"FTCU" is a song by rapper
Nicki Minaj from her fifth studio album ''
Pink Friday 2
'' Pink Friday 2'' is the fifth studio album by rapper Nicki Minaj. It was released on December 8, 2023, by Young Money Entertainment and Republic Records. A sequel to Minaj's debut album ''Pink Friday'' (2010), it is her first studio album in f ...
'' (2023). The song impacted
rhythmic radio as the album's fifth single on January 30, 2024, through
Young Money Entertainment and
Republic Records
Republic Records is a New York City–based American record label owned by Universal Music Group (UMG). It was founded by Avery Lipman and Monte Lipman as an independent label in 1995, and was acquired by UMG in 2000. Republic was initially an ...
. Produced by
ATL Jacob
Jacob Denzal Canady (born December 10, 1998), known professionally as ATL Jacob, is an American record producer. He is known for his dark and mellow production style and his frequent collaborations with American rapper Future being a former in-ho ...
, it contains a sample of "Fuck the Club Up" by
Waka Flocka Flame featuring
Pastor Troy and
Slim Dunkin
Mario Denzel Hamilton (August 20, 1987 – December 16, 2011), better known by his stage name Slim Dunkin, was an American rapper. He was signed to Gucci Mane's record label 1017 Brick Squad. Hamilton frequently collaborated with Mane, alongside W ...
.
Background and composition
The song samples lyrics from "Fuck the Club Up" and contains
trap
A trap is a mechanical device used to capture or restrain an animal for purposes such as hunting, pest control, or ecological research.
Trap or TRAP may also refer to:
Art and entertainment Films and television
* ''Trap'' (2015 film), Fil ...
production.
It finds Nicki Minaj asserting her dominance in the hip hop music industry.
In addition, she seemingly takes shots at fellow rapper
Megan Thee Stallion
Megan Jovon Ruth Pete (born February 15, 1995), known professionally as Megan Thee Stallion (pronounced "Megan the Stallion"), is an American rapper and songwriter. Originally from Houston, Texas, she first garnered attention when videos of her ...
in the second verse with lyrics mentioning rappers
Tory Lanez and
Iggy Azalea: "Stay in your Tory lane, bitch, I'm not Iggy"; Lanez had shot Megan Thee Stallion in 2020. Azalea had written a letter in support of him to the court in the legal case of the shooting.
Critical reception
Robin Murray of ''
Clash'' called the song a "foul-mouthed club salute". Nick Malone of ''
PopMatters'' described the bass in the song's production as a "pimp smack to the jaw". Fred Thomas of
AllMusic regarded the song to be one of the "concise burners" from ''Pink Friday 2''. However, Julianne Escobedo Shepherd of ''
Pitchfork'' commented "Minaj should be taking a victory lap—she is one of the most important rappers of this century—and yet she seems to feel like she has to keep reiterating her position and punching down, hitting a low point on the Waka Flocka-sampling 'FTCU' when she raps, 'Stay in your Tory lane, bitch, I'm not Iggy.'"
Promotion
Minaj appeared on ''
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert'' on December 20, 2023, and performed a freestyle over the beat of FTCU, "battling" Colbert.
Track listing
*Streaming/digital download
# "FTCU" (explicit) – 2:52
# "FTCU" (clean) – 2:52
# "FTCU" (STPU edition) – 2:32
# "FTCU" (STPU edition, clean radio version) – 2:32
# "FTCU" (instrumental) – 2:32
Charts
Release history
References
{{Nicki Minaj songs
2023 songs
2024 singles
Nicki Minaj songs
Songs written by Nicki Minaj
Songs written by Waka Flocka Flame
Songs written by Southside (record producer)
Songs written by ATL Jacob
Diss tracks
Young Money Entertainment singles
Republic Records singles
Megan Thee Stallion