Wanna Be

"Wanna Be"
Remix cover
Single by GloRilla and Megan Thee Stallion
from the album Ehhthang Ehhthang
ReleasedApril 5, 2024
GenreHip hop
Length2:36 (original)
3:44 (remix)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
GloRilla singles chronology
"Finesse (Remix)"
(2024)
"Wanna Be"
(2024)
"TGIF"
(2024)
Megan Thee Stallion singles chronology
"Hiss"
(2024)
"Wanna Be"
(2024)
"Boa"
(2024)
Music video
"Wanna Be" on YouTube

"Wanna Be" is a song by American rappers GloRilla and Megan Thee Stallion from the former's second mixtape Ehhthang Ehhthang (2024). It was released on April 5, 2024, through Collective Music Group and Interscope Records, as the second single from the mixtape. It was produced by Ace Charisma, Payday, MKMentality and Yo Gotti. The song contains samples of "Pretty Boy Swag" by Soulja Boy and "Don't Save Her" by Project Pat. A remix with Cardi B was released on May 31, 2024.

Lyrics

[edit]

Lyrically, GloRilla asserts her dominance over men and Megan Thee Stallion criticizes fake friends, with a reference to the anime series Attack on Titan as well.[1] Both rappers also center on moving away from toxic men.[2]

Reception

[edit]

Zachary Horvath of HotNewHipHop commented the rappers "deliver cutthroat performances".[2] Brycen Saunders of Hypebeast wrote the song "serves as a reminder as to why both rappers are so loved – due to their original cadence and quintessentially confident demeanor."[3]

On April 6, 2024, Megan Thee Stallion started a competition of twerking to the song on Instagram, with a video of herself twerking.[4] The trend went viral, with rappers GloRilla, Latto,[5] Coi Leray[6] and Cardi B having participated in the challenge.

Music video

[edit]

The music video premiered alongside the single. Directed by Benny Boom,[7] it finds the rappers crashing a fraternity party, where they are seen dancing.[1]

Remix

[edit]

An official remix of the song featuring Cardi B was released on May 31, 2024. Cardi raps the first verse, opening with a comment of "bitches" being "boring" and "corny".[8] She mentions she "got my toes white like Matthew McConaughey"[8][9] and calls herself "a teacher" due to an individual wanting to "sub" her.[8] In addition, Cardi B also takes shots at rapper Bia: "She did what? Had no idea (Idea) / Thought she was on the shelf, IKEA (IKEA) / Hope she talk like that when I see her (Woo) / Bitch, please, don't nobody wanna be ya (Ah)".[8][10][11] Both GloRilla and Megan Thee Stallion's verses remain the same as they were on the original version.[12]

Alex Gonzalez of Uproxx commented that Cardi B "opens the song unleashing the heat, stacking up bars full of clever wordplay and warnings to the opps."[12] Armon Sadler of Vibe wrote "This mid-tempo pocket is ideal for her powerful delivery and braggadocious energy" and "GloRilla and Megan Thee Stallion had already smoked this record, but turning this into the new women's 'Big 3' anthem was very smart. It would've been nice to hear Cardi go back and forth with the other two as they did in the track’s original version, but we can’t get everything we want."[11]

Bia responded to Cardi B's diss on X with the post "BITCHS IS WACK. BITCHS IS TRASH. I SHOULD HANG BITCHS RIGHT OVER MY KNEE, THE WAY I BE PUTTIN MY BELT TO THEY ASSSSSSSS", which plays on Cardi B's lyrics from her verse on "Clout" by Offset. She also posted a video of a rap battle with the instrumental of "Wanna Be" in the background, in which a rapper uses a line that falls flat.[13]

Commercial performance

[edit]

In the United States, "Wanna Be" debuted at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as number five on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts. It also debuted at number one on Digital Song Sales and number nine on Streaming Songs. Following the remix with Cardi B, the song rebounded in performance, jumping from number 39 to 15 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 11 to 5 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and number nine to a new peak at number four on Hot Rap Songs. During the first tracking week for the remix from May 31 to June 6, the single generated its biggest streaming week at 19.7 million streams, a 51% increase from the previous week, and ascended from number 35 to 15 on the Streaming Songs chart. It also sold 13,000 downloads, up 6,210% from the prior week, and re-entered the Digital Song Sales chart at number 4. In the same week, "Wanna Be" also achieved 7.1 million airplay audience impressions, an improvement of 115%. It jumped from number 36-17 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, up 113% in audience to 5.9 million, and debuted at number 37 on Rhythmic Airplay. Cardi B was listed on the radio airplay charts but not the multimetric charts, as the remix was responsible for the bulk of the song's airplay but not the majority of the song’s overall consumption during the tracking week.[14]

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Year Ceremony Category Nominee Result Ref.
2024 BET Hip Hop Awards Best Collaboration "Wanna Be" Nominated [15]
Best Featured Verse Megan Thee Stallion Nominated
Cardi B (remix) Nominated
MTV Video Music Awards Best Collaboration "Wanna Be" Nominated [16]
Song of Summer Nominated [17]

Track listing

[edit]
  • Streaming/digital download
  1. "Wanna Be" (explicit) – 2:36
  2. "Wanna Be" (clean) – 2:36
  3. "Wanna Be" (chopped and screwed; explicit) – 2:55
  4. "Wanna Be" (chopped and screwed; clean) – 2:55
  5. "Wanna Be" (sped up; explicit) – 2:23
  6. "Wanna Be" (sped up; clean) – 2:23
  7. "Wanna Be" (slowed; explicit) – 2:56
  8. "Wanna Be" (slowed; clean) – 2:56
  9. "Wanna Be" (extended; explicit) – 3:04
  10. "Wanna Be" (extended; clean) – 3:04
  • Streaming/digital download – remix
  1. "Wanna Be" (remix; explicit) – 3:44
  2. "Wanna Be" (remix; clean) – 3:44
  3. "Wanna Be" (chopped and screwed remix; explicit) – 4:12
  4. "Wanna Be" (chopped and screwed remix; clean) – 4:12
  5. "Wanna Be" (sped up remix; explicit) – 3:25
  6. "Wanna Be" (sped up remix; clean) – 3:25
  7. "Wanna Be" (slowed remix; explicit) – 4:12
  8. "Wanna Be" (slowed remix; clean) – 4:12
  9. "Wanna Be" (extended remix; explicit) – 4:08
  10. "Wanna Be" (extended remix; clean) – 4:08

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for "Wanna Be"
Chart (2024) Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[18] 80
Global 200 (Billboard)[19] 38
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[20] 26
US Billboard Hot 100[21] 11
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[22] 5
Chart performance for "Wanna Be" (Remix)
Chart (2024) Peak
position
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[23] 25
US R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (Billboard)[24] 2
US Rhythmic (Billboard)[25] 3

Release history

[edit]
Release dates and formats for "Wanna Be"
Region Date Format Version Label Ref.
Various April 5, 2024 Original [26]
April 8, 2024 Alternate versions [27]
May 31, 2024 Remix [28]
Remix alternate versions [29]
United States August 30, 2024 Rhythmic crossover Original [30]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Williams, Aaron (April 5, 2024). "Megan Thee Stallion And GloRilla Take It Back To School In Their Turnt-Up 'Wanna Be' Video". Uproxx. Archived from the original on 10 April 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  2. ^ a b Horvath, Zachary (April 5, 2024). "GloRilla & Megan Thee Stallion's "Wanna Be" Lives Up To The Hype & Then Some". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on 6 April 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  3. ^ Saunders, Brycen (April 7, 2024). "GloRilla Taps Megan Thee Stallion for "Wanna Be"". Hypebeast. Archived from the original on 13 April 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  4. ^ Corrine, Amber (April 8, 2024). "Megan Thee Stallion Dubs Herself "Best A** On Instagram" With "Wanna Be" Twerk Challenge". Vibe. Archived from the original on 12 April 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  5. ^ Schube, Will (April 9, 2024). "Megan Thee Stallion, Latto & GloRilla Tussle For Twerk Title Via 'Wanna Be' Challenge". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on 9 April 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  6. ^ Alexandria, Lavender (April 11, 2024). "Coi Leray Tries Out The Viral "Wanna Be" Twerking Challenge". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on 12 April 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  7. ^ Cowen, Trace William (April 5, 2024). "GloRilla Celebrates 'Ehhthang Ehhthang' Mixtape Release With New "Wanna Be" Video f/ Megan Thee Stallion". Complex. Archived from the original on 13 April 2024. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  8. ^ a b c d Cowen, Trace William (May 31, 2024). "Cardi B Has Words for 'Great Value Me' on "Wanna Be" Remix With GloRilla and Megan Thee Stallion". Complex. Archived from the original on 2 June 2024. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  9. ^ Breihan, Tom (May 31, 2024). "Cardi B Jumps On GloRilla & Megan Thee Stallion's "Wanna Be" Remix". Stereogum. Archived from the original on 2 June 2024. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  10. ^ Davis, Ahmad (May 31, 2024). "Rap-Up Replay: New Music From Shaboozey, Lay Bankz, Cardi B And More". Rap-Up. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  11. ^ a b Brown, Preezy; Sadler, Armon (May 31, 2024). "GloRilla Links With Meg And Cardi, Roddy Ricch Survives, MO3 Lives On And More New Hip-Hop". Vibe. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  12. ^ a b Gonzalez, Alex (May 31, 2024). "GloRilla, Megan Thee Stallion, And Cardi B Join Hot Girl Forces On The 'Wanna Be' Remix". Uproxx. Archived from the original on 1 June 2024. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  13. ^ Johnson, Arianna (May 31, 2024). "Cardi B's Alleged Shots At Rapper BIA On 'Wanna Be (Remix)': What To Know About Their Beef". Forbes. Archived from the original on 1 June 2024. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  14. ^ Anderson, Trevor (June 10, 2024). "GloRilla & Megan Thee Stallion's 'Wanna Be' Surges After Cardi B Remix". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 10, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  15. ^ Grein, Paul (September 18, 2024). "Megan Thee Stallion Leads 2024 BET Hip Hop Awards Nominations: Full List". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-09-18.
  16. ^ Willman, Chris (August 6, 2024). "Taylor Swift Leads MTV VMAs Nominations With 10, as Post Malone, Sabrina Carpenter, Ariana Grande and Eminem Also Get a Big Look". Variety. Archived from the original on August 6, 2024. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  17. ^ Grein, Paul (August 30, 2024). "2024 VMAs Names Nominees in Social Categories, Including Most Iconic Performance in VMA History". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 31, 2024. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
  18. ^ "GloRilla Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
  19. ^ "GloRilla Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 16, 2024.
  20. ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. April 15, 2024. Archived from the original on April 26, 2024. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  21. ^ "GloRilla Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 16, 2024.
  22. ^ "GloRilla Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 16, 2024.
  23. ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. June 10, 2024. Archived from the original on June 7, 2024. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  24. ^ "GloRilla Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  25. ^ "GloRilla Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
  26. ^ Horvath, Zachary (April 5, 2024). "GloRilla & Megan Thee Stallion's "Wanna Be" Lives Up To The Hype & Then Some". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on 28 June 2024. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  27. ^ "Wanna Be (Alternate Versions) - Single". Spotify. April 8, 2024. Archived from the original on June 6, 2024. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  28. ^ Anderson, Trevor (June 10, 2024). "GloRilla & Megan Thee Stallion's 'Wanna Be' Surges After Cardi B Remix". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 22, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  29. ^ "Wanna Be (Remix Alternate Versions) - Single". Spotify. May 31, 2024. Archived from the original on June 15, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  30. ^ "Crossover - Your Radio Chart Previews". Hits. August 30, 2024. Retrieved September 2, 2024.