Took Her to the O
{{short description|2020 single by King Von}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Took Her to the O
| cover = King Von - Took Her To The O.jpg
| type = single
| artist = King Von
| album = Levon James
| released = February 21, 2020
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
| length = 3:14
| label =
| writer =
| producer = Chopsquad DJ
| prev_title = Pressin
| prev_year = 2020
| next_title = Grandson For President
| next_year = 2020
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|hzt31eJTGxo|"Took Her to the O"}}}}
}}
"Took Her to the O" is a song by American rapper King Von released on February 21, 2020, through labels Only the Family and Empire. It served as the third and last single extracted from his second commercial mixtape, Levon James, which was released in March 2020. The track was written by Von and Chopsquad DJ, with the latter handling production.{{Cite web|date=2020-02-21|title=King Von Tells Another Crazy Story in the Tragicomic "Took Her To The O" Video|url=https://audibletreats.com/king-von_pr14/|access-date=2020-11-22|website=Audible Treats|language=en-US}} Classified within the drill genre, it is also among Bennett's most popular songs.{{Cite web|url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.58886/title.how-king-von-is-another-chicago-light-dimmed-too-soon|title= How King Von Is Another Chicago Light Dimmed Too Soon|website=HipHopDx|date=November 7, 2020|access-date=November 19, 2023|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|url=https://rhymejunkie.com/posts/5-best-king-von-tracks|title= 5 best King Von tracks|website=rhymejunkie.com|date=June 16, 2023|access-date=August 18, 2023|language=en-US}} It received positive reviews from music critics, who praised the vivid storytelling, sharp lyrical detail, and immersive narrative.
The song peaked at number 44 on the Billboard Hot 100.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/king-von/|title=King Von - CHART HISTORY|date=November 21, 2020|magazine=Billboard|access-date=August 18, 2023|language=en-US}}{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9485037/king-von-charts-hot-100-first-time-death|title=King Von Charts on Hot 100 for First Time After His Death, Led by 'Took Her to the O'|magazine=Billboard|date=November 21, 2020|access-date=August 18, 2023|language=en-US}} On February 14, 2023, it was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for surpassing three million certified units sold in the United States.{{Cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=King+Von&ti=Took+Her+to+the+O&format=Single&type=#search_section|title= Gold & Platinum - KING VON - TOOK HER TO THE O|website=Recording Industry Association of America|date=February 14, 2023|access-date=August 18, 2023|language=en-US}} Additionally, on November 3, 2023, it received a silver certification from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for exceeding 200,000 sales in the United Kingdom.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bpi.co.uk/award/19425-6533-1|title= King Von - Took Her To The O - Only The Family Entertainment|website=British Phonographic Industry|date=November 3, 2023|access-date=March 27, 2024|language=en-US}}
"Took Her to the O" is one of King Von's favorite among all the songs of the project Levon James.{{Cite web|url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.54990/title.king-von-says-levon-james-is-just-the-beginning-of-long-fruitful-career|title= KING VON SAYS 'LEVON JAMES' IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF LONG & FRUITFUL CAREER|website=HipHopDx|date=March 17, 2020|access-date=August 18, 2023|language=en-US}} In an interview for XXL MAG, King Von revealed to have written most of the song lyrics while he was locked up in jail.XXL Staff, January 8, 2021 [https://www.xxlmag.com/king-von-interview/ "King Von Speaks on His Come Up Two Weeks Before His Death in One of His Final Interviews"], XXL MAG, That’s how I do it with the sh** I was writing. I wrote “Took Her to the O” [and] “How It Go” in jail. I wrote “Crazy Story” on the bus. I wrote [“The Code”] with Polo G. I wrote a lot.
Composition
The song finds Bennett rapping with aggressive energy and hard-hitting flows associated with a catchy hook, all this over a "sinister, piano-led drill beat". The lyrics are developed with a storytelling technique characterized by a very explicit and raw style.{{Cite web|url=https://www.songtell.com/king-von/took-her-to-the-o|title=Meaning of Took Her to the O by King Von|date=February 23, 2020|website=songtell.com|access-date=August 18, 2023}}{{AI-generated source|certain=y|date=February 2025}}
"Took Her to the O" was described as a dark and intense song that vividly portrays the harsh realities of life on the streets. The song's lyrics were defined as both graphic and disturbing, painting a bleak picture of a world where violence and aggression are a necessary part of survival. It even deals with themes of violence, crime, and street culture, portraying the same King Von as a tough and ruthless character who is willing to take matters into his own hands in order to protect himself. The lyrics also suggest a sense of loyalty and street justice.{{AI-generated source|certain=y|date=February 2025}}
The story is romanced in detail, and Von depicted him as the protagonist in it, riding in a car and seducing a girl, "a stripper" from Kankakee that he met before at the store,{{Cite magazine|title=How King Von Used His Time in Jail to Become a Better Rapper|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/king-von-levon-james-interview-9328126/|magazine=Billboard|date=March 6, 2020|access-date=August 18, 2023|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/11/06/932178314/king-von-emerging-chicago-rapper-dead-at-26|title=King Von, Emerging Chicago Rapper, Dead At 26|website=npr|date=November 6, 2020|access-date=August 13, 2024}} the seduction goes wrong as Bennett has to deal with a man named "Duck" which confronts him leading the situation to become violent with the man throwing a brick to Von's car and forcing him to take his immediate revenge on "Duck" by shooting him twice and killing him.{{AI-generated source|certain=y|date=February 2025}} The man is heavily implied to be the real life and late rapper FBG Duck, whom Von knew personally and was from his rival neighborhood. Duck would end up dead after being shot by members of O'Block months after the song's release.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-17 |title=6 O-Block street gang members convicted in 2020 Gold Coast shooting death of Chicago rapper FBG Duck |url=https://abc7chicago.com/fbg-duck-death-verdict-o-block-street-gang-chicago-shooting/14333501/ |access-date=2024-12-29 |website=ABC7 Chicago |language=en}} The story ends with Von taking the girl to "the O", which most likely refers to Parkway Garden Homes a.k.a. "O'Block", an apartment complex in Chicago on 6400 block of South King Drive where Bennett grew up.{{Cite web|title=King Von Previews "LeVon James" Album With "Took Her To The O"|url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/king-von-previews-levon-james-album-with-took-her-to-the-o-new-song.1986286.html|access-date=2020-11-22|website=HotNewHipHop|date=February 21, 2020 |language=en}}
King Von also employs a line that recalls to his most famous catchphrase "We not from 63rd" which he introduced in his breakout single Crazy Story{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/king-von-crazy-story-new-song-listen/|title=THE PITCH - The Ones: King Von's "Crazy Story"|date=February 6, 2019|website=Pitchfork|access-date=August 18, 2023|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2104833/king-von-the-art-of-storytelling/columns/status-aint-hood/|title=King Von & The Art Of Storytelling|date= November 4, 2020|website=Stereogum|access-date=August 18, 2023|language=en-US}} but in this case he adapted it to the story with the following verse “I know you mad ’cause I smoked your mans, left him on the curb/She started laughin’, she said, “F*** that nigga, he from 63rd.”
King Von explained in detail his lyrics on "Took Her to the O" song, appearing On 21 March 2020, in a YouTube video for Genius.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7SaiBaRjjg&feature=youtu.be|title=King Von "Took Her To The O" Official Lyrics & Meaning - Verified|date=March 17, 2020|website=Wayback Machine|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201106220552/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7SaiBaRjjg&feature=youtu.be |access-date=August 18, 2023|archive-date=2020-11-06 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web|url=https://genius.com/videos/King-von-breaks-down-the-meaning-of-took-her-to-the-o|title=King Von Breaks Down The Meaning Of "Took Her To The O"|date=March 17, 2020|website=Genius|access-date=August 18, 2023|language=en-US}}
Music video
The music video was released alongside the single on February 21, 2020. It was directed by Joan Pabon{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11843076/fullcredits|title=King Von: Took Her to the O - 2020 Music Video - Full Cast & Crew|date=March 17, 2020|website=IMDb|access-date=August 18, 2023|language=en-US}} with the collaboration of "Blanksquare Productions" for shooting the interior scenes, that were filmed in Los Angeles at "FilmstudioLA".{{cite web |title=King Von - Took Her To The O - Music Video @ FilmStudioLA |url=https://www.filmstudiola.com/king-von-took-her-to-the-o-music-video-filmstudiola/ |website=FilmStudioLA |access-date=2 May 2021 |date=12 March 2020|language=en-US}} In it, King Von recounts the story to his Therapist through rapping the song, between shots of Von and his therapist getting down to DJ's beat, and with intercutting scenes from the narrative. The music video is the most viewed video on King Von’s YouTube channel with over 330 million views as of April 2025.
King Von also recorded a live piano session of the song concurrently with "Why He Told" song for Audiomack, that was released with a video on August 13, 2020, on YouTube.{{Citation|title=King Von "Why He Told / Took Her To The O" (Live Piano Medley) - Fine Tuned|url=https://www.100kmanagement.com/post/king-von-why-he-told---took-her-to-the-o-live-piano-medley-fine-tuned|website=100kmanagement.com|date=August 13, 2020|access-date=November 16, 2023|language=en-US}}
Critical reception
Mark Braboy that wrote for Complex, defined songs like "Took Her to the O" and the "Crazy Story" series as pieces that brought back catchy narrative sing-alongs, reminiscent of what Slick Rick did with "Children's Story"; plus he defined King Von as thoughtful, skillful lyricist, and different from others Chicago drill artists as able to deliver it in a ferocious and resonating package that was unrivaled.{{Cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/a/mbraboy17/king-von-remembered-obituary|title=King Von, Fearless Storyteller|date=November 9, 2020|website=Complex|access-date=August 18, 2023|language=en-US}} Will Schube of NPR noted that King Von's artistry is marked by his ability to craft vivid narratives, blending a stark, dead-eye nihilism with humor and empathy in his rhymes; and that this distinctive style is exemplified right in "Took Her to the O".
Charts
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Weekly chart performance for "Took Her to the O" ! scope="col"| Chart (2020) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| {{single chart|Canada|56|artist=King Von|rowheader=true|access-date=November 21, 2020|language=en-US}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardglobal200|94|artist=King Von|rowheader=true|access-date=March 5, 2022|language=en-US}} |
| scope="row"| New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ){{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/hot-singles/2020-11-13|title=NZ Hot Singles Chart|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|date=November 16, 2020|access-date=November 21, 2020|language=en-US}}
| 18 |
|---|
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|47|artist=King Von|rowheader=true|access-date=November 21, 2020|language=en-US}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardrandbhiphop|14|artist=King Von|rowheader=true|access-date=November 21, 2020|language=en-US}} |
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Year-end chart performance for "Took Her to the O" ! scope="col"| Chart (2021) ! scope="col"| Position |
| scope="row"| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2021/hot-r-and-and-b-hip-hop-songs/|title=Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2021|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 3, 2021|language=en-US}}
| 64 |
|---|
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "Took Her to the O"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|award=Silver|type=single|artist=King Von|title=Took Her to the O|relyear=2020|certyear=2023|id=19425-6533-1|access-date=November 4, 2023}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|award=Platinum|number=3|type=single|artist=King Von|title=Took Her to the O|relyear=2020|certyear=2023|access-date=February 16, 2023}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true|noshipments=true}}