Wild Boy (song)

"Wild Boy"
Single by Machine Gun Kelly featuring Waka Flocka Flame
from the EP Half Naked & Almost Famous and the album Lace Up
ReleasedSeptember 27, 2011 (2011-09-27)
Recorded2011
Genre
Length3:53
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
MGK singles chronology
"Wild Boy"
(2011) 		"Invincible"
(2011)
Waka Flocka Flame singles chronology
"She Be Puttin' On"
(2011) 		"Wild Boy"
(2011) 		"Round of Applause"
(2011)
Music video
"Wild Boy" on YouTube

"Wild Boy" is a song by American rapper Machine Gun Kelly featuring fellow American rapper Waka Flocka Flame. The song, released September 27, 2011, serves as the lead single from Kelly's debut EP Half Naked & Almost Famous (2012). Produced by GB Hitz and Southside, the song was initially included on Kelly's third mixtape Rage Pack,[1] and later included on his major-label debut studio album Lace Up.

Critical reception

Allmusic gave a mixed opinion on the song, criticizing its "Jackass-inspired dumbness", but commending Kelly's "underdog rhymes, hard-time tales, and heaps of Cleveland love".[2] HipHopDX commented the track saying "MGK is joined by Waka Flocka Flame for a rowdy offering that is entertaining on the surface but lacks creative value".[3] XXL defined the content of the song as "aggressive".[4] Rolling Stone defined the track as "crazy-ass and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony-tinged".[5]

Music video

The music video, directed by Spliff TV and Maybach Music Films, was released to MGK's Vevo on November 16, 2011. The video depicts MGK at his girlfriend’s house having dinner with her parents along with the song’s featured artist Waka Flocka Flame. During dinner, the girl’s parents ask Waka Flocka Flame what he "does for a living," in which Waka Flocka Flame responds by hitting her father in the head with a glass bottle and the two artists answer with a wild warehouse performance of ‘Wild Boy’ where stage diving, bonfires, Steve-O references and partying ensues.[6] The video features cameo appearances from jeweler Johnny Dang, comedian Katt Williams, and rapper Layzie Bone.[7]

The video for the remix was released April 26, 2012.[8]

Remixes

The official remix was released on March 14, 2012, which featured 2 Chainz, Meek Mill, Mystikal, French Montana, Yo Gotti and – the person who which the song is referenced – Steve-O providing an intro. The remix was officially released, removing Steve-O's intro and outro from the single, to digital retailers, like iTunes and Amazon on May 22, 2012, and again with Steve-O's intro and outro to digital retailers on May 29, 2012.[9]

A remix from producer Ricky Luna was included on the soundtrack to the film Project X.

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Lace Up.[10]

Recording
Personnel
  • GB Hitz – producer
  • Southside – producer
  • Justin Sampson – producer, assistant
  • Steve "Rock Star" Dickey – mixer

Chart performance

The song debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 on the week of January 28, 2012 at number 98.[11]

Weekly charts

Chart (2011–12) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[12] 98
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[13] 49

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[14] 3× Platinum 3,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release and radio history

Country Date Format Label Ref
United States September 27, 2011 Digital download
[15]
February 6, 2012 Radio airplay [16]

References

  1. ^ "Rage Pack (Hosted By DJ Xplosive & DJ EV)". HotNewHipHop. October 14, 2011. Retrieved February 16, 2012.
  2. ^ "Lace up - Machine Gun Kelly | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  3. ^ "Machine Gun Kelly - Lace up | Read Hip Hop Reviews, Rap Reviews & Hip Hop Album Reviews | HipHop DX". www.hiphopdx.com. Archived from the original on 28 October 2012. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  4. ^ "Machine Gun Kelly, Lace up - XXL".
  5. ^ Dolan, Jon (November 9, 2012). "MGK Lace Up Album Review". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
  6. ^ "Machine Gun Kelly Premieres 'Wild Boy' Music Video on 106 & Park!". Nerdy Frames. December 10, 2011. Retrieved January 23, 2012.
  7. ^ Currinn, Jonathan. "Machine Gun Kelly Featuring Waka Flocka Flame - Wild Boy". Critic Jonni. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  8. ^ Kelly, Machine Gun (April 26, 2012). "Wild Boy Remix". YouTube. Retrieved April 28, 2012.
  9. ^ "Wild Boy (Remix) [feat. 2 Chainz, French Montana, Meek Mill, Mystikal, Steve-O & Yo Gotti] - Single by MGK". ITunes (US). Apple. January 2012. Retrieved June 2, 2012.
  10. ^ Lace Up (booklet). Bad Boy/Interscope Records. 2012.
  11. ^ "MGK and Waka Flocka Flame - Wild Boy". aCharts.co. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
  12. ^ "MGK Chart History: Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 23, 2012.
  13. ^ "MGK Chart History: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
  14. ^ "American single certifications – Machine Gun Kelly – Wild Boy". Recording Industry Association of America.
  15. ^ "Wild Boy feat. Waka Flocka Flame". ITunes Store (US). Apple. Retrieved January 23, 2012.
  16. ^ "Rhythm – Airplay Archive". FMQB. Mediaspan Online Services. Retrieved December 9, 2012.