Babushka Boi

"Babushka Boi"
"Babushka Boi"
Single by ASAP Rocky
Released	August 28, 2019
Genre	Memphis rap; trap;
Length	3:07
Label	ASAP Forever; Polo Grounds; RCA;
Songwriter(s)	Rakim Mayers; Alexander Ridha; Hector Delgado; Mario Reddick;
Producer(s)	Boys Noize; Hector Delgado;
ASAP Rocky singles chronology
Music video
	"Babushka Boi" on YouTube

"Babushka Boi" is a song by American rapper ASAP Rocky, released as a single through ASAP Rocky Recordings, Polo Grounds Music and RCA Records on August 28, 2019. The music video was released the same day.^[1]

Background

ASAP Rocky began wearing a babushka headscarf to cover the resulting cut on his face after he fell off his scooter in September 2018. This inspired Frank Ocean, who posted a picture on his Instagram of himself in a babushka, with ASAP Rocky commenting "Babushka Boi" on the image and later adding the phrase to his own Instagram.^[2] Rocky previewed the song at the 'Injured Generation Tour' in January 2019,^[3] and shared a trailer of its music video on August 26.^[4]

Music video

The Nadia Lee Cohen-directed music video was also released on August 28. It was inspired by Dick Tracy and features ASAP Rocky, ASAP Ferg, Schoolboy Q, ASAP Nast and Kamil Abbas as prosthetic-enhanced gangsters robbing a bank and on the run from police, who are portrayed as anthropomorphic pigs.^[5]^[6] The criminals get into a shootout with the police which "leaves ASAP and his crew with some fresh sausage meat."^[7]^[8]

It has been noted that it was filmed before ASAP Rocky's arrest and detainment in Sweden. The video was produced by Virgin Soil Pictures.^[5]^[9]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2019)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)^[10]	60
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)^[11]	48
Latvia (LAIPA)^[12]	12
Lithuania (AGATA)^[13]	21
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[14]	39
Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)^[15]	5
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[16]	66
UK Singles (OCC)^[17]	89
US Billboard Hot 100^[18]	69
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[19]	27
US Rolling Stone Top 100^[20]	32

Certifications

Certifications for "Babushka Boi"
Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)^[21]	Gold	40,000^‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)^[22]	Gold	15,000^‡
Poland (ZPAV)^[23]	Gold	25,000^‡
United States (RIAA)^[24]	Gold	500,000^‡
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

^ Kim, Michelle (August 28, 2019). "ASAP Rocky Drops Video for New Song "Babushka Boi"". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
^ Marine, Brooke (January 24, 2019). "A$AP Rocky Finally Explained Why He Keeps Wearing Babushkas". W. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
^ Li, Nicolaus (2019-01-09). "A$AP Rocky Previews New "Babushka" Track at Minneapolis 'Injured Generation' Tour". HYPEBEAST. Archived from the original on 2019-01-10.
^ Lamarre, Carl (August 26, 2019). "A$AP Rocky Shares Mysterious Trailer For 'Babushka Boy,' Featuring Clip Of New Music: Watch". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2019-08-28.
^ ^a ^b Shaffer, Claire (August 28, 2019). "A$AP Rocky Turns Pig-Cops Into Sausages in 'Babushka Boi' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
^ "Watch ASAP Rocky's "Babushka Boi" Video". Complex. August 28, 2019. Archived from the original on 2019-12-22.
^ Sajonas, Felson (2019-08-28). "A$AP Rocky Tries to Evade the Police in 'Dick Tracy'-Inspired "Babushka Boi" Video". HYPEBEAST. Archived from the original on 2019-12-15.
^ Kaye, Ben (2019-08-28). "ASAP Rocky drops Dick Tracy-inspired video for new single "Babushka Boi": Watch". Consequence. Archived from the original on 2021-04-25.
^ Saponara, Michael (August 28, 2019). "A$AP Rocky Terrorizes the City in Satirical 'Babushka Boi' Video: Watch". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2019-08-28.
^ "ARIA Chart Watch #541". auspOp. September 7, 2019. Archived from the original on September 29, 2019. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
^ "AAP Rocky Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
^ "Mūzikas Patēriņa Tops/ 37. nedēļa" (in Latvian). LAIPA. Archived from the original on October 10, 2019. Retrieved November 27, 2019.
^ "Savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. September 9, 2019. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
^ "A$AP Rocky – Babushka Boi". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
^ "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 36". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
^ "A$AP Rocky – Babushka Boi". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 7, 2019.
^ "AAP Rocky Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
^ "AAP Rocky Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
^ "Top 100 Songs". Rolling Stone. August 30, 2019. Archived from the original on August 30, 2019. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
^ "Canadian single certifications – A$AP Rocky – Babushka Boi". Music Canada. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
^ "New Zealand single certifications – A$AP Rocky – Babushka Boi". Radioscope. Retrieved December 27, 2024. Type Babushka Boi in the "Search:" field.
^ "OLiS - oficjalna lista wyróżnień" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved September 11, 2024. Click "TYTUŁ" and enter Babushka Boi in the search box.
^ "American single certifications – ASAP Rocky – Babushka Boi". Recording Industry Association of America.

[1] Kim, Michelle (August 28, 2019). "ASAP Rocky Drops Video for New Song "Babushka Boi"". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 10, 2019.

[2] Marine, Brooke (January 24, 2019). "A$AP Rocky Finally Explained Why He Keeps Wearing Babushkas". W. Retrieved September 10, 2019.

[3] Li, Nicolaus (2019-01-09). "A$AP Rocky Previews New "Babushka" Track at Minneapolis 'Injured Generation' Tour". HYPEBEAST. Archived from the original on 2019-01-10.

[4] Lamarre, Carl (August 26, 2019). "A$AP Rocky Shares Mysterious Trailer For 'Babushka Boy,' Featuring Clip Of New Music: Watch". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2019-08-28.

[RS-5] Shaffer, Claire (August 28, 2019). "A$AP Rocky Turns Pig-Cops Into Sausages in 'Babushka Boi' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 10, 2019.

[6] "Watch ASAP Rocky's "Babushka Boi" Video". Complex. August 28, 2019. Archived from the original on 2019-12-22.

[7] Sajonas, Felson (2019-08-28). "A$AP Rocky Tries to Evade the Police in 'Dick Tracy'-Inspired "Babushka Boi" Video". HYPEBEAST. Archived from the original on 2019-12-15.

[8] Kaye, Ben (2019-08-28). "ASAP Rocky drops Dick Tracy-inspired video for new single "Babushka Boi": Watch". Consequence. Archived from the original on 2021-04-25.

[9] Saponara, Michael (August 28, 2019). "A$AP Rocky Terrorizes the City in Satirical 'Babushka Boi' Video: Watch". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2019-08-28.

[10] "ARIA Chart Watch #541". auspOp. September 7, 2019. Archived from the original on September 29, 2019. Retrieved September 10, 2019.

[sc_Canada_AAP_Rocky-11] "AAP Rocky Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 10, 2019.

[12] "Mūzikas Patēriņa Tops/ 37. nedēļa" (in Latvian). LAIPA. Archived from the original on October 10, 2019. Retrieved November 27, 2019.

[13] "Savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. September 9, 2019. Retrieved November 30, 2019.

[sc_New_Zealand_A$AP_Rocky-14] "A$AP Rocky – Babushka Boi". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved September 10, 2019.

[15] "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 36". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved September 10, 2019.

[sc_Switzerland_A$AP_Rocky-16] "A$AP Rocky – Babushka Boi". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved September 10, 2019.

[sc_UK_-17] "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 7, 2019.

[sc_Billboardhot100_AAP_Rocky-18] "AAP Rocky Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 10, 2019.

[sc_Billboardrandbhiphop_AAP_Rocky-19] "AAP Rocky Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 10, 2019.

[20] "Top 100 Songs". Rolling Stone. August 30, 2019. Archived from the original on August 30, 2019. Retrieved January 3, 2020.

[CanadaA$AP_RockyBabushka_BoisingleCertRef-21] "Canadian single certifications – A$AP Rocky – Babushka Boi". Music Canada. Retrieved October 27, 2021.

[New_ZealandA$AP_RockyBabushka_BoisingleCertRef-22] "New Zealand single certifications – A$AP Rocky – Babushka Boi". Radioscope. Retrieved December 27, 2024. Type Babushka Boi in the "Search:" field.

[PolandA$AP_RockyBabushka_BoisingleCertRef-23] "OLiS - oficjalna lista wyróżnień" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved September 11, 2024. Click "TYTUŁ" and enter Babushka Boi in the search box.

[US_certification-24] "American single certifications – ASAP Rocky – Babushka Boi". Recording Industry Association of America.

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