"A No No" is a song by American singer and songwriter
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the whi ...
from her fifteenth studio album, ''
Caution'' (2018). The song was written by Carey,
Robert "Shea" Taylor,
Priscilla Hamilton,
Mason Betha
Mason Durell Betha (born August 27, 1975), better known by his mononym Mase (formerly Murda Mase and stylized as Ma$e), is an American rapper and minister. In the late 1990s, he recorded on the Bad Boy Records label alongside its founder Sean ...
and
Camron Giles. Since the track
samples Lil' Kim
Kimberly Denise Jones (born July 11, 1974), Those giving 1974 include:
*
*
*
*
* better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and reality television personality. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, she lived much of he ...
's "
Crush on You" (1997), songwriting credits were added for a total of nine.
Digitally released as a promotional single in November 2018,
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America
Sony Corporation of America (SONAM, also known as SCA), is the American arm of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group ...
serviced it to
rhythmic contemporary
Rhythmic contemporary, also known as Rhythmic Top 40, Rhythmic CHR or rhythmic crossover, is a primarily American music-radio format that includes a mix of EDM, upbeat rhythmic pop, hip hop and upbeat R&B hits. Rhythmic contemporary never uses ...
and
urban contemporary
Urban contemporary music, also known as urban music, hip hop, urban pop, or just simply urban, is a music radio format. The term was coined by New York radio DJ Frankie Crocker in the early to mid-1970s as a synonym for Black music. Urban contem ...
radio as the second single from the album on March 4, 2019. "A No No" is a
hip hop and
R&B song with a blithely dismissive chorus and frisky beat.
The song features lyrics that taunt a former acquaintance who could not handle the singer's expectations. It was positively received by music critics. The
music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
was released on March 8, 2019. It starts with the singer riding a neon pink and blue train. As the video progresses, Carey is joined by other passengers in an impromptu party where she sings and they dance. "A No No" was supported by remixes featuring
Stefflon Don
Stephanie Victoria Allen (born 14 December 1991), better known by her stage name Stefflon Don, is a British rapper and singer. She rose to fame after her 2017 single " Hurtin' Me" featuring French Montana peaked at number 7 on UK Singles Chart ...
and Shawni, each accompanied by a music video. The original version of the song charted at number 17 on the US
R&B Digital Songs
Hot R&B Songs is a chart released weekly by '' Billboard'' in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular R&B songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio stations, digital download sales and streaming data. It was establis ...
chart. It was included as the opening track in the setlist for the
Caution World Tour
Caution World Tour was the eleventh concert tour by American singer Mariah Carey. The tour consisted mostly of theaters and small to midsize arenas and with 35 dates in total included shows in North America, Europe, the Caribbean, and the Middl ...
(2019).
Background and composition
"A No No" was initially written by
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the whi ...
,
Robert "Shea" Taylor,
Priscilla Hamilton,
Mason Betha
Mason Durell Betha (born August 27, 1975), better known by his mononym Mase (formerly Murda Mase and stylized as Ma$e), is an American rapper and minister. In the late 1990s, he recorded on the Bad Boy Records label alongside its founder Sean ...
and
Camron Giles, with production from Carey, Taylor and additional production from
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin (born September 23, 1972) is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, record executive, entrepreneur, and DJ.
Early life
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin was born on September 23, 1972, the son of Tina (Mosley) and Michael ...
. Since the song
sample
Sample or samples may refer to:
Base meaning
* Sample (statistics), a subset of a population – complete data set
* Sample (signal), a digital discrete sample of a continuous analog signal
* Sample (material), a specimen or small quantity of s ...
s American rapper
Lil' Kim
Kimberly Denise Jones (born July 11, 1974), Those giving 1974 include:
*
*
*
*
* better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and reality television personality. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, she lived much of he ...
's 1997 single "
Crush on You", she received writing credits with
Christopher Wallace and
Andreao Heard
Andreao Heard is a record producer from Greensboro, North Carolina. He produced " Crush on You" for Lil’ Kim and " 'Yall Know'" for Will Smith’s ten million seller "Big Willie Style." Discovered by Vincent Herbert, Fanatic moved to New York ...
. "Crush on You" had sampled "Rain Dance" by the Jeff Lorber Fusion (written by
Jeff Lorber
Jeffrey H. Lorber (born November 4, 1952) is an American keyboardist, composer, and record producer. After six previous nominations, Lorber won his first Grammy Award on January 28, 2018 for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for '' Prototype' ...
) from his 1979 album, ''
Water Sign
In Western astrology, astrological signs are the twelve 30-degree sectors that make up Earth's 360-degree orbit around the Sun. The signs enumerate from the first day of spring, known as the First Point of Aries, which is the vernal equinox. ...
'', so Lorber was added as a songwriter.
"A No No" is a
hip hop and
R&B song with a blithely dismissive chorus and frisky beat, making use of a sped-up version of the instrumental and the Notorious B.I.G.'s refrain "He's a slut, he's a ho, he's a freak/ Got a different girl every day of the week." It features lyrics that taunt a former acquaintance who could not handle the singer’s expectations. It has been described as a "propulsive banger". It sees Carey rejecting a lover despite what they had in the past.
The song has a "catchy" chorus, and features the singer rejecting a past lover who has "wronged
erfor the last time". The lyrics include a shout out to Carey's lawyer Ed Shapiro, and a comparison between her and the character
Gilligan
Gilligan is a fictional character played by Bob Denver on the 1960s TV show '' Gilligan's Island'' and its many sequels. Gilligan, affectionately called "little buddy" by the "Skipper", is the bumbling, dimwitted, accident-prone first mate of t ...
from the 1960s American sitcom ''
Gilligan's Island
''Gilligan's Island'' is an American sitcom created and produced by Sherwood Schwartz. The show's ensemble cast features Bob Denver, Alan Hale Jr., Jim Backus, Natalie Schafer, Tina Louise, Russell Johnson and Dawn Wells. It aired for thr ...
''. She concludes the song by saying "no" in a variety of languages, including Spanish, French, Portuguese and Japanese.
Release and remixes
![Stefflon Don, Hammersmith Apollo, London (48099331458)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/Stefflon_Don%2C_Hammersmith_Apollo%2C_London_%2848099331458%29.jpg)
Following its
digital release as a promotional single on November 1, 2018, it was serviced to mainstream R&B/Hip-hop and
rhythmic contemporary
Rhythmic contemporary, also known as Rhythmic Top 40, Rhythmic CHR or rhythmic crossover, is a primarily American music-radio format that includes a mix of EDM, upbeat rhythmic pop, hip hop and upbeat R&B hits. Rhythmic contemporary never uses ...
radio on March 4, 2019, as the second single from ''Caution''.
During her appearance on ''
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
''Watch What Happens Live! with Andy Cohen'' (abbreviated ''WWHL'', previously named ''Watch What Happens Live!'') is an American pop culture-based late-night talk show hosted by Andy Cohen, that premiered on Bravo on July 16, 2009.
The show fea ...
'' in November 2018, Carey revealed that she hoped to remix "A No No" with
Lil' Kim
Kimberly Denise Jones (born July 11, 1974), Those giving 1974 include:
*
*
*
*
* better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and reality television personality. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, she lived much of he ...
and
Cardi B
Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar Cephus (, ; born October 11, 1992), known professionally as Cardi B, is an American rapper and songwriter. She first gained popularity as an influencer on Vine and Instagram. From 2015 to early 2017, she appeared as ...
. Later that month, the song's producer Jermaine Dupri began teasing the remix and
Missy Elliott
Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971), better known as Missy Elliott or Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the earl ...
's involvement on social media. However, on March 15, 2019, a remix featuring
Stefflon Don
Stephanie Victoria Allen (born 14 December 1991), better known by her stage name Stefflon Don, is a British rapper and singer. She rose to fame after her 2017 single " Hurtin' Me" featuring French Montana peaked at number 7 on UK Singles Chart ...
was released instead.
The remix was positively received by music critics. ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
s Michael Saponara wrote "Steff fires off several warning shots at those speaking on her name throughout the explosive verse". Writing for ''
Vibe
''Vibe'' is an American music and entertainment magazine founded by producers David Salzman and Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip hop music artists, actors and other entertainers. After shutting down productio ...
'', a critic stated that Don "was the perfect addition to the track", and added that she "provides her infectious rhymes and flow" to it. Chantilly Post of ''HotNewHipHop'' wrote "Stefflon makes her presence known at the top of the beat and then comes in for the second verse spitting her British/patois bars".
On April 5, 2019, a second remix featuring Shawni was released. The rapper added two verses to the song, with an interpolation of
Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Noelle Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer. She is often regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, as well as being one of the most influential musicians of her generation. ...
's song "
Ex-Factor
"Ex-Factor" is a song recorded by American recording artist Lauryn Hill for her debut solo studio album ''The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill'' (1998). Written and produced by Hill herself, it incorporates elements of R&B, neo soul and hip hop soul ...
" (1998) and lyrics including "So all my exes need to tell you that I'm sorry, That I didn't leave you sooner. I'm sorry I gave you more time than I shoulda."
Reception
"A No No" was positively received by music critics. ''
The Fader
''The Fader'' (stylized as ''FADER'') is a magazine based in New York City that was launched in 1999 by Rob Stone and Jon Cohen. The magazine covers music, style and culture. It was the first print publication to be released on iTunes.
It is o ...
'' writer Myles Tanzer called Carey's vocals on the song "undeniable", and the lyrics "quick as hell", but felt that the album version of the song left room for a rap feature.
Idolator
An idolator is a practitioner of idolatry.
Idolater or Idolator may also refer to: Books
*''Os Idólatras'', 1968 Portuguese novel by Maria Judite de Carvalho Music
* Idolator (website), an American music blog
* ''Idolator'' (album), third album ...
's Mike Wass opined that "A No No" was the most instant track from its parent album, and speculated that it was an ode to her ex-manager Stella Bulochnikov. Brittany Spanos of ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' wrote that with the song, Carey shows "that she can translate her quick wit into pop gold", and "spells out extremely over this person she is, delivering insults in acrobatically sung runs".
It was included at number 78 on ''The Fader''s list of the 100 best songs of 2018, and at number 15 on Idolator's list of the 100 best singles of 2018. In 2020, ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' ranked the song as the ninth greatest Mariah Carey single, and ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' ranked it as the 21st greatest song of her career, that same year. "A No No" charted at number 17 on the US
R&B Digital Songs
Hot R&B Songs is a chart released weekly by '' Billboard'' in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular R&B songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio stations, digital download sales and streaming data. It was establis ...
chart.
Music videos
A lyric video was released on December 4, 2018. It displays the lyrics in white, black and pink fonts, and features animated pictures of snakes, scissors, islands and jewelry. Carey teased the
music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
two days prior to its premiere through her
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
channel on March 8, 2019. The music video features cameos from Carey's children and boyfriend Bryan Tanaka. It starts with the singer riding a neon pink and blue train. As the video progresses, Carey is joined by other passengers in an impromptu party where she sings and they dance. The music video features additional vocalizations which do not appear on the album version, sung by Carey in a whistle register. According to a critic, they "slap an exclamation point on her sentiment".
A revamped version of the original music video was released to support the Stefflon Don remix on March 22, 2019, with added scenes of Don rapping her verse on a subway platform. On April 4, 2019, another version of the video was released to support the Shawni remix.
In it, the "chicly dressed" duo transform a pedestrian subway commute into a "banging party".
Live performances
"A No No" was included as the opening track in the setlist for the
Caution World Tour
Caution World Tour was the eleventh concert tour by American singer Mariah Carey. The tour consisted mostly of theaters and small to midsize arenas and with 35 dates in total included shows in North America, Europe, the Caribbean, and the Middl ...
(2019). Carey also performed the song as part of a medley, including "
Always Be My Baby
"Always Be My Baby" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter, and record producer Mariah Carey for her fifth studio album, ''Daydream'' (1995). It was released by Columbia Records on March 9, 1996, as the third single in the United Sta ...
" (1995), "
Emotions
Emotions are mental states brought on by neurophysiological changes, variously associated with thoughts, feelings, behavioral responses, and a degree of pleasure or displeasure. There is currently no scientific consensus on a definition. ...
" (1991), "
We Belong Together
"We Belong Together" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey from her 10th studio album, ''The Emancipation of Mimi'' (2005). The song was released on March 15, 2005, through Island Records, as the second single from the album. ...
" (2005) and "
Hero
A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or a main fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or Physical strength, strength. Like other formerly gender-specific terms (like ...
" (1993), at the
2019 ''Billboard'' Music Awards where she received the
Icon Award. ''Rolling Stone''s Althea Legaspi and Daniel Kreps wrote that she "seemed to battle monitor and pitch issues at times", but "still showcased her astounding range during the elegant set, which featured backing from tux-clad dancers, gospel singers and an orchestra".
Credits and personnel
*
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the whi ...
songwriting
A songwriter is a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music gen ...
,
lead vocals
The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of t ...
,
production
Production may refer to:
Economics and business
* Production (economics)
* Production, the act of manufacturing goods
* Production, in the outline of industrial organization, the act of making products (goods and services)
* Production as a stati ...
*
Robert "Shea" Taylorsongwriting, production
*
Priscilla Hamiltonsongwriting, background vocals
*
Jeff Lorber
Jeffrey H. Lorber (born November 4, 1952) is an American keyboardist, composer, and record producer. After six previous nominations, Lorber won his first Grammy Award on January 28, 2018 for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for '' Prototype' ...
songwriting
*
Kimberly Jones
Kimberly Latrice Jones () is an American author known for co-authoring the book ''I'm Not Dying With You Tonight'' and for the viral video ''How Can We Win'' published during the George Floyd protests.
''I'm Not Dying with You Tonight''
Jones ...
songwriting
*
Christopher Wallacesongwriting
*
Mason Betha
Mason Durell Betha (born August 27, 1975), better known by his mononym Mase (formerly Murda Mase and stylized as Ma$e), is an American rapper and minister. In the late 1990s, he recorded on the Bad Boy Records label alongside its founder Sean ...
songwriting
*
Camron Gilessongwriting
*
Andreao Heard
Andreao Heard is a record producer from Greensboro, North Carolina. He produced " Crush on You" for Lil’ Kim and " 'Yall Know'" for Will Smith’s ten million seller "Big Willie Style." Discovered by Vincent Herbert, Fanatic moved to New York ...
songwriting
*
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin (born September 23, 1972) is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, record executive, entrepreneur, and DJ.
Early life
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin was born on September 23, 1972, the son of Tina (Mosley) and Michael ...
additional production
* Mary Ann Tatumbackground vocals
* Bryan Gartenrecording engineer
* Jeremy Nicholsrecording engineer assistance
* Phil Tanmixing engineer
* Bill Zimmermanmixing engineer assistance
* Chris Gehringermastering engineer
* Will Quinnellmastering engineer assisntance
Credits are referenced from the album's liner notes.
Charts
Weekly charts
Release history
Promotional release
Single release
References
{{authority control
2018 songs
2019 singles
Mariah Carey songs
Songs written by Mariah Carey
Song recordings produced by Mariah Carey
Songs written by Shea Taylor
Songs written by Muni Long
Songs written by the Notorious B.I.G.
Songs written by Jeff Lorber
Songs written by Lil' Kim
Songs written by Cam'ron
Songs written by Mase