Amari (song)

"Amari"
Song by J. Cole
from the album The Off-Season
Genre
Length2:28
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Music video
"Amari" on YouTube

"Amari" (stylized as "a m a r i") is a song by American rapper J. Cole. It was released on May 14, 2021 on Cole's sixth studio album, The Off-Season.[2]

Background

The song title, "Amari", is named after Dreamville president and manager Ibrahim Hamad's son, also the nephew of Dreamville rapper Bas.[3]

Production and composition

J. Cole revealed how the song was created on Timbaland's BeatClub YouTube channel. The song was produced during a Twitch live stream by Timbaland. When Cole heard it, he contemplated reaching out, but wrote to the beat through a rip on the internet. He said "I looped up the YouTube lil' rip, made a whole song on this shit. I spent the next two days writing and recording the song, and right when I was 90% through writin' it, I was like, I should probably call him now and get the real file."[4] After asking for the file and playing the song, Timbaland said he didn't save the beat and had to remake it.[5]

Music video

On May 17, 2021, Cole released the official music video for "Amari" directed by fellow North Carolina rapper Mez, who also directed the "Middle Child" video.[6] Scenes in the video features Cole rapping in front of a Dreamville helicopter and in a dorm-room with the wall lined with platinum plaques. A message saying "hold on to your inner child," reads at the end.[7]

Critical reception

Writing for HipHopDX, Clark Trent said "The Timbaland-assisted "Amari" proves the magic ultimately falls on the beatpicker as T-Minus, Sucuki and Cole all combine for a relatively limp staccato blitz of guitar loops."[8] Clash said Cole reflects "on his success and how he made it out even through trials and tribulations."[9] Rolling Stone said the song was a standout on the album "as he alternates between agile rapping and serious singing."[10]

Commercial performance

Upon its first week of release, "Amari" debuted at number 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming his third top five song on the chart.[11]

Charts

Chart performance for "Amari"
Chart (2021) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[12] 14
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[13] 7
Lithuania (AGATA)[14] 40
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[15] 12
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[16] 58
UK Singles (OCC)[17] 16
US Billboard Hot 100[18] 5
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[19] 3

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[20] Gold 35,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[21] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[22] Platinum 1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ Jenkins, Craig (May 18, 2021). "J. Cole and the Limitations of Millennial Rap". Vulture. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  2. ^ Skinner, Tom (May 13, 2021). "J. Cole reveals tracklist and producers for new album 'The Off-Season'". NME. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  3. ^ Threadcraft, Torry. "J.Cole Returns With the Official "a m a r i" Video". OkayPlayer.
  4. ^ "J. Cole's "Amari" Samples A Lost Timbaland Beat From A Twitch Stream". Hotnewhiphop. May 18, 2021.
  5. ^ Okon, Wongo (May 19, 2021). "J. Cole Used A Twitch-Ripped Timbaland Beat For 'Amari,' Only To Find Out The Producer Hadn't Saved It". Uproxx.
  6. ^ "J. Cole Shares Video for "Amari"". Complex. Archived from the original on June 4, 2021. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
  7. ^ Sodomsky, Sam (May 17, 2021). "J. Cole Shares New "Amari" Video: Watch". Pitchfork.
  8. ^ Clark, Trent (June 2, 2021). "'The Off-Season' Is J. Cole's Lyrical Prime, Artistic Wall". HipHopDX. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
  9. ^ Hawthorne, Sade (May 14, 2021). "J. Cole - The Off-Season - Clash Magazine". Clash. An album that touches astronomical heights...
  10. ^ Mankaprr, Conteh (May 21, 2021). "J. Cole Prizes Benign Autobiography Over Social Commentary on 'The Off-Season'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  11. ^ Blake, Cole (May 24, 2021). "J. Cole Lands 4 Of Top 5 Spots On Billboard's Most-Streamed Songs This Week". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
  12. ^ "ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. May 24, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  13. ^ "J. Cole Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  14. ^ "2021 20-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. May 21, 2021. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  15. ^ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. May 24, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  16. ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 20". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  17. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  18. ^ "J. Cole Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  19. ^ "J. Cole Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  20. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2023 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  21. ^ "British single certifications – J Cole – A M A R I". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
  22. ^ "American single certifications – J. Cole – A m a r i". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 26, 2023.