Yikes (Nicki Minaj song)
{{short description|2020 single by Nicki Minaj}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Yikes
| type = promotional single
| artist = Nicki Minaj
| album =
| cover = Nicki Minaj - Yikes.png
| alt =
| released = {{start date|2020|2|7}}
| recorded = February 2020
| studio =
| genre = Trap
| length = {{duration|m=2|s=36}}
| label =
| writer =
- Nicki Minaj
- Darryl Clemons
- Taji Ausar
- Bobby Barrett
| producer =
- Pooh Beatz
- Tane Runo
- Deafh Beats
| misc = {{External music video|1={{YouTube|R_RJPTR5wIU|"Yikes"}}|header=Lyric video|type=song}}
}}
"Yikes" is a song by American rapper Nicki Minaj. It was released as a standalone promotional single on February 7, 2020. It debuted at number 23 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Background
Minaj first teased the song with a snippet on her Twitter on February 4, 2020.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/8551188/roddy-ricch-the-box-number-one-sixth-week|title=Roddy Ricch's 'The Box' Rules Hot 100 For Sixth Week, Dua Lipa Matches Career Best With 'Don't Start Now'|magazine=Billboard|last=Trust|first=Gary|date=February 18, 2020|access-date=February 18, 2020}} The snippet received criticism for lyrics including the late activist Rosa Parks, to which Minaj responded that "she had no clue anyone was mad" and does not care.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/8550084/nicki-minaj-previews-yikes|title=Nicki Minaj Slammed For Rosa Parks Reference in Preview of New Song "Yikes"|last=Saponara|first=Michael|magazine=Billboard|date=February 4, 2020|access-date=February 7, 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/2020/02/nicki-minaj-disputes-report-on-rosa-parks-lyric|title=Nicki Minaj Disputes Report on Rosa Parks Lyric: "Had No Clue Anyone Was Mad. Don't Care."|last=Cowen|first=Trace William|website=Complex|date=February 6, 2020|access-date=February 7, 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/nicki-minaj-yikes-rosa-parks-reactions/|title=Twitter Is Still Roasting Nicki Minaj Over Rosa Parks Diss in New Track "Yikes"|last=Tesema|first=Feleg|website=Highsnobiety|date=February 6, 2020|access-date=February 7, 2020}} On February 6, 2020, she revealed the cover art and announced that it would be released later that night.{{cite tweet|user=NICKIMINAJ|number=1225547555473444865|title=#YikesTonight|date=February 6, 2020|access-date=February 6, 2020}} The cover shows the rapper and her husband Kenneth Petty in a Ferrari 488 with Minaj waving to photographer Amanda Barona.{{cite web|url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/nicki-minaj-and-kenneth-petty-get-flashy-in-a-foreign-on-yikes-cover-art-news.103088.html|title=Nicki Minaj & Kenneth Petty Get Flashy In A Foreign On "Yikes" Cover Art|website=HotNewHipHop|last=A.|first=Aron|date=February 6, 2020|access-date=February 7, 2020}}
Composition and lyrics
Minaj revealed via Twitter that the song originally only contained one verse, heard in a snippet she previewed online. She jokingly added that her fans and label then "bullied" her into finishing the song and releasing it.{{Cite tweet|url=https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/1226143723316113409|title=I was playing a snippet for my crazy fans & they made me put it out. They are bullies. I only had 1 verse done. The label bullied me too. I've been bullied...|date=February 8, 2020||access-date=February 18, 2020|number=1226143723316113409|user=NickiMinaj|last=Minaj|first=Nicki}}
According to Minaj, she freestyled the chorus, upon hearing the song's beat for the "very first time". The outro was also freestyled.{{Cite tweet|url=https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/1226144336926011392|title=I made up the hook with no paper. Just freestyled in the booth cuz I loved the beat. so the yikes part is me hearing the beat for the very first time. The verses I wrote down. The outro was a freestyle...|date=February 8, 2020|access-date=February 18, 2020|number=1226144336926011392|user=NickiMinaj|last=Minaj|first=Nicki}} Minaj said she wanted to be "aggressive" on the track, but opted to make a "switch" after the fourth line in the second verse.{{Cite tweet|url=https://twitter.com/NICKIMINAJ/status/1226527768827060224|title=This is such a great observation. I wanted to be aggressive for the whole track. I was advised to keep my bad btchs & Barbie Dolls fed as well so I made a switch after the 4th line of the 2nd verse...|date=February 9, 2020|access-date=February 18, 2020|number=1226527768827060224|user=NickiMinaj|last=Minaj|first=Nicki}} The song contains a bass-heavy, click-clack beat and spacey, spare keyboards.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/8550401/nicki-minaj-yikes|title=In Case You Forgot, Nicki Minaj Proclaims Herself Queen on Fiery 'Yikes': Listen|last=Kaufman|first=Gil|date=February 7, 2020|magazine=Billboard|access-date=February 18, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.xxlmag.com/rap-music/new-music/2020/02/nicki-minaj-yikes-stream/|title=Nicki Minaj Drops New Song "Yikes": Listen|last=Fitzgerald|first=Trent|date=February 7, 2020|work=XXL Mag|access-date=February 18, 2020}} In the song, Minaj references civil rights activist Rosa Parks, with the line "All you bitches Rosa Parks, uh-oh, get your ass up". Trent Fitzgerald of XXL Mag said that the song features a "biting chorus in which Nicki raps, 'You a clown you do it for likes'", noting how "interestingly, that's the same thing she said during her intense and personal quarrel with [her ex-boyfriend] Meek Mill on social media on February 5, 2020".
Critical reception
Complex magazine's Jessica McKinney listed the song among the best new music of the week, saying it is nice to see "Nicki's still got it", while calling "Yikes" a "cocky record that appears to target the 'clowns' on social media".{{Cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/best-new-music-this-week-dababy-pop-smoke-justin-bieber|title=Best New Music This Week: DaBaby, Pop Smoke, Justin Bieber, and More|last1=McKinney|first1=Jessica|last2=Callas|first2=Brad|date=February 8, 2020|website=Complex|access-date=February 18, 2020}} Erika Marie of HotNewHipHop gave the song a positive review, and said although the line referencing Rosa Parks "seemed to get everyone in a tizzy", "Yikes" "is much more than a one-liner track". Marie also opined that despite Minaj having been "criticized lately for spending more time appealing to the pop music masses, [...] it seems that the Queens emcee is back with the smack-talking rhymes that the Barbz [her fans] can't get enough of hearing".{{Cite web|url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/nicki-minaj-drops-boastful-booming-yikes-after-much-hype-new-song.1986085.html|title=Nicki Minaj Drops Boastful, Booming "Yikes" After Much Hype|last=Marie|first=Erika|date=February 7, 2020|website=HotNewHipHop|access-date=February 18, 2020}}
Chart performance
"Yikes" debuted and peaked at number 23 on the US Billboard Hot 100, making it her highest charting promo single as a lead artist while also marking Minaj's 108th entry, an all-time record for a female artist at that time. It also debuted at the summit of the Digital Songs component chart with 20,000 digital downloads sold within its first week of availability, while garnering 15.5 million streams.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/2020-02-29|title=The Hot 100|magazine=Billboard|date=2 January 2013}} "Yikes" also debuted at number 6 on the Rolling Stone Top 100.
Personnel
Credits adapted from Tidal.{{cite web|url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/130634736/credits|title=Yikes / Nicki Minaj – Tidal|via=Tidal|access-date=February 7, 2020}}
- Nicki Minaj – vocals, songwriting
- Darryl Clemons – songwriting, production, programming
- Taji "Tane Runo" Ausar – production, programming
- Bobby Barrett – production, programming
- Derrick Milano – songwriting
- Jamal Berry – assistant recording engineering
- Chris Athens – mastering engineering
- Aubry "Big Juice" Delaine – mixing
Charts
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|artist=Nicki Minaj|title=Yikes|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2020|certyear=2024|access-date=March 10, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Brazil|type=single|artist=Nicki Minaj|title=Yikes|award=Gold|relyear=2020|certyear=2024|access-date=July 5, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=Nicki Minaj|award=Platinum|number=2|title=Yikes|relyear=2020|certyear=2022|access-date=May 1, 2022}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|streaming=true|noshipments=true}}