Woah (song)

"Woah"
Single by Lil Baby
from the album My Turn
ReleasedNovember 8, 2019 (2019-11-08)
GenreTrap[1]
Length3:03
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Quay Global
Lil Baby singles chronology
"Down Like That"
(2019) 		"Woah"
(2019) 		"Highest in the Room" (remix)
(2020)
Music video
"Woah" on YouTube

"Woah" is a single by American rapper Lil Baby from his second studio album My Turn (2020).[2][3] The song was released through Quality Control Music and Universal Music Group on November 8, 2019. "Woah" became Lil Baby's third number one on the Billboard Streaming Songs chart, following 2018's "Yes Indeed" and "Drip Too Hard".[2] It also debuted at number one on the Rolling Stone 100.[4]

Background

On November 1, 2019, Lil Baby posted a preview of the single on the app Triller.[5][6] The dance move he displayed during the clip was described as hitting "The Woah".[7] The song marked his first release as a solo artist since "Back On".[8]

Critical reception

Dewayne Gage of Rolling Stone explained that the song, as being "built on a bed of heavy hitting 808s and suspenseful piano", enables the rapper to perform "with a canvas to sing and stretch his vocals as he describes how far he's come since embarking on a full-time rap career only two years ago".[9] Tom Breihan at Stereogum thought that the song is "a fairly standard Atlanta trap song". However, the rapper "has a way with a hook, and there's something hypnotic about the way he settles into that misspelled title word".[1]

Commercial performance

Following its release, "Woah" reached number 1 on Apple Music within 24 hours.[10] The song debuted at number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100.[11] On the Rolling Stone Top 100 Songs chart, the song debuted at number one, making it the sixth song to do so, eleventh overall, and became Lil Baby's first number one song in the United States.[4]

Music video

The song's official video was released on December 6, 2019.[12] In it, Lil Baby is seen with "exotic cars drifting all around him". He performs a series of dances, including the song's namesake dance challenge, the Woah. The video features cameos from fellow rappers Lil Durk and Lil Marlo, as well as members of Lil Baby's family. Billboard's Michael Saponara called the visuals "energetic".[12]

Live performances

Lil Baby performed the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on January 6, 2020.[13]

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[27] Gold 20,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[28] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[29] 5× Platinum 5,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ a b Breihan, Tom (November 8, 2019). "Lil Baby – "Woah"". Stereogum. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  2. ^ a b Rutherford, Kevin (November 18, 2019). ""Woah," Baby! Lil Baby Debuts at No. 1 on Streaming Songs Chart". Billboard. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  3. ^ Hussey, Allison (November 8, 2019). "Lil Baby Shares New Song "Woah": Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  4. ^ a b "RS Charts: Lil Baby Takes Number One, Arizona Zervas Soars". Rolling Stone. November 20, 2019. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  5. ^ "MY TURN !! This Shit Go Be So Turnt 🥴 !! 😤😤 #woah". Archived from the original on 2021-12-24. Retrieved November 22, 2019 – via Instagram.
  6. ^ A., Aron (November 14, 2019). "Meek Mill Hits The Woah To Lil Baby's "Woah" In His Foray Into The Triller App". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  7. ^ Saponara, Michael (November 8, 2019). "Lil Baby Wants to Inspire the Street Hustlers With "Woah"". Billboard. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  8. ^ Droke, Carolyn (November 3, 2019). "Lil Baby Previews His Celebratory Track "Woah" Ahead Of Its Upcoming Release". Uproxx. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  9. ^ Gage, Dewayne (November 20, 2019). "Song You Need to Know: Lil Baby, "Woah"". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  10. ^ Rashed, Ayana (December 19, 2019). "Lil Baby Dominated Urban Radio in 2019, "Drip Too Hard" Nominated for a Grammy". Respect. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  11. ^ Mamo, Heran (November 19, 2019). "Here Are the Lyrics to Lil Baby's "Woah"". Billboard. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  12. ^ a b Saponara, Michael (December 6, 2019). "Lil Baby Brings Out Lil Durk & the Quality Control Family to Dance Battle in New 'Woah' Video". Billboard. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  13. ^ Saponara, Michael (January 7, 2020). "Lil Baby Drifts Through Crisp 'Woah' Performance on 'Fallon': Watch". Billboard. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  14. ^ "Canadian Hot 100: November 30, 2019". Billboard. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
  15. ^ "IRMA – Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
  16. ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. November 18, 2019. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  17. ^ "Lil Baby – Woah". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
  18. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  19. ^ "Lil Baby Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  20. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: March 14, 2020". Billboard. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  21. ^ "Rhythmic Songs: March 28, 2020". Billboard. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
  22. ^ "Top 100 Songs". Rolling Stone. November 14, 2019. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
  23. ^ "Canadian Hot 100 – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  24. ^ "Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  25. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  26. ^ "Rhythmic Songs – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  27. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Lil Baby – Woah" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  28. ^ "British single certifications – Lil Baby – Woah". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  29. ^ "American single certifications – Lil Baby – Woah". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 1, 2022.