The Boys (Nicki Minaj and Cassie song)

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"The Boys"
Single by Nicki Minaj and Cassie
from the album Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded – The Re-Up
ReleasedSeptember 13, 2012 (2012-09-13)
Recorded2012,
Genre
Length4:08
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Jeberg
  • Baptiste (co.)
Nicki Minaj singles chronology
"Va Va Voom"
(2012) 		"The Boys"
(2012) 		"Automatic"
(2012)
Cassie singles chronology
"King of Hearts"
(2012) 		"The Boys"
(2012) 		"Love a Loser"
(2017)

"The Boys" is a song by rapper

Universal Republic as the lead single from the reissue of Minaj's second studio album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded – The Re-Up (2012). It was written by Minaj, Anjulie Persaud, Jonas Jeberg and Jean Baptiste, and produced by the latter two. 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
. 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

Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles, where it peaked at number fourteen, and number forty-one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
chart. It also charted in European countries including Belgium, Ireland and the United Kingdom.

An accompanying music video premiered on

behind-the-scenes featurette earlier that month. Directed by Colin Tilley, 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 after a visit to a beauty salon herself. Cassie plays an androgynous-looking character, inspired by the Ken doll, that "mocks the boys a little bit." Minaj performed the track on her Pink Friday: Reloaded Tour
(2012).

Background and release

Cassie originally recorded a solo version of the track intended for her second studio album.

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, telling E! News, "I'm actually going to drop my new single like next week."[1] On September 10, 2012, Minaj revealed through Twitter 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.[2][3] A day later, Minaj tweeted "Thursday" which was believed to be the release date of the single.[4] The song was released on September 13, 2012, being made available for digital download via the iTunes Store.[5] It premiered on American radio platform iHeartRadio that same day.[6]

"The Boys" takes origins from a demo 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." For unknown reasons, the album was delayed and the song was subsequently played for Minaj during sessions for The Re-Up. 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.[7][8][9] 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."[10] "It's more of an in-your-face, tougher Cassie."[11] She also defined it as being "a little bit funkier."[12] "I love her verses on this record, she went in," Cassie told MTV News about working with Minaj, "I love when women collab and are all about girl power. 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."[13] Minaj and Cassie had previously collaborated on the unreleased song "Fuck U Silly," that was leaked online in January 2010.[14][15]

Composition

The

percussion and gurgling acoustic guitar arpeggios by Jeberg and Baptiste.[17] It also has a "throbbing beat, harsh basslines and hyperactive breaks."[18] Cassie's parts, written by Canadian pop singer Anjulie,[19][20] are backed up by a guitar line.[21] Artistdirect 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.'"[22]

The song is about a "pithy kiss-off to men who try to buy love with money and jewels."

Hey Soul Sister" by Train[failed verification] and "Technologic" by Daft Punk.[9] In the lyrical content, it appears to have Minaj rapping her "most ferocious lines" according to Pitchfork, 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."[23] It is written in the key of C minor at a tempo of 109 beats per minute.[24]

Critical reception

The song garnered praise from

Idolator 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."[25] 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."[23] 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."[26]

A writer for

The Huffington Post stated: "The track is actually interesting because it vacillates from rap song to some version of a downtempo singer-songwriter tune."[27] Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine positively expressed that the song "mixes hard and soft, with Minaj's Daft Punk-inspired flow complemented by an acoustic guitar-accompanied chorus."[28] MTV'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."[29] 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."[30] Spin'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."[9] 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."[31]

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.

still shots from the video in the days leading up to its release.[35][36][37] The official music video for "The Boys" premiered on October 18, 2012, on Vevo.[38]

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-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: "[Nicki's] taking 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."[13]

Synopsis

Minaj in a colorful salon wearing a pink wig.

The colorful visuals, set in an imaginary neighborhood, open with a white

roller skate 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, 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.[39][40]

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, 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, donning a blonde wig, wearing a denim bra and a skirt, in a crime scene set in a burnt down barbershop, 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.[39][40][41]

Reception

day-glo absurdity" levels, drawing comparisons between Cassie's looks and Grace Jones, referencing "a futuristic motorcycle thing that may have escaped from a 2002 Jadakiss video."[45] 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."[46]

Billboard'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.[47] Katie Hasty from HitFix 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."[48] At Hip-Hop Wired, Kazeem Famuyide wrote they delivered a video that "seems to be made for the hyper-media generation of GIF-makers and Tumblr addicts."[49] Spin declared "the clip melds cartoonish hyper-sexuality with a murderous rampage," defining it as "outlandish and revealingly attired."[9]

Lauren Nostro from

Complex pointed out "it was captivating as we had hoped" and "marks the debut of Cassie's big return as a pop star."[50] Other publications also commended Cassie's androgyny 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 costume."[51][52] MTV's Nadeska Alexis selected "Cassie's transformation into a man, sporting a dark blue suit with cropped neon hair, is our favorite look."[35] 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" collaboration, Lady Gaga and Beyoncé's "Telephone."[53] The music video was nominated for Best Art Direction at the 2013 MVPA Awards.[54]

Track listing
  1. "The Boys" – 4:08
  • Digital download (Clean version)[55]
  1. "The Boys" – 4:09

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded – The Re-Up.[56]

Locations
  • Recorded at Studio Malibu, Malibu, and Jonas Mobile Studio and Jeberg Studios, Copenhagen
  • Mixed at Studio Malibu, Malibu
  • Mastered at Chris Athens Masters, Austin
Personnel
  • Nicki Minaj – vocals, primary artist, songwriter
  • Cassie – vocals, featured artist
  • Jonas Jeberg – producer, songwriter, instruments, programming, mixing, engineer
  • Jean Baptiste – co-producer, songwriter
  • Anjulie Persaud – songwriter
  • Chris Athens – mastering
  • Ariel Chobaz – mixing, engineer
  • Kuk Harrell – additional vocal producer, engineer
  • Josh Gudwin – engineer

Charts

Chart (2012) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[57] 54
Belgium (Ultratop Urban Flanders)[57] 37
Germany (
Deutsche Black Charts)[58]
 9
Ireland (IRMA)[59] 95
South Korea International Singles (
Gaon)[60]
 94
UK Singles (
Official Charts Company)[61]
 101
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[62]
 15
US
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[63]
 14
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[64] 41

Release history

Country Date Format Label
United States September 13, 2012[5] Digital download
  • Young Money
  • Cash Money
  • Universal Republic
United Kingdom September 14, 2012[65]
United States September 25, 2012[66]
Urban contemporary

References

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  2. ^ a b "Nicki Minaj Teases 'The Boys' Single With A 'Real Pretty' Friend". MTV. September 11, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
  3. ^ "Diddy Throws Cassie 26th Birthday Party". Rap-Up. August 27, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
  4. ^ "NICKI MINAJ on Twitter: "Thursday"". Twitter. September 12, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
  5. ^ a b c "The Boys - Single by Nicki Minaj & Cassie on iTunes". Apple Inc. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
  6. ^ "Nicki Minaj debuts new single 'The Boys' - listen". Digital Spy. September 13, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
  7. ^ "Cassie's next single will be 'Money On Love'". Popjustice. February 24, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
  8. ^ "New Music: Cassie - Money On Love (Snippet)". Lovebscott.com. February 17, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
  9. ^ a b c d "Nicki Minaj Wreaks Neon Havoc in 'The Boys' Video". Spin. October 18, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
  10. ^ "Queen of Hearts: Interview with... Cassie!". MuuMuse. March 5, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
  11. ^ "Cassie Takes Vogue Inside Her Closet". Rap-Up. March 23, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
  12. ^ "Cassie Talks About Her Upcoming Album, Whitney Houston's Career, Shares Advice From Diddy & More". MTV. March 5, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
  13. ^ a b "Nicki Minaj And Cassie Team Up To 'Make Fun' of 'The Boys'". MTV. October 24, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
  14. Idolator
    . January 18, 2010. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
  15. ^ "New Music: Cassie f/ Nicki Minaj - 'F**k U Silly'". Rap-Up. January 18, 2010. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
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  17. ^ "Nicki Minaj - The Boys ft. Cassie". Djbooth.net. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
  18. ^ a b c "Nicki Minaj takes 'The Boys' to task in new single". Los Angeles Times. September 13, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
  19. ^ "Anjulie - "The Boys" (Acoustic)". YouTube. September 28, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
  20. ^ "Anjulie on Twitter: "check it!! Ahhh my first American songwriting release!!!"". Twitter. September 13, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
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  22. ^ a b "Nicki Minaj "The Boys" Song Review – 5 out of 5 Stars @ARTISTdirect". Artistdirect. September 14, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
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  27. The Huffington Post
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  29. ^ "New Song: Nicki Minaj Featuring Cassie, 'The Boys'". MTV. September 13, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
  30. ^ "Nicki Minaj Channels 'Love And Hip-Hop' Vixen On 'The Boys'". MTV. September 13, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
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  33. ^ "IN PRODUCTION: Nicki Minaj - Colin Tilley, dir". VideoStatic. September 21, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
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  36. ^ "Nicki Minaj Gets Down With Cassie in Raunchy Photo From 'The Boys' Video". Popcrush.com. October 11, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
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  41. MTV UK
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  42. ^ "Nicki Minaj and Cassie Burn Up 'The Boys'". Rolling Stone. October 18, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
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  44. ^ "Lesbianhonesty: Are We Ready For It?". Vibe. October 12, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
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  50. Complex
    . October 19, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
  51. ^ "Nicki Minaj, 'The Boys' Video: Cassie Embraces Her Masculine Side, MC Busts Out in Bikini". Theboombox.com. October 18, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
  52. ^ "Nicki Minaj, 'The Boys' Video: Cassie Embraces Her Masculine Side, MC Busts Out in Bikini". Allure. October 19, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
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  54. ^ "2013 MVPA Award Nominees". VideoStatic. May 13, 2013. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
  55. ^ "The Boys - Single by Nicki Minaj & Cassie on iTunes". Apple Inc. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
  56. ^ Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded – The Re-Up (liner notes). Nicki Minaj. Republic Records. 2012.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  57. ^
    Ultratip
    .
  58. Media Control. Archived
    from the original on October 22, 2016.
  59. ^ "Irishcharts.com - Discography Nicki Minaj". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
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    on December 19, 2012. Retrieved December 21, 2012.
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  63. ^ "Nicki Minaj & Cassie Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard.
  64. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – December 8, 2012". Billboard. Retrieved February 6, 2016. (subscription required)
  65. ^ "The Boys - Single by Nicki Minaj & Cassie on iTunes". Apple Inc. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
  66. ^ "FMQB: Radio Industry News, Music Industry Updates, Nielsen Ratings, Music News and more!". FMQB. September 25, 2012. Retrieved June 22, 2016.

External links

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