"Make Love" is a hip hop song by rappers
Gucci Mane
Radric Delantic Davis (born February 12, 1980), known professionally as Gucci Mane, is an American rapper and record executive. He helped pioneer the hip hop subgenre of trap music alongside fellow Atlanta-based rappers T.I. and Young Jeezy, ...
and
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 ...
. It was released as a single on February 23, 2017, by Young Money Entertainment 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 ...
as the first single from Mane's eleventh studio album ''
Mr. Davis
''Mr. Davis'' is the eleventh studio album by American rapper Gucci Mane. It was released on October 13, 2017, by GUWOP Enterprises, RBC Records and Atlantic Records. The album is Gucci Mane's second commercial project of the year of 2017, followin ...
''.
It debuted and peaked at number 78 on the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100. On April 19, Mane released the music video for "Make Love". Following the release of the track, critics suggested that the track may have contained attacks directed at Minaj's enemies, most notably
Remy Ma
Reminisce Mackie ( Smith; born May 30, 1980), known professionally as Remy Ma, is an American rapper. Discovered by Big Pun, she came to prominence for her work as a member of Fat Joe's group, Terror Squad. In 2006, she released her debut stu ...
, who released the
diss track
A diss track, diss record or diss song (diss – abbr. from ''disrespect'') is a song whose primary purpose is to verbally attack someone else, usually another artist. Diss tracks are often the result of an existing, escalating feud between the ...
, "
Shether
"Shether" (sometimes stylized as shETHER) is a diss track by American rapper Remy Ma. The song is aimed at rapper Nicki Minaj. It was released on February 25, 2017, by Empire Distribution. The song's title and beat is from the diss track "Ether" ...
", aimed at Minaj, two days after "Make Love" was released.
Background
The collaboration marks the first time after seven years Mane and Minaj were on a song together.
The song also marks the first time the pair worked together since they exchanged heated words on Twitter in 2013.
On February 23, 2017, Mane announced on his Twitter that he was dropping the "hardest song of the year" at midnight. A music video soon followed.
On the track, Minaj takes shots at Remy Ma, who previously released "Money Shower" which was allegedly aimed at Minaj.
Critical reception
The song received highly positive reviews from critics, most comparing Minaj's verse to her "
Monster
A monster is a type of fictional creature found in horror, fantasy, science fiction, folklore, mythology and religion. Monsters are very often depicted as dangerous and aggressive with a strange, grotesque appearance that causes terror and fe ...
" verse. Vanessa Okoth-Obbo of ''
Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...
'' praised the song, saying "Gucci's already claiming this is the 'hardest song of the year', and his swaggering verses find him extolling his fame, wealth, and finer things in life". Daniel Kreps 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 "Minaj appears on the second half of 'Make Love' to deliver a feisty verse that takes aim at an unnamed challenger to her throne: 'You see, silly rabbit / To be the queen of rap / You gotta sell records / You gotta get plaques / S, plural / Like the S on my chest / Now sit your dumb ass down / You got an 'F' on the test', she says on the track."
The Musical Hype gave the track a three and half star rating, stating "'Make Love' truly has little to do with sex… Gucci flexes ('Damn, who colder than me?'). Nicki shuts it down ('I rep Queens where they listen to a bunch of Nas / I'm a yes and these b*tches is a bunch of nahs'). This isn't totally new from the ATL rapper or his partner-in-crime, but it works out sensationally all in all." ''
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 ...
''
's Will Bundy called the song "a
bar
Bar or BAR may refer to:
Food and drink
* Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages
* Candy bar
* Chocolate bar
Science and technology
* Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment
* Bar (tropical cyclone), a layer of cloud
* Bar (u ...
-heavy banger with a twinkly melodic loop that feels a little like a throwback to '
Freaky Gurl
"Freaky Gurl" is a song by rapper Gucci Mane from his 2006 album ''Hard to Kill'' and his 2007 album ''Trap-A-Thon''. The song was produced by Cyber Sapp for Big Cat Records; its catchy beat interpolates "Superfreak" by Rick James, who is credite ...
'". Bundy also stated: "for the record, Nicki is going ''hard'', and it kinda feels personal".
Music video
The music video was directed by Eif Rivera.
On March 27, 2017, Minaj surprised her fanbase with the "Make Love" visual release date on Twitter. The following day, the video was uploaded on Mane's Vevo.
The video primarily shows Mane and Minaj, with Minaj seen delivering her verse seated on an oversized pool float unicorn. Meanwhile, Gucci is shown driving around his mansion, relaxed, listening to his music.
Charts
Certifications
References
{{authority control
2017 singles
2017 songs
Gucci Mane songs
Nicki Minaj songs
Songs written by Gucci Mane
Songs written by Nicki Minaj
Songs written by Southside (record producer)