Dance (Ass) Explained

Dance (Ass)
Cover:Bigsean-dance.png
Border:yes
Type:single
Artist:Big Sean featuring Nicki Minaj
Album:Finally Famous
Released: (radio)

(Remix)
Recorded:2011
Length:3:17 (album version)
3:40 (remix)
Producer:Da Internz
Chronology:Big Sean
Prev Title:Lay It on Me
Prev Year:2011
Next Title:Mercy
Next Year:2012

"Dance (Ass)", often stylized "Dance (A$$)", is a song by American rapper Big Sean, released as the third single from his debut studio album, Finally Famous (2011). It was added to urban radio formats on September 20, 2011 as the album's third official single. The official remix of the song features Nicki Minaj.[1] It samples MC Hammer's "U Can't Touch This", which in turn samples Rick James's single "Super Freak".

Critical reception

The Boston Globe said it is a "stale stripper anthem out of synch with what surrounds it. The production is heavy on vocal hooks, synths, and chattering beats, but the focus is Sean’s wit and insistent flow."[2] The New York Times complimented the song's use of MC Hammer's "U Can't Touch This" and further went on to say that the song "basically cribs its chorus (uncredited) from the oeuvre of DJ Assault, the Detroit ghettotech innovator. Nowhere does Big Sean sound more confident or hilarious."[3] The A.V. Club gave a positive review of the track and called it freewheeling, fast-footed, and full of swagger.[4] The Village Voice complimented Sean's performance on the track and said "he took his microphone and turned it into an extension of his phallus, waving it down there like a gleeful toddler as the track imbued new meaning to MC Hammer's signature phrase 'Hammer Time', released in 1990 to the artist Hammer Time."[5]

Ology called it a positive minority in the album and complimented the "flow-flip" and "low bass tones" in the song.[6] HipHopDX commented on the song and said that it "narrowly escapes formulaic territory by injecting enough personality, comedy and verbal gymnastics to ably complement Da Internz' pounding, dance-ready bassline."[7] Complex did not favor the track and called it repetitive and minimalist compared to most of the other tracks on the album.[8]

Music video

The music video of the song's remix version premiered on Vevo on November 1, 2011.[9]

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for "Dance (Ass)"! Chart (2011–2012)! Peak
position

Year-end charts

Chart (2012)!scope="col"
Position
US Billboard Hot 100[10] 57
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[11] 20
US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[12] 11
US Rhythmic (Billboard)[13] 19

Radio and release history

CountryDateFormatLabelVersion
United StatesSeptember 20, 2011[14] Urban contemporaryG.O.O.D. Music, Def JamAlbum version
October 18, 2011[15] Remix version featuring Nicki Minaj
October 24, 2011[16] | Digital download|-| October 25, 2011[17] | Rhythmic radio| rowspan="2"|Album version|-|January 10, 2012[18] | Top 40/Mainstream radio|}

References

Notes and References

  1. http://mypinkfriday.com/news/48101 Listen: Nicki Minaj remixes Big Sean's 'Dance (A$$)' : Nicki Minaj
  2. News: Big Sean "Finally Famous . . September 16, 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110811051013/http://articles.boston.com/2011-06-28/ae/29713375_1_big-sean-wiz-khalifa-lupe-fiasco . August 11, 2011 .
  3. News: New Music . The New York Times. 27 June 2011 . September 16, 2011 . Chinen . Nate . Ratliff . Ben . Caramanica . Jon .
  4. News: Finally Famous . The A.V. Club. 2011-09-16.
  5. News: Big Sean Heads Into the Spotlight . . September 16, 2011 . 2011-08-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110802221657/http://www.villagevoice.com/2011-06-29/music/big-sean-heads-into-the-spotlight/ . dead .
  6. Web site: Album Review: 'Finally Famous: The Album' by Big Sean . Ology . September 16, 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110903032515/http://ology.com/music/album-review-finally-famous-album-big-sean . September 3, 2011 .
  7. Finally Famous: The Album . HipHopDX . September 16, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110712005715/http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/album-reviews/id.1700/title.big-sean-finally-famous-the-album . July 12, 2011 . dead .
  8. Album Preview: Big Sean "Finally Famous: The Album" . Complex. September 16, 2011.
  9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn1VGytzXus Big Sean – Dance (A$$) Remix ft. Nicki Minaj
  10. Best of 2012 - Hot 100 Songs. Billboard. December 14, 2012.
  11. R&B/Hip-Hop Songs - 2012 Year End Charts. Billboard. December 17, 2012.
  12. Rap Songs - 2012 Year End Charts. Billboard. December 17, 2012.
  13. Rhythmic Songs – Year-End 2012. Billboard. October 4, 2019.
  14. Web site: Mediabase Urban Adds . . September 15, 2011.
  15. https://web.archive.org/web/20111025004024/http://www.allaccess.com/urban/future-releases October 18, 2011
  16. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/dance-a-$-remix-feat.-nicki/id473060288 Dance (A*$) [Remix] (feat. Nicki Minaj) – Single by Big Sean]. iTunes (October 24, 2011). Retrieved on February 6, 2012.
  17. https://web.archive.org/web/20110930173855/http://www.allaccess.com/top40-rhythmic/future-releases October 25, 2011
  18. http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=69239 Radio Industry News, Music Industry Updates, Arbitron Ratings, Music News and more!