Kung Fu (YBN Cordae song)

"Kung Fu"
Single by YBN Cordae
from the album YBN: The Mixtape
ReleasedJuly 13, 2018[1]
GenreHip hop
Length3:19
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
YBN Cordae singles chronology
"Fighting Temptations"
(2018) 		"Kung Fu"
(2018) 		"Alaska"
(2018)
Music video
"Kung Fu" on YouTube

"Kung Fu" is a song by American rapper YBN Cordae, released in July 2018. It is the lead single from YBN's only mixtape, YBN: The Mixtape (2018). Produced by Take a Daytrip, it is considered Cordae's breakout single.

Critical reception

The song received generally positive reviews from music critics. Alex Zidel of HotNewHipHop gave the song a "Very Hottttt" rating and wrote, "With seemingly unlimited potential, Cordae's 'Kung Fu' has the rapper exploring his flows and melodies, going hard on an original loop, produced by Day Trip. With his exposure gaining by the day, Cordae is definitely worth your attention. Where does 'Kung Fu' rank in terms of his previous singles?"[2] Trey Alston of Highsnobiety had a mixed response to the song, calling it "a little rough around the edges" and writing, "The production, while fitting of the ominous nature of most of the tracks on YBN: The Mixtape, isn't Cordae's forte. If he believes it is, he needs to take a long, hard, look in the mirror. Lyrical rap is at odds with new age's trap-esque beat catalog. Mixing the two just doesn't sound as good, no matter who does it."[3] The song was ranked number 2 on The Washington Post's list of "The best DMV rap songs and albums of 2018".[4]

Music video

A music video for the song was directed by PplCallMeAce and released on July 11, 2018.[5] It finds Cordae hanging out on the block with boys and girls, and riding in a lime green Mercedes-Benz G-Class through a residential neighborhood.[6]

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[7] Gold 40,000‡
United States (RIAA)[8] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "Kung Fu - Single". Apple Music. July 13, 2018. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  2. ^ Zidel, Alex (July 11, 2018). "YBN Cordae Continues His Hot Streak With "Kung Fu"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  3. ^ Alston, Trey (September 14, 2018). "'YBN: The Mixtape' Proves That the Collective Is Only Better Together". Highsnobiety. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  4. ^ Richards, Chris (December 14, 2018). "The best DMV rap songs and albums of 2018". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  5. ^ Thorpe, Isha (July 11, 2018). "YBN Cordae releases new track and video "Kung Fu"". Revolt. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  6. ^ Robertson, Darryl (July 12, 2018). "YBN Cordae Kicks Rhymes Like "Kung Fu" In New Video". Vibe. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  7. ^ "Canadian single certifications – YBN Cordae – Kung Fu". Music Canada.
  8. ^ "American single certifications – YBN Cordae – Kung Fu". Recording Industry Association of America.