Plain Jane (song)

"Plain Jane"
Single by ASAP Ferg
from the album Still Striving
ReleasedJune 13, 2017
Recorded2017
GenreHip hop
Length2:54
LabelRCA
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Kirk Knight
ASAP Ferg singles chronology
"Look at Us Now"
(2017) 		"Plain Jane"
(2017) 		"Nasty (Who Dat)"
(2017)
Music video
"Plain Jane" on YouTube
Remix
Cover art of the official remix featuring Nicki Minaj.
Nicki Minaj singles chronology
"The Way Life Goes (Remix)"
(2017) 		"Plain Jane (Remix)"
(2017) 		"Barbie Tingz"
(2018)

"Plain Jane" is a song by American rapper ASAP Ferg. The song was released on June 13, 2017, as the lead single from his third studio album, Still Striving (2017). It was produced by Kirk Knight, and it is a hip hop song. The official remix featuring fellow New York City-based rapper Nicki Minaj was released on December 15, 2017. This version peaked at number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming his second highest-charting single until "Move Ya Hips" in 2020—which also featured Minaj.[1][2]

Background and composition

"Plain Jane" is one of four tracks released by A$AP Ferg on June 13, 2017, via SoundCloud for TrapLord Tuesdays. Produced by Pro Era's own Kirk Knight, the track's flow and instrumental are heavily influenced by the 1999 song "Slob on My Knob" by Tear Da Club Up Thugs.[3][4] Ferg reflects his childhood growing up and pays homage to ASAP Yams ("Yamborghini chain, rest in peace to my superior").[5] He also raps about "eating Rihanna like a panini" ("Please believe me, I see RiRi, I'mma eat it like panini") and suggests having a foursome with his girlfriend, Kendall Jenner, Bella and Gigi Hadid.[6]

Music video

The official music video of the song was released on October 11, 2017. Directed by Bronx director Hidji, it opens with ASAP Ferg standing in an apartment hallway tying his do-rag, with a clip of Juicy J's verse on an unreleased remix of the song playing in the background. It then follows Ferg surrounded by a crew of BMX bike riders, as they ride through Harlem before going to a night club.[7][8][9] The video features cameos from cyclists Nigel Sylvester and RRDBlocks, who join Ferg and do tricks, as well as from DRAM and Rihanna.[10]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Plain Jane"
  • Darold Brown
  • Kirlan Labarrie
  • Paul Beauregard
  • Jordan Houston
Kirk Knight2:54
2."Plain Jane" (Remix) (featuring Nicki Minaj)
  • Darold Brown
  • Kirlan Labarrie
  • Paul Beauregard
  • Jordan Houston
  • Onika Maraj
Kirk Knight3:24
Total length:6:18

Remix

A remix to the single was released on December 15, 2017, with a guest appearance from fellow Trinidadian-American rapper Nicki Minaj.[11] The remix was originally meant to be included on Lil Wayne's Dedication 6 mixtape, but after playing it for Ferg, Minaj agreed to make it the official remix instead. Minaj's verse includes references to Tidal, The Notorious B.I.G., Catherine Zeta Jones, and Lupita Nyong'o. Phemza The Kween also freestyled the song. There is an unreleased remix version of the song featuring Juicy J, who shared his verse in May 2018.[12]

Minaj's remix received critical acclaim. Billboard said "Nicki Minaj brought back that hard rap we've been missing from her for years, paying homage to her New York roots and local legend Notorious B.I.G."[13] XXL writes "the female MC delivers some hardcore rhymes and punchlines on the catchy tracks,"[14] and Complex noted that, due to Minaj, "one of the best loved songs of the year is about to get even more love".[15]

Chart performance

Following months of hovering around the top 40, "Plain Jane" was propelled by its remix to its peak at number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100, Ferg's second highest entry on the chart. The song has also charted in Canada, at number 30.

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[36] 3× Platinum 210,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[37] 5× Platinum 400,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[38] Platinum 90,000‡
France (SNEP)[39] Gold 100,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[40] Gold 200,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[41] Gold 25,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[42] Gold 15,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[43] Platinum 50,000‡
Portugal (AFP)[44] Gold 5,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[45] Gold 400,000‡
United States (RIAA)[46] 5× Platinum 5,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "A$AP Ferg Chart History — Billboard". Billboard.
  2. ^ Mench, Chris (November 9, 2017). "Tracking The Slow & Steady Rise Of A$AP Ferg's "Plain Jane"". Genius. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  3. ^ Geslani, Michelle (2017-06-13). "ASAP Ferg shares four new songs "Nia Long", "Aw Yea", "Furious Ferg", and "Plain Jane" -- listen". Consequence.
  4. ^ Cirisano, Tatiana (November 14, 2017). "A$AP Ferg on Reworking Three 6 Mafia's 'Slob On My Knob' for 'Plain Jane': 'That Song Meant So Much To Me'". Billboard.
  5. ^ Goddard, Kevin (June 14, 2017). "A$AP Ferg - Plain Jane". HotNewHipHop.
  6. ^ Maher, Natalie (January 31, 2018). "Here Are the Lyrics to A$AP Ferg's 'Plain Jane'". Billboard.
  7. ^ Mojica, Nick (October 11, 2017). "ASAP Ferg Drops 'Plain Jane' Video With a New Verse From Juicy J - XXL". XXL.
  8. ^ Montgomery, Sarah Jasmine (October 11, 2017). "Watch A$AP Ferg ride around NYC in his new video for "Plain Jane"". The FADER.
  9. ^ Espinoza, Joshua (October 11, 2017). "Watch ASAP Ferg's Trippy Video for "Plain Jane"". Complex.
  10. ^ McKinney, Jessica (2017-11-15). "A$AP Ferg Gets Loose In "Plain Jane" Music Video". Vibe.
  11. ^ asapfergVEVO (2017-12-15), A$AP Ferg - Plain Jane REMIX (Audio) ft. Nicki Minaj, retrieved 2017-12-19
  12. ^ Penrose, Nerisha (May 15, 2018). "Juicy J Shares an Unreleased Verse From A$AP Ferg's 'Plain Jane (Remix)': Listen". Billboard.
  13. ^ "A$AP Ferg Drops 'Plain Jane' Remix with Nicki Minaj and Twitter Goes Insane". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-01-20.
  14. ^ "Nicki Minaj Hops on ASAP Ferg's Plain Jane Remix - XXL". XXL Mag. 15 December 2017. Retrieved 2018-01-20.
  15. ^ "Nicki Minaj Shouts Out Biggie on ASAP Ferg's "Plain Jane" Remix". Complex. Retrieved 2018-01-20.
  16. ^ "ARIA report – Issue 1450" (PDF). National Library of Australia. December 11, 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-12-13. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  17. ^ "A$AP Ferg – Plain Jane" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
  18. ^ "A$AP Ferg – Plain Jane" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
  19. ^ "AAP Ferg Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  20. ^ "Greece Official IFPI Charts Digital Singles Chart: Feb 5, 2018". IFPI Charts. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  21. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  22. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Dutch Single Tip – 13/01/2018" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
  23. ^ "A$AP Ferg – Plain Jane". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  24. ^ "A$AP Ferg – Plain Jane". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
  25. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 47. týden 2017 in the date selector. Retrieved November 28, 2017.
  26. ^ "A$AP Ferg – Plain Jane". Singles Top 100. Retrieved December 2, 2017.
  27. ^ "A$AP Ferg – Plain Jane". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
  28. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 13, 2018.
  29. ^ "AAP Ferg Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
  30. ^ "AAP Ferg Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  31. ^ "AAP Ferg Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
  32. ^ "Canadian Hot 100 – Year End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  33. ^ "Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  34. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  35. ^ "Rhythmic Songs – Year-End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  36. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2020 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  37. ^ "Canadian single certifications – A$AP Ferg – Plain Jane". Music Canada. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  38. ^ "Danish single certifications". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
  39. ^ "French single certifications – A$AP Ferg – Plain Jane" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
  40. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (A$AP Ferg; 'Plain Jane')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  41. ^ "Italian single certifications – A$AP Ferg – Plain Jane" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
  42. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – A$AP Ferg – Plain Jane". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  43. ^ "OLiS - oficjalna lista wyróżnień" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved September 6, 2023. Click "TYTUŁ" and enter Plain Jane in the search box.
  44. ^ "Portuguese single certifications – A$AP Ferg – Plain Jane" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  45. ^ "British single certifications – Asap Ferg – Plain Jane". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
  46. ^ "American single certifications – A$AP Ferg – Plain Jane". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 21, 2021.