Intro (DaBaby song)
{{Short description|2019 single by DaBaby}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Intro
| cover = dababy - kirk intro.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = DaBaby
| album = Kirk
| released = September 19, 2019
| genre =
| length = 2:52
| label = Interscope
| writer =
- Jonathan Kirk
- De'Juane Dunwood
- Traditional
| producer = DJ Kid
| prev_title = Enemies
| prev_year = 2019
| next_title = Heartless
| next_year = 2019
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|ce1lTmRtIkM|"Intro"}}}}
}}
"Intro" (stylized in all-caps) is a song by American rapper DaBaby, released as the lead single and opening track from his second studio album Kirk on September 19, 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/dababy-intro-song-you-need-to-know-887438/|title=DaBaby's 'Intro' Is a Heart-Wrenching Portrait of Loss — And His Best Song Yet|last=Holmes|first=Charles|date=September 19, 2019|accessdate=September 20, 2019|work=Rolling Stone}}{{cite news|last=Darville|first=Jordan|title=DaBaby gets personal on new song 'Intro'|url=https://www.thefader.com/2019/09/19/dababy-gets-personal-on-new-song-intro|accessdate=September 19, 2019|website=The Fader|date=September 19, 2019}}
The song peaked at number 13 on the US Billboard Hot 100.{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/lyrics/8531889/dababy-intro-lyrics|title=Here Are the Lyrics to DaBaby's Intro|date=October 1, 2019|accessdate=October 2, 2019|last=Mamo|first=Heran}}
Music and lyrics
The song explores themes of family and DaBaby handling his newfound success. The song strays away from his usual comedic subject matter, which is synonymous with his music. He explains how he found out about his father's passing only moments before he was informed that his debut studio album, Baby on Baby, debuted atop the Billboard Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop chart.{{cite web|url=https://youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=BO8rXjQijl4&t=181|title=DaBaby talks Losing His Dad, Having Best Features of 2019, Linking w/ Lizzo - Bootleg Kev & DJ Hed|author=Real 92.3 LA|date=September 25, 2019|accessdate=December 25, 2019}}
The song is produced by DJ K.i.D,{{cite web|url=https://genius.com/a/the-making-of-dababys-intro-with-dj-k-i-d|title=The Making Of DaBaby's "INTRO" With DJ K.i.D|work=Genius|last=Thioubou|first=Ndeye|date=December 19, 2019|accessdate=December 25, 2019}} who sampled NSYNC's 1998 rendition of "O Holy Night" for the song.{{cite web|url=https://www.whosampled.com/sample/681661/DaBaby-INTRO-*NSYNC-O-Holy-Night-(A-Cappella)/|title=DaBaby's 'INTRO' sample of 'O Holy Night (A Cappella)' by *NSYNC|work=WhoSampled|accessdate=December 25, 2019}}{{unreliable source?|date=December 2019}} The song's chorus makes references to Martin and Gina, characters from the TV series Martin, and tennis players and sisters Venus and Serena Williams.
Music video
The music video was released on September 20, 2019. It begins with DaBaby walking towards a casket at a church, before then cutting to a scene of DaBaby celebrating his newfound success.{{cite web|url=https://ambrosiaforheads.com/2019/09/dababy-rapper-with-message-intro-video/|title=DaBaby Makes A Song That Shows He's A Grown-Up MC With A Real Message|last=Koertge|first=Jacob "34"|date=September 21, 2019|accessdate=October 2, 2019|publisher=Ambrosia For Heads}} The video, directed by Reel Goats, was shot in Hawaii.{{cite web|url=https://bossip.com/1790313/reel-rap-dababy-releases-a-cinematic-visual-for-his-introspective-intro-reveals-relationship-with-family-video/|title=DaBaby Releases Music Video For "Intro"|date=September 20, 2019|accessdate=October 2, 2019|publisher=Bossip|author=Bossip Staff}} As of April 2021 the video has over 60 million views on YouTube.
Critical reception
The song received positive reviews, with Rolling Stone{{'}}s Charles Holmes deeming it a "heart-wrenching portrait of loss", calling it DaBaby's "best song yet", as DaBaby drops his comedically tough facade in favor of a more sincere approach to the song.
Chart performance
The song peaked at number 13 on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming his third song to reach the top 20 on the chart, and second as the lead artist.{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/dababy/chart-history/hsi/|title=DaBaby Chart History|accessdate=October 2, 2019|work=Billboard}}
Charts
= Weekly charts =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2019)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| {{single chart|Billboardcanadianhot100|26|artist=DaBaby|rowheader=true|accessdate=October 8, 2019}} |
| {{single chart|Ireland3|70|artist=DaBaby|rowheader=true|accessdate=October 5, 2019}} |
| scope="row"| New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ){{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/hot-singles/2019-09-27|title=NZ Hot Singles Chart|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|date=September 30, 2019|access-date=October 5, 2019}}
| 6 |
| {{single chart|UK|97|date=20191004|rowheader=true|accessdate=October 5, 2019}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|13|artist=DaBaby|rowheader=true|accessdate=October 8, 2019}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardrandbhiphop|8|artist=DaBaby|rowheader=true|accessdate=October 8, 2019}} |
| scope="row"| US Rolling Stone Top 100{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/charts/songs/2019-10-03/|title=Rolling Stone Top 100, September 27-October 3, 2019|work=Rolling Stone|date=October 3, 2019|accessdate=October 7, 2019}}
| 1 |
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2019)
! scope="col"| Position |
|---|
| scope="row"| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard){{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2019/hot-r-and-and-b-hip-hop-songs|title=Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2019|work=Billboard|accessdate=December 6, 2019}}
| 98 |
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for Intro}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|artist=DaBaby|title=Intro|type=single|award=Platinum|relyear=2019|certyear=2021|date=April 19, 2021|access-date=April 20, 2021|refname="USCert"}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true|noshipments=true}}