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Ooouuu
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| "Ooouuu" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Young M.A | ||||
| from the album Her-story | ||||
| Released | May 12, 2016 | |||
| Recorded | 2016 | |||
| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 3:54 | |||
| Label | M.A Music | |||
| Songwriters |
| |||
| Producer | U-Dub of NY Bangers | |||
| Young M.A singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Ooouuu" on YouTube | ||||
"Ooouuu" (stylized in all caps) is a song by American rapper Young M.A. The song was produced by U-Dub (of NY Bangers). It was released as a single on May 12, 2016.
Background
[edit]In an interview with Genius, Young M.A spoke on the creation process behind the song:
When I first heard the beat and wrote to it, I said to myself, "This is one of those records where I just wanna relax." There's not too much thinking about the bars or the punchlines, I needed a feel good record. I didn’t have one of those yet, I was putting so much work into my pen. This is a record where I just wanted to be cool on the track. I'm chill, I'm humble a lot, I needed one of those records.
When I went to record the track, I wanted to be drunk while I recorded it. I was really smizz and drizz when I recorded the record so it feels authentic. When I recorded the track I wasn't going to put it out just yet because I had just released Sleep Walkin and I had a lot of records on there I wanted to do videos for. But something one day just told me that I needed to put this out—nobody told me, just one day I thought this would take me to the next level.
I didn't want some big push behind it, I was just like this is a record I just wanna put out. From there, I guess it was catchy and it was different from me.[1]
Critical reception
[edit]"Ooouuu" was placed at number 11 on Rolling Stone’s "50 Best Songs of 2016" list.[2] Billboard ranked "Ooouuu" at number 16 on their "100 Best Pop Songs of 2016" list.[3] Pitchfork listed "Ooouuu" on their ranking of the 100 best songs of 2016 at number 67.[4] In the annual Village Voice's Pazz & Jop mass critics poll of the year's best in music in 2016, "Ooouuu" was ranked at number 24.[5]
In other media
[edit]- The song was sampled by Eminem for the opening track "The Ringer" on Kamikaze.[6]
- A character extensively pantomimes the song at a sleepover during the "HBD" episode of High Maintenance
Music video
[edit]On May 12, 2016, Young M.A released the music video for "Ooouuu" on her YouTube account, the same day as the release to the song. Since the video was posted, the video surpassed over 400 million views.[7]
Remixes
[edit]The official remix to "Ooouuu", released on September 30, 2016, features a new opening verse by fellow New York City rapper 50 Cent.[8] In addition, "Ooouuu" was unofficially remixed several times by various American rappers, such as Remy Ma, French Montana, ASAP Ferg, Jadakiss, Meek Mill, Beanie Sigel, Nicki Minaj, and The Game, among others.[9]
Charts and certifications
[edit]
Weekly charts[edit]
Year-end charts[edit]
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Certifications[edit]
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References
[edit]- ^ "Yo bro, I think I had too much Hennessy man / This Hennessy getting to me / I ain't gonna lie, I'm a little smizz / I'm a little drizz / But we in the club man, OOOUUU". Retrieved October 24, 2016.
- ^ "50 Best Songs of 2016". Rolling Stone. November 30, 2016. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
- ^ "Billboard's 100 Best Pop Songs of 2016: Critics' Picks". Billboard. December 12, 2016. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
- ^ "The 100 Best Songs of 2016". Pitchfork Media. December 12, 2016. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
- ^ "PAZZ+JOP 2016". Village Voice. January 25, 2017. Archived from the original on February 3, 2017. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ Minsker, Evan (August 30, 2018). "Eminem Drops Surprise New Album Kamikaze: Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
- ^ Young MA (May 12, 2016). "Young M.A "OOOUUU" (Official Video)". Retrieved October 24, 2016 – via YouTube.
- ^ Cush, Andy (September 30, 2016). "50 Cent Hops on the Remix of Young M.A's "OOOUUU"". SPIN.
- ^ "NY NY: Young M.A, Remy Ma, French Montana & Jadakiss "OOOUUU (Remix)"". August 24, 2016. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
- ^ "Young MA Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
- ^ "Young MA Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "Young MA Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
- ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2017". Billboard. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "British single certifications – Young MA – Ooouuu". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved December 12, 2021. Select singles in the Formats field. Type Ooouuu Young MA in the "Search:" field.
- ^ "American single certifications – Young M.A – Ooouuu". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
External links
[edit]Ooouuu
View on GrokipediaProduction and background
Development
In early 2016, Young M.A. purchased the instrumental for "Ooouuu" online from the beat marketplace NYbangers.com, produced by U-Dub, whose work emphasized simple yet hard-hitting drums designed to evoke a raw New York sound.[6] The beat's gritty, street-oriented vibe immediately resonated with her established style of unfiltered Brooklyn rap, providing a foundation for aggressive flows and ad-libs that captured the essence of local hip-hop traditions.[6] She acquired it sometime before January 2016, when the track was initially laid down, aligning with her ongoing efforts to craft music reflective of East Coast authenticity amid her rising visibility following the 2015 mixtape Sleepwalkin'.[6] The song's origins trace back to a spontaneous freestyle session, where Young M.A. rapped over the beat casually to unwind after a demanding day, without any immediate plans for commercial release.[7] In reflecting on the process, she described the instrumental as ideal for a low-pressure vibe, stating, "This is one of those records where I just wanna relax," allowing her to experiment freely with phrases and delivery rather than overthinking structure or punchlines.[8] This relaxed approach stemmed from her routine of using music as a personal outlet, distinct from her more calculated earlier projects. Young M.A.'s creative direction for "Ooouuu" drew heavily from the New York rap scene's emphasis on bold, territorial storytelling, echoing the raw energy of her 2014 breakout "Chiraq (Freestyle)," which had first spotlighted her as a voice for Brooklyn's street narratives.[9] The track served as a nod to this lineage, aiming to revive the city's gritty sonic identity at a time when national trends leaned toward trap and melodic influences from other regions.[6]Recording and production
The production of "OOOUUU" was handled by U-Dub of NY Bangers, who crafted a spacey, atmospheric beat featuring trap hi-hats and sparse, minimalistic synths that contribute to its cloudy, club-ready vibe. The beat incorporates samples of yells from Melvin Van Peebles' 1972 track "The Eight Day Week."[10][11][8] The beat was originally purchased online and served as the foundation for Young M.A.'s freestyle approach.[7] Young M.A. recorded her vocals in a single, relaxed session in January 2016, aiming to capture an unfiltered energy by performing while intoxicated—"smizz and drizz," as she described it—to ensure the delivery felt authentic and spontaneous.[12] The track originated as a casual freestyle over the NY Bangers production, simply to unwind after a long day.[7] Central to the vocal performance are Young M.A.'s ad-libs, particularly the elongated "OOOUUU" hook, which she incorporated as a natural expression drawn from phrases she and her friends commonly used.[7] This technique, delivered with a drawn-out, emphatic drawl, reinforces the song's raw, improvisational character and became its signature element.[10] In post-production, minimal adjustments were made to retain the freestyle's gritty, unpolished essence, avoiding heavy effects to preserve the track's street-level authenticity and immediate impact.[12]Musical composition
Style and instrumentation
"Ooouuu" blends trap-influenced hip-hop with East Coast drill elements, capturing the raw energy of 2010s New York street rap through its hard-hitting production and confident delivery.[13][14] The track's genre draws from Brooklyn's gritty rap tradition, incorporating drill's sliding hi-hats and ominous tones while infusing trap's booming low-end for a streetwise, anthemic feel.[15] The instrumentation centers on a mid-tempo beat at 166 BPM, featuring a loose, snare-heavy rhythm that leaves ample space for Young M.A.'s staggered flow.[16][17] Heavy 808 bass drives the low end, paired with sparse, echoing piano keys that contribute to the song's hazy, futuristic atmosphere.[18] U-Dub of NY Bangers' production flips a vocal sample from Melvin Van Peebles' "The Eight Day Week" into a hypnotic loop, enhanced by echoing ad-libs that amplify the track's immersive, otherworldly vibe.[19] In energy and structure, "Ooouuu" echoes contemporaries like Bobby Shmurda's "Hot N***a," delivering explosive, viral street anthems rooted in New York bravado, yet it distinguishes itself with a more nonchalant, self-assured introspection.[15][16] The minimalistic arrangement supports the hook's chant-like "OOOUUU," turning the repetitive vocal into a mesmerizing, groove-driven centerpiece that demands full-bodied engagement.[18][19]Lyrics and themes
"Ooouuu" employs a straightforward structure typical of trap-influenced hip-hop tracks, beginning with an intro that sets a casual, inebriated club scene, followed by two verses and a highly repetitive chorus built around the exclamation "Ooouuu." The intro, delivered in a conversational tone, describes the effects of Hennessy—"Yo, bro, I think I had too much Hennessy, man / This Hennessy gettin' to me / I ain't gonna lie, I'm a little smizz / I'm a little drizz"—before transitioning into the hook, emphasizing the lively atmosphere despite haters: "But we in the club, man, ooouuu / Yea they hate but they broke though / And when it's time to pop they a no-show / But we in the club, man, ooouuu."[10] The chorus itself is minimalistic, repeating "Ooouuu" six times to create an infectious, chant-like rhythm that underscores the song's bravado.[20] In the first verse, Young M.A. establishes her commanding presence with lines like "It's M.A, you don't know hoe? / We got liquor by the boatload (That Henny)," highlighting materialism and crew loyalty through references to abundant alcohol and the "Red Lyfe" aesthetic—"All my niggas dressed in that rojo (Redlyfe)."[10] The second verse delves deeper into themes of hustle and triumph over adversity, as she raps about economic ascent: "Used to flip work, now I flip money / Fuck a 9-to-5, I'm in the trap runnin'," portraying a shift from street-level dealings to legitimate success while dismissing doubters—"Broke hoes hatin' on me, but I hear 'em whisper."[20] These lyrics reflect Brooklyn pride, with nods to local resilience, such as "Brooklyn stand up, we the hottest in the city," evoking a sense of regional dominance and unyielding grit.[10] The song's themes center on hustle, success against odds, and resilience, infused with materialism and subtle assertions of queer identity within hip-hop's traditionally masculine framework. Young M.A.'s wordplay employs aggressive internal rhymes and slang-heavy flow, as in "Disrespect the Lyfe that's a no-no / All my niggas strapped, FN on 'em," to convey street credibility and defiance.[10] Materialistic boasts, like "We got foreigns in the yard, all white like cocaine," symbolize upward mobility, while the overarching narrative celebrates overcoming poverty and envy.[21] Subtle references to queer identity emerge through her androgynous persona and lines objectifying women in a dominant role—"I got bitches shakin' in they bootie when they see me"—challenging hip-hop norms and highlighting resilience as an openly lesbian artist navigating the genre.[22] The titular hook, a nonsensical exclamation of excitement, originated from slang Young M.A. and her friends used casually for about a year before recording, adding an authentic, personal layer to the track's energetic bravado.[8]Release and promotion
Single release
"Ooouuu" was released as a digital single on May 12, 2016, independently through Young M.A.'s own label, M.A Music.[1][23] Building on pre-release buzz from her freestyles, the track debuted initially on platforms such as SoundCloud and YouTube.[24][1] It was later distributed to major streaming services including iTunes and Spotify.[25] Lacking involvement from a major record label at launch, the single depended on organic viral spread for its initial momentum.[26][27] The accompanying artwork depicted Young M.A. in casual streetwear with a confident pose against a muted, urban backdrop, underscoring a raw street aesthetic.[25]Marketing and buildup
The buildup to "OOOUUU" began with its independent upload to SoundCloud on May 3, 2016,[24] where it rapidly gained traction through organic shares on social media platforms, particularly among Brooklyn and New York City audiences. The track quickly permeated local club scenes, becoming a staple in nightlife spots across the boroughs as DJs embraced its energetic vibe, fostering a grassroots buzz that extended to street-level mixtape circuits where promoters distributed it alongside Young M.A.'s prior projects like her 2015 mixtape SleepWalkin'. This viral momentum was amplified by early radio support from influential New York stations, including Hot 97, which added the song to rotation, helping it resonate in urban communities without major label backing.[28] Pre-release and early hype were further elevated by endorsements from established hip-hop figures, including Beyoncé, who featured the song in a September 2016 birthday video, and Jadakiss.[28] In August 2016, 50 Cent publicly co-signed the track on Instagram, praising its toughness and later contributing to an official remix, which lent credibility to Young M.A.'s raw style amid her rising profile. Similarly, DJ Khaled highlighted her potential through shared platforms, including a Beats by Dre campaign that featured both artists, signaling industry recognition before the song's broader commercial peak. These co-signs, combined with the independent release setup under her own M.A Music imprint, underscored a promotional strategy rooted in authentic street credibility rather than traditional advertising.[29][11] Young M.A. reinforced this authenticity by declining acting opportunities, such as a role on the television series Empire, to prioritize her music career and avoid being typecast. In interviews, she explained that accepting such gigs could dilute her genuine rapper identity, opting instead to channel her energy into building hype around "OOOUUU" through direct fan engagement and unfiltered lyrical content that connected with listeners on a personal level. This decision aligned with her overall promotional ethos, emphasizing self-determination in an industry often skeptical of female MCs from Brooklyn.[9]Visual media
Music video
The official music video for "OOOUUU" was released on May 12, 2016, through Young M.A's YouTube channel, coinciding with the song's single debut and capitalizing on its emerging viral audio buzz.[1][10] Directed by Apiecebyguy in collaboration with Young M.A, the video runs for 3:54 and employs a gritty, cinematic visual style to underscore authenticity, with the rapper delivering her verses in casual streetwear while addressing the camera directly.[1][30] Shot amid the streets of Brooklyn—Young M.A's hometown—the production captures everyday crew interactions and flashes of luxury cars, incorporating subtle symbolism of street life that avoids overt glorification.[31][32]Live performances
Young M.A. began performing "OOOUUU" live shortly after its digital release on May 12, 2016, starting with intimate club settings that emphasized raw energy and direct fan engagement. One early rendition took place at S.O.B.'s in New York City on August 1, 2016, where the track's booming bass and hook prompted immediate crowd responses in the compact venue.[33] The song's promotional momentum accelerated with larger-scale appearances, including her opening performance for Beyoncé's Formation World Tour on October 7, 2016, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. This slot exposed "OOOUUU" to over 50,000 spectators, amplifying its reach beyond hip-hop circles and solidifying its status as a breakthrough hit.[31] A standout television debut occurred at the 2016 BET Hip Hop Awards on September 17, 2016, in Atlanta, where Young M.A. commanded the stage with an intense delivery of "OOOUUU," hyping the audience through the performance's gritty lyrics and ad-libs. The appearance, aired on October 4, 2016, further boosted the track's visibility on national platforms.[5] As "OOOUUU" climbed charts, live setups transitioned from modest club lighting and minimal production to arena-level spectacle, often featuring synchronized lights and pyrotechnics to match the song's triumphant vibe. By December 3, 2016, at Hot 97's Hot For the Holidays concert in the Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey, the performance drew thunderous crowd chants of the hook, illustrating how the track had become a communal anthem in expansive environments.[34] The song has continued to feature in Young M.A.'s live sets into the 2020s, including a performance during Nicki Minaj's Pink Friday 2 Tour on October 11, 2024, in Queens, New York.[35]Critical reception
Initial reviews
Upon its release in May 2016, "OOOUUU" by Young M.A. received widespread critical acclaim for revitalizing New York rap and showcasing the artist's commanding presence. Complex ranked the track at number 21 on their list of the 50 Best Songs of 2016, praising its ability to slow down Young M.A.'s typically furious delivery into a infectious two-step dance vibe that made it an unexpected party anthem, while highlighting her role in breaking molds for female rappers through her authentic sound and style.[36] Similarly, XXL described "OOOUUU" as a smash hit and a serious contender for rap song of the summer, emphasizing its explosive street appeal and the rapper's gritty, unfiltered bars that captured Brooklyn's raw energy.[37][5] Critics lauded the song's hook for its immediate catchiness and genuine street authenticity, positioning it as a club essential. Pitchfork placed "OOOUUU" at number 67 on their 100 Best Songs of 2016, noting how Young M.A.'s confident, sing-slurred delivery of the titular exclamation—boastful and charismatic—crystallized the wild energy of friends reveling, turning it into a viral breakout that amassed over 100 million video views and drew remixes from established artists.[38] The Fader echoed this sentiment in their August 2016 profile, calling it a warm weather anthem that owned the New York summer with Young M.A.'s raspy, effortless flow, portraying her as a quintessential New York MC whose clever, boastful lyrics evoked the city's vibrant, occasionally dark street life and signaled major breakout potential.[39] While some observers noted the production's straightforward, vibe-driven simplicity as a potential limitation beyond its immediate impact, the overwhelming response focused on the track's lyrical grit and cultural resonance, with reviewers celebrating Young M.A.'s arrival as a bold voice in hip-hop.[38]Retrospective analysis
In the years following its release, "OOOUUU" has been reevaluated in major publications as a pivotal milestone for queer representation in hip-hop, particularly for Black women artists navigating a historically heteronormative genre. A 2019 Time profile on Young M.A. described the track as a "defining single of 2016" that elevated her to one of the few successful openly gay women in hip-hop history, highlighting its role in broadening visibility for queer identities without compromising artistic authenticity.[40] Similarly, a 2021 Rolling Stone feature credited the song's breakthrough with normalizing queer voices in a genre often resistant to them, emphasizing Young M.A.'s unapologetic lyrics on same-sex desire as a cultural shift that paved the way for subsequent artists.[41] Updated analyses have positioned "OOOUUU" within the broader resurgence of 2010s New York rap, crediting it with reinvigorating the city's sound amid dominance by Southern trap styles. In a 2021 Rolling Stone retrospective, the track was hailed as an anthem that "put New York back on the map in the mid-2010s," blending gritty Brooklyn street narratives with club-ready energy to reclaim regional pride and influence a wave of local talents.[41] This perspective underscores how Young M.A.'s raw delivery and independent release strategy captured the era's DIY ethos, contributing to New York's hip-hop revival alongside contemporaries like A$AP Rocky and Joey Bada$$. Academic scholarship in hip-hop studies has increasingly recognized "OOOUUU" for dismantling gender and sexuality barriers, framing it as a subversive intervention in the genre's masculine tropes. The 2022 edited volume Queer Voices in Hip Hop: Cultures, Communities, and Contemporary Performance analyzes the song's explicit affirmations of lesbian desire as a challenge to heteronormativity, noting how Young M.A.'s butch presentation and lyrics disrupted traditional rap masculinity while achieving mainstream crossover.[42] Reflections in the 2020s have also examined the song's viral mechanics as a pre-TikTok phenomenon, illustrating organic spread through early digital platforms. A 2019 Ringer retrospective on 2010s rap detailed how "OOOUUU" exploded via a freestyle over a popular beat on YouTube—amassing millions of views before formal promotion—demonstrating the power of social media algorithms and word-of-mouth in the late 2010s, prior to short-form video's dominance.[43] This model of grassroots virality, reliant on freestyles and regional radio play, has been revisited in 2020s music analyses as a blueprint for independent breakthroughs in an era before algorithm-driven apps like TikTok reshaped discovery.Commercial performance
Chart performance
"Ooouuu" debuted at number 85 on the Billboard Hot 100 dated September 17, 2016, following the release of its music video in May, which helped propel its visibility through viral streaming and radio play. The track climbed steadily, entering the top 40 by mid-October and reaching a peak position of number 19 on November 19, 2016, where it spent one week; it remained on the chart for a total of 20 weeks.[3] On genre-specific charts, "Ooouuu" performed strongly within hip-hop audiences, peaking at number 5 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and number 3 on the Hot Rap Songs chart, reflecting its resonance in urban radio formats and digital consumption.[44][45] Internationally, the single saw limited but notable traction, debuting at number 50 on the Canadian Hot 100 and achieving minor placements in other markets, including a peak of number 36 on the UK's Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart.[46][23] Its chart success was bolstered by robust streaming metrics early on, with the song accumulating significant plays on platforms like Spotify amid promotional buzz from remixes and media appearances.[11]| Chart (2016) | Peak Position | Weeks on Chart |
|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 19 | 20 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | 5 | 25 |
| US Hot Rap Songs | 3 | 24 |
| Canadian Hot 100 | 50 | 8 |
| UK Hip Hop and R&B | 36 | 5 |
