"Wake Up Call" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by KSI featuring Trippie Redd | ||||
from the album Dissimulation | ||||
Released | 31 January 2020 | |||
Genre | Pop rap | |||
Length | 2:55 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) |
| |||
KSI singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Trippie Redd singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Wake Up Call" on YouTube |
"Wake Up Call" is a song by British YouTuber and rapper KSI from his debut studio album, Dissimulation (2020). The song features a guest appearance from American rapper and singer Trippie Redd. The song was produced by S-X and Mally Mall. It was released for digital download and streaming by RBC Records and BMG on 31 January 2020 as the second single from the album. A pop-rap track,its lyrics are about how KSI has proven his doubters wrong and how they are finally accepting his success.
"Wake Up Call" received positive reviews from music critics,who commonly praised the song's synth-driven instrumental and Trippie Redd's catchy chorus. The song charted at number 11 in the United Kingdom and further charted in Australia,Canada,Estonia,Hungary,Ireland and the Netherlands. An accompanying music video was released on the same day as the song. The video is a comedy-musical film,presented in the form of satirical behind-the-scenes footage,scene explanations,outtakes and closing credits,which stars KSI and Trippie Redd alongside a dance troupe,all dressed in memorable costumes.
Speaking on collaborating with Trippie Redd,KSI said,"[It was] pretty standard. We asked him to jump on the track. He fucked with it [and] said yes. We linked up [at] the music video [shoot]... that’s when we first met. He’s a cool guy. We [were] chatting away. We said [that] we’ll go to the studio one day." [1] KSI has said that "it made sense to have [Trippie Redd] on the track". KSI explained,"His vocals are very,very different to mine. Mine [are] laid-back and chilled,whereas he’s singing properly. [So] it worked." [2]
"Wake Up Call" is a pop-rap track. [3] The instrumental features bright synth pads and moderately mixed drum sequencing and bass rhythms. [4] [5] Trippie Redd performs the chorus in a melodic delivery,while KSI performs the two verses in a controlled flow. [4] [5]
Lyrically,"Wake Up Call" is KSI's message to the doubters that he is still here and proving people wrong. [6] KSI told Apple Music,"This [song] is to let people know that I'm coming for them. It's a wake-up call to let them know [that] I'm doing something with this music thing. It's time to take me seriously... This is just a little warning. I'm coming. There isn't anything [that] anyone can do about it." [7] He continued,"People thought they'd be able to just get rid of me,but I keep popping up and getting in people's faces... All these people want to jump on the bandwagon now [that] they realise [I'm] where it's at." [5]
On 14 January 2020,KSI revealed during an interview with Vice that he would soon be releasing a new single which will "feature a huge name in American rap". [8] On 25 January 2020,KSI posted the song's cover art to his social media pages,revealing the title as "Wake Up Call" and the featured artist as Trippie Redd,and the song was made available to pre-order on digital download services and pre-save on streaming services. [9] [10] [11] "Wake Up Call" was released for digital download and streaming by RBC Records and BMG on 31 January 2020 as the second single from KSI's upcoming debut studio album. [12]
Shortly after the release of "Wake Up Call",KSI started a TikTok video challenge called the "#WakeUpCallChallenge" to promote the song. [13] KSI watched viewers' TikTok videos in a reaction video released to YouTube on 11 February 2020. [14] TikTok videos using the challenge's hashtag have accumulated over 150 million views. [15] A remix of "Wake Up Call" by producer Yoshi that replaces KSI's two verses from the original version with new verses by KSI,British rapper P Money and British YouTuber TBJZL (credited mononymously as Tobi) was released on 6 March 2020. [16] [17] An accompanying audio video was released to KSI's YouTube channel on the same day. [18] On 13 March 2020,KSI performed "Wake Up Call" during BBC One's fundraising telethon Sport Relief . [19] It was KSI's first-ever televised live music performance. [19] Ahead of the live performance,KSI said,"I want to nail this so [that] I can do more live TV and showcase a YouTuber that is able to go on to mainstream and do TV. It’s nerve-racking,but it’s exciting. I’m hoping that people will see my performance and want to see more of my music." [20]
"Wake Up Call" was met with positive reviews from music critics. In his review for HotNewHipHop,R. Dominiq praised that KSI's verses "[fit] into the pocket of the instrumentation perfectly". Dominiq remarked that "Wake Up Call" is "a testament to the versatility of KSI as an overall entertainer" and concluded that "[KSI]'s now a full-blown emcee with the ability to hang with some of the most prominent rappers of this current generation". [4] Writing for Euphoria,Tom Fogden noted that "Wake Up Call" has a "celebratory tone". He liked Trippie Redd's "melodic" chorus and he called KSI's verses "impactful with their lyrics and well-judged on the beat". Fogden called the beat "the star of the show" and remarked that it "will be stuck in your head for days on end". Fogden positively concluded,"If you hadn't heard of KSI beforehand,you'd assume rap was his full-time vocation". [5] GRM Daily's Courtney Wynter called the song "a playful offering from KSI which he uses to flex" and she praised Trippie Redd's "energetic" chorus and the song's "bouncy instrumental". [21] Writing for Insider,Kat Tenbarge observed that "Wake Up Call" is a "delightfully pop-friendly diversion from [KSI's] icier tracks". [3] Ali Siddique of Dankanator called "Wake Up Call" a "catchy tune" and a "guaranteed hit". [22]
The music video for "Wake Up Call" was directed by Nayip Ramos and was filmed in Hollywood,Los Angeles. [22] It was released to KSI's YouTube channel on 31 January 2020. [23] A behind-the-scenes video of the music video shoot was uploaded to the channel on 21 February 2020. [24] The music video is a musical film that parodies the Austin Powers film series. [22] [20] The video stars KSI and Trippie Redd alongside a dance troupe,all dressed in memorable costumes.[ citation needed ] The video is presented in the style of satirical behind-the-scenes footage,scene explanations,outtakes and closing credits. [22]
Speaking about the concept of the video,KSI explained,"It was quite a funny shoot. I was talking with the director to make sure we got the idea right. I was like,'It would be funny if I was just pissed off [for] the whole shoot... It would just be chaos,but there would be beauty in the chaos.'" Discussing the costumes that he wore in the video,KSI explained,"I didn't even know [that] I was going to be wearing a yellow suit,so it was quite funny,and I thought,'I look fucking ridiculous.' Even with the fatsuit,I've never worn a fatsuit ever in my life." KSI concluded,"It was quite interesting to see how the video went down and I was very happy with how it ended up." [25] Nayip Ramos said,"[It was o]ne of my most ambitious and ridiculous sets. We laughed so much [filming this video]! [It was a] great time!" [26]
In the United Kingdom,"Wake Up Call" was the country's second-most downloaded song in its first week of release. [27] It earned the highest new entry on the UK Singles Chart,debuting at number 11,narrowly missing out on the top 10 of the chart,with first-week sales of 29,800 track-equivalent units. [28] [29] [30] The song spent a total of nine weeks on the chart. [29] "Wake Up Call" also debuted at number seven on the UK Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart. [31] KSI reacted to the commercial success of "Wake Up Call" at the time,tweeting,"This is actually insane. The support has been amazing... I am so grateful to you guys for supporting [me]." [32] [33]
In Ireland,"Wake Up Call" entered the Irish Singles Chart at number 23 and spent a total of six weeks on the chart. [34] [35] Elsewhere in Europe,"Wake Up Call" charted at number 26 on the Hungary Singles Chart, [36] number 36 on the Estonian Singles Chart, [37] and number 29 on the Dutch Single Tip chart. [38] The song also charted at number seven on the Euro Digital Song Sales chart. [39] In Australia,"Wake Up Call" debuted at number 92 on the ARIA Singles Chart. [40] In Canada,the song debuted at number 85 on the Canadian Hot 100. [41]
Credits adapted from Tidal. [42]
Chart (2020) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [40] | 92 |
Australia Hip Hop/R&B (ARIA) [43] | 28 |
Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [41] | 85 |
Estonia (Eesti Tipp-40) [37] | 36 |
Euro Digital Song Sales ( Billboard ) [39] | 7 |
Hungary (Single Top 40) [36] | 26 |
Ireland (IRMA) [44] | 23 |
Netherlands (Single Tip) [38] | 29 |
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ) [45] | 3 |
Scotland (OCC) [46] | 3 |
UK Singles (OCC) [47] | 11 |
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC) [31] | 7 |
UK Indie (OCC) [48] | 1 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI) [49] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Version | Label(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Various | 31 January 2020 | Original | [12] | ||
United Kingdom | 7 February 2020 | Adult contemporary radio | [50] | ||
Various | 6 March 2020 |
| Yoshi Remix | [16] |
"Friends with Benefits" is a song by British YouTuber and recording artist KSI and Dutch record production trio MNDM. It was released on 29 July 2016 by Island Records as the second single from KSI's second extended play (EP),Jump Around (2016). The song's lyrics centre around engaging in a no-strings-attached relationship.
Michael Lamar White IV,known professionally as Trippie Redd,is an American rapper,and singer-songwriter. His debut mixtape,A Love Letter to You (2017) was released by Elliot Grainge's 10K Projects and entered the Billboard 200,while its lead single,"Love Scars" received double platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The following year,he released his debut studio album Life's a Trip (2018) and the mixtape's sequel;their singles,"Dark Knight Dummo","Taking a Walk",and "Topanga" each entered the Billboard Hot 100. The album and its follow-up,! (2019) both reached the top five of the Billboard 200,while his fourth mixtape,A Love Letter to You 4 (2019) topped the chart. His third and fourth albums Pegasus (2020) and Trip at Knight (2021),both peaked at number two on the Billboard 200. The latter's lead single,"Miss the Rage",peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remains his highest-charting song. White's fifth album,Mansion Musik (2023),peaked at number three on the Billboard 200,while his sixth mixtape,A Love Letter to You 5 (2024),peaked at number 13.
The discography of American rapper and singer Trippie Redd consists of five studio albums,two deluxe albums,six mixtapes,eight extended plays and 31 singles.
The discography of English YouTuber,musician and professional boxer Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji,known as KSI,consists of two studio albums,one collaboration album,four extended plays (EPs),21 singles,and 33 music videos.
"Mac 10" is a song by American rapper Trippie Redd featuring fellow American rappers Lil Baby and Lil Duke. It was released as the second single from Redd's second studio album ! (2019) on July 24,2019,with an accompanying music video. The song was written by the artists alongside producers Wheezy and Bobby Raps.
Sam Andrew Gumbley,known professionally as S-X,is a British singer,songwriter,record producer,and boxer. As a record producer,Gumbley has worked with high-profile artists such as Chance the Rapper,Childish Gambino,Future,Lil Wayne,Meek Mill,KSI,and Nicki Minaj. He was Grammy-nominated for his work on Childish Gambino's album Because the Internet (2013).
"Down Like That" is a song by British YouTuber and rapper KSI featuring American rappers Rick Ross and Lil Baby and British singer-songwriter S-X. Produced by the latter and written alongside Byron Trice,it was released for digital download and streaming by RBC Records and BMG on 8 November 2019 as the lead single from KSI's debut studio album,Dissimulation (2020). "Down Like That" stood as KSI's first release through the record label after signing with them in the October of that year.
"Uncontrollable" is a song by British YouTuber and rapper KSI. The song features a guest appearance from British rapper Big Zuu. It was independently released for digital download and streaming on 2 February 2018 in the build up to KSI's impending amateur boxing match against British YouTuber Joe Weller. The song was used as KSI's entrance music for the boxing match,held on 3 February 2018 at the Copper Box Arena in London,which KSI went on to win via technical knockout in the third round. The music video was released on 31 January 2018. The black and white video places the two rappers in the gritty underground scene of the boxing world.
Tobit John "Tobi" Brown,better known as TBJZL,is an English YouTuber,streamer,and Internet personality. He is also a member and co-founder of the British YouTube group known as the Sidemen. He is the co-owner of XIX Vodka,Sidemen Clothing,restaurant chain Sides,and cereal brand Best Breakfasts.
Dissimulation is the debut studio album by British influencer,boxer,and musician KSI. It was released by RBC Records and BMG on 22 May 2020,and a deluxe edition of the album was released three days later. The album features guest appearances from Offset,Lil Pump,Smokepurpp,Swarmz,Tion Wayne,Jeremih,Trippie Redd,Aiyana-Lee,Rick Ross,Lil Baby and S-X. The deluxe edition of the album features further guest appearances from AJ Tracey,Rich the Kid,Randolph and Crypt.
"Cap" is a song by British YouTuber and rapper KSI featuring American rapper Offset from the former's debut studio album,Dissimulation (2020) It was produced by Diego Ave,Go Grizzly,and Mally Mall. The song was released for digital download and streaming by RBC Records and BMG upon the release of the album. "Cap" is a hip hop and trap song. In both his verse and the chorus,KSI addresses fake people and those who have deceived,"back-stabbed" or "snaked" him in the past,with an auto-tune-heavy delivery.
"Domain" is a song by British YouTuber and rapper KSI from his debut studio album,Dissimulation (2020). The song was released for digital download and streaming by RBC Records and BMG on 22 May 2020. A powerful and pumped-up hip hop track,its lyrics are about KSI's dominance over the YouTube platform. An accompanying music video was released on 25 December 2020. The video is an action film that features a fast-paced fight sequence.
"Killa Killa" is a song by English YouTuber and rapper KSI from his debut studio album,Dissimulation (2020). The song features a guest appearance from British-American singer Aiyana-Lee. It was produced by Diego Ave and Yoshi. The song was released for digital download and streaming by RBC Records and BMG on 22 May 2020 and was later released as the fifth single from the album on 17 July 2020. "Killa Killa" is an upbeat hip hop track with caribbean and afrobeat influences. The song's lyrics are about KSI's success in his YouTube,music and boxing careers and how he is not to be messed with.
"Tell Me U Luv Me" is a song by American rappers Juice Wrld and Trippie Redd. It was released on May 29,2020 through Grade A Productions under exclusive license to Interscope Records,as the second single for Juice Wrld's posthumous third studio album,Legends Never Die.
"Lighter" is a song by British DJ and record producer Nathan Dawe featuring British YouTuber and rapper KSI,with vocals from British singer-songwriter Ella Henderson. It was released for digital download and streaming by Atlantic Records and Warner Music Group on 24 July 2020 as a standalone single. An upbeat,feel-good house track,its lyrics are about leaving a toxic relationship and feeling happy that the relationship has ended and not carrying a burden.
"Really Love" is a song by British YouTuber and rapper KSI from his second studio album,All Over the Place. The song features guest vocals from British singer-songwriter Craig David and production from British DJ and record producer Digital Farm Animals. It was released for digital download and streaming by RBC Records and BMG on 23 October 2020 as the lead single from the album. A UK garage and dance-pop track,its lyrics describe the confusion and misunderstanding of love and question whether the love that one is experiencing is real.
"Don't Play" is a song by English musicians Anne-Marie,KSI,and Digital Farm Animals. It was written alongside Andrew Murray,S-X,Richard Boardman of the disbanded Delphic,Pablo Bowman,and Mojam,who produced it with Digital Farm Animals. The song was released for digital download and streaming by Asylum Records and Warner Music Group on 15 January 2021 as the lead single from Anne-Marie's second studio album,Therapy (2021) and the second single from KSI's second studio album,All Over the Place (2021). The music video was released on 15 January 2021.
"Miss the Rage" is a song by American rappers Trippie Redd and Playboi Carti. It was released on May 7,2021,as the lead single for the former's fourth studio album,Trip at Knight. The song was written alongside Loesoe,who produced the track. Peaking at number 11,it is Redd's highest-charting song on the Billboard Hot 100.
"No Time" is a song by British YouTuber and rapper KSI from his second studio album,All Over the Place (2021). The song features a guest appearance from American rapper Lil Durk. The song was written by the two rappers alongside its producers S-X,Diego Ave,Chambers and Mally Mall. The song was released for digital download and streaming by RBC Records and BMG on 16 July 2021 upon the release of the album. "No Time" is a hip hop and trap song.
"Thick of It" is a song by English internet personality and musician KSI featuring American rapper and singer Trippie Redd. This is the second collaboration between the two following "Wake Up Call". "Thick of It" was released for digital download and streaming via Warner Music Group and Atlantic Records on 3 October 2024 alongside the song "Low". The song received overwhelming mockery from audiences following the recent Lunchly controversy but was a commercial success,reaching number 6 on the UK Singles Chart and number 64 on the US Billboard Hot 100. A remix featuring fellow American rapper NLE Choppa was later released on 1 November 2024,Choppa's 22nd birthday.