"How Many Licks?" is a song by 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 ...
featuring vocals by American musician
Sisqó from Lil' Kim's second studio album, ''
The Notorious K.I.M.'' (2000).
Mario Winans and
Sean Combs produced the song, and wrote it with Lil' Kim and Sisqó. The
hip hop song
samples the
''Knight Rider'' theme song, with lyrics expressing a woman's desire for
oral sex and her sexual relationships with a variety of men. The
chorus
Chorus may refer to:
Music
* Chorus (song) or refrain, line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse
* Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound
* Chorus form, song in which all verse ...
is a reference to the advertising slogan for
Tootsie Pops. A remix by
the Neptunes has additional vocals from American artists
Kelis,
Lil' Cease, and
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...
. "How Many Licks?" was released as the second and final single from ''The Notorious K.I.M.'' on November 21, 2000, by
Queen Bee Entertainment
Queen Bee Entertainment is a record label owned by American rapper and songwriter Lil' Kim. It focuses on releasing LPs, Mixtape's, and EP's of the label's roster. The label's name is a reference to Lil' Kim's alias Queen Bee.
History
In 1999, ...
and
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most i ...
.
"How Many Licks?" was praised by
music critics after its release and in retrospective reviews; the Neptunes remix also received positive reviews. However,
African-American studies professor
Mark Anthony Neal criticized the song's treatment of black female sexuality. Commentators compared Trinidadian-American rapper
Nicki Minaj's 2014 single "
Anaconda" to "How Many Licks?". "How Many Licks?" peaked at number 75 on the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart and charted in several other countries, but was not as commercially successful as Lil' Kim's previous singles.
The song's accompanying
music video was directed by
Francis Lawrence and features the singer as a
sex doll in three separate sexual fantasies. Sisqó did not appear in the video due to conflicts with his record label
Def Jam Recordings. Although music critics praised the visual, its treatment of sexuality elicited varied opinions from academics. It was also compared to music videos by other artists, including Minaj's "
Stupid Hoe" (2011) and American rapper
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 "
The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)
"The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" is the debut solo single by American rapper Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott. It was written and composed by Don Bryant, Bernard "Bernie" Miller, Elliott, and producer Timbaland for her debut album ''Supa Dupa Fly'' (1997 ...
" (1997). In addition to the video, Lil' Kim promoted "How Many Licks?" with live performances.
Recording and releases
Mario Winans and
Sean Combs produced "How Many Licks?" and wrote it 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
Sisqó, who are credited under their legal names (Kimberly Jones and Mark Andrews).
Sisqó wrote the song's
hook and contributed verses.
The vocals were recorded by Dave Wade and
Stephen Dent
Stephen Dent (born September 30, 1966) is an American audio engineer and managing director at Daddy's House Recording Studio in New York. He is a Grammy award nominee (1999) and worked on the platinum album '' Bad Boys II''.
Education
Dent attend ...
at Daddy's House Recording Studios in New York City and Trans Continental Studios in Orlando, with Ed Raso
mixing the audio.
"How Many Licks?" was released as the second single from Lil' Kim's second album, ''
The Notorious K.I.M.'' (2000),
as a
12-inch single
The twelve-inch single (often written as 12-inch or 12″) is a type of vinyl ( polyvinyl chloride or PVC) gramophone record that has wider groove spacing and shorter playing time with a 'single' or a few related sound tracks on each surfac ...
and
CD single by
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most i ...
and
Queen Bee Entertainment
Queen Bee Entertainment is a record label owned by American rapper and songwriter Lil' Kim. It focuses on releasing LPs, Mixtape's, and EP's of the label's roster. The label's name is a reference to Lil' Kim's alias Queen Bee.
History
In 1999, ...
.
A
remix
A remix (or reorchestration) is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, video, poem, or photograph can all be remixes. The o ...
by American production duo
the Neptunes was also made available,
with vocals by American singer
Kelis and verses by American rappers
Lil' Cease and
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...
.
The song's original version was included on several
compilations, including the 2001 albums ''
The Source Hip Hop Music Awards 2001'',
''Pure Dance 2001'',
''Hip Hop Soul Party: Episode V'',
and 2008's ''15 of the Best Urban Classics''.
Music and lyrics
"How Many Licks?" is a three-minute and 52-second
hip hop song
that uses a
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 ...
from the theme song of the television series ''
Knight Rider'' (1982–1986).
Music critic
Simon Reynolds
Simon Reynolds (born 19 June 1963) is an English music journalist and author who began his professional career on the staff of ''Melody Maker'' in the mid-1980s. He has since gone on to freelance and publish a number of full-length books on music ...
described its composition as "full of
Daft Punk
Daft Punk were a French electronic music duo formed in 1993 in Paris by Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo. Widely regarded as one of the most influential acts in dance music history, they achieved popularity in the late 1990s as p ...
-like noises", and an ''
NME'' writer called it "pornographic
funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...
".
Michael Arceneaux of
VH1
VH1 (originally an initialism of Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network based in New York City and owned by Paramount Global. It was created by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, at the time a division of Warner Commun ...
wrote that the single and other tracks from ''The Notorious K.I.M.'' have a "glossier and far more commercial" sound than the rapper's previous releases.
The lyrics of "How Many Licks?" are part of a movement in 1990s hip hop music to express sexuality positively.
Sexuality studies
Gender studies is an interdisciplinary academic field devoted to analysing gender identity and gendered representation. Gender studies originated in the field of women's studies, concerning women, feminism, gender, and politics. The field ...
professor Thomas A. Foster wrote that Lil' Kim reverses a trend in hip hop music which objectifies women for the
male gaze and celebrates male sexuality. In 2007,
gender studies scholar Aine McGlynn described "How Many Licks?" as one of the most sexually explicit songs to receive
airplay.
The lyrics describe a woman's interest in
oral sex, with Preezy of ''
The Boombox'' calling the song a "sexual anthem".
Lyrics include: "Roll some weed with some tissue and close your eyes/ Then imagine your tongue in between my thighs."
Lil' Kim raps about having sex with men of various nationalities, spanking one from "down South" and "
com ">ngin his mouth". The rapper notes that people masturbate or have sex to her music: "goes out to my niggaz in jail / Beating they dicks to the double X-L." She re-imagines herself as "an image in a magazine, a poster, a character in a gangsta narrative, a luxury item and a bling accessary". Lil' Kim and Sisqó also exchange
pick-up lines during the song.
The
chorus
Chorus may refer to:
Music
* Chorus (song) or refrain, line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse
* Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound
* Chorus form, song in which all verse ...
refers to the advertising slogan for
Tootsie Pops ("How many licks does it takes to get to the
Tootsie Roll centre of a Tootsie Pop?"), and ties sexuality to
consumerism according to
media studies
Media studies is a discipline and field of study that deals with the content, history, and effects of various media; in particular, the mass media. Media Studies may draw on traditions from both the social sciences and the humanities, but mostly ...
professor
Scott Wilson.
For the track's remix, Lil' Kim associates her rapping abilities with oral sex: "Ya neva seen this stroke of genius /
put tha cleanest, meanest lips on ya penis!" She is also noted to popularize the word "gangstress" which she had previously used in "Spend a Little Doe", a track from her 1996 album
''Hard Core'', and a remix of the American trio
Intro's 1995 single "Funny How Time Flies". The rapper further introduces herself as "the female
Mack".
Critical reception
"How Many Licks?" received primarily positive reviews from
music critics following its release and during retrospective reviews. Commentators praised the single for its sexual content.
Michelle Goldberg of ''
Salon
Salon may refer to:
Common meanings
* Beauty salon, a venue for cosmetic treatments
* French term for a drawing room, an architectural space in a home
* Salon (gathering), a meeting for learning or enjoyment
Arts and entertainment
* Salon (P ...
'' wrote that Lil' Kim maintained a focus on her "playfully ripe side" from ''Hard Core''.
Noisey
''Vice'' (stylized in all caps) is a Canadian-American magazine focused on lifestyle, arts, culture, and news/politics. Founded in 1994 in Montreal as an alternative punk magazine, the founders later launched the youth media company Vice Media, ...
's Adria Young referred to its lyrics in 2015 as "some of the rap diva's most raunchy verses to date", citing the song as an example of how Sisqó pushed the envelope of sexuality in popular culture.
Brittany Vincent of
''Billboard'' noted it as an example of how the rapper was unafraid of exploring sex in her music.
An editor for
Apple Music included the song on its "Lil' Kim Essentials"
playlist
A playlist is a list of video or audio files that can be played back on a media player either sequentially or in a shuffled order. In its most general form, an audio playlist is simply a list of songs, but sometimes a loop. The term has sever ...
, writing that Lil Kim' "more than held her own as an agile and self-possessed MC who pushed hip-hop toward its unalloyed id".
However,
African-American studies professor
Mark Anthony Neal criticized the single for perpetuating the sexual objectification of women. Comparing "How Many Licks?" with American singer
Tweet's 2002 song "
Oops (Oh My)", Neal wrote that Tweet's focus on
masturbation
Masturbation is the sexual stimulation of one's own genitals for sexual arousal or other sexual pleasure, usually to the point of orgasm. The stimulation may involve hands, fingers, everyday objects, sex toys such as vibrators, or combinatio ...
was a better expression of black female sexuality.
The remix of "How Many Licks?" was also praised in retrospective reviews.
In a 2015 article, Michael Arceneaux of VH1 called it "an under-appreciated gem" and suggested that Lil' Kim record another collaboration with Neptunes member
Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973) is an American record producer, rapper, singer, and songwriter. Alongside close colleague Chad Hugo, he formed the hip hop and R&B production duo the Neptunes in the early 1990s, with whom he ...
in the future.
According to Arceneaux, the remix is treated with "great reverence" by fans.
Mark Anthony Neal was more critical of the remix due to Fabolous' lyrics ("Oops, there goes my kids on your face"), saying that the addition changed the song's message from "a celebration of autonomous female sexuality" to a "vulgar, demeaning moment of black female objectification".
Some critics compared
Nicki Minaj's 2014 single, "
Anaconda" to "How Many Licks".
Alex Kristelis of
''Bustle'' noted that both songs focused on men's appreciation of the singer's body.
A ''
Khaleej Times'' writer called "Anaconda" a "blatant copy" of "How Many Licks?", with Minaj's song sharing "the lyrical blue print and theme" of Lil' Kim's.
''
Westwords Cory Lamz wrote that Minaj parodied "How Many Licks?" and its associated visuals in the music video for her 2011 single "
Stupid Hoe".
Commercial performance
According to Michael Arceneaux, "How Many Licks?" and fellow songs from ''The Notorious K.I.M.'' did not fare well on radio.
Although media outlets considered it a "hit",
the song was less commercially successful than Lil' Kim's previous releases.
It reached several ''Billboard'' charts in the United States,
peaking at number 75 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 on December 2, 2000 and remaining on the chart for nine weeks.
The song also reached number 11 on the
Hot Rap Songs chart on December 9, 2000, similarly remaining on that chart for nine weeks.
It peaked at number 36 on the
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart that day, remaining on the chart for 20 weeks.
"How Many Licks?" also charted in several other countries.
It peaked at number six on the
Dutch Top 40
The Dutch Top 40 ( nl, Nederlandse Top 40) is a weekly music chart compiled by ''Stichting Nederlandse Top 40''. It started as a radio program titled "Veronica Top 40", on the offshore station Radio Veronica in 1965. It remained "The Veronica ...
chart, and remained on the chart for 13 weeks.
The single reached number seven on the
Ultratop chart in the Flanders region of Belgium, also remaining on that chart for 13 weeks.
It further peaked at number 58 on the
German Singles Chart, remaining for eight editions.
Music video
Production and release
The song's music video, directed by
Francis Lawrence, was shot in the
Sylmar
Sylmar is a suburban neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley and is the northernmost neighborhood within the City of Los Angeles. Historically known for its profusion of sylvan olive orchards, Sylmar can trace its past to the 18th century and th ...
neighborhood of Los Angeles on October 3 and 4, 2000,
and premiered the following month. Discussing the video with
MTV News
MTV News is the news production division of MTV. The service is available in the US with localized versions on MTV's global network. In February 2016, MTV Networks confirmed it would refresh the MTV News brand in 2016, to compete with the likes ...
, Lil' Kim said: "This is where I get to get freaky". The rapper described her performance as different personas as "something the whole world has been waiting for".
Brad Wete of ''Billboard'' wrote that the idea of the rapper as a sex toy was an expansion of her image as a black
Barbie.
The video was re-uploaded to Atlantic's
YouTube channel on October 26, 2009.
It was also featured on the 2005 release ''Lil' Kim: Queen Bee Video Collection''.
The music video follows a storyline in which the protagonist, Kim, releases a line of
comestible dolls in her own likeness, intended to be used by gentlemen to practice
cunnilingus.
In the initial stanza, Kim rhapsodizes over the large, heterogeneous population of men with whom she has engaged in intercourse, and how they have satisfied her sexually and non-sexually. The figurine introduced during this sequence is christened "Candy Kim." The subsequent verse goes out to her African American fans currently residing in the corrections system, specifically those individuals who enjoy
cannabis and
onanism
Onan ''Aunan'' was a figure detailed in the Book of Genesis chapter 38, as the second son of Judah and Shuah, and the brother of Er and Shelah. After being commanded by Judah to procreate with the late Er's wife Tamar, he instead "spilled his ...
while envisioning themselves
coupling with Kim; the singer suggests she is so prepossessing that images of her incite fisticuffs among the internees. She dubs herself "Pin-Up Kim," whose images festoon the cells of the incarcerated. The concluding section introduces yet another incarnation, "NightRider Kim." NightRider Kim drives an ebony
Lamborghini
Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. () is an Italian brand and manufacturer of luxury sports cars and SUVs based in Sant'Agata Bolognese. The company is owned by the Volkswagen Group through its subsidiary Audi.
Ferruccio Lamborghini (1916–1993) ...
at high velocity, decelerating only when she sees a comely man. The watchword for this final section is "She doesn't satisfy you...you satisfy her." She demands that the listener appease her, admonishing that, if he fails to do so, he must attempt the task again until he succeeds.
She stresses that men should cunnilingus her "like it's rehearsal for a
Tootsie commercial." This allusion reveals the basis for the title of the composition.
Sisqó does not appear in the video,
explaining that his absence was due to a conflict with his record label,
Def Jam
Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop.
The ...
, caused by the releases of the remix of his 2000 single "
Thong Song" (with American rapper
Foxy Brown) and his verse on American rapper
DMX
Earl Simmons (December 18, 1970 – April 9, 2021), known professionally as DMX, was an American rapper and actor. He began rapping in the early 1990s and released his debut album ''It's Dark and Hell Is Hot'' in 1998, to both critical acclaim ...
's 2000 single, "
What These Bitches Want
"What These Bitches Want" ( edited for radio as "What You Want" or "What They Really Want" ) is a song by American rapper DMX, released as the third single from his third album '' ... And Then There Was X'' (1999). The single features Def Soul si ...
". In a 2017 interview with ''
Complex'', Sisqó said that he had been
blacklisted
Blacklisting is the action of a group or authority compiling a blacklist (or black list) of people, countries or other entities to be avoided or distrusted as being deemed unacceptable to those making the list. If someone is on a blacklist, t ...
by the label because of the aforementioned releases.
Reception and analysis
The music video received positive reviews in media outlets;
according to Preezy of ''The Boombox'', it was "a staple on video countdowns" after its release. The reviewer praised "its eye-popping imagery and Kim's assets on display".
An MTV News writer lauded the video's concept: "The doll personas give Kim a handful of fresh, new ways to wear a whole lot of nothing as she leaves even less to the imagination than usual".
Jess Harvell of ''
Pitchfork'' criticized the video, writing that it "is enough to make you join your local
Andrea Dworkin fan club".
Scholars had differing opinions on the video's representation of sexuality. According to the
CERCL Writing Collective, it showcases Lil' Kim's technique of "us
ngthe male body as an object of her own sexual desires and pleasures" and exemplifies a theme in the rapper's releases in which men are submissive to her sexuality.
Feminist
Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that society prioritizes the male po ...
scholar Leslie Heywood interpreted the video as a "playful" way to address Lil' Kim as a celebrity and "a marketed ideal", writing that the rapper's "appeal to popular fantasy" and her "tough, sexy attitude" helped expand her artistic success. Alternatively,
women's studies academics
Gail Dines and Jean M. Humez criticized the video as "an apt metaphor for her self-commodification and use of white female beauty ideals". Even though they described the visual as "a tongue-in-cheek criticism of image making or white female beauty standards", they criticized the rapper for adhering to male fantasy through the emphasis on her blonde hair and blue eyes. They wrote that Lil' Kim would be remembered by "her participation in codes of pornographic descriptions of women" rather than her commentary on sexuality.
Selected scholars compared the video to those released by other rappers.
In his essay "Supa Dupa Fly: Black Women as Cyborgs in Hiphop Videos",
cultural critic Steven Shaviro
Steven Shaviro (; born April 3, 1954) is an American academic, philosopher and cultural critic whose areas of interest include film theory, time, science fiction, panpsychism, capitalism, affect and subjectivity. He earned a PhD from Yale in 1981 ...
wrote that the videos for "How Many Licks?" and American rapper
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 1997 single "
The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)
"The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" is the debut solo single by American rapper Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott. It was written and composed by Don Bryant, Bernard "Bernie" Miller, Elliott, and producer Timbaland for her debut album ''Supa Dupa Fly'' (1997 ...
" contain “stories of black female empowerment, in the face of deeply engrained racism and sexism".
Feminist scholars M. L. Williams and T. C. M. Tyree wrote that the focus on beauty standards in the video continued with Nicki Minaj's video for "Stupid Hoe".
Live performances and covers
Lil' Kim rapped the first verses of "How Many Licks?" during a 2010 event at
Irving Plaza. During the performance, she had a
wardrobe malfunction and her top almost fell down.
She also performed the song in 2012 as part of her
Return of the Queen Tour,
as well as during a one-night show at the
Gramercy Theatre the following year, wearing a red bodysuit and long black hair.
In 2013, American drag queen
Alaska Thunderfuck sang a
cover version of "How Many Licks?", which Josh Middleton of ''
Philadelphia'' praised as "outstanding".
Track listing
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''The Notorious K.I.M.''.
Recording locations
*Daddy's House Recording Studios (New York City)
*Trans Continental Studios (Orlando)
Personnel
*Mixing – Ed Raso
*Producer – Mario "Yellowman" Winans, Sean "Puffy" Combs
*Recording – Dave Wade, Stephen Dent
*Songwriting – Kimberly Jones, Mario Winans, Sean Combs
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Release history
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
{{authority control
2000 singles
2000 songs
Lil' Kim songs
Sisqó songs
Atlantic Records singles
Music video controversies
Music videos directed by Francis Lawrence
Songs written by Lil' Kim
Songs written by Mario Winans
Songs written by the Notorious B.I.G.
Songs written by Sean Combs
Songs written by Sisqó
American funk songs