Neck & Wrist
{{short description|2022 single by Pusha T featuring Jay-Z and Pharrell Williams}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Neck & Wrist
| cover = Pusha T - Neck & Wrist.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Pusha T featuring Jay-Z and Pharrell Williams
| album = It's Almost Dry
| released = April 6, 2022
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre = Hip hop
| length = 3:29
| label = {{hlist|GOOD|Def Jam}}
| writer = {{hlist|Terrence Thornton|Shawn Carter|Pharrell Williams}}
| producer = Pharrell Williams
| chronology = Pusha T
| prev_title = Hear Me Clearly
| prev_year = 2022
| next_title = Scrape It Off
| next_year = 2022
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| artist = Jay-Z
| type = singles
| prev_title = What It Feels Like
| prev_year = 2021
| title = Neck & Wrist
| year = 2022
| next_title =
| next_year =
}}
{{Extra chronology
| artist = Pharrell Williams
| type = singles
| prev_title = Tamagotchi
| prev_year = 2022
| title = Neck & Wrist
| year = 2022
| next_title = Cash In Cash Out
| next_year = 2022
}}
}}
"Neck & Wrist" is a song by American rapper Pusha T featuring fellow American rappers Jay-Z and Pharrell Williams. Produced by the latter, it was released on April 6, 2022 as the third single from the former's fourth studio album It's Almost Dry (2022).
Background
In 2020, actor and comedian Faizon Love claimed that Jay-Z had been lying about his drug-dealing past. Jay-Z addresses Love's comments in the song.{{cite web |last1=Lindner |first1=Grant |title=Decoding the Subliminals on Pusha T and Jay-Z's "Neck & Wrist" |url=https://www.gq.com/story/pusha-t-jay-z-neck-and-wrist |website=GQ|date=6 April 2022 }}
The artwork of the single was created by Sterling Ruby, who also previously designed the artwork for Pusha T's single "Diet Coke".{{cite web |last1=Strauss |first1=Matthew |title=Pusha T and Jay-Z Release New Song "Neck & Wrist": Listen |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/pusha-t-and-jay-z-releasing-new-song-neck-and-wrist-tonight/ |website=Pitchfork |date=April 6, 2022}}
Composition and lyrics
The song finds Pusha T and Jay-Z reflecting on their music careers and the benefits of their luxurious lifestyles, over an instrumental of heavy drum beats.{{cite magazine |last1=Mier |first1=Tomás |title=Jay-Z and Pusha T's 'Neck and Wrist' Is An Ode to Bling and Finer Things |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/jay-z-pusha-t-neck-and-wrist-1333142/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=April 6, 2022}}{{cite web |last1=McKinney |first1=Jessica |title=Best New Music This Week: Pusha-T, Jack Harlow, Fivio Foreign, and More |url=https://www.complex.com/music/best-new-music-this-week-pusha-t-jack-harlow-fivio-foreign/pusha-t-jay-z-neck-wrist |website=Complex |date=April 8, 2022}} In his verse, Jay-Z begins with responding to Faizon Love's claims ("The phase I'm on, love, I wouldn't believe it either / I'd be like, 'Jay-Z's a cheater,' I wouldn't listen to reason either"),{{cite web |last1=Callas |first1=Brad |title=Jay-Z Responds to Faizon Love's Claim That He Faked Drug Dealing Lifestyle on Pusha-T's "Neck & Wrist" |url=https://www.complex.com/music/jay-z-responds-to-faizon-love-claim-faked-drug-dealing-lifestyle-pusha-t-neck-and-wrist |website=Complex |date=April 6, 2022}} and raps that if The Notorious B.I.G. were alive, he and him would have dominated the New York hip hop scene as The Commission, a supergroup that Jay-Z and B.I.G. had planned to form before the latter's death.{{cite web |last1=Walker |first1=Joe |title=JAY-Z Addresses Biggie Supergroup The Commission on Pusha T 'Neck and Wrist' Collab |url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.69329/title.jay-z-addresses-biggie-supergroup-the-commisson-pusha-t-neck-wrist-collab# |website=HipHopDX |date=April 6, 2022}}
Critical reception
Response
Fans have speculated that Jay-Z had dissed American rapper Birdman in the song with the lyrics, "I blew bird money, y'all talk in Twitter feeds". Audio engineer Young Guru, a longtime collaborator and associate of Jay-Z, suggested that the line could have multiple meanings behind it and stated it was not a diss toward Birdman.{{cite web |last1=Espinoza |first1=Joshua |title=Speculation Jay-Z Dissed Birdman on New Pusha-T Collab "Neck and Wrist" Addressed by Young Guru |url=https://www.complex.com/music/young-guru-addresses-speculation-jay-z-dissed-birdman-on-pusha-t-track-neck-and-wrist |website=Complex |date=April 7, 2022}}
In an interview with VladTV around a week after the song was released, Faizon Love denied that Jay-Z had dissed him.{{cite web |last1=Todd |first1=Jessica |title=Faizon Love |url=https://www.vladtv.com/article/282261/faizon-love-members-only-exclusive |website=VladTV |date=April 14, 2022}}
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Chart performance for "Neck & Wrist" ! scope="col"| Chart (2022) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| {{single chart|Canada|69|artist=Pusha T|rowheader=true|access-date=May 3, 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardglobal200|148|artist=Pusha T|rowheader=true|access-date=May 3, 2022}} |
| {{single chart|South Africa2|46|year=2022|week=17|rowheader=true|access-date=June 1, 2024}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|76|artist=Pusha T|rowheader=true|access-date=May 3, 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardrandbhiphop|23|artist=Pusha T|rowheader=true|access-date=May 3, 2022}} |
References
{{reflist}}
{{Pusha T songs}}
{{Jay-Z songs}}
{{Pharrell Williams}}
Category:Pharrell Williams songs
Category:Def Jam Recordings singles
Category:Song recordings produced by Pharrell Williams
Category:Songs written by Pusha T
Category:Songs written by Jay-Z
Category:Songs written by Pharrell Williams
{{DEFAULTSORT:Neck and Wrist}}