Trollz (song)

"Trollz" (stylized in all caps) is a song by American rapper 6ix9ine and Trinidadian-American rapper Nicki Minaj.[1][2] It was postponed twice before being released on June 12, 2020, as the follow-up to "Gooba", released four weeks earlier. The song marks the third collaboration between the artists, following "Fefe" and "Mama", both released in 2018. Lyrically, the song takes aim at internet trolls. On June 16, 2020, a new version of the song was released, featuring a different verse from Minaj and an altered beat. The song debuted atop the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming 6ix9ine's first number-one single in the country, and Minaj's second.[3] It also marks Minaj's first number-one single in the US as a lead artist.

"Trollz"
Single by 6ix9ine and Nicki Minaj
ReleasedJune 12, 2020 (2020-06-12)
Format
RecordedApril–May 2020
Length3:22
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Sadpony
  • Jahnei Clarke
6ix9ine singles chronology
"Gooba"
(2020)		 "Trollz"
(2020)
Nicki Minaj singles chronology
"Say So (Remix)"
(2020)		 "Trollz"
(2020)
Alternative cover
Music video
"Trollz" on YouTube

Background and release

After having been released from prison early, in April 2020, Hernandez released his first single after his prison sentence on May 8, 2020, titled "Gooba".[4] Following his controversial accusations towards Billboard of rigging and chart manipulation, and towards pop singers Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber's management of buying "30,000 copies with six credit cards" for their song "Stuck with U", 6ix9ine posted a photo of himself holding up six credit cards, writing in the caption, "Don't worry we going #1 next time @billboard."[5] On May 17, 2020, he announced that he would take a short hiatus from social media and release a video the following Friday.[6] He also promised a new song set to be released on May 22 if "Gooba" got 10,000 downloads.[7] However, the scheduled release was subsequently postponed to May 29. On May 23, he asked his fans to come up with the song title of his upcoming single, which turned out to be "Trollz".[8][9] Shortly thereafter, Hernandez posted a video of himself confirming the title.[10][1] The rapper further revealed that the song features another artist.[11] On June 3, 6ix9ine announced the song was again delayed to June 12, stating it is "out of respect for" the ongoing George Floyd protests.[12]

Nicki Minaj reportedly visited 6ix9ine to film the music video in May 2020.[13] On June 10, 2020, it was confirmed that Minaj is the previously announced guest artist via the official merchandise bundled with the song on her website.[2]

Following its release, Forbes's Bryan Rolli criticized 6ix9ine's "desperate attempts to inflate" sales, noticing "there are currently four different versions of the song available for download on iTunes (the original, an alternate edition, and clean versions of both), all discounted to 69 cents. 6ix9ine and Minaj are both selling a slew of music and merchandise bundles, including signed "TROLLZ" CDs, vinyl and hoodies". He also pointed out the three music videos: the official video and the lyric videos for both the original and alternate editions. Rolli concluded that 6ix9ine "exemplifies [the] willingness to forgive abusers because they're marketable".[14]

Composition and lyrics

The song is driven by an electronic drum backing track and contains a laconic beat.[15][16] On the song, 6ix9ine employs his "usual" braggadocios delivery,[17] with Minaj's lyrics containing sex euphemisms.[18]
Minaj said that she recorded 11 different versions before the song was released in its final form.[19]

Alex Zidel of HotNewHipHop noted that Minaj's verse contains a possible dig at singer Usher, when she raps: "Somebody usher this nigga into a clinic/My flow's still sick, I ain't talkin' a pandemic". Usher previously said Minaj "got her 'blueprint' from Lil Kim", and has previously faced herpes accusations.[20]

An alternate version of the song was also released, which opens with Minaj's original verse, as she raps in English with Spanish words ("He tryna put it in my culo, real fat gato / When he eat it, I tell him to squeeze it like a taco"). Prior to the song's release, Minaj tweeted the taco emoji, hinting that "Trollz" was originally titled "Taco".[21]

Critical reception

Jason Lipshutz of Billboard included the song among the most essential releases of the week, noting that 6ix9ine "punctuates his verse with a throat-clearing assault", while Minaj "radiates slick confidence through sex euphemisms and nods to her longevity".[18]

Commercial performance

"Trollz" debuted at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming 6ix9ine's first number-one single and Minaj's second. The song topped the Billboard Digital Songs chart selling 116,000 downloads, becoming 6ix9ine's first chart-topper and Minaj's sixth, as well. It also marks the highest one-week sales total since Taylor Swift's "Me!" featuring Brendon Urie (2019) opened with 193,000 downloads sold.[3] Minaj ties Roddy Ricch and Ariana Grande as the artist with the most Hot 100 number-one singles in 2020, with two each. She also became the second female rapper to debut atop the Hot 100, following Lauryn Hill in 1998.[22]

Music video

The accompanying music video was released alongside the official single release on June 12, 2020.[23] It was shot in May 2020 and Minaj revealed that the video was shot in 6ix9ine's guest bedroom while the latter was still under home confinement.[24] After both artists claimed that the video broke the record for most views for a hip hop song in the first 24 hours,[25] YouTube denied this, stating that the video only received 32.5 million views, 6.4 million less than "Gooba".[26] A representative for the company said "paid advertising views on YouTube will no longer be considered when looking at a 24-hour record debut".[27]

Synopsis

Similar to the "Gooba" video, "Trollz" has a colorful, rainbow-themed visual. The video starts off with the rappers eating cotton candy. This is followed by a transition where Minaj is seen with multi-colored hair, twerking in a red jacuzzi. She is seen topless with star pasties covering her breasts, wearing blonde and pastel-colored hair, and dressed in a fur bikini and a red, sheer bodysuit. 6ix9ine performs his verse and the hook in red, then blonde and rainbow cornrows. The video also cuts to him holding over $200,000 in cash and, as in the "Gooba" video, shows off his GPS ankle monitor.[17]

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal, BMI and YouTube.[28][29][30]

  • 6ix9ine – lead artist, songwriting
  • Nicki Minaj – lead artist, songwriting
  • Jeremiah Raisen – arrangement, songwriting, production
  • Jahnei Clarke – arrangement, production, mixing
  • Aaron Clarke – songwriting
  • Wizard Lee - mixing, mastering
  • Big Juice - mixing
  • Alex Solis - art direction, design

Charts
Chart (2020) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[31] 45
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[32] 8
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[33] 20
Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)[34] 23
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[35] 4
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[36] 17
France (SNEP)[37] 45
Hungary (Single Top 40)[38] 2
Hungary (Stream Top 40)[39] 6
Ireland (IRMA)[40] 12
Italy (FIMI)[41] 60
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[42] 51
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[43] 3
Scotland (Official Charts Company)[44] 11
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[45] 2
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[46] 51
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[47] 8
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[48] 12
UK R&B (Official Charts Company)[49] 10
US Billboard Hot 100[50] 1
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[51] 1
US Rolling Stone Top 100[52] 3

Release history
Release dates and formats for "Trollz"
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various June 12, 2020
Create Music Group [53]

References
  1. Espinoza, Joshua (May 24, 2020). "6ix9ine Called on Fans to Choose the Title of His Next Song". Complex. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  2. "6ix9ine, Nicki Minaj: "Trollz"". nickiminajqueen.com. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  3. Trust, Gary (June 22, 2020). "6ix9ine & Nicki Minaj's 'Trollz' Launches at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100, Lil Baby's 'The Bigger Picture' Debuts at No. 3". Billboard. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
  4. Bloom, Madison (May 8, 2020). "Tekashi 6ix9ine Shares "GOOBA," First New Song Since Prison Release". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  5. "Rapper 6ix9ine Cries Foul on Ariana Grande, Singer Claps Back as Chart Drama Escalates". Variety.
  6. S, Lynn (May 17, 2020). "6ix9ine Announces Release Date For New Music Video Before Taking IG Hiatus". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  7. Coleman II, C. Vernon (May 23, 2020). "6ix9ine Dropping New Music Video This Week". XXL. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  8. S, Lynn (May 23, 2020). "6ix9ine Letting Fans Determine Name Of New Song". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  9. Walters, Mike (May 23, 2020). "Tekashi 6ix9ine Naming His New Song After His Ongoing Beef With Snoop Dogg?!". The Blast. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  10. "THIS FRIDAY ⭐️TROLLZ🌸 ANOTHER ONE🍭🌈🌈🍭💦💦💦 ‼️‼️‼️‼️ THEY WISH THIS WAS A NIGHTMARE ‼️‼️ IT CANT BE TRUE 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂‼️😂😂😂BITCH I AM THE INTERNET". Retrieved May 24, 2020 – via Instagram.
  11. "THE WINNER GETS TO COME TO MY HOUSE". Retrieved May 24, 2020 – via Instagram.
  12. Johnson, Zoe (June 3, 2020). "6ix9ine Delays Release of New Song in Response to George Floyd Protests". XXL. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  13. Blakemore, Peyton (May 29, 2020). "Nicki Minaj Reportedly Visited 6ix9ine's Secret Location To Film New Video". iHeartRadio. Retrieved 2020-06-06.
  14. Rolli, Bryan (June 18, 2020). "6ix9ine's Persecution Complex Surrounding 'TROLLZ' Is Embarrassing—And Hypocritical". Forbes.
  15. Kaufman, Gil (June 12, 2020). "Nicki Minaj, Tekashi 6ix9ine Lick The Lollipop, Twerk in the Tub in Candy-Colored 'Trollz' Video". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  16. Wallis, Adam (June 14, 2020). "Tekashi 6ix9ine, Nicki Minaj drop 'Trollz', proceeds going to Bail Project". Global News. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  17. Woods, Aleia (June 12, 2020). "6ix9ine and Nicki Minaj Release New Song Trollz": Listen". XXL. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  18. Lipshutz, Jason (June 12, 2020). "First Stream: New Music From Lil Baby, 6ix9ine & Nicki Minaj, Chloe x Halle & More". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  19. Kaufman, Gil (June 17, 2020). "Tekashi 6ix9ine and Nicki Minaj Share Alternate Version of 'Trollz' With New Verse". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  20. Zidel, Alex (June 12, 2020). "Nicki Minaj Fans React To Hilarious LisaRaye & Usher Herpes Bars In 6ix9ine Song". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  21. "Nicki Minaj Releases Alternate 'TROLLZ' Version with 6ix9ine". Rap Up. June 16, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  22. Wetmore, Brendan (June 22, 2020). "Nicki Minaj Reacts to Going Number One in 2020 — Again". Paper. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  23. "Nicki Minaj on IG". Retrieved June 11, 2020 – via Instagram.
  24. "I might have been able to pull off 1 or 2... we shot in his guest bedroom chile... 🙄". Retrieved June 11, 2020 – via Twitter.
  25. "Nicki Minaj & 6ix9ine's "Trollz" Breaks Record With 46 Million Views: Report". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  26. "YouTube Confirms 6ix9ine and Nicki Minaj's "Trollz" Didn't Break Hip-Hop". XXL.
  27. A., Aron (June 15, 2020). "Tekashi 6ix9ine & Nicki Minaj's "TROLLZ" Did Not Break YouTube Record". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  28. "6ix9ine / TROLLZ (with Nicki Minaj) / Credits". Tidal. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  29. "BMI | Repertoire Search". BMI. Select "TITLE", type "Song" in the search engine, and click "Search". Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  30. Tekashi 6ix9ine (May 8, 2020). "TROLLZ - 6ix9ine & Nicki Minaj (Official Music Video)". YouTube. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
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  32. "Austriancharts.at – 6ix9ine & Nicki Minaj – Trollz" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
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  40. "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
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  46. "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 25". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
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  52. "Top 100 Songs". Rolling Stone. June 23, 2020. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
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