RNP (song)

"RNP"
Single by Cordae featuring Anderson .Paak
from the album The Lost Boy
ReleasedJuly 23, 2019
Genre
Length2:56
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)J. Cole
Cordae singles chronology
"Racks"
(2019)
"RNP"
(2019)
"In These Streets"
(2019)
Anderson .Paak singles chronology
"Make It Better"
(2019)
"RNP"
(2019)
"Stainless"
(2019)
Music video
"RNP" on YouTube

"RNP" ("Rich Nigga Problems") is a song by American rapper Cordae (then known as YBN Cordae) featuring fellow American rapper Anderson .Paak. It was released on July 23, 2019, as the third single from Cordae's debut studio album The Lost Boy (2019). Written by the artists alongside producer J. Cole,[1] It was Cordae's highest-charting song, until the release of "Gifted" featuring Roddy Ricch.

Composition

[edit]

The song finds Cordae and Anderson .Paak trading "bars about their 'rich nigga problems'".[2] The former "effortlessly blends his nostalgic influences with his current surrounding", and "a gaudy chorus that parallels excess wealth to a boom-bap inspired instrumental" is sung by the latter.[3] Althea Legaspi of Rolling Stone writes that their rhymes "playfully glide over Cole's bouncy beats and slinky production."[4]

Music video

[edit]

The music video was released on October 14, 2019. It is a 1970s-themed visual and was directed by APlus Filmz.[5] Cordae and Anderson .Paak are basketball players "Big Play" and "Sweet Shot" respectively, and "rock afro wigs and furs in homage to Blaxploitation action films".[2] Paak convinces Cordae to have them hit the "biggest lick of their lives" worth more than a million dollars instead of showing up at their championship game, but they eventually make it to the tournament to help their losing team win.[6]

Live performances

[edit]

Cordae and Paak have performed the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon[7] and at the 2019 BET Hip Hop Awards.[8]

Charts

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Chart (2019) Peak

position

Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[9] 84
Ireland (IRMA)[10] 92
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[11] 4
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[12] 15

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[13] Gold 40,000
United States (RIAA)[14] Gold 500,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Ruiz, Matthew Ismael. "Anderson .Paak and J. Cole Join YBN Cordae on New Song "RNP": Listen". Pitchfork.
  2. ^ a b Williams, Aaron (October 14, 2019). "YBN Cordae And Anderson .Paak Are 1970s Hoop Stars In Their Comedic 'RNP' Video". UPROXX.
  3. ^ "YBN Cordae Links With Anderson .Paak on J. Cole Produced Song "RNP"". Complex. July 23, 2019.
  4. ^ Legaspi, Althea (July 24, 2019). "YBN Cordae Teams Up With Anderson .Paak, J. Cole For New Song 'RNP'". Rolling Stone.
  5. ^ "YBN Cordae & Anderson Paak Deliver New Visual for J. Cole-Produced Collab "RNP"". HYPEBEAST. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
  6. ^ Saponara, Michael (October 14, 2019). "YBN Cordae & Anderson .Paak Choose Between Basketball & Crime in Groovy 'RNP' Video: Watch". Billboard.
  7. ^ A., Aron (July 24, 2019). "YBN Cordae & Anderson .Paak Light Up Jimmy Fallon With "RNP" Performance". HotNewHipHop.
  8. ^ D'Souza, Shaad (October 8, 2019). "See all the performances from the BET Hip Hop Awards including DaBaby, Megan Thee Stallion and more". The FADER.
  9. ^ "YBN Cordae Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  10. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography YBN Cordae". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
  11. ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. August 5, 2019. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
  12. ^ "YBN Cordae Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  13. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Cordae feat. Anderson .Paak – RNP". Music Canada. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  14. ^ "American single certifications – Cordae feat. Anderson .Paak – RNP". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 10, 2020.