Wheelie (song) explained

Wheelie
Type:single
Artist:Latto featuring 21 Savage
Album:777
Cover:File:Wheelie_single_cover_art_Latto_feat_21_Savage.webp
Released:March 11, 2022
Label:RCA
Chronology:Latto
Prev Title:Soufside
Prev Year:2021
Next Title:Big Energy
Next Version:remix
Next Year:2022

"Wheelie" is a song by American rapper Latto featuring British-American rapper 21 Savage. It was released on March 11, 2022, through RCA Records, as the third single from Latto's second studio album, 777 (2022).

Background and release

In September 2021, Latto released "Big Energy" as the lead single of her then-upcoming sophomore album 777. The song became her first top-40 hit in the United States.[1] In November 2021, Latto released the track "Soufside", along with the track's music video.[2] "Wheelie" is Latto's second collaboration with 21 Savage; the first was "Pull Up", from Latto's debut album Queen of da Souf.[3]

In February 2022, Latto teased the song on her Instagram account.[4] She then posted a video on TikTok, hinting at who would be featured on the song. She said in the video that the featured artist was "a parent, a diamond-certified act, and a previous Met Gala attendee". Certain social media users theorized that the artist in question was Cardi B or Nicki Minaj, but Latto confirmed that the artist was a male, later announcing that the featured artist would be 21 Savage, along with the song's release date and cover art. "Wheelie" was released on March 11, 2022, as the second single from 777.

Composition and reception

The song contains a sample from the Three 6 Mafia song "Slob on my Knob". The song has been described as "raunchy" and contains a "booming bass line".[5] Latto and 21 Savage exchange sexual innuendos and make usage of ad-libs on the song.[6] The song is about how "players" are unable to handle Latto's "sexual energy".[7] The lyrics to "Wheelie" were described as "boastful" by a reviewer at Uproxx.[8]

Consequence named "Wheelie" the "best rap song of the week". Robby Seabrook of XXL also called the track one of the "best new songs of the week".[9] Grace Powers, for Music Daily, called 21 Savage's contributions to the song "underwhelming", and remarked that "he sounds uninterested". Lauren Floyd felt that Latto used the "Slob on my Knob" sample "just for empty recognition".[10]

Music video

The music video for "Wheelie" was directed by Colin Tilley. In it, Latto performs the vehicular maneuver known as a wheelie on a motorcycle around Atlanta, while driving on a highway. In another section of the music video, Latto dances in a parking lot filled with cars, and shows off a "custom-made, diamond studded" cryptocurrency wallet made by American jeweler Greg Yuna.[11] [12] In a later part of the clip, Latto dances on a bed inside the fictional "Big Latto Mattress Store".[13]

Wongo Okon of Uproxx called the video "thrilling".

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from Spotify.[14] [15]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2022-03-11 . Rap Song of the Week: Latto pops a "Wheelie" with 21 Savage . 2022-07-08 . Consequence . en-US . 2022-06-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220613144711/https://consequence.net/2022/03/latto-wheelie-21-savage-rap-song-of-the-week/ . live .
  2. Web site: 2021-11-05 . Latto Drops Off New Single 'Soufside': Listen . 2022-07-08 . HipHop-N-More . en-US . 2021-11-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211110092817/https://hiphop-n-more.com/2021/11/latto-soufside-new-song/ . live .
  3. Web site: Latto Shares Video for 21 Savage-Assisted Track "Wheelie" . 2022-07-08 . Complex . en . 2022-07-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220708233726/https://www.complex.com/music/latto-21-savage-wheelie-video . live .
  4. Web site: 2022-02-09 . Latto 'Wheelie' Single Ignites A TikTok Dance Challenge - & It Hasn't Dropped Yet . 2022-07-08 . HipHopDX . 2022-07-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220708233714/https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.67942/title.latto-wheelie-single-ignites-a-tiktok-dance-challenge-it-hasnt-dropped-yet . live .
  5. Web site: Powers . Grace . 2022-03-14 . Latto and 21 Savage Get Racy on "Wheelie" . 2022-07-08 . Music Daily . en-US . 2022-07-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220715235515/https://musicdaily.app/latto-and-21-savage-get-racy-on-wheelie/ . live .
  6. Lipshutz . Jason . 2022-03-11 . First Stream: New Music From Megan Thee Stallion & Dua Lipa, Lil Durk and More . 2022-07-08 . Billboard . en-US . 2022-07-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220708233715/https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/first-stream-megan-thee-stallion-dua-lipa-lil-durk-1235043017/ . live .
  7. Web site: 2022-03-11 . New Music Friday: The Chainsmokers, Alanis Morissette, Kygo, Jennifer Lopez, Ava Max and Latto . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220313051935/https://www.wrmf.com/new-music-friday-the-chainsmokers-alanis-morissette-kygo-jennifer-lopez-ava-max-and-latto/ . 2022-03-13 . 2022-07-08 . 97.9 WRMF . en-US.
  8. Web site: 2022-03-11 . Latto And 21 Savage's 'Wheelie' Video Is A Boastful Effort . 2022-07-08 . UPROXX . en-US . 2022-07-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220708233715/https://uproxx.com/music/latto-21-savage-wheelie-video/ . live .
  9. Web site: Seabrook . Robby . The 13 Best New Songs This Week . 2022-07-08 . XXL Mag . en . 2022-07-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220705233009/https://www.xxlmag.com/best-new-songs-benny-the-butcher-latto-lil-durk/ . live .
  10. Web site: Floyd . Lauren . 2022-05-04 . Review - Latto '777' Shows She's Still Developing But Carves A Seat At The Rap Table . 2022-07-11 . . 2022-06-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220626190049/https://hiphopdx.com/reviews/id.3860/title.latto-777-album-review . live .
  11. Web site: 2022-03-11 . Latto Taps 21 Savage for Motorcycle-Filled "Wheelie" Video . 2022-07-08 . HYPEBEAST . 2022-07-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220708233714/https://hypebeast.com/2022/3/latto-wheelie-music-video-21-savage . live .
  12. Web site: 2022-03-14 . Latto and 21 Savage Teams Up On a New Hot Single 'Wheelie' . 2022-07-08 . Out Now Magazine . en-US . 2022-07-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220708233725/https://outnowmagazine.com/latto-21-savage-wheelie/ . live .
  13. Web site: LATTO FT. 21 SAVAGE "WHEELIE" - HiphopMag . 2022-07-08 . hiphopmag.co . 2022-07-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220708233718/https://hiphopmag.co/latto-ft-21-savage-wheelie/ . live .
  14. https://open.spotify.com/track/2BxboWjnfktO1E9HGfPXq1?si=LStZv0WnTna4Ib2JdTBN1w "Wheelie" by Latto (featuring 21 Savage)
  15. https://open.spotify.com/track/0mXMr1OVZZKYmOinBaofOp?si=yloee6gMQw6k2diegRnNzg "Slob on my Nob" by Three 6 Mafia and Tear Up Da Club Thugs (featuring Project Pat)
  16. Web site: The Official New Zealand Music Chart . 2022-07-11 . en . 2007-02-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070223085716/https://nztop40.co.nz/ . live .