit, reissued, by year's end on the unauthorized compilation album N.W.A. and the Posse.
Megan Jovon Ruth Pete, known professionally as Megan Thee Stallion, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Originally from Houston, Texas, she first garnered attention when videos of her freestyling became popular on social media platforms such as Instagram. She signed with 1501 Certified Entertainment in 2018, and saw her mainstream breakthrough the following year with the release of her singles "Hot Girl Summer" and "Cash Shit" ; the former peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 while the latter received quadruple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). "Cash Shit" was also included on her commercial mixtape Fever (2019), which was followed by her extended play Suga (2020)—both of which peaked within the top ten of the Billboard 200.
American rapper Megan Thee Stallion has released three studio albums, one reissue, one compilation album, three mixtapes, three extended plays, 60 singles, and six promotional singles. In her early career, Megan Thee Stallion released the non-commercial, SoundCloud-exclusive mixtapes Rich Ratchet (2016) and Megan Mix (2017). She made her official solo debut by commercially releasing her first professional EP, Make It Hot, on September 18, 2017, which was followed by her second EP Tina Snow on June 8, 2018.
Fever is the third and debut commercial mixtape by American rapper Megan Thee Stallion, released on May 17, 2019, via 300 Entertainment and 1501 Certified. Primarily produced by LilJuMadeDaBeat and written by the rapper herself, it also features guest appearances from rappers DaBaby and Juicy J. Fever is a hip hop record driven by minimal bass-heavy trap production. It is widely considered by music critics as Megan Thee Stallion's mainstream breakthrough.
"Cash Shit" is a song by American rapper Megan Thee Stallion, featuring vocals from American rapper DaBaby. It was released on May 17, 2019, as the third single off of Megan Thee Stallion's first commercial mixtape, Fever. The track would later peak at number one on Urban radio in the United States, as well as number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100. This song was later featured in the fictional iFruit Radio in Grand Theft Auto V.
"Hot Girl Summer" is a song by American rapper Megan Thee Stallion featuring Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj and American singer Ty Dolla Sign, released on August 9, 2019, by 300 Entertainment. It was written by all three artists alongside Syed Hossain, Derrick Milano, and producers Crazy Mike, Juicy J, & Bone Collector, with additional writing credits going to Earl On The Beat, JT, and Lil Yachty for the sampling of City Girls' 2019 song "Act Up"; the song was produced by Bone Collector, Juicy J, and Crazy Mike and engineered by Irving Gadoury. Commercially, the song debuted and peaked at number eleven on the Billboard Hot 100. On Billboard's Rhythmic Songs airplay chart, it became Megan Thee Stallion's first number one, Nicki Minaj's eighth, and Ty Dolla Sign's third.
"Diamonds" is a song by American rapper Megan Thee Stallion and American singer Normani. It was released on January 10, 2020, by Atlantic, as the lead single from the soundtrack to the film Birds of Prey. The song samples "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" by Marilyn Monroe, making this the first song to directly sample the jazz classic according to the music blog Idolator.
Suga is the third extended play by American rapper Megan Thee Stallion. It was released on March 6, 2020, by 1501 Certified Entertainment and 300 Entertainment. It features guest appearances from Kehlani and Gunna. The project's release was preceded by legal troubles between the rapper and the label, following a contract renegotiation attempt, which led to the filing of a temporary restraining order towards the label. Megan had initially intended for it to be her debut studio album, but instead released it as an EP as a result.
"Savage" is a song by American rapper Megan Thee Stallion. It was released on March 6, 2020, as part of her EP Suga and later sent to US contemporary hit radio on April 7, 2020, by 1501 Certified Entertainment and 300 Entertainment as the third single from the EP. The song was written by the artist with Bobby Sessions, Akeasha Boodie, and producer J. White Did It. It went viral on video-sharing app TikTok, with people performing the "Savage" dance challenge during the song's chorus.
"Captain Hook" is a song by American rapper Megan Thee Stallion from her third EP Suga (2020). It was released as the second single from the EP on March 10, 2020, alongside a music video. Following its release, a TikTok dance choreographed by TikTok star Skaibeauty quickly went viral.
"WAP" is a song by American rapper Cardi B, featuring fellow American rapper Megan Thee Stallion. It was released on August 7, 2020, through Atlantic as the lead single from Cardi B's upcoming second studio album. Musically, it is a hip hop song driven by heavy bass, drum beats, and a sample of Frank Ski's single "Whores in This House" (1993). With sexually explicit lyrics which made it gain popularity, the song reached the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
"Don't Stop" is a song by American rapper Megan Thee Stallion featuring fellow American rapper Young Thug. It was written alongside Ricky Remedy and producer Buddah Bless. The song was released on October 2, 2020 by 1501 Certified Entertainment and 300 Entertainment as the second official single from her debut studio album Good News (2020). Musically, it is a sex-positive hip hop song with production inspired by electronic and industrial music.
Good News is the debut studio album by American rapper Megan Thee Stallion. It was released on November 20, 2020, by 300 Entertainment and 1501 Certified. The album features guest appearances from DaBaby, City Girls, Lil Durk, SZA, Popcaan, Mustard, Big Sean, 2 Chainz, Young Thug, and Beyoncé. The music was written and produced with a host of musicians, including D.A Got That Dope, LilJuMadeDaBeat, Juicy J, J. White Did It, and Scott Storch.
"Shots Fired" is a song by American rapper Megan Thee Stallion. It was released as the first track from Megan's debut studio album, Good News, on November 20, 2020. A diss track, the song recounts Megan's 2020 shooting incident, mocking the shooter, rapper Tory Lanez. The song includes a sample of the Notorious B.I.G.'s 1995 track "Who Shot Ya?".
"Body" is a song by American rapper Megan Thee Stallion, who wrote the song during the COVID-19 quarantine and was inspired by her own figure during the creative process, with additional concentration on sizes of waist and breasts. It was released on November 20, 2020, by 1501 Certified Entertainment and 300 Entertainment as the third single from her debut studio album Good News (2020). It coincided with the release of the album and was supported by a music video featuring cameo appearances from Taraji P. Henson, Blac Chyna, and Jordyn Woods, among others.
"Beautiful Mistakes" is a song by American band Maroon 5 featuring American rapper Megan Thee Stallion. It was released through 222 and Interscope Records on March 3, 2021, as the fourth single from the band's seventh studio album, Jordi (2021). The song was written by the band's lead singer Adam Levine, Megan Thee Stallion, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, Joe Kirkland, and producers Andrew Goldstein and Blackbear. The music video was directed by Sophie Muller.
"Thot Shit" is a song by American rapper Megan Thee Stallion. The first solo release following her debut studio album Good News (2020) and the lead single from her compilation album Something for Thee Hotties (2021), the song was produced by LilJuMadeDaBeat and OG Parker and was released on June 11, 2021, through 1501 Certified Entertainment and 300 Entertainment. An uptempo song with heavy bass, it began as a freestyle by Megan Thee Stallion, and was inspired by her desire to reclaim the term "thot" from men who used it in a sexist manner. The song is performed from the perspective of her "raw and aggressive" alter ego, Tina Snow.
"SG" is a song by French record producer DJ Snake, Puerto Rican singer Ozuna, American rapper Megan Thee Stallion, and Thai rapper and singer Lisa. It was released on 22 October 2021 through DJ Snake Music Productions and Interscope Records. It was written by the artists and Donny Flores, J. Lauryn, Jean Pierre Soto, Lewis Hughes, Nicholas Audino, Omar Walker, and Teddy, and produced by DJ Snake and Yampi.
"Sweetest Pie" is a song by American rapper Megan Thee Stallion and English and Albanian singer Dua Lipa, released on March 11, 2022, through 1501 Certified and 300 Entertainment. The song serves as the lead single from Megan Thee Stallion's second studio album Traumazine.
Megan is the third studio album by American rapper Megan Thee Stallion. It was released through Hot Girl Productions and Warner Music Group on June 28, 2024. It is Megan's first album to be released under her independent label Hot Girl Productions after her departure from former labels 300 Entertainment and 1501 Certified.