Temptation (Joey Badass song)

Last updated
"Temptation"
Single by Joey Badass
from the album All-Amerikkkan Badass
ReleasedJune 13, 2017
Genre Conscious hip hop
Length4:04
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Joey Badass singles chronology
"Rockabye Baby"
(2017)		"Temptation"
(2017)		"500 Benz"
(2017)
Music video
"Temptation" on YouTube

"Temptation" is a song by American rapper Joey Badass, sent to urban contemporary radio on June 13, 2017, as the fourth single from his second studio album All-Amerikkkan Badass (2017). [1] It was produced by 1-900 and Kirk Knight.

Contents

Background and composition

In an interview with GQ , Joey Badass chose "Temptation" as a track from All-Amerikkkan Badass that he was particularly proud of, saying "When I made that song, instantly it was my favorite song ever. Not just out of songs that I have made, literally my favorite song ever." [2]

The song features excerpts of nine-year-old girl Zianna Oliphant's tearful speech on police brutality to the Charlotte City Council following the killing of Keith Lamont Scott and subsequent protests. [3] [4] [5] Joey stated he saw a video of the speech on Instagram and it "just really struck a chord in my heart." He added, "When I first saw it I didn't even think I was going to use it in a song, but then when 'TEMPTATION' got near the final stages I just had an idea that the video would go perfectly. I literally put it in GarageBand and mashed it up myself, and it turned out perfect." [2]

Joey Badass includes sung vocals in the song. [6] Lyrically, he describes feeling helpless and being tempted to engage in bad behavior due to the injustices on Black people, [4] also begging "Tell me Lord can you help me / I said Lord can you help me?" [7] He addresses his own experiences of being racially discriminated against, [8] advocates for his people to improve themselves through taking action, [9] and chides people who are "complaining all day but in the same condition" and mentally "enslaved by their religion." [5] [10]

Music video

An official music video was released on August 14, 2017. Directed by Joey Badass himself and Nathan Smith, it sees Joey visiting his hometown of Brooklyn, opening with a grainy clip of the city from the Brooklyn Bridge. [8] It then shows the rapper walking through a church and a group of children running home and playing with each other while the police conduct a stop-and-frisk search outside of their brownstone apartment and harass Black men on sidewalks. [8] [11] [12] Badass begins rapping on the stairs of the home as his lyrics depict the lives of people in the household; [11] [13] he watches a mother laying down and a man in another room packing his gun with him before heading to work. [11] Badass accompanies a little girl, taking a stroll through the neighborhood with her as they meet a group of men on the sidewalk who start dancing to the song. After dropping off the girl with her mother, [11] [13] Badass gives an outdoor performance with a band that is shut down by police, [11] [12] and joins others inside a church. [13]

Charts

Chart (2017)Peak
position
New Zealand Heatseeker Singles (RMNZ) [14] 5

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [15] Gold500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

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References

  1. ↑ "Urban/UAC Future Releases". All Access. Archived from the original on June 12, 2017. Retrieved June 12, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  2. 1 2 Greeley, Shakeil (April 13, 2017). "Joey Bada$$ Is Still All-American". GQ . Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  3. ↑ Harmony, A. (April 5, 2017). "Joey Bada$$: All-Amerikkkan Bada$$". Exclaim! . Archived from the original on April 11, 2017. Retrieved April 12, 2017.
  4. 1 2 Whitt, Greg (April 6, 2017). "Joey Bada$$ – All-Amerikkkan Bada$$". Consequence . Archived from the original on April 13, 2017. Retrieved April 12, 2017.
  5. 1 2 Christgau, Robert (January 19, 2018). "Robert Christgau on Joey Bada$$'s Timely Consciousness". Vice . Archived from the original on October 24, 2018. Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  6. ↑ Hatchman, Jonathan (April 7, 2017). "Joey Bada$$ – ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$". Clash . Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  7. ↑ Yeung, Neil Z. "All-Amerikkkan Bada$$ – Joey Bada$$". AllMusic. Archived from the original on April 27, 2017. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  8. 1 2 3 Gore, Sydney (August 14, 2017). "Joey Bada$$ Takes On Police Misconduct In His New Video For "Temptation"". Genius . Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  9. ↑ Glaysher, Scott (April 14, 2017). "Joey Badass Empowers the People on 'All-Amerikkkan Badass'". XXL . Archived from the original on April 15, 2017. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
  10. ↑ Strauss, Matthew (April 10, 2017). "Joey Bada$$: All-Amerikkkan Bada$$ Album Review". Pitchfork . Archived from the original on April 12, 2017. Retrieved April 12, 2017.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 Penrose, Nerisha (August 14, 2017). "Joey Bada$$ Journeys Back to His Hometown of Brooklyn in 'Temptation' Video: Watch". Billboard . Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  12. 1 2 "Video: Joey Bada$$ - 'Temptation'". Rap-Up . August 14, 2017. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  13. 1 2 3 India, Lindsey (August 14, 2017). "Joey Badass Returns to His Brooklyn Roots in "Temptation" Video". XXL. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  14. ↑ "NZ Heatseeker Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. April 17, 2017. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
  15. ↑ "American single certifications – Joey Bada$$ – Temptation". Recording Industry Association of America.
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