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Anaconda (song)

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"Anaconda"
Song

"Anaconda" is a song by Trinidadian-born American rapper Nicki Minaj, from her third studio album, The Pinkprint (2014). It was released on August 4, 2014 by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records, and Republic Records as the second single from the album.[1] The song was produced by Polow da Don, Anonymous, and Da Internz. "Anaconda" heavily samples "Baby Got Back" by Sir Mix-a-Lot and "Cocaine (America Has a Problem)" by Kilo Ali.

Upon release "Anaconda" was met with generally positive reviews from music critics, who praised the song's production and Minaj's return to her hip-hop roots. Commercially, the song was an international success peaking at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, consequently becoming Minaj's highest charting single in the United States to date. It went on to spend eight consecutive weeks in the top ten of the Hot 100 chart.[2] The song also fared well in other countries peaking within the top ten in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

An accompanying video for the song was directed by Colin Tilley and released on August 19, 2014. Following the video's release, it broke the 24-hour streaming record on Vevo by accumulating 19.6 million views in its first day of release, being surpassed by Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood" in 2015. To further promote the song, Minaj performed it live at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards and also performed it at Fashion Rocks and the iHeartRadio Music Festival. "Anaconda" was nominated for Best Rap Song at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards in 2015.[3] "Anaconda" is also nominated for two awards at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards for Best Female Video and Best Hip-Hop Video.

Background and composition

On August 5, 2014, producer Polow da Don claimed the "Anaconda" instrumental was originally intended for fellow female rapper and musician Missy Elliott, but was scrapped and then re-recorded by Minaj.[4] However, on August 24, 2014, Elliott revealed to fans and followers via her Twitter account that Polow's recollections were untrue and additionally confirmed that she never received the alleged instrumental.[5] The cover art for the single went viral on the web after being revealed. On various digital music stores, the cover art is censored with the Parental Advisory label over Minaj's buttocks. The song heavily samples "Baby Got Back" by Sir Mix-a-Lot.[4]

Musically, the song is a hip hop song. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com, the song is written in the key of C♯ minor with a tempo of 130 beats per minute.[6]

Critical reception

"Anaconda"
A 26-second sample of "Anaconda", which heavily samples "Baby Got Back"
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Anaconda" received generally positive reviews from critics. Carolyn Menyes from Music Times gave the song a positive review, calling it a bit "raunchy" though this was "expected" and saying "Anaconda" continues Minaj's promise to move away from her poppier singles such as "Super Bass" and "Starships", and go back to her hardcore rap roots.[7] Kory Grow from Rolling Stone praised the use of the "Baby Got Back" sample and said the song stayed true to the theme of the original.[8] Kevin Goddard from HotNewHipHop gave the song a positive review saying "Nicki’s raunchy new version may be the next big thing to hit the industry."[9] Dan Reilly from Spin said "Minaj takes the good Sir's '92 ode to protruding posteriors and adds a heavy dose of 2014 sex lingo".[10] Amy Davidson from Digital Spy gave the song three stars out of five and said that "Nicki's breaking down barriers".[11]

Sir Mix-a-Lot praised the song, saying he had "a whole new level of respect for Minaj" after hearing the record and that he became a "fan for life" of Minaj.[12]

The song made Spin's end of year 'The 101 Best Songs of 2014' list. It ranked #3 on the list of 101 entries and Spin herald it "much more than just a song" but a "cultural movement". She was the only rapper to make the top ten of the list as a lead artist.[13] "Anaconda" was also placed at number two on MTV's Best Songs of 2014.[14]

Commercial performance

In the United States, the song debuted at No. 3 on the Digital Songs chart selling 141,000 digital downloads in its first week. Additionally, as Minaj shares lead credit on "Bang Bang", which was No. 2 on that same chart in the same week, Minaj became the first lead act to have two concurrent songs in the top three of the chart since the September 22, 2012 list.[15] On the Billboard Hot 100, the song debuted at No. 19, marking Minaj's 51st Hot 100 hit and subsequently breaking out of a tie with Michael Jackson for overall career Hot 100 entries.[16]

For the week ending September 6, 2014, "Anaconda" jumped 39-2 on the Hot 100, becoming Minaj's highest charting single on that chart, and marking her eleventh top ten hit. It was kept from the top spot by the number one spot by Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off", which debuted atop the chart the same week. Its leap into the runner-up position was brought on primarily by the release of its music video, which garnered 32.1 million domestic streams in its first week. That streaming total caused it to consequentially skyrocket 42-1 on Billboard's Streaming Songs chart. It is the largest one week streaming sum since Miley Cyrus' "Wrecking Ball" received 36.4 million streams for the week ending September 28, 2013. Additionally, the 39-2 ascent for "Anaconda" marks the second-biggest jump ever within the Hot 100's top 40. Only The Black Eyed Peas made a bigger leap in the region when "Boom Boom Pow" blasted 39-1 on April 18, 2009.[17] "Anaconda" was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in November 2014 and has sold 1.3 million copies in the US as of December 2014.[18][19]

Music video

A music video for the track was shot in Los Angeles, California by Colin Tilley[20] and was released on August 19, 2014.[21] The video features a cameo appearance by fellow rapper and labelmate Drake.[22] The video broke the 24-hour streaming record on Vevo by accumulating 19.6 million views in its first day of release, beating the 19.3 million 24-hour record previously held by Miley Cyrus for the music video of her song, "Wrecking Ball", in 2013.[23] On August 30, 2014, eleven days after the release of the music video, "Anaconda" was Vevo certified for receiving over 100 million views. In 2015 Taylor Swift surpassed Minaj's record with the video for her single "Bad Blood" which got 20.1 million views in 24 hours.[24]

In a review of Minaj's video, Lucas Villa of AXS wrote, "It's butts abound in her bananas clip for 'Anaconda.'"[25] NBC host Al Roker called the music video "vile" and "desperate". Roker said, "It almost seems like Minaj has gotten desperate and needs to do something to get her crown back."[26] Molly Lambert of Grantland was complimentary, writing "the video is about Nicki asserting her power, not as a sexual object but a sexual subject."[27] It was named one of the sexiest videos of 2014 by VH1.[28]

Live performances and covers

On 24 August 2014, Minaj first performed the song live at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards. The performance followed Ariana Grande's individual performance of her single "Break Free" and was followed by a performance of Jessie J, Grande and Minaj's joint single "Bang Bang."[29] On September 9, 2014, Minaj performed the song live at Fashion Rocks.[30] On September 19, 2014, Minaj performed the song at the 2014 iHeartRadio Music Festival.[31] On November 9, 2014, Minaj performed "Anaconda" at the 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards in a three song medley including her other songs "Super Bass" and "Bed of Lies" featuring Skylar Grey.[32]

The song has "spawned countless covers" with millions of views on YouTube, from environmental pleas[33] to silly parodies.[34] One parody cover has received more than 60 million views.[35]

Track listings

  • Digital download
  1. "Anaconda" – 4:20

Credits and personnel

Recording[36]
Personnel[36]

Charts and certifications

Release history

Country Date Format Label
Worldwide[76] August 4, 2014 Digital download
United States[77] August 12, 2014 Contemporary hit radio
Rhythmic contemporary
United Kingdom[78] October 5, 2014 Digital download

See also

References

  1. ^ Frynlund, Zach (July 24, 2014). "Nicki Minaj Played a Guessing Game on Twitter Before She Announced Her Second Single Today". Complex. Complex Media. Retrieved July 25, 2014.
  2. ^ Trust, Gary. "Taylor Swift's Shake It Off Debuts at No.1 on hot 100". billboard.com. Billboard. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  3. ^ "57th Annual GRAMMY Awards Nominees". Retrieved December 5, 2014.
  4. ^ a b Diep, Eric (4 August 2014). "Polow Da Don Compares Nicki Minaj To Missy Elliott With "Anaconda"". XXL. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  5. ^ "Missy Elliott on Twitter: @ZsoltPalffy @luvhiphop1983 not true babes". Twitter. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  6. ^ http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtdFPE.asp?ppn=MN0138807
  7. ^ "REVIEW: Nicki Minaj 'Anaconda' Leaks, Features Sir Mix-A-Lot 'Baby Got Back' Sample, Raunchy Lyrics".
  8. ^ "Hear Nicki Minaj's Bootylicious Sir Mix-a-Lot Riff 'Anaconda'".
  9. ^ "Nicki Minaj - Anaconda (CDQ)".
  10. ^ "Nicki Minaj's 'Anaconda' Leaks, Features Sir Mix-a-Lot and Lots of Cheek".
  11. ^ "Nicki Minaj 'Anaconda' single review - 'Time to cut Nicki some slack'".
  12. ^ "Nicki Minaj's "Anaconda" Dubbed New & Improved "Baby Got Back" By Sir Mix-A-Lot".
  13. ^ "The 101 Best Songs of 2014".
  14. ^ "Best Songs Of 2014 - MTV". mtv.com. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  15. ^ "Guardians Of The Galaxy' Soundtrack Hits No. 1 On Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved August 14, 2014. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  16. ^ "MAGIC! Still No. 1 On Hot 100 as Meghan Trainor & Charli XCX Soar". Billboard. Retrieved August 14, 2014. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  17. ^ Trust, Gary. "Taylor Swift's 'Shake It Off' Debuts At No. 1 On Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved August 27, 2014. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  18. ^ "American Single Certifications — Nicki Minaj — Anaconda". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
  19. ^ a b Trust, Gary (December 23, 2014). "Ask Billboard: Why Is There No R&B/Hip-Hop in the Hot 100's Top 10?". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 23, 2014.
  20. ^ Ramirez, Erika (24 July 2014). "Nicki Minaj Reveals Sexy Artwork for 'Anaconda' Single" Billboard. Billboard 2014. Retrieved on July 24, 2014.
  21. ^ http://www.rap-up.com/2014/08/19/video-nicki-minaj-anaconda/
  22. ^ Kenneally, Tim (August 18, 2014). "Nicki Minaj Gets Freaky With Drake's 'Anaconda' in Steamy Video Sneak Peek (Photos)". The Wrap. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  23. ^ "Nicki Minaj's 'Anaconda' Video Breaks Vevo Record". Billboard. Retrieved August 22, 2014. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  24. ^ Erin Strecker (May 21, 2015). "Taylor Swift's 'Bad Blood' Video Breaks Vevo Record". Billboard. (Prometheus Global Media). Retrieved May 21, 2015.
  25. ^ Villa, Lucas (August 20, 2014). "Nicki Minaj twerks out the jungle and Drake in 'Anaconda' music video". AXS.
  26. ^ Mensah, Esi (August 22, 2014). "Al Roker Blasts Nicki Minaj's Anaconda Calling It 'Vile' And 'Desperate'". Entertainmentwise. Retrieved October 8, 2014.
  27. ^ Lambert, Molly. "Nicki Minaj Reclaims the Twerk in the 'Anaconda' Music Video". Grantland. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  28. ^ "The 15 Sexiest Videos Of 2014". E! Online. December 26, 2014. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
  29. ^ Lipschutz, Jason (August 25, 2014). "MTV VMAs: Jessie J, Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj Open Show with a 'Bang Bang'". Billboard.
  30. ^ "Nicki Minaj Performs 'Anaconda' at Fashion Rocks". Rap-Up. September 10, 2014.
  31. ^ "VIDEO: Nicki Minaj Performs During the 2014 iHeartRadio Music Festival". My Pink Friday. September 20, 2014.
  32. ^ Ramirez, Erika (November 9, 2014). "Nicki Minaj Debuts Skylar Grey Collabo at 2014 MTV EMA Awards: Watch". Billboard.
  33. ^ Srivastava, Rupali. "This Indian Rapper Did An Awesome Cover of 'Anaconda'", ThinkProgress.org, August 4, 2015
  34. ^ Donaldson, Brian. "Miranda Sings brings bad singing to Glasgow", The List, November 7, 2014, accessed August 4, 2015
  35. ^ Baker, Bart. "Nicki Minaj - "Anaconda" PARODY", YouTube, September 14, 2014, accessed August 4, 2015
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  55. ^ "South Korea Gaon Download Chart". Gaon Chart. August 10, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2012.
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  58. ^ "Nicki Minaj – Anaconda". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
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  60. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 12, 2014.
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  62. ^ "Nicki Minaj Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  63. ^ "Nicki Minaj Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
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  71. ^ "Norwegian single certifications – Nicki Minaj – Anaconda" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  72. ^ "Sverigetopplistan – Nicki Minaj – Anaconda". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved October 18, 2014.
  73. ^ "British single certifications – Nicki Minaj – Anaconda". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 9, 2015. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Anaconda in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  74. ^ "American single certifications – Nicki Minaj – Anaconda". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
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  76. ^ Worldwide release date for "Anaconda":
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  78. ^ "Anaconda – Single by Nicki Minaj". iTunes Store (GB). Archived from the original on October 3, 2014.
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