The Boys (Nicki Minaj and Cassie song) on:
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"The Boys" is a song recorded by Trinidadian-American rapper and singer
Nicki Minaj confirmed the re-release of '' Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded'' and its lead single in September 2012 at the
described "The Boys" as having "a mix of 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 ...
and American singer 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 ...
. It was written by Minaj, Anjulie Persaud, Jonas Jeberg
Jonas Jeberg (born January 28, 1975), is a Danish songwriter and music producer residing in Los Angeles. He has written and produced hit songs including Panic! at the Disco's " High Hopes", Selena Gomez's " Fetish" featuring Gucci Mane, Fifth Har ...
and Jean Baptiste, and produced by the latter two. The song was released on September 13, 2012, through Cash Money, Young Money
Young Money Entertainment is an American record label founded by rapper Lil Wayne. Young Money's president is Lil Wayne's lifelong friend and fellow rapper Mack Maine. The label was an imprint of Cash Money Records and is distributed by Republ ...
and Universal Republic
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 ...
as the lead single
A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date.
Release s ...
from the reissue
In the music industry, a reissue (also re-release, repackage or re-edition) is the release of an album or Single (music), single which has been released at least once before, sometimes with alterations or additions.
Reasons for reissue
New aud ...
of Minaj's second studio album, '' Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded – The Re-Up'' (2012). It was Minaj's last single to be released by Universal Republic before the label went defunct and its artists roster moved to the revived 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 ...
. Initially a track recorded by Cassie for her second studio album under the title "Money on Love," it was subsequently played for Minaj during sessions for ''The Re-Up'', who decided to keep Cassie's vocals but wrote her own verses with certain production portions also being re-worked.
Though generally categorized as a mix of pop and hip hop, "The Boys" also incorporates elements of other genres, such as dancehall
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The Rou ...
and folk music
Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...
in its production. Musically, it features strong basslines
Bassline (also known as a bass line or bass part) is the term used in many styles of music, such as blues, jazz, funk, dub and electronic, traditional, or classical music for the low-pitched instrumental part or line played (in jazz and som ...
and synthesizers
A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and ...
, along with guitar riffs and rapping. Its lyrical content is described as a "fun but pithy kiss-off to men who try to buy love with money and jewels." The song received acclaim from music critics, who complimented Minaj's rapping style, its structure and Cassie's inclusion. Commercially, the single appeared on a few record charts, such as the US ''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 ...
'' Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (also known as Bubbling Under the Hot 100) is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. The chart lists the top songs that have not yet charted on the main ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Chart ...
, where it peaked at number fourteen, and number forty-one 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 ...
chart. It also charted in European countries including Belgium, Ireland and the United Kingdom.
An accompanying music video premiered on Vevo
Vevo ( , an abbreviation for "Video Evolution", stylized as VEVO until 2013) is an American multinational video hosting service, best known for providing music videos to YouTube. The service is also available as an app on selected smart TVs, di ...
on October 18, 2012, and was teased by Minaj with a behind-the-scenes
In film, cinema, behind-the-scenes (BTS), also known as the making-of, the set, or on the set, is a type of documentary film that features the Filmmaking#Production, production of a film or television program. This is often referred to as the E ...
featurette earlier that month. Directed by Colin Tilley
Colin Tilley (born June 27, 1988) is an American filmmaker, music video director, and television commercial director. Tilley is the CEO and owner of Boy in the Castle Productions. He has directed more than 300 music videos.
Tilley directed, pro ...
, the video was met with generally positive reception. The colorful cartoonish visuals are set in an imaginary neighborhood where Minaj burns down a barbershop with a flamethrower
A flamethrower is a ranged incendiary device designed to project a controllable jet of fire. First deployed by the Byzantine Empire in the 7th century AD, flamethrowers saw use in modern times during World War I, and more widely in World ...
after a visit to a beauty salon
A beauty salon or beauty parlor is an establishment dealing with cosmetic treatments for people. Other variations of this type of business include hair salons, spas, day spas, and medical spas.
Beauty treatments
Massage for the body is a b ...
herself. Cassie plays an androgynous
Androgyny is the possession of both masculine and feminine characteristics. Androgyny may be expressed with regard to biological sex, gender identity, or gender expression.
When ''androgyny'' refers to mixed biological sex characteristics i ...
-looking character, inspired by the Ken doll
Kenneth Sean Carson is a fashion doll and fictional character invented by Elliot Handler and introduced by American toy company Mattel in 1961 as the counterpart of Barbie, who was introduced two years earlier. Ken was named after Kenneth Handle ...
, that "mocks the boys a little bit." Minaj performed the track on her Pink Friday: Reloaded Tour (2012).
Background and release
Nicki Minaj confirmed the re-release of '' Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded'' and its lead single in September 2012 at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2012 MTV Video Music Awards, hosted by Kevin Hart, took place on Thursday, September 6, 2012, honoring the best music videos from the previous year. The awards were broadcast from the Staples Center arena at L.A. Live in Downtown Los Angeles. ...
, telling E! News
''E! News'', previously known as ''E! News Daily'' and ''E! News Live'', is the entertainment news operation for the cable network E! in the United States. Its former on-air weekday newscast debuted on September 1, 1991, and primarily reports ...
, "I'm actually going to drop my new single like next week." On September 10, 2012, Minaj revealed through Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
that the song's title was "The Boys" and that a "real pretty" female would be collaborating with her on it, along with a music video being planned for the track. A day later, Minaj tweeted "Thursday" which was believed to be the release date of the single. The song was released on September 13, 2012, being made available for digital download via the iTunes Store
The iTunes Store is a digital media store operated by Apple Inc. It opened on April 28, 2003, as a result of Steve Jobs' push to open a digital marketplace for music. As of April 2020, iTunes offered 60 million songs, 2.2 million apps, 25,00 ...
. It premiered on American radio platform iHeartRadio
iHeartRadio (often shortened to just "iHeart") is an American freemium broadcast, podcast and radio streaming Computing platform, platform owned by iHeartMedia. It was founded in August 2008. , iHeartRadio was functioning as the national umbr ...
that same day.
"The Boys" takes origins from a demo
Demo, usually short for demonstration, may refer to:
Music and film
*Demo (music), a song typically recorded for reference rather than release
* ''Demo'' (Behind Crimson Eyes), a 2004 recording by the band Behind Crimson Eyes
* ''Demo'' (Deafhea ...
originally recorded solely by Cassie called "Money on Love," intended to be the singer's second single from her second studio album, following "King of Hearts
The king of hearts is a playing card in the standard 52-card deck.
King of Hearts may also refer to:
Games
* The King of Hearts Has Five Sons, card game that may have been a precursor to Cluedo
Books
* King of Hearts (''Alice's Adventures ...
." For unknown reasons, the album was delayed and the song was subsequently played for Minaj during sessions for ''The Re-Up The Re-Up may refer to:
*'' Eminem Presents: The Re-Up'', a compilation album by Eminem
*'' Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded – The Re-Up'', the reissue of '' Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded'' by Nicki Minaj
Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (; born December 8, ...
''. Minaj decided to keep Cassie's vocals on the track, but re-wrote the majority of the verses and additional production elements were also included. Cassie mentioned the song was different for her and "kind of disrespectful a little," observing, "but the funny thing is, it's more my personality than anything else that anyone else has heard." "It's more of an in-your-face, tougher Cassie." She also defined it as being "a little bit funkier." "I love her verses on this record, she went in," Cassie told 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 ...
about working with Minaj, "I love when women collab and are all about girl power
Girl power is a slogan that encourages and celebrates women's empowerment, independence, confidence and strength. The slogan's invention is credited to the US punk band Bikini Kill, who published a zine called ''Bikini Kill #2: Girl Power'' in 1 ...
. It's not that we're against the boys; we just wanted to sing about them. And Nicki is so inspiring, I learned so much from her just even being on camera and watching her perform." Minaj and Cassie had previously collaborated on the unreleased song "Fuck U Silly," that was leaked online in January 2010.
Composition
TheBBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...dancehall
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The Rou ...
, folk
Folk or Folks may refer to:
Sociology
*Nation
*People
* Folklore
** Folk art
** Folk dance
** Folk hero
** Folk music
*** Folk metal
*** Folk punk
*** Folk rock
** Folk religion
* Folk taxonomy
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Folk Plus or Fol ...
and machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic, rifled autoloading firearm designed for sustained direct fire with rifle cartridges. Other automatic firearms such as automatic shotguns and automatic rifles (including assault rifles and battle rifles) a ...
beats." It was written by Minaj, Anjulie Persaud, along with Jonas Jeberg
Jonas Jeberg (born January 28, 1975), is a Danish songwriter and music producer residing in Los Angeles. He has written and produced hit songs including Panic! at the Disco's " High Hopes", Selena Gomez's " Fetish" featuring Gucci Mane, Fifth Har ...
and Jean Baptiste, who produced and co-produced the track respectively. It features a mix of synth
A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis and f ...
swoops, syncopated percussion
A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...
and gurgling acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...
arpeggio
A broken chord is a chord broken into a sequence of notes. A broken chord may repeat some of the notes from the chord and span one or more octaves.
An arpeggio () is a type of broken chord, in which the notes that compose a chord are played ...
s by Jeberg and Baptiste. It also has a "throbbing beat, harsh basslines and hyperactive breaks." Cassie's parts, written by Canadian pop singer Anjulie, are backed up by a guitar line. Artistdirect
ARTISTdirect is an American online digital media entertainment company.
Overview
Founded in 1994, it owns several websites, including artistdirect.com and artistdirectinterviews.com. These websites are a group of affiliate websites offering mul ...
characterized the song by stating that it "stirs a perfect storm between clever hip hop, potent pop, and soulful acoustic pondering." They detailed its structure: "Minaj lets haters know what they can do via a blunt, brilliant verse before the otherworldly cyber beat funnels into an impressive infectious robotized refrain," continuing that "then, utterly unexpectedly, the track descends into an acoustic strum and Cassie pristinely singing, 'You get high and fuck a bunch of girls and then cry on top of the world.'"
The song is about a "pithy kiss-off to men who try to buy love with money and jewels." The lyrics include references to the songs " Hey Soul Sister" by Train
In rail transport, a train (from Old French , from Latin , "to pull, to draw") is a series of connected vehicles that run along a railway track and Passenger train, transport people or Rail freight transport, freight. Trains are typically pul ...
and "Technologic
"Technologic" is a song by French duo Daft Punk from their third studio album, ''Human After All'' (2005). It was released as the second single on 14 June 2005. The music video for "Technologic" was directed by Daft Punk.
Composition
In the son ...
" by 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 ...
. In the lyrical content, it appears to have Minaj rapping her "most ferocious lines" according to ''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 ...
'', exemplified by: "I tell 'em Nicki be chillin'/ I'ma keep hurting their feelings/ Because you'll never be Jordan/ You couldn't even be Pippen/ You couldn't even be trippin'/ You can't afford a vacation/ I'm out in Haiti with Haitians/ I go to Asia with Asians/ You mad dusty/ You a lil' dusty possum/ I just come through with the six like my name was Blossom." It is written in the key of C minor
C minor is a minor scale based on C, consisting of the pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. Its key signature consists of three flats. Its relative major is E major and its parallel major is C major.
The C natural minor scale is:
:
Cha ...
at a tempo of 109 beats per minute.
Critical reception
The song garnered praise from contemporary music critics. Gerrick D. Kennedy from the ''Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'' commented that Minaj has "married the two styles" of rap and pop with "The Boys," adding that the song "begs for immediate radio play" and is a "fresh reminder of the Minaj tracks her rap fans love." Popdust's Nate Jones gave four out of five stars to the track, saying that it is "catchy as hell, but with enough 'credibility'." Writing for Artistdirect, Rick Florino gave the song five out of five stars, calling it "one of Minaj's best tracks yet and a landmark song for 2012," thanking her for "changing the game again" and claiming that "there's no one as exciting as Nicki Minaj in either pop or hip hop." Robbie Daw from 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 ...
said that the song "probably won't shake out as being the most memorable entry into Nicki's canon of jams," applauding Cassie's vocal contribution: "we dig the way Cassie's soft vocals glide in atop a shimmery acoustic guitar." Carrie Batten of ''Pitchfork'' gave it a positive review by writing the track is "a zig-zagging pocket symphony whose bubblegum is so sugary it might actually raise your glycemic index just by hitting your ears." MuuMuse's Bradley Stern called the duet "fiery" and "robo-tastic," also comparing "The Boys" to Minaj's previous singles " Super Bass" and " Stupid Hoe."
A writer for ''The Huffington Post
''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
'' stated: "The track is actually interesting because it vacillates from rap song to some version of a downtempo
Downtempo (or downbeat) is a broad label for electronic music that features an atmospheric sound and slower beats than would typically be found in dance music. Closely related to ambient music but with greater emphasis on rhythm, the style may ...
singer-songwriter tune." Sal Cinquemani from ''Slant Magazine
''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...
'' positively expressed that the song "mixes hard and soft, with Minaj's Daft Punk-inspired flow complemented by an acoustic guitar-accompanied chorus." MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
's Michael Depland remarked that "on her latest banga, Nicki spits hot rhymes while Cassie brings the smooth vocals," and recognized they "make a pretty spectacular team." Nadeska Alexis of the same publication wrote that "the rapper has finally found a bit of balance between her hip-hop roots and her pop persona," attributing that to the fact "while the radio-ready beat is certainly pop, Minaj also gets back to spitting bars," noticing Cassie's "sugary hook." ''Spin
Spin or spinning most often refers to:
* Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning
* Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis
* Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
s Marc Hogan deemed it "a hybrid between the light, buoyant pop of Minaj's biggest hit to date, "Super Bass," and her old, unhinged guest and mixtape appearances." Mickey Woods from '' Glamour'' felt that "The Boys" is "just as rainbow-brite spaz-tastic as we've come to expect from Nicki," elaborating, "Kaleidoscopic in its scope, the song practically zig-zags through genres and rapid-fire rhyme schemes while somehow managing to sound catchy enough to give me one of those insta-sugar boosts that only the catchiest pop music can give."
Music video
Background and concept
Minaj announced that a video for "The Boys" was in the works during a Twitter Q&A with fans in early September 2012. It was filmed later that month at a closed studio set inLos 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' ...
. The music video was directed by Colin Tilley
Colin Tilley (born June 27, 1988) is an American filmmaker, music video director, and television commercial director. Tilley is the CEO and owner of Boy in the Castle Productions. He has directed more than 300 music videos.
Tilley directed, pro ...
, who had worked with Minaj in the music video for "I Am Your Leader
"I Am Your Leader" is a song recorded by American rapper and singer Nicki Minaj for her second studio album '' Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded'' (2012). The song features additional rap vocals from hip hop artists Rick Ross and Cam'ron. Production ...
" earlier that year. Behind-the-scenes
In film, cinema, behind-the-scenes (BTS), also known as the making-of, the set, or on the set, is a type of documentary film that features the Filmmaking#Production, production of a film or television program. This is often referred to as the E ...
footage was shared online on October 3, 2012, showing a colorful pink set with Minaj wearing neon colored clothing and driving around a block
Block or blocked may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting
* Block programming, the result of a programming strategy in broadcasting
* W242BX, a radio station licensed to Greenville, South Carolina, United States known as ''96.3 ...
in a "souped-up pink whip" featuring "Barb-inspired delights" and her alter ego
An alter ego (Latin for "other I", " doppelgänger") means an alternate self, which is believed to be distinct from a person's normal or true original personality. Finding one's alter ego will require finding one's other self, one with a differen ...
Roman's own ice cream parlor. Minaj can be heard saying, "Whoa, I wanna live on this block." She teased still shots from the video in the days leading up to its release. The official music video for "The Boys" premiered on October 18, 2012, on Vevo
Vevo ( , an abbreviation for "Video Evolution", stylized as VEVO until 2013) is an American multinational video hosting service, best known for providing music videos to YouTube. The service is also available as an app on selected smart TVs, di ...
.
Cassie explained everyone had an opportunity to play on set with their interpretation of the track, and she came up with the idea of sporting a men's suit with Ken doll
Kenneth Sean Carson is a fashion doll and fictional character invented by Elliot Handler and introduced by American toy company Mattel in 1961 as the counterpart of Barbie, who was introduced two years earlier. Ken was named after Kenneth Handle ...
-inspired hair while counting money to "mock the boys a little bit." The final scene originated from Tilley so there would be "some sort of ending to the story." She cleared up the original concept and talked about the experience: " icki'staking over, she's re-upping, she's re-loading, so that was just Colin's off-the-wall concept and idea but I love it. I've never done a video that's actually felt like pop art when I was on the set. It was really cool."
Synopsis
The colorful visuals, set in an imaginary neighborhood, open with a whitefountain
A fountain, from the Latin "fons" (genitive "fontis"), meaning source or Spring (hydrology), spring, is a decorative reservoir used for discharging water. It is also a structure that jets water into the air for a decorative or dramatic effect. ...
flowing with pink liquid, introducing the director and the two artists in the video. The scene changes to a woman reading a newspaper with Minaj's photo on the cover next to the headline
The headline or heading is the text indicating the content or nature of the article below it, typically by providing a form of brief summary of its contents.
The large type ''front page headline'' did not come into use until the late 19th centur ...
"Barber Shop Burns Down After "Freak" Flame-Thrower Accident," Minaj is then quickly seen looking maliciously at the camera indicating her as the culprit
A culprit, under English law properly the prisoner at the bar, is one accused of a crime. The term is used, generally, of one guilty of an offence. In origin the word is a combination of two Anglo-French legal words, culpable: guilty, and prit or ...
. A scene is shown of a man unconsciously knocked out with sounds of fire alarms going off. The scene changes to Minaj crashing a pink car, with men smirking at her as she steps out wearing a yellow and pink wig. Minaj begins walking down a colorful street rapping to the song, with men behind her dressed in pink holding umbrellas. Cassie is shown singing the chorus in the same setting with a yellow mohawk Mohawk may refer to:
Related to Native Americans
*Mohawk people, an indigenous people of North America (Canada and New York)
*Mohawk language, the language spoken by the Mohawk people
*Mohawk hairstyle, from a hairstyle once thought to have been t ...
, multicolored blazer, white pants and black platforms, with men gazing in awe while ostentatiously lusting after her, as women continue to roller skate
Roller skates, are shoes or bindings that fit onto shoes that are worn to enable the wearer to roll along on wheels. The first roller skate was an inline skate design, effectively an ice skate with wheels replacing the blade. Later the "quad ska ...
in the background. The scene then cuts to Cassie in a white bikini in a pink and white polka dotted room with a giant ball of the same pattern. The angle switches to Minaj pulling off in an orange Campagna T-Rex
The Campagna T-Rex is a two-seat, three-wheeled motor vehicle created by Campagna Motors, located in Quebec, Canada. It is powered by an in-line 6-cylinder engine from BMW. Although it used to be registered as a motorcycle, it is now largely consi ...
, in a yellow background sporting a blonde wig, a pink bikini, and shades. Minaj joins Cassie in the polka-dotted scene, donning a blue and pink wig this time, and a yellow and black outfit with blue shoes, while Cassie continues to sing her part. Minaj sensually touches Cassie, dancing in precarious positions along Cassie's waistline and thighs.
Minaj and Cassie go through many costume changes in the video. Various clips of Minaj and Cassie appear as the chorus goes, including Minaj bouncing on the ball as she raps along. Minaj then starts the second verse inside of a colorful beauty salon
A beauty salon or beauty parlor is an establishment dealing with cosmetic treatments for people. Other variations of this type of business include hair salons, spas, day spas, and medical spas.
Beauty treatments
Massage for the body is a b ...
, sporting a pink wig, getting her hair done. Dancers are seen doing choreography in the salon and Cassie begins to sing the chorus again while sitting down in the same setting, dressed in a blue men's suit, holding a stack of money that she proceeds to throw in the air as she joins the dancers. Minaj is now rapping the last verse of the track and opens the scene with a flamethrower
A flamethrower is a ranged incendiary device designed to project a controllable jet of fire. First deployed by the Byzantine Empire in the 7th century AD, flamethrowers saw use in modern times during World War I, and more widely in World ...
, donning a blonde wig, wearing a denim bra and a skirt, in a crime scene
A crime scene is any location that may be associated with a committed crime. Crime scenes contain physical evidence that is pertinent to a criminal investigation. This evidence is collected by crime scene investigators (CSI) and law enforcement ...
set in a burnt down barber
A barber is a person whose occupation is mainly to cut, dress, groom, style and shave men's and boys' hair or beards. A barber's place of work is known as a "barbershop" or a "barber's". Barbershops are also places of social interaction and publi ...
shop, with blazing blue flames and unconscious men behind her. More clips from previous scenes of Minaj and Cassie interacting are continuously shown throughout the visuals. Towards the end of the music video, Minaj is seen playing with her hair, as Cassie appears in another scene sitting on a lip shaped couch and Minaj smiling in her T-Rex automobile.
Reception
''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 ...
'' described the music video as "chock full of two things: fire and the color pink." ''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 ...
'' called it "steamy" and "sexuality-challenging," and explored discussion of women "exhibiting lesbian
A lesbian is a Homosexuality, homosexual woman.Zimmerman, p. 453. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate n ...
curiosity." Stereogum
''Stereogum'' is a daily Internet publication that focuses on music news, reviews, interviews, and commentary. The site was created in January 2002 by Scott Lapatine.
''Stereogum'' was one of the first MP3 blogs and has received several award ...
's Tom Breihan posted that the video had "vicious day-glo
The Day-Glo Color Corp. (also styled as DayGlo) is a privately held American paint and pigments manufacturer based in Cleveland, Ohio. It was founded in 1946 by brothers Joseph and Robert Switzer and is currently owned by RPM International. It ...
absurdity" levels, drawing comparisons between Cassie's looks and Grace Jones
Grace Beverly Jones (born 19 May 1948) is a model, singer and actress. Born in Jamaica, she and her family moved to Syracuse, New York, when she was a teenager. Jones began her modelling career in New York state, then in Paris, working for ...
, referencing "a futuristic motorcycle thing that may have escaped from a 2002 Jadakiss
Jason Terrance Phillips (born May 27, 1975), better known by his stage name Jadakiss, is an American rapper from Yonkers, New York. He began his career in the 1990s as a member of the rap trio The Lox, managed by Ruff Ryders and signed with Bad ...
video." Carrie Battan of ''Pitchfork'' stated the "bubblegummy single" had the "brightest video ever," detailing it as "an epic, rainbow-bright, gender-bending tale of revenge crimes against the entire male population."
''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 Erika Ramirez commented that "both ladies wow the working gentlemen with their 'tude and revealing outfits, from swimwear to sexy menswear" in the clip. Katie Hasty from HitFix
HitFix, or HitFix.com, was an entertainment news website that launched in December 2008 specializing in breaking entertainment news, insider information, and reviews and critiques of film, music, and television. In mid-2010 HitFix crossed the 1,00 ...
noted that it "will ring familiar, albeit in furious colors of magenta, aggressive greens, volcanic reds and the rapper's favorite color" on the track that "takes solid aim at the boys of hip-hop, how they expect their "love" to be hand-delivered as a commodity," and that its creators also tried to mix up the genders with the styling in the visuals, "by putting Cassie in a suit without a shirt on underneath, for instance, or Nicki rocking denim in a princess-styled two-piece." At Hip-Hop Wired, Kazeem Famuyide wrote they delivered a video that "seems to be made for the hyper-media generation of GIF
The Graphics Interchange Format (GIF; or , see pronunciation) is a bitmap image format that was developed by a team at the online services provider CompuServe led by American computer scientist Steve Wilhite and released on 15 June 1987. ...
-makers and Tumblr
Tumblr (stylized as tumblr; pronounced "tumbler") is an American microblogging and social networking website founded by David Karp in 2007 and currently owned by Automattic. The service allows users to post multimedia and other content to a sho ...
addicts." ''Spin'' declared "the clip melds cartoonish hyper-sexuality with a murderous rampage," defining it as "outlandish and revealingly attired."
Lauren Nostro from ''Complex
Complex commonly refers to:
* Complexity, the behaviour of a system whose components interact in multiple ways so possible interactions are difficult to describe
** Complex system, a system composed of many components which may interact with each ...
'' pointed out "it was captivating as we had hoped" and "marks the debut of Cassie's big return as a pop star." Other publications also commended Cassie's androgyny
Androgyny is the possession of both masculine and feminine characteristics. Androgyny may be expressed with regard to biological sex, gender identity, or gender expression.
When ''androgyny'' refers to mixed biological sex characteristics in ...
looks in the video, embracing "her masculine side in a blue suit," with '' Allure'' suggesting the "extreme looks are so easy to imitate, making Minaj and Cassie such a great (and timely) duo Halloween
Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observanc ...
costume." MTV's Nadeska Alexis selected "Cassie's transformation into a man, sporting a dark blue suit with cropped neon hair, is our favorite look." Popdust recounted the video as Minaj and Cassie embarking "on giving a tutorial in how to make certain boys – the kind who've probably done you wrong or will soon do you wrong – jealous, and maybe a little scared for their well-being," and added that the opening newspaper headline warning was reminiscent of another "''femme fatale
A ''femme fatale'' ( or ; ), sometimes called a maneater or vamp, is a stock character of a mysterious, beautiful, and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers, often leading them into compromising, deadly traps. She is an archetype of ...
''" collaboration, Lady Gaga
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta ( ; born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She is known for her image reinventions and musical versatility. Gaga began performing as a teenag ...
and Beyoncé
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
's "Telephone
A telephone is a telecommunications device that permits two or more users to conduct a conversation when they are too far apart to be easily heard directly. A telephone converts sound, typically and most efficiently the human voice, into e ...
." The music video was nominated for Best Art Direction at the 2013 MVPA Awards.
Track listing
*Digital download (Explicit version) #"The Boys" – 4:08 *Digital download (Clean version) #"The Boys" – 4:09Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded – The Re-Up''. ;Locations * Recorded at Studio Malibu, Malibu, and Jonas Mobile Studio and Jeberg Studios,Copenhagen
Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...
* Mixed at Studio Malibu, Malibu
* Mastered at Chris Athens Masters, Austin
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...
;Personnel
* 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 ...
– vocals, primary artist, songwriter
* 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 ...
– vocals, featured artist
* Jonas Jeberg
Jonas Jeberg (born January 28, 1975), is a Danish songwriter and music producer residing in Los Angeles. He has written and produced hit songs including Panic! at the Disco's " High Hopes", Selena Gomez's " Fetish" featuring Gucci Mane, Fifth Har ...
– producer, songwriter, instruments, programming, mixing, engineer
* Jean Baptiste – co-producer, songwriter
* Anjulie Persaud – songwriter
* Chris Athens – mastering
* Ariel Chobaz – mixing, engineer
* Kuk Harrell
Thaddis Laphonia "Kuk" Harrell ( ) is an American songwriter, vocal producer, arranger and engineer. He was a member of a songwriting–production team composed of himself, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart and The-Dream, Terius "The-Dream" Nash. In ...
– additional vocal producer, engineer
* Josh Gudwin – engineer
Charts
Release history
References
External links
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Boys, The 2012 singles 2012 songs Cash Money Records singles Cassie Ventura songs Music videos directed by Colin Tilley Nicki Minaj songs Republic Records singles Songs written by Anjulie Songs written by Jean-Baptiste (songwriter) Songs written by Jonas Jeberg Songs written by Nicki Minaj