Not My Fault (song)

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"Not My Fault"
Single by Reneé Rapp and Megan Thee Stallion
from the album Mean Girls (Music from the Motion Picture)
ReleasedDecember 15, 2023
GenreDisco-pop
Length2:50
LabelInterscope
Composer(s)
Lyricist(s)
Producer(s)
Reneé Rapp singles chronology
"Tummy Hurts"
(2023) 		"Not My Fault"
(2023)
Megan Thee Stallion singles chronology
"Cobra"
(2023) 		"Not My Fault"
(2023) 		"Pussy Don't Lie"
(2023)
Music video
"Not My Fault" on YouTube

"Not My Fault" is a song by American singer Reneé Rapp and American rapper Megan Thee Stallion from the 2024 Mean Girls musical film adaptation, in which Rapp portrays Regina George. The song was written by the artists and the Broadway musical's original composer and lyricist Jeff Richmond and Nell Benjamin, alongside Ryan Tedder, Alexander 23, Billy Walsh, and Jasper Harris.

It was released on December 15, 2023, as the lead single for the film soundtrack, and is one of the two songs written specially for the film, with the others songs being from the original stage musical. The song plays during the end credits scene and is the only song from the soundtrack that is not used as a musical number.

Background[edit]

The song was first announced on December 10, 2023 by Megan Thee Stallion in a clip via Reneé Rapp's Instagram account.[1] On December 13, Rapp posted the cover art of the single on Twitter, commenting "meg told me to put my ass out so I put my ass out".[2]

"Not My Fault" plays during the closing credits of Mean Girls. In an interview with TheWrap, Rapp revealed how the song came about:

I had one day off on tour while I was in L.A., for the Oakland and then Los Angeles show, and honestly, I knew we needed an end credits [song]. And I really was just like, "Damn, I have one day off, we might as well just try. Because if we don't, then I'm not going to be able to think about anything the next month while I'm away, and I'll be stressed because I will have to do it on the road, and I'd like to be in like a studio that I feel good in. So we just went in one day, me and a couple of my friends who I work with a lot, and it was just the first song that happened. It came and it ended up being like the one that we love.[3]

Composition and lyrics[edit]

A "disco-pop" song[4][5] with a disco-funk-inspired beat and themes of self-love and empowerment,[5] "Not My Fault" opens with dialogue sampled from the original 2004 film Mean Girls, in which Cady Heron yells at Janis Ian: "You know what? It's not my fault you're like in love with me or something!"[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] It is followed by the chorus, in which Reneé Rapp sings about leaving a party with someone else's girlfriend: "It's not my fault / You came with her but she might leave with me / It's not my fault / You've gotta pay for what I get for free".[4][5][6][7][9][10] Rapp continues to emphasize her superiority in sexual attractiveness,[8] dismissing gossip about her in the first verse[4] and hinting her sexual attraction to women in the second verse: "Get her number, get her name / Get a good thing while you can / Kiss a blonde (Kiss a blonde), kiss a friend (Okay) / Can a gay girl get an, 'Amen?' (Amen; woo)".[4][6][7] In the third verse, Megan Thee Stallion similarly boasts being sexually alluring,[8] describing she is a "mood" and a "stallion but they comin' for me like Trojan"[9][11] and claiming "Bitch so bad, dudes thought I was A.I., ballin' like A.I.",[4][7][11] before calling herself the "Black Regina George".[4][5][7][8][9][10][11]

Music video[edit]

An official music video premiered on January 5, 2024. Directed by Mia Barnes, it shows Reneé Rapp and Megan Thee Stallion dressed in all pink,[12][13] dancing together in a pink room,[14][15] snatching wigs off of and smashing plastic mannequins,[12][13][14][15] and mirroring each other.[14] Later on, Rapp receives "Regina George" tattoos on her body and wears darker clothes,[15][16] and Megan wears the character's white tank top outfit from the original film, with holes showing off her purple bra.[17][18] Rapp also starts a school riot in the second half of the video.[16] The video features scenes from the 2024 Mean Girls film and an appearance of the "burn book".[18]

Live performances[edit]

Reneé Rapp and Megan Thee Stallion performed the song for the first time on Saturday Night Live on January 21, 2024. The performance was introduced by Rachel McAdams, who played Regina George in the original Mean Girls film.[19]

Charts[edit]

Chart performance for "Not My Fault"
Chart (2023–2024) Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[20] 82
Canada CHR/Top 40 (Billboard)[21] 30
Ireland (IRMA)[22] 54
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[23] 8
UK Singles (OCC)[24] 61
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[25] 2
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[26] 31
US Dance/Mix Show Airplay (Billboard)[27] 23
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[28] 12

References[edit]

  1. ^ "a special forecast from @theestallion 🩷📢 meet us on @tiktok to watch @reneerapp's in the mix performance now…and see you tomorrow for the biggest announcement yet". Instagram. December 10, 2023. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  2. ^ "meg told me to put my ass out so I put my ass out". X. December 13, 2023. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  3. ^ Ortiz, Andy (January 14, 2024). "'Mean Girls' Star Reneé Rapp Breaks Down How 'Not My Fault' With Megan Thee Stallion Came Together in One Day". TheWrap. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Partridge, Ken (December 15, 2023). "Reneé Rapp and Megan Thee Stallion Embrace Their Inner Mean Girls On New Song "Not My Fault"". Genius. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e Bell, Sadie (December 15, 2023). "Reneé Rapp and Megan Thee Stallion Channel Regina George on 'Not My Fault' Off the 'Mean Girls' Soundtrack: Listen!". People. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  6. ^ a b c Kickham, Dylan (December 15, 2023). "Reneé Rapp's New Mean Girls Song Gives The Gay Regina George Fantasy". Elite Daily. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d e Daw, Stephen (December 15, 2023). "Megan Thee Stallion & Reneé Rapp Are Cold, Shiny, Hard Plastic on 'Not My Fault': Stream It Now". Billboard. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d Malone Méndez, Chris (December 15, 2023). "Megan Thee Stallion And Reneé Rapp Team Up For 'Mean Girls' Song 'Not My Fault'". Forbes. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  9. ^ a b c d Skinner, Tom (December 15, 2023). "Megan Thee Stallion and Reneé Rapp channel 'Mean Girls' on new single 'Not My Fault'". NME. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  10. ^ a b c Gonzalez, Alex (December 15, 2023). "Reneé Rapp And Megan Thee Stallion Lay Down The 'Mean Girls' Law On Their Fabulous New Collab, 'Not My Fault'". Uproxx. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  11. ^ a b c d Trapp, Malcolm (December 15, 2023). "Megan Thee Stallion Dubs Herself The "Black Regina George" On "Not My Fault"". Rap-Up. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  12. ^ a b Aniftos, Rania (January 5, 2024). "Megan Thee Stallion & Reneé Rapp Express Female Rage in 'Not My Fault' Music Video". Billboard. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  13. ^ a b Trapp, Malcolm (January 5, 2024). "Megan Thee Stallion and Reneé Rapp Deliver Video For "Not My Fault"". Rap-Up. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  14. ^ a b c Zhan, Jennifer (January 5, 2024). "Megan Thee Stallion Is Thee 'Black Regina George'". Vulture. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  15. ^ a b c Pierre, Mekishana (January 5, 2024). "Reneé Rapp and Megan Thee Stallion Drop 'Not My Fault' Music Video From 'Mean Girls' Soundtrack". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  16. ^ a b Alexandria, Lavender (January 5, 2024). "Megan Thee Stallion And Renee Rapp Play Dress-Up And Start A Riot In "Not My Fault" Music Video". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  17. ^ Caraan, Sophie (January 8, 2024). "Reneé Rapp and Megan Thee Stallion Unveil "Not My Fault" Visual". Hypebeast. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  18. ^ a b Pointer, Flisadam (January 5, 2024). "Reneé Rapp & Megan Thee Stallion's 'Not My Fault' Video Should've Been The First 'Mean Girls' Teaser". Uproxx. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  19. ^ "Reneé Rapp: Not My Fault with Megan Thee Stallion (Live) - SNL". YouTube. January 21, 2024. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  20. ^ "Megan Thee Stallion Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
  21. ^ "Megan Thee Stallion Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)". Billboard. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  22. ^ "IRMA – Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  23. ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. December 25, 2023. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
  24. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
  25. ^ "Megan Thee Stallion Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  26. ^ "Megan Thee Stallion Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
  27. ^ "Megan Thee Stallion Chart History (Dance Mix/Show Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
  28. ^ "Megan Thee Stallion Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
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