"Trap Queen" is the debut single by American rapper

Fetty Wap Willie Junior Maxwell II (born June 7, 1991), better known by his stage names Fetty Wap or Harlem Fetty, is an American rapper, singer and songwriter. He rose to prominence after his debut single "Trap Queen" reached number two on the U.S. ''B ...

from his self-titled debut album (2015). Following its online premiere in March 2014, it was released independently on April 22, 2014, before being re-released in conjunction with

300 Entertainment Theory Entertainment LLC, doing business as 300 Entertainment, is an American record label founded by Lyor Cohen, Kevin Liles, Todd Moscowitz, and Roger Gold. The label's roster includes acts across multiple genres such as hip hop, rock, pop, ele ...

on December 15, 2014. The song was well received by critics who praised the vocals and production for being cheery and infectious. "Trap Queen" was a

sleeper hit In the entertainment industry, a sleeper hit is a film, television series, music release, video game, or some other entertainment product that was initially unsuccessful on release but became a success later on. A sleeper hit may have little promo ...

, becoming Fetty Wap's first entry on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in mid-2015 and ultimately went on to be a top ten hit, peaking at number two; the song spent 25 consecutive weeks in the top ten. Outside the United States, "Trap Queen" peaked within the top ten of the charts in Denmark and the United Kingdom. An accompanying

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...

for the song, directed by Nitt Da Gritt, was released on his

YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...

page that features Wap and his girlfriend partying at their apartment. He first performed the song on television at the

2015 MTV Movie Awards The 2015 MTV Movie Awards were held on April 12, 2015 at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California. This was the 24th installment of the award show and the second time the Nokia Theatre would serve as its venue. The award show was hosted by c ...

with

Fall Out Boy Fall Out Boy is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Wilmette, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Patrick Stump, bassist Pete Wentz, lead guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer A ...

and would make later appearances at ''

The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'', ''

Jimmy Kimmel Live! ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'' is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. The nightly hour-long show debuted on January 26, 2003, at Hollywood Masonic Temple in Hollywood, Los ...

'', '' Nick Cannon Presents Wild 'n Out'' and the

BET Awards 2015 The 15th BET Awards was held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California on June 28, 2015 and was televised on BET. This year marked the ceremony's 15th anniversary and the milestone was celebrated throughout the show, which was hosted by ...

to perform the song. The song received two nominations at the 58th Grammy Awards:

Best Rap Song The Grammy Award for Best Rap Song is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality songs in the rap music genre. Honors in several ...

and

Best Rap Performance The Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance is an honor presented to recording artists for quality rap performances. It was first presented at the 31st Annual Grammy Awards in 1989 and again at the 32nd Annual Grammy Awards in 1990, after which p ...

Background and release

Fetty Wap, a native of

Paterson, New Jersey Paterson ( ) is the largest City (New Jersey), city in and the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, Passaic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Wap conceived "Trap Queen" in late 2013 and recorded the song the following March after hearing what would become its

backing track A backing track is an audio recording on audiotape, CD or a digital recording medium or a MIDI recording of synthesized instruments, sometimes of purely rhythmic accompaniment, often of a rhythm section or other accompaniment parts that live music ...

, which had been produced by Tony Fadd (real name Anton Matsulevich), a musician from Belarus. The backing track was released on Matsulevich's website for free download. It was the first recording on which Wap had sung, as he had been anxious to try "something different". The original studio recording consisted of three sung verses that Wap had freestyled in the

melody A melody (from Greek language, Greek μελῳδία, ''melōidía'', "singing, chanting"), also tune, voice or line, is a Linearity#Music, linear succession of musical tones that the listener perceives as a single entity. In its most liter ...

he had written. The recording was uploaded to

SoundCloud SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform and music sharing website that enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is one of the largest music streaming se ...

shortly after in March 2014, where it soon began amassing plays. An extended version of the initial recording, featuring an additional spoken outro, was included on Wap's ''Up Next''

mixtape A mixtape (alternatively mix-tape, mix tape or mixed tape) is a compilation of music, typically from multiple sources, recorded onto a medium. With origins in the 1980s, the term normally describes a homemade compilation of music onto a cassette ...

, which was initially sold locally in Paterson and later released online. This version of the song was also independently released on April 22, 2014, as a standalone

digital single In music, a single is a type of release, typically a song recording of fewer tracks than an LP record or an album. One can be released for sale to the public in a variety of formats. In most cases, a single is a song that is released separate ...

under Goodfella4life Entertainment. Although Wap had a feeling that "Trap Queen" was a potential

hit Hit means to strike someone or something. Hit or HIT may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Fictional entities * Hit, a fictional character from '' Dragon Ball Super'' * Homicide International Trust, or HIT, a fictional organization ...

even before recording the song, particularly when he first heard the beat, his suspicions that it could reach an audience outside his own region were confirmed later as he noticed its growing popularity on

social media Social media are interactive media technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks. While challenges to the definition of ''social medi ...

websites like

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 ...

and

Instagram Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...

; meanwhile, its play count on SoundCloud had increased to over a million within its first months online. To take advantage of the increased attention the song was receiving, a revised version was subsequently made for

radio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmit ...

which shortened the total runtime and included an additional rapped verse following the first iteration of 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 ...

. In November 2014, Wap and RGF Productions partnered with

Lyor Cohen Lyor Cohen born October 3, 1959) is an American record executive and entrepreneur. Cohen has been actively involved in hip hop at various record labels for more than 30 years. He started by managing rappers for Rush Productions, then led Def Ja ...

's label

to give "Trap Queen" a full-fledged commercial release. The two labels jointly issued the most recent edit of the single to digital retailers on December 15, 2014.

Composition

Written Writing is a medium of human communication which involves the representation of a language through a system of physically inscribed, mechanically transferred, or digitally represented symbols. Writing systems do not themselves constitute h ...

by Fetty Wap and produced by Tony Fadd of RGF Productions, "Trap Queen" is a melodic

lo-fi Lo-fi (also typeset as lofi or low-fi; short for low fidelity) is a music or production quality in which elements usually regarded as imperfections in the context of a recording or performance are present, sometimes as a deliberate choice. The ...

hip hop,

trap A trap is a mechanical device used to capture or restrain an animal for purposes such as hunting, pest control, or ecological research. Trap or TRAP may also refer to: Art and entertainment Films and television * ''Trap'' (2015 film), Fil ...

, and R&B song. Wap sings most of the song's verses, along with its chorus, in a gritty, melodic delivery reminiscent of contemporary

Southern hip hop Southern hip hop, also known as Southern rap, South Coast hip hop, or dirty south, is a blanket term for a regional genre of American hip hop music that emerged in the Southern United States, especially in Atlanta, New Orleans, Houston, Memph ...

artists such as

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, ...

Future The future is the time after the past and present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the apparent nature of reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that currently ...

Rich Homie Quan Dequantes Lamar (born October 4, 1989), known professionally as Rich Homie Quan, is an American rapper. He was previously signed to labels T.I.G. Entertainment and Motown, and is an independent artist as of 2021. Quan experienced commercial suc ...

, and

Young Thug Jeffery Lamar Williams (born August 16, 1991), known professionally as Young Thug, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is considered to be an influential figure of his generation, with his music impacting the modern sound of hip ...

. Wap's sung vocals, particularly during the song's chorus, are digitally altered. One additional verse, following the first iteration of the chorus, is rapped in a more straightforward, traditional style. The song's beat is largely characterized by its trap percussion and synthesized chords. Lyrically, "Trap Queen" is a giddy, affectionate tribute to a girlfriend and "partner in crime" whom Wap calls his trap queen. Wap has clarified that the song was written about an ex he had been dating and dealing

crack cocaine Crack cocaine, commonly known simply as crack, and also known as rock, is a free base form of the stimulant cocaine that can be smoked. Crack offers a short, intense high to smokers. The ''Manual of Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment'' calls ...

with during his own time in the trap. In its lyrics, Wap proclaims his love for his girlfriend, fondly recalling counting

money Money is any item or verifiable record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts, such as taxes, in a particular country or socio-economic context. The primary functions which distinguish money are as ...

, going

shopping Shopping is an activity in which a customer browses the available goods or services presented by one or more retailers with the potential intent to purchase a suitable selection of them. A Retail#Shopper profiles, typology of shopper types ha ...

, going to the

strip club A strip club is a venue where strippers provide adult entertainment, predominantly in the form of striptease or other Erotic dancing, erotic or exotic dances. Strip clubs typically adopt a nightclub or Bar (establishment), bar style, and can also ...

, getting

high High may refer to: Science and technology * Height * High (atmospheric), a high-pressure area * High (computability), a quality of a Turing degree, in computability theory * High (tectonics), in geology an area where relative tectonic uplift ...

, and " cooking pies" with her. The lyrics also express an aspirational quality, with Wap and his girlfriend setting a goal to buy matching

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) ...

s with the money they earn together. Ural Garrett of

HipHopDX ''HipHopDX'' is an online magazine of hip hop music criticism and news. The website's current president and publisher is Sharath Cherian and the Head Of Content is Jerry L. Barrow. ''HipHopDX'' is the flagship publication of Cheri Media Group. ...

compared the song's lyrical approach to

urban fiction With more than half the world's population living in cities, urban fiction has become a truly global field. Recent comprehensive studies of urban fiction showcase the worldwide reach of the genre and include ''Writing Beirut: Mappings of the Ci ...

narratives, stating that its themes "wouldn't feel too out of place in writings from

Zane The name Zane may be a given name or a surname. Its western usage derives from the Venetian form of ''Gianni'' or an alternate spelling of the German and Jewish name ''Zahn''. An Arabic name Zain, Zayn, or as it is often anglicized Zane, is an Arab ...

, Wahida Clark or Mz. Lady P".

Critical reception

Although some writers called it

gimmick A gimmick is a novel device or idea designed primarily to attract attention or increase appeal, often with little intrinsic value. When applied to retail marketing, it is a unique or quirky feature designed to make a product or service "stand ou ...

y, "Trap Queen" was generally well received by contemporary

music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...

, especially rap critics. In particular, multiple writers praised the song's "

infectious An infection is the invasion of tissues by pathogens, their multiplication, and the reaction of host tissues to the infectious agent and the toxins they produce. An infectious disease, also known as a transmissible disease or communicable dise ...

" quality. David Drake of ''

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 ...

'' highlighted the song for the December 2014 edition of the publication's Bout to Blow feature, calling it a "sweet, chirpy

love song A love song is a song about romantic love, falling in love, heartbreak after a breakup, and the feelings that these experiences bring. A comprehensive list of even the best known performers and composers of love songs would be a large order. ...

" with a "great chorus and irrepressible cheeriness". Tom Breihan of

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 ...

called it "one of the best out-of-nowhere rap anthems in recent history", noting its "stormy-but-melodic beat" and "naggingly catchy

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 ...

". In a particularly positive review for ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'', Ben Westhoff called the song "a revelation" that "sounds simultaneously familiar and exotic" and ultimately "succeeds as an oddly touching love story". Although Westhoff acknowledged that Wap's singing on "Trap Queen" was more compelling than his rapping, he went on to praise Wap's unique voice and singular

aesthetic Aesthetics, or esthetics, is a branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of beauty and taste, as well as the philosophy of art (its own area of philosophy that comes out of aesthetics). It examines aesthetic values, often expressed th ...

, also lauding the "dynamic sound" of Tony Fadd's production. Elliot Pearson of the ''

Weekly Alibi ''Weekly Alibi'', commonly referred to as ''The Alibi'', was a free weekly news, arts, culture, and entertainment newspaper and website in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The main features were the website's award-winning news section, featuring cultura ...

'' called the song an "

egalitarian Egalitarianism (), or equalitarianism, is a school of thought within political philosophy that builds from the concept of social equality, prioritizing it for all people. Egalitarian doctrines are generally characterized by the idea that all hum ...

banger dedicated to his partner in crime" and listed it as a recommended single. "Trap Queen" was named one of the best songs of 2014 in ''

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 ...

'' and ''

Vice A vice is a practice, behaviour, or habit generally considered immoral, sinful, criminal, rude, taboo, depraved, degrading, deviant or perverted in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character tra ...

'' magazine's Noisey blog, with the latter publication calling it "the hottest

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

record of the year". In addition, it was named one of the best hip hop songs of 2014 in '' XXL''. ''

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 ...

'' included "Trap Queen" in its "Top 10 Songs of 2015 (So Far)" list in June 2015, stating "A hearty "Hey, what's up, hello" to one of rap's most uniquely inspired new personalities: Fetty Wap's surprise success story has been all the more enjoyable to witness due to the jubilant debut single on which it is founded. "Trap Queen" is teeming with enough hooks and good vibes to have rightfully taken over 2015's first half." ''

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 ...

'' ranked "Trap Queen" at number 2 on its year-end list to find the 50 best songs of 2015, behind

The Weeknd Abel Makkonen Tesfaye (born February 16, 1990), known professionally as the Weeknd, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. Known for his sonic versatility and dark lyricism, his music explores escapism, Romance (love), ...

s "

Can't Feel My Face "Can't Feel My Face" is a song performed by Canadian singer the Weeknd from his second studio album ''Beauty Behind the Madness'' (2015). The song was released on June 8, 2015, as the third single from the album. It was written by Max Martin, Pet ...

". ''

'' ranked "Trap Queen" at number 7 on its year-end list: "Sure, 'Trap Queen' may have been out since the summer of 2014, but it's impossible to think back on 2015 without acknowledging the overwhelming impact of Fetty Wap, with 'Trap Queen' as his first and best anthem. Whether it's the bouncy nature of Tony Fadd's production, Fetty's insanely catchy hooks or his equally singular

ad-libs In music and other performing arts, the phrase (; from Latin for 'at one's pleasure' or 'as you desire'), often shortened to "ad lib" (as an adjective or adverb) or "ad-lib" (as a verb or noun), refers to various forms of improvisation. The r ...

(which rang out continuously in clubs and car stereos nationwide), 'Trap Queen' captured attention on its way to a No. 2 peak on the Hot 100, creating a new superstar along the way." The ''

Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the creat ...

'' named "Trap Queen" the seventh-best single released in 2015 on their annual year-end critics' poll,

Pazz & Jop Pazz & Jop was an annual poll of top musical releases, compiled by American newspaper ''The Village Voice'' and created by music critic Robert Christgau. It published lists of the year's top releases for 1971 and, after Christgau's two-year abse ...

Chart performance

Following its December 2014 re-release, "Trap Queen" became Fetty Wap's nationwide breakthrough and the first major hit single for 300 Entertainment. It debuted on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 at number 86 for the chart dated February 7, 2015. The song entered the chart's top ten seven weeks later, largely on the strength of its

streaming Streaming media is multimedia that is delivered and consumed in a continuous manner from a source, with little or no intermediate storage in network elements. ''Streaming'' refers to the delivery method of content, rather than the content it ...

activity and digital download sales. It peaked at number two for three consecutive weeks beginning on the chart dated May 16, 2015, held from the top spot by

Wiz Khalifa Cameron Jibril Thomaz (born September 8, 1987), better known by his stage name Wiz Khalifa, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor. He released his debut album, ''Show and Prove'', in 2006 and signed to Warner Bros. Records in 200 ...

's "

See You Again "See You Again" is a song by American rapper and singer Wiz Khalifa featuring fellow American singer Charlie Puth. It was commissioned for the soundtrack of the 2015 film ''Furious 7'' as a tribute to actor Paul Walker, who died in a single-ve ...

" featuring

Charlie Puth Charles Otto Puth Jr. (; born December 2, 1991) is an American singer and songwriter. His initial exposure came through the viral success of his song videos uploaded to YouTube. Puth initially signed with the record label eleveneleven after pe ...

. Over the course of its run, "Trap Queen" had also reached number one on

Hot Rap Songs Hot Rap Songs (formerly known as Hot Rap Tracks and Hot Rap Singles) is a chart released weekly by '' Billboard'' in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular hip-hop/rap songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio stat ...

and number two on

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 ...

, rising to its peak on the latter chart concurrently with taking over the number one position on

R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (previously known as Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay) is a chart published by ''Billboard'' magazine that ranks the top R&B and hip hop songs in the United States, based on audience impressions from a panel of radio stations monitored ...

. By the end of 2015, "Trap Queen" had sold 2,730,000 digital downloads domestically. "Trap Queen" generated the most on-demand streams in 2015, according to Nielsen Music, with a combined total of 616.46 million audio and video streams. It was one of five songs to surpass 400 million in on-demand streams during the year.

Music video

The

for "Trap Queen", directed by RGF Productions head Nitt Da Gritt, was uploaded to Fetty Wap's

channel on August 7, 2014, and has received more than 793 million views as of October 2022. Set in Wap's home neighborhood in Paterson, New Jersey, the video depicts Wap and his onscreen girlfriend at their apartment and amidst a group of neighbors partying. Wap first arrives to his home in a black BMW

convertible A convertible or cabriolet () is a passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary among eras and manufacturers. A convertible car's design allows an open-air driving expe ...

, where he is greeted by his girlfriend and joins her inside, where many others are gathered. The two are shown counting money and

smoking Smoking is a practice in which a substance is burned and the resulting smoke is typically breathed in to be tasted and absorbed into the bloodstream. Most commonly, the substance used is the dried leaves of the tobacco plant, which have bee ...

together, and one shot shows Wap's girlfriend

baking Baking is a method of preparing food that uses dry heat, typically in an oven, but can also be done in hot ashes, or on hot stones. The most common baked item is bread but many other types of foods can be baked. Heat is gradually transferred " ...

pie A pie is a baked dish which is usually made of a pastry dough casing that contains a filling of various sweet or savoury ingredients. Sweet pies may be filled with fruit (as in an apple pie), nuts ( pecan pie), brown sugar ( sugar pie), swe ...

. Later, Wap's girlfriend drives a white car to meet Wap on a street at his black convertible, where Wap kisses her and hands her a stack of dollar bills before they walk away together. The remainder of the video shows Wap socializing with neighbors at an outdoor gathering. The video is interspersed with shots of Wap outdoors singing the song while a crowd of neighbors dances and sings along behind him. Westhoff of ''The Guardian'' speculated that the video was filmed on a limited

budget A budget is a calculation play, usually but not always financial, for a defined period, often one year or a month. A budget may include anticipated sales volumes and revenues, resource quantities including time, costs and expenses, environmenta ...

, but conceded that it had "a strong

vérité Kelsey Regina Byrne (born May 6, 1990), known professionally as Vérité (stylized as VÉRITÉ), is an American singer and songwriter based in Brooklyn, New York City. Her first single "Strange Enough" was self-released in July 2014, reaching n ...

quality to it" as a result. He likened the video to a less cinematic version of Juvenile's music video for " Ha". In June 2015, the video earned

Music Choice Music Choice (abbreviated as MC) is an American television music service that digitally broadcasts audio-based music channels and video-related content to cable television providers in the United States. Music Choice reaches 65 million househol ...

's first MC100 Award of 2015 for being the service's most-played video of the year up to that point. It was Wap's first award.

Promotion

"Trap Queen" received much of its early attention through social media websites like Twitter and Instagram, where Fetty Wap and his team had directed early promotional efforts for the song. A major early source of exposure through such media was the rapper

Bobby Shmurda Ackquille Jean Pollard (born August 4, 1994), known professionally as Bobby Shmurda, is an American rapper. Along with Rowdy Rebel, Shmurda is considered a pioneer of Brooklyn drill music. He rose to international fame in 2014 when his song "Hot ...

— at the time enjoying the success of his own viral hit single "

Hot Nigga "Hot Nigga" (censored on the album as "Hot N*gga", edited for radio as "Hot Boy" or "Hot Ni") is the debut single by American rapper Bobby Shmurda. It was released for digital download on July 25, 2014 by Epic Records and GS9. The song includes ...

" — who posted a video to his Instagram account on October 16, 2014, in which he sang along to "Trap Queen". "Every girl wants to be a trap queen now, but how you gonna cook crack when you can't even cook

breakfast Breakfast is the first meal of the day usually eaten in the morning. The word in English refers to breaking the fasting period of the previous night.Anderson, Heather Arndt (2013)''Breakfast: A History'' AltaMira Press. Various "typical" or "t ...

?" would eventually become a popular social media

meme A meme ( ) is an idea, behavior, or style that spreads by means of imitation from person to person within a culture and often carries symbolic meaning representing a particular phenomenon or theme. A meme acts as a unit for carrying cultural i ...

inspired by the song. Toward the end of 2014 and early in 2015, the promotional focus for Wap and his team shifted toward performing

live Live may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Live!'' (2007 film), 2007 American film * ''Live'' (2014 film), a 2014 Japanese film *'' ''Live'' (Apocalyptica DVD) Music *Live (band), American alternative rock band * List of albums ...

and securing mainstream

airplay Airplay is how frequently a song is being played through broadcasting on radio stations. A song which is being played several times every day (spins) would have a significant amount of airplay. Music which became very popular on jukeboxes, in n ...

. By November 2014, the song had begun amassing airplay within the tri-state area from stations like

Hot 97 WQHT (97.1 FM, ''Hot 97'') is a commercial radio station, licensed to New York, New York, which broadcasts an urban contemporary music format. The station is owned by Mediaco Holding and operated by Emmis Communications under a shared service ...

; in particular, 300 Entertainment co-founder

Todd Moscowitz Todd Moscowitz is a music industry executive. He is currently the founder and CEO of Alamo Records and the manager of Gucci Mane. Previously, Moscowitz co-founded 300 Entertainment, served as a co-president and CEO of Warner Bros. Records an ...

credited that station's

Funkmaster Flex Aston George Taylor Jr. (born August 5, 1968), professionally known as Funkmaster Flex, is an American DJ, rapper, record producer, and host on New York City's Hot 97 radio station. In 1992, he became host of the first hip hop radio show on Hot ...

as an important early champion of the song at radio. On February 12, 2015, rap superstar

Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...

brought Wap onstage as a surprise guest at the first annual Roc City Classic concert hosted by

Roc Nation Roc Nation is an entertainment agency founded by Jay-Z in 2008. The company is headquartered in Manhattan and has additional offices in Los Angeles and London. Roc Nation comprises a comprehensive talent agency, sports agency, record label, mana ...

and

Power 105.1 WWPR-FM (105.1 FM broadcasting, FM) is an urban contemporary music radio station city of license, licensed to New York City. WWPR-FM is owned by iHeartMedia and broadcasts from studios in the former 32 Avenue of the Americas, AT&T Building in t ...

Madison Square Park Madison Square is a public square formed by the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Broadway at 23rd Street in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The square was named for Founding Father James Madison, fourth President of the United States. ...

. West proclaimed "Trap Queen" his "favorite song" of the moment, and

Jay Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...

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 ...

were seen dancing in the audience together as Wap performed the song. Wap also performed the song at his own shows, including a showcase at

South by Southwest South by Southwest, abbreviated as SXSW and colloquially referred to as South By, is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and Convention (meeting), conferences organized jointly that take place in m ...

, along with further guest performances at shows for

Chris Brown Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. According to '' Billboard'', Brown is one of the most successful R&B singers of his generation, having often been referred to by many contempo ...

and

Trey Songz Tremaine Aldon Neverson (born November 28, 1984), known professionally as Trey Songz, is an American R&B singer and rapper. His debut album, '' I Gotta Make It'', was released in 2005 through Atlantic Records. His follow-up album, ''Trey Day'', ...

. "Trap Queen" was also the final song performed in Wap's closing set at the 2015 ''XXL'' Freshmen show. In his

television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...

debut, Wap performed "Trap Queen" at the

with

on April 12, 2015. The band opened the performance with part of their own hit single "

Centuries A century is a period of 100 years. Centuries are numbered ordinally in English and many other languages. The word ''century'' comes from the Latin ''centum'', meaning ''one hundred''. ''Century'' is sometimes abbreviated as c. A centennial or ...

" before

segue A segue (; ) is a smooth transition from one topic or section to the next. The term is derived from Italian ''segue'', which literally means "follows". In music In music, ''segue'' is a direction to the performer. It means ''continue (the next ...

ing into Wap's performance of "Trap Queen", for which they provided instrumental and backing vocal accompaniment. Wap also performed the song as a musical guest on two

late-night talk show A late-night talk show is a genre of talk show popular in the United States, where the format originated. It is generally structured around humorous monologues about the day's news, guest interviews, comedy sketches and music performances. It i ...

s: first on ''

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon that airs on NBC. The show premiered on February 17, 2014, and is produced by Broadway Video and Universal Television. It is the seventh incar ...

'' May 5, accompanied by

The Roots The Roots are an American hip hop band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The Roots serve as the house band on NBC's ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy F ...

, then on ''

'' June 9, accompanied by

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

band

Phony Ppl Phony Ppl is a musical group based in Brooklyn, New York. Originally founded in 2010 with five members; the current members are Elbee Thrie (vocals), Elijah Rawk (lead guitar), Matt "Maffyuu" Byas (drums), Aja Grant (keyboard), and Bari Bass (bass ...

. He also performed the song as a guest on '' Nick Cannon Presents Wild 'n Out'' June 24 and as the closing performer on the

Remixes

Several unofficial

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 ...

es and freestyles of "Trap Queen" were released by other artists as the song became more popular. Artists releasing their takes and guest verses on the song included

French Montana Karim Kharbouch (Arabic: æɾiːm χɑɾbuːʃ born November 9, 1984), better known by his stage name French Montana, is a Moroccan-American rapper. Born and raised in Morocco, he emigrated to the United States with his family when he was 13. ...

Fabolous John David Jackson (born November 18, 1977), better known by his stage name Fabolous, is an American rapper. Raised in Brooklyn, he first gained recognition while still a senior in high school, when he performed live on American music executive ...

Rick Ross William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper. Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Sean Combs, D ...

and

Fat Trel Martrel Reeves (born June 26, 1990), better known by his stage name Fat Trel, is an American rapper. He is currently signed to MGE The Label with distribution of Asylum Records. He was signed to DTLA Records with the distribution with Beryl Med ...

Yo Gotti Mario Sentell Giden Mims (born May 19, 1981), known professionally as Yo Gotti, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record executive. In 1996, Gotti released his debut album ''Youngsta's On a Come Up'' under the alias Lil Yo. He went on to re ...

Quavo Quavious Keyate Marshall (born April 2, 1991), known professionally as Quavo (), is an American rapper, singer, and actor. He is best known as the co-founder and former frontman of hip hop group Migos. Quavo is the uncle of late fellow Migos m ...

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 ...

Shy Glizzy Marquis Amonte King (born December 12, 1992), better known by the stage names Jefe or Shy Glizzy (stylized as $hy Glizzy), is an American rapper from Southeast, Washington, D.C. Background Shy Glizzy was born Marquis Amonte King on December 1 ...

and

Da Brat Shawntae Harris-Dupart (born April 14, 1974), better known by her stage name Da Brat, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, she began her career in 1992, the year she signed with So So Def Records. Her debut album ''Funkda ...

. In particular, Wap favored Quavo's verse, which was later incorporated into the song's official remix, also featuring a verse from Gucci Mane, Wap's favorite rapper. The remix was released commercially on May 4, 2015, in the United States, while an international version featuring an additional verse from

Azealia Banks Azealia Amanda Banks ( ; born May 31, 1991) is an American rapper, singer and songwriter. Raised in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, she began releasing music through Myspace in 2008 before being signed to XL Recordings at age 18. In 2 ...

was released on the same day in other territories. In late May 2015, it was reported that a remix featuring

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

n artists

Wizkid Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun (born 16 July 1990), known professionally as Wizkid, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. A prominent figure in the modern-day Afrobeats music scene, Wizkid is regarded as one of the biggest and most influential Afri ...

Davido David Adedeji Adeleke (born November 21, 1992), popularly known by his stage name Davido, is an American-Nigerian singer, songwriter and record producer. His music blends traditional African elements with global mainstream pop. Davido is widel ...

and

Ice Prince Panshak Henry Zamani (born 30 October 1984) better known as Ice Prince Zamani or just Ice Prince, is a Nigerian rapper, hip hop recording artist and actor. He rose to fame after releasing " Oleku", one of Nigeria's most remixed songs of all t ...

would be released. In 2015, a version was done by British musician and narrator George the Poet which included mentioning the song's subject and meaning, and frustration with British politics.

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Decade-end charts

All-time charts

Certifications

Release history

References

{{Authority control 2014 songs 2014 debut singles Songs about drugs Fetty Wap songs Songs written by Fetty Wap 300 Entertainment singles American contemporary R&B songs Pop-rap songs