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Balut (song)

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"Balut"
Promotional single by Doja Cat
from the album Scarlet
ReleasedSeptember 15, 2023 (2023-09-15)
Recorded2022
Genre
Length3:27
Label
Composer(s)
Lyricist(s)Amala Zandile Dlamini
Producer(s)

"Balut" is a song by American rapper and singer Doja Cat from her fourth studio album, Scarlet (2023). It was released on September 15, 2023, through Kemosabe and RCA Records as the only promotional single from the album. Written by Doja Cat, Y2K and Rogét Chahayed, who also produced the song with Yeti Beats, it is a downtempo boom bap song characterized by bass-heavy lofi beats and ethereal melodies.

Background

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The title "Balut" was first revealed in April 2023, when Doja Cat shared pictures of a whiteboard showing progress on the preliminary tracklist for what would later be her fourth studio album Scarlet.[1] She then shared a snippet of the song while on an Instagram livestream in June 2023.[2][3] Doja Cat announced the release date of the album on August 30,[4] as well as the final tracklist on September 12, revealing "Balut" to be the fifteenth track on the album.[5] "Balut" was surprise released as a promotional single on September 15, with no prior announcement. The song was written by Doja Cat and Y2K alongside Rogét Chahayed, who produced the song with Yeti Beats. Additional production credits also go to co-writer Kurtis McKenzie.[6][7][8]

Composition and lyrics

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The track samples a quote from wrestler Ric Flair (pictured), also known as "I Da! Ba-Loot!"

Described as "slinky",[7] "sultry"[9] and "laid-back",[10][7][11] "Balut" is a downtempo rap song characterized by a bass-heavy lo-fi beat and "ethereal, melodic flourishes" of piano.[3][12][11][13] The song was noted to be inspired by boom bap[6] and 1990s hip hop music.[10][14] Lyrically, the song finds Doja Cat boasting about herself and her work from an "insightful but confident" perspective,[7][11][15] setting herself apart from her peers.[12] She also dismisses rumors and speculations such as drug use.[12] She utilizes a "backpack rap" flow and a complex rhyme structure, in addition to her inclusion of metaphors and wordplay.[14]

While the word balut is the name given to a popular Filipino delicacy commonly made from the embryo of a duck,[10] Doja Cat claims she gave the song that name because "it signifies a bird that's being eaten alive".[16] Doja Cat received backlash from Filipino listeners because balut is not, in fact, eaten live.[17] The opening to the track samples a quote from American wrestler Ric Flair saying, "Remember this girl... None of you can be first, but all of you can be next. Woo!".[18][15] The song could also have potentially gained its namesake from one of Flair's aliases, "I Da! Ba-Loot!".[19][20]

Critical reception

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"Balut" received generally favorable reviews from contemporary music critics. Armon Sadler of Vibe wrote that Doja Cat "excels" and praised her "pure, gritty, '90s type of flow".[14] Writing for HotNewHipHop, Alexander Cole also lauded her rapping, and wrote that it proves she is "incredibly talented and versatile".[13] Several critics compared "Balut" to the work of alternative hip hop artists such as The Alchemist and others under the Griselda Records collective.[13][21][22][14]

Charts

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Chart performance for "Balut"
Chart (2023) Peak
position
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[23] 10
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[24] 23

References

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  1. ^ Blake, Cole (April 8, 2023). "Doja Cat Teases Track Titles For Next Album". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  2. ^ Pointer, Flisadam (June 18, 2023). "Doja Cat Leaked Her Upcoming Single 'Balut' During An Instagram Stream". Uproxx. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Blake, Cole (June 19, 2023). "Doja Cat Previews Upcoming Single "Balut" During IG Livestream". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  4. ^ Singh, Surej (August 30, 2023). "Doja Cat announces new album, 'Scarlet'". NME. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
  5. ^ Lamarre, Carl (September 12, 2023). "Doja Cat Unveils Her 'No Features' Tracklist For New Album Scarlet". Billboard. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  6. ^ a b Denis, Kyle (September 15, 2023). "Doja Cat Continues Teasing 'Scarlet' With New 'Balut' Single: Stream It Now". Billboard. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  7. ^ a b c d Brodsky, Rachel (September 15, 2023). "Doja Cat Shares New Song "Balut": Listen". Stereogum. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  8. ^ Pappis, Konstantinos (September 15, 2023). "Doja Cat Shares New Single 'Balut'". Our Culture Mag. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  9. ^ Bernstein, Elaina (September 15, 2023). "Doja Cat Flexes on New Single, "Balut"". Hypebeast. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  10. ^ a b c Squires, Bethy (September 15, 2023). "Doja Cat Wants Us to Snack on 'Balut'". Vulture. New York Magazine. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  11. ^ a b c Johnson, Laura (September 15, 2023). "Doja Cat Shares New 'Scarlet' Single Balut". Stereoboard. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  12. ^ a b c Gonzalez, Alex (September 15, 2023). "Doja Cat Drops 'Balut,' Her Newest Single From 'Scarlet'". Uproxx. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  13. ^ a b c Cole, Alexander (September 15, 2023). "Doja Cat Channels Her Inner Griselda On New Single "Balut"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  14. ^ a b c d Brown, Preezy; Sadler, Armon (September 15, 2023). "Nas, Offset, Rod Wave, And More New Music Friday Releases To Add To Your Rotation". Vibe. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  15. ^ a b Cowen, Trace William (September 15, 2023). "Doja Cat Samples Ric Flair on Latest 'Scarlet' Track "Balut"". Complex. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  16. ^ Sharma, Jahanvi (September 17, 2023). "'I named the song Balut because…': Doja Cat shares the meaning behind her new song". Hindustan Times. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  17. ^ Magramo, Kathleen (September 21, 2023). "Why has Doja Cat's new song 'Balut' landed her in hot water with some Filipino listeners?". CNN. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  18. ^ Rosen, Craig (September 15, 2023). "Hear Doja Cat Sample Veteran Wrestler Ric Flair on New Single 'Balut'". The Messenger. Archived from the original on October 12, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  19. ^ Purnell, Kristofer (September 16, 2023). "Doja Cat drops 'Balut' ahead of 'Scarlet' album release". The Philippine Star. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  20. ^ Sanders, Laura (October 5, 2021). "WWE Legend Ric Flair Once Survived A Deadly Plane Crash Which Broke His Spine". SPORTbible. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  21. ^ Saponara, Michael (September 15, 2023). "Doja Cat Fans Call For Her To Join Griselda After New Single 'Balut'". HipHopDX. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  22. ^ Grant, Shawn (September 15, 2023). "Doja Cat Gets Her Bars Off on "Balut" Single from Forthcoming 'Scarlet' Album". The Source. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  23. ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. September 25, 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  24. ^ "Doja Cat Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
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