"Lil Freak" is a song by American recording artist
Usher, taken from his sixth studio album, ''
Raymond v. Raymond
''Raymond v. Raymond'' is the sixth studio album by American singer Usher (musician), Usher, released on March 26, 2010, by LaFace Records. Production for the album took place in 2009 and was handled by several producers, including Jermaine Dupri, ...
''. Featuring guest vocals by Trinidadian recording artist
Nicki Minaj
Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (; born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian-born rapper based in the United States. She is known for her musical versatility, animated flow in her rapping, alter egos and accent ...
, the song was written by her, Usher,
Ester Dean
Esther Renay Dean (born April 15, 1986) is an American singer, songwriter, music producer and actress. Dean has also written songs for many artists, with numerous Top 10 hits, including No. 1 hits for Rihanna and Katy Perry, earning the name " ...
,
Blac Elvis
Elvis Williams (born April 12, 1981), better known as Blac Elvis, is an American record producer, musician, and songwriter.
Career
He rose to fame in 2005 co-producing alongside Polow da Don, producing hits for Ludacris, Ciara, Kelly Rowland, F ...
and
Polow da Don
Jamal Fincher Jones (born October 15, 1977, or 1978), professionally known as Polow da Don, is an American record producer and rapper.
Jones has produced a variety of singles for a multitude of artists including "Anaconda" by Nicki Minaj (2014) ...
, the latter two producing the track. Its
hook
A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved or indented, such that it can be used to grab onto, connect, or otherwise attach itself onto another object. In a number of uses, one e ...
is based on a manipulated sample of American soul musician
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris ( Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, Pop musi ...
's 1973 hit, "
Living for the City
"Living for the City" is a 1973 single by Stevie Wonder from his ''Innervisions'' album. It reached number 8 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart and number 1 on the R&B chart. ''Rolling Stone'' ranked the song number 104 on their 2004 list of th ...
". "Lil Freak" was released as the second single from the album in the United States and Canada on March 2, 2010.
Carrying a dark tone, composed of heavy bass beats derived from
R&B and
hip hop music, the lyrics are about the thrill of orchestrating a
ménage à trois
A () is a domestic arrangement and committed relationship with three people in polyamorous romantic or sexual relations with each other, and often dwelling together; typically a traditional marriage between a man and woman along with anothe ...
in a club. The song received positive reviews from critics who complimented its sensual nature. It peaked at number 40 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100, and eight on the
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
, becoming Usher's 16th top ten hit on the latter chart. The song's accompanying music video has a secret society concept, dealing with an underground club, playing on the storyline of the song.
Background
In an interview 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 ...
'' when asked if he was just entertaining, Usher said the song was based on real life, stating, "Yeah, I mean, I wrote about it. It happens in this day and time. Those are the best chicks to be friends with, honestly."
Usher reiterated his statements in another interview with ''
Access Hollywood
''Access Hollywood'', formerly known as ''Access'' from 2017 to 2019, is an American weekday television entertainment news program that premiered on September 9, 1996. It covers events and celebrities in the entertainment industry. It was created ...
'', and when asked if he thought the racy lyrics would raise eyebrows, he said it would, commenting that that was an objective of the song.
Usher also said that the work was like the dichotomy of ''Raymond v. Raymond'', distinguishing one world from another, as in "playing the nice guy" or "showing the other side."
Before official release, the song was leaked onto the Internet in December 2009.
Composition
The song is midtempo, with supported by heavy bass beats produced by
Polow da Don
Jamal Fincher Jones (born October 15, 1977, or 1978), professionally known as Polow da Don, is an American record producer and rapper.
Jones has produced a variety of singles for a multitude of artists including "Anaconda" by Nicki Minaj (2014) ...
, which ''Prefix Magazine'' called "
Jurrasic Park synths". Chris Ryan of
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 ...
said "Usher pairs off with current queen MC Nicki Minaj, and the two glide over Polow Da Don's minimal bass beat."
Sara D. Anderson of
AOL Radio Blog said that the "heavy back-beat tune confirms Usher's old ways: "Yeah you the business / So What's the business / Don't be shy, I'm just talkin' to you girl." Tom Breihan of
Pitchfork Media
''Pitchfork'' (formerly ''Pitchfork Media'') is an American online music publication (currently owned by Condé Nast) that was launched in 1995 by writer Ryan Schreiber as an independent music blog.
Schreiber started Pitchfork while working ...
called the heavily manipulated "
Living for the City
"Living for the City" is a 1973 single by Stevie Wonder from his ''Innervisions'' album. It reached number 8 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart and number 1 on the R&B chart. ''Rolling Stone'' ranked the song number 104 on their 2004 list of th ...
" sample, "a monstrous swirl of orchestral exoticism".
Minaj makes several puns in her lines, one of them referring to
Santa Claus's reindeer
In traditional festive legend and popular culture, Santa Claus's reindeer are said to pull a sleigh through the night sky to help Santa Claus deliver gifts to children on Christmas Eve.
The number of reindeer characters, and the names given ...
in a runthrough which Prefix Magazine reviewed negatively.
She also refers to
P. Diddy
Sean Combs (born Sean John Combs; November 4, 1969), also known by his stage names Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, Puffy, or Diddy, is an American rapper, actor, record producer, and record executive. Born in New York City, he worked as a talent directo ...
and
Cassie
Cassie is a feminine given name and a short form of various other given names mostly used in English-speaking countries. It is more rarely a surname. People and fictional characters named Cassie include:
People with the name Given name or nickna ...
in her lines, that she's "plotting on how I can take Cassie away from Diddy".
Critical reception
Critics positively received the song, complimenting Minaj's cameo and the track's production and lyrics. Andrew Winistorfer of ''Prefix Magazine'' thought that Usher should have gone with "Lil Freak" as the album's first big single, saying, "It (
OMG) doesn't come close to matching the filthy heights of "Little Freak ''
ic'..." He also said the song was "by a wide margin, the best track to be leaked from Usher's long-delayed Raymond vs. Raymond album". In his initial reaction, he pointed out flaws of the song, but said that the song "could become unavoidable if it gets traction on radio".
Chris Ryan of ''
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 ...
'' called the song, "slick, sexy hip-hop-infused R&B done to its finest". He also called the song "nothing short of freak nasty," and "is so full of sexy sexuality that it's enough to make
Tiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods (born December 30, 1975) is an American professional golfer. He is tied for first in PGA Tour wins, ranks second in men's major championships, and holds numerous golf records.
*
*
* Woods is widely regarded as ...
blush".
''
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 ...
'' magazine commented that "wedding ring is definitely off on this Usher cut", and that Nicki Minaj stole the scene in the song.
''
Pitchfork Media
''Pitchfork'' (formerly ''Pitchfork Media'') is an American online music publication (currently owned by Condé Nast) that was launched in 1995 by writer Ryan Schreiber as an independent music blog.
Schreiber started Pitchfork while working ...
'' commented favourably on the songs explicit nature, stating the song "isn't some
R. Kelly
Robert Sylvester Kelly (born January 8, 1967) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and sex offender convicted of racketeering and multiple sex offenses.
During his recording career, Kelly sold over 75 million records worldwid ...
-esque devotional hymn to sexual addiction", and that "The whole towering mess makes a drunken 3 a.m. threesome sound like the most epic endeavor anyone could hope for". The review also compared the song to
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...
's "
Cry Me a River", stating, "it pushes into "Cry Me a River" territory for the same reason that "Cry Me a River" transcended: the gigantic, operatic backing track".
Accolades
Chart performance
On the week ending March 20, 2010, "Lil Freak" debuted at number 43 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100.
It then fell to 66, but rebounded ten spots to 56, and later peaked at 40 on the chart.
The song's appearance on the
Hot Digital Songs
The Digital Songs or Digital Song Sales chart (previously named Hot Digital Songs) ranks the best-selling digital songs in the United States, as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published by ''Billboard'' magazine. Although it originally start ...
and
Hot 100 Airplay
The Radio Songs chart (previously named Hot 100 Airplay until 2014 and Top 40 Radio Monitor until 1991) is released weekly by ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' magazine and measures the airplay of songs being played on radio stations throughout ...
charts at number 31 and 37, respectively, helped stabilize its stay on the Hot 100.
"lil Freak" charted at number 28 on the
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
months before its release due to it being leaked on the Internet.
It eventually peaked at eight, and was Usher's third straight top ten hit on the chart, and 16th overall.
According to
Nielsen SoundScan
Luminate (formerly Nielsen SoundScan, Nielsen Music Products, and MRC Data) is a provider of music sales data. Established by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett in 1991, data is collected weekly and made available every Sunday (for albums sales) and eve ...
, it has sold 508,000 units in the US as of October 3, 2010. Internationally, "Lil Freak" reached 109 on the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
.
Usher performed the song in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
on ''
The Graham Norton Show
''The Graham Norton Show'' is a British comedy chat show presented by Graham Norton. It was initially broadcast on BBC Two, from 22 February 2007, before moving to BBC One in October 2009. It currently airs on Friday evenings, with Norton s ...
'' on June 7, 2010.
Music video
Background and concept
Usher and Minaj shot the music video on March 9, 2010 in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
with director Taj Stansberry, represented by Leah Harmony and Ciarra Pardo. In an interview with ''
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 ...
'', Stansberry commented on the video's sex appeal and the pairing of Usher and Minaj, stating, "This probably has the potential to be
is sexiest video ever Usher’s one of the best entertainers in the world, then you have Nicki Minaj who’s fresh on the scene. Put them together and there’s just sparks, it was real good."
When asked about the music video's concept would redefine the word "freak", commenting:
"My general idea was to take the word and show its many faceted sides, twisting and turning it to where there’s really no distinguishing between one freak and another. Usher went there. When you’re engaging in sexual activity, there are many transitions and this is not about what they look like literally, but what they look like metaphorically. It’s about luring people into a situation. Because you have your thoughts on a ménage à trois, but then we’re doing it in a non-obvious way."
On Minaj and her pairing with Usher, Stansberry said, "
ickihad a few looks that I really liked. She played the part, but still was her. If you really listen to her words in the song, you can kinda visualize her outfit."
Stansberry also confirmed that R&B singer
Ciara
Ciara Princess Wilson ( ; Harris; born October 25, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, model and entrepreneur. She released her debut studio album, '' Goodies'' in 2004, which spawned four singles: " Goodies" (featuring Petey Pa ...
and singer-actor
Jamie Foxx
Eric Marlon Bishop (born December 13, 1967), known professionally as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, comedian, and singer. He became widely known for his portrayal of Ray Charles in the 2004 biographical film '' Ray'', for which he won the ...
would make appearances in the video.
In an interview 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 ...
on the set of her video for "
Massive Attack
Massive Attack are an English trip hop collective formed in 1988 in Bristol by Robert "3D" Del Naja, Adrian "Tricky" Thaws, Andrew "Mushroom" Vowles and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall.
The debut Massive Attack album ''Blue Lines'' was release ...
", Minaj said that "The video is freaky. And it's a great concept, a great story line," Minaj told MTV News. "It felt just like one of the sequels to ''
Saw
A saw is a tool consisting of a tough blade, wire, or chain with a hard toothed edge. It is used to cut through material, very often wood, though sometimes metal or stone. The cut is made by placing the toothed edge against the material and mo ...
''. It was dope."
Stating that the video had a "secret society" concept, Usher told ''
Access Hollywood
''Access Hollywood'', formerly known as ''Access'' from 2017 to 2019, is an American weekday television entertainment news program that premiered on September 9, 1996. It covers events and celebrities in the entertainment industry. It was created ...
'' that the place symbolized locations where people use to get away from pressures, and also said the movie ''
Eyes Wide Shut
''Eyes Wide Shut'' is a 1999 erotic mystery psychological drama film directed, produced, and co-written by Stanley Kubrick. It is based on the 1926 novella '' Traumnovelle'' (''Dream Story'') by Arthur Schnitzler, transferring the story's sett ...
'' was some sort of inspiration of the video.
On March 22, 2010 a thirty second preview of the music video was surfaced onto the internet. Two days later on March 24, 2010, Usher premiered the full music video on
BET
Black Entertainment Television (acronym BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting African-American audiences. It is owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global via BET Networks and has offices in New York City, Los A ...
's ''
106 & Park
''106 & Park'' is an American hip hop and R&B music video show, set up in a countdown format, that was broadcast on weekdays at 6:00 pm ET/5:00 pm CT on BET; it aired on a one-day delay on BET International. It was the network's highest- rated ...
''.
Synopsis and reception
The video begins with a woman walking in a tunnel, and she enters and elevator with Minaj, sporting a
Cruella de Vil
Cruella de Vil is a fictional character in British author Dodie Smith's 1956 novel ''The Hundred and One Dalmatians''. A pampered and glamorous London heiress and fashion designer, she appears in Walt Disney Productions' 17th animated feature fi ...
hairstyle, and other women.
The elevator goes to what ''
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 ...
'' calls "Usher's underground playground," then soon finds Usher against a wall.
A laptop is shown, and the video goes on to show people who are there, including
Ciara
Ciara Princess Wilson ( ; Harris; born October 25, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, model and entrepreneur. She released her debut studio album, '' Goodies'' in 2004, which spawned four singles: " Goodies" (featuring Petey Pa ...
playing a casino game.
Then, girls are performing choreography on poles, as Usher sings his verses on the wall in the tunnel.
Nicki Minaj then comes to sing her verse and starts talking to the unknown woman who was in the tunnel with Usher, and then Minaj guides the woman somewhere.
Foxx makes appears near the end of the video, with a red light on him. Usher sings the rest of the song on the wall in the tunnel with choreography from the women, until the video fades out.
BET
Black Entertainment Television (acronym BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting African-American audiences. It is owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global via BET Networks and has offices in New York City, Los A ...
Sound Off complimented the video and that it stuck to the storyline of the song, stating "there's only but so much you can do with a video like this" without the video being banned, being labelled offensive, or "resemble a video we’ve already seen."
Credits and personnel
*
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 ...
-
Usher Raymond
Usher Raymond IV (born October 14, 1978) is an American R&B singer. He was born in Dallas, Texas, but raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee, until moving to Atlanta, Georgia. At the age of 12, his mother put him in local singing competitions befo ...
,
Nicki Minaj
Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (; born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian-born rapper based in the United States. She is known for her musical versatility, animated flow in her rapping, alter egos and accent ...
,
Polow da Don
Jamal Fincher Jones (born October 15, 1977, or 1978), professionally known as Polow da Don, is an American record producer and rapper.
Jones has produced a variety of singles for a multitude of artists including "Anaconda" by Nicki Minaj (2014) ...
,
Blac Elvis
Elvis Williams (born April 12, 1981), better known as Blac Elvis, is an American record producer, musician, and songwriter.
Career
He rose to fame in 2005 co-producing alongside Polow da Don, producing hits for Ludacris, Ciara, Kelly Rowland, F ...
,
Ester Dean
Esther Renay Dean (born April 15, 1986) is an American singer, songwriter, music producer and actress. Dean has also written songs for many artists, with numerous Top 10 hits, including No. 1 hits for Rihanna and Katy Perry, earning the name " ...
,
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris ( Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, Pop musi ...
*
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 ...
- Blac Elvis, Polow da Don
*
Recording
A record, recording or records may refer to:
An item or collection of data Computing
* Record (computer science), a data structure
** Record, or row (database), a set of fields in a database related to one entity
** Boot sector or boot record, ...
- Jay Stevenson
*
Mixing - Jaycen Joshua, assisted by Giancarlo Lino
*Contains a sample from "
Living For The City
"Living for the City" is a 1973 single by Stevie Wonder from his ''Innervisions'' album. It reached number 8 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart and number 1 on the R&B chart. ''Rolling Stone'' ranked the song number 104 on their 2004 list of th ...
", written and performed by Stevie Wonder, courtesy of
Motown Records
Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmant ...
.
Source
[Usher ''Raymond v. Raymond'' Liner notes. ]LaFace Records
LaFace Records was an American record label based in Atlanta, Georgia, that operated as a unit of Sony Music Entertainment from 2008 to 2011 and was historically a part of Bertelsmann Music Group from 1989 to 2004. It was most active and achie ...
(2010)
Charts
Release history
References
{{Authority control
2010 singles
Usher (musician) songs
Nicki Minaj songs
Songs written by Nicki Minaj
Songs written by Polow da Don
Songs written by Blac Elvis
Songs written by Ester Dean
Songs written by Stevie Wonder
Songs written by Usher (musician)
2009 songs
LaFace Records singles
Pop-rap songs
Dirty rap songs
Song recordings produced by Polow da Don