Check It Out (song)
Encyclopedia
"Check It Out" is a song performed by American rapper will.i.am
and Trinidad
ian rapper Nicki Minaj
. The song, written by will.i.am and Minaj, samples
the 1979 hit single, "Video Killed the Radio Star
" by The Buggles
. After release, it debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 at number 78 and number 48 on the Canadian Hot 100. It appears on Minaj's debut album, Pink Friday
, though it was not released in promotion of the album. The UK version also features additional vocals from will.i.am's close friend, British singer Cheryl Cole
.
" by The Buggles
. Minaj stated in a past interview with Entertainment Weekly
that she was working with producer will.i.am on her latest album, not hinting at whether it was a production or a featured help, stating; "Just something for my album that I’m really excited about.” An unofficial mix of the song ended up leaking onto the internet August 27, 2010, two weeks before its official release.
In an interview with MTV News
Minaj commented on her collaboration with the producer will.i.am stating; "I worked with tons of producers on my album, shout out to all of them. Will’s the only producer that produced me. He really sat there and got this weird sound, and I was like, ‘What?’ It was so simple. He was sitting there and he made the beat on the spot." She continued on saying that "I was sitting there, and it was like five minutes later, he finished the beat!" The Buggles, the British band behind the original, performed the updated record "Check It Out" at shows at London’s Supperclub and The British Music Experience at the O2. Lead singer Trevor Horn
commented on his song being sampled by the duo by stating “We’re very happy because it means we made a little bit of money for it.”
put the single as their #2 of "The Must List" stating, "The Black Eyed Peas front-man and hip-hop's reigning femme fatale make ingenious use of those famous coos from the 1979 Buggles hit "Video Killed the Radio Star" to create an irresistible party-starter."
, but both versions of the song were released in the UK for digital download on October 31, 2010 and CD on November 1, 2010. It is listed as the "Special Mix" on iTunes. A new version of the music video was released on 11 November 2010. This music video was for the UK 'Special Mix' which features Cole. The video is mostly the same as the original with added new video clips that includes Cole.
director Rich Lee
. In an interview with MTV News Will.i.am stated "You can expect to see a bunch of flyness as far as the outfits. When I say flyness, I’m talking about Nicki’s outfits. She’s looking super-duper fly and whatnot." The video is a tribute to Japanese anime. Nicki also commented on the video shoot and its theme, stating "We’re doing almost like an ode to Japanese culture and Japanese anime. I’m obviously a big fan and I’ve joined forces with like the only boy that I know that’s also able to capture that culture." A behind the scenes video was released along with the interview. This is however in contrast to both the spoken introduction of the video and the words popping up during the video; the words are written in hangul
, the Korean alphabet, and the intro is spoken in Korean language
.
The music video for the single was released October 25, 2010. The video starts on a simple soundstage. A gentleman introduces the pair to an audience of women similarly dressed in black and sporting boxy sunglasses. As the song begins playing from a boom box, Minaj — wearing a creatively shaped teal, cream and mauve hat, blond wig and tan outfit — raps to the camera that she's a "savage/ Haters you can kill yourself." When the chorus arrives, so do two will.i.ams dressed in white jackets, striped shirts and black pants. Then two dancers, clad in futuristic clothing and goggles, begin grooving and suddenly multiply into five more clones all executing the same moves. The scene flips back to the camera featuring Nicki, and there's now only one will.i.am and two Nicksters. When the beat slows down for the song's bridge, Minaj is in a new outfit, a pink and white bodysuit with a black wig. Then will.i.am, who received flack for performing during the VMAs in what many described as black face, appears in what one could call "white face." He becomes a black and white cartoon, whose face is white but hair is black, as he rhymes "step up to my level need to grow a little taller." The video ends with Minaj and Will striking poses.
magazine said the performance had eccentric dancing and pink escapades. However a Chris Ryan from MTV Buzzworthy
was less impressed with the duo appearing as The Jetsons
. He said "The WTF? ... Look, we LOVE Nicki Minaj. We would fake-marry her if Drake
hadn't already fake-married her. And one thing we really, really love about Nicki Minaj is the wild and crazy looks she breaks out. But given the flack he's taken in the last few days over his, um, unique choice in attire, she might have wanted to pregame with Will.i.am a little harder, regarding his stage fashion." He later went on to say that Minaj's performance lived up to expectations. "And of course, Nicki more than delivered. Harajuku Barbie really brought the house down with "Check It Out", You have to see it to believe it."
However will.i.am attracted negative media criticism for his choice of outfit, consisting of: "an all black leather outfit with matching all black make-up". Sean Michaels of The Guardian
said "It was a look more Max Headroom than Al Jolson, but never underestimate the Internet's capacity for righteous indignation", while fans "comparing his makeup to the racist 19th century blackface minstrel shows." "1st. just because I where all black including head mask as expression and emphasize my outfit, it shouldn’t be looked at as racial…, let go of the past. there are far more important things 2 bark about. (Jobs, health, education) not a black man wearing all black everything. Are you guys serious? my outfit set “black people back 100 yrs” choose your twits wisely. no education sets people back, no jobs, bad health." Minaj agreed with Will.i.am's decision and attire in an interview with Hot 97’s Funkmaster Flex stating "You can’t expect him to make common folk happy."
The duo also appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman
on October 4, 2010. The performance recalled some of the elements of their VMA performance, including the two female back-up dancers and Minaj's hype man S.B. wearing a Pink Friday t-shirt. Both later performed the single on the Live with Regis & Kelly show on October 11, 2010. Minaj performed in a blonde wig, kaleidoscopic Marc Bouwer couture dress, and Christian Louboutin ankle boots.
The Buggles have performed the song twice, in 2010 and in 2011.
Will.i.am
William James Adams, Jr. , better known by his stage name will.i.am and occasionally by his other stage name Zuper Blahq, is an American rapper, musician, songwriter, singer, actor and producer...
and Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
ian rapper Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj
Onika Tanya Maraj , better known by her stage name Nicki Minaj; ), is a Trinidadian-born American recording artist...
. The song, written by will.i.am and Minaj, samples
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
the 1979 hit single, "Video Killed the Radio Star
Video Killed the Radio Star
"Video Killed the Radio Star" is a song by the British synthpop/New Wave group The Buggles, released as their debut single on 7 September 1979, on Island Records from their debut album The Age of Plastic. It celebrates the golden days of radio, describing a singer whose career is cut short by...
" by The Buggles
The Buggles
The Buggles were an English New Wave band consisting of Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes . They are remembered chiefly for their 1979 debut single "Video Killed the Radio Star" that was #1 on the singles chart in 16 countries. Its music video was the first to be shown on MTV in the U.S...
. After release, it debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 at number 78 and number 48 on the Canadian Hot 100. It appears on Minaj's debut album, Pink Friday
Pink Friday
Pink Friday is the debut studio album by hip hop recording artist Nicki Minaj. It was released on November 19, 2010 in both standard and deluxe editions through Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records, and Universal Motown. The intended lead single from the album, "Massive Attack", flopped...
, though it was not released in promotion of the album. The UK version also features additional vocals from will.i.am's close friend, British singer Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Cole
Cheryl Ann Cole is an English pop and R&B recording artist, songwriter, dancer, actress and model. She rose to fame in late 2002 when she auditioned for the reality television show Popstars: The Rivals on ITV. The programme announced that Cole had won a place as a member of the girl group, Girls...
.
Background
The song samples "Video Killed the Radio StarVideo Killed the Radio Star
"Video Killed the Radio Star" is a song by the British synthpop/New Wave group The Buggles, released as their debut single on 7 September 1979, on Island Records from their debut album The Age of Plastic. It celebrates the golden days of radio, describing a singer whose career is cut short by...
" by The Buggles
The Buggles
The Buggles were an English New Wave band consisting of Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes . They are remembered chiefly for their 1979 debut single "Video Killed the Radio Star" that was #1 on the singles chart in 16 countries. Its music video was the first to be shown on MTV in the U.S...
. Minaj stated in a past interview with Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
that she was working with producer will.i.am on her latest album, not hinting at whether it was a production or a featured help, stating; "Just something for my album that I’m really excited about.” An unofficial mix of the song ended up leaking onto the internet August 27, 2010, two weeks before its official release.
In an interview with MTV News
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
Minaj commented on her collaboration with the producer will.i.am stating; "I worked with tons of producers on my album, shout out to all of them. Will’s the only producer that produced me. He really sat there and got this weird sound, and I was like, ‘What?’ It was so simple. He was sitting there and he made the beat on the spot." She continued on saying that "I was sitting there, and it was like five minutes later, he finished the beat!" The Buggles, the British band behind the original, performed the updated record "Check It Out" at shows at London’s Supperclub and The British Music Experience at the O2. Lead singer Trevor Horn
Trevor Horn
Trevor Charles Horn CBE is an English pop music record producer, songwriter, musician and singer. He was born in Houghton-le-Spring in north-east England....
commented on his song being sampled by the duo by stating “We’re very happy because it means we made a little bit of money for it.”
Composition and critical reception
"Check It Out" features the nearly constant repetition of the piano and vocal hook from The Buggles' 1979 classic 'Video Killed the Radio Star,' which is famous for being the first video ever played on MTV. The song received mixed reviews from critics. Matthew Wilkening of AOL Radio Blog states that the "Incessant 'Oh-a oh's' pretty much bore a hole in your head, the duo verbally flip the bird to their haters while on their way into the hottest dance club in town." Wilkening gave the songs lyrics a negative review stating "If you're looking for deep lyrical insights, jeez, are you at the wrong party." Becky Bain of Idolator gave the song a positive review stating, "We almost want to cry foul for taking an extremely beloved 80s song (okay, the song was released in 1979 but the video debuted in 1981) and appropriating it for a modern-day hip-hop song, just because that’s become so commonplace it’s an uncreative, predictable way to get attention for your song. But… but… but… we can’t hate. We love this. We have no taste. It’s just too much fun—we can easily see this getting massive radio play like her other let’s-sample-another-popular-song-from-another-decade hit and make people's ears bleed, “Your Love”. What say you?" Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
put the single as their #2 of "The Must List" stating, "The Black Eyed Peas front-man and hip-hop's reigning femme fatale make ingenious use of those famous coos from the 1979 Buggles hit "Video Killed the Radio Star" to create an irresistible party-starter."
UK remix
The UK version features Cheryl ColeCheryl Cole
Cheryl Ann Cole is an English pop and R&B recording artist, songwriter, dancer, actress and model. She rose to fame in late 2002 when she auditioned for the reality television show Popstars: The Rivals on ITV. The programme announced that Cole had won a place as a member of the girl group, Girls...
, but both versions of the song were released in the UK for digital download on October 31, 2010 and CD on November 1, 2010. It is listed as the "Special Mix" on iTunes. A new version of the music video was released on 11 November 2010. This music video was for the UK 'Special Mix' which features Cole. The video is mostly the same as the original with added new video clips that includes Cole.
Music video
A music video for the single was shot over the weekend of September 26 in a studio in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
director Rich Lee
Rich lee
Rich Lee is an American music video and commercial director signed to DNA in Hollywood, California and Flynn Productions in the United Kingdom. He has directed music videos for Eminem, The Black Eyed Peas, Norah Jones, Michael Bublé and The All-American Rejects. Rich Lee started his professional...
. In an interview with MTV News Will.i.am stated "You can expect to see a bunch of flyness as far as the outfits. When I say flyness, I’m talking about Nicki’s outfits. She’s looking super-duper fly and whatnot." The video is a tribute to Japanese anime. Nicki also commented on the video shoot and its theme, stating "We’re doing almost like an ode to Japanese culture and Japanese anime. I’m obviously a big fan and I’ve joined forces with like the only boy that I know that’s also able to capture that culture." A behind the scenes video was released along with the interview. This is however in contrast to both the spoken introduction of the video and the words popping up during the video; the words are written in hangul
Hangul
Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
, the Korean alphabet, and the intro is spoken in Korean language
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
.
The music video for the single was released October 25, 2010. The video starts on a simple soundstage. A gentleman introduces the pair to an audience of women similarly dressed in black and sporting boxy sunglasses. As the song begins playing from a boom box, Minaj — wearing a creatively shaped teal, cream and mauve hat, blond wig and tan outfit — raps to the camera that she's a "savage/ Haters you can kill yourself." When the chorus arrives, so do two will.i.ams dressed in white jackets, striped shirts and black pants. Then two dancers, clad in futuristic clothing and goggles, begin grooving and suddenly multiply into five more clones all executing the same moves. The scene flips back to the camera featuring Nicki, and there's now only one will.i.am and two Nicksters. When the beat slows down for the song's bridge, Minaj is in a new outfit, a pink and white bodysuit with a black wig. Then will.i.am, who received flack for performing during the VMAs in what many described as black face, appears in what one could call "white face." He becomes a black and white cartoon, whose face is white but hair is black, as he rhymes "step up to my level need to grow a little taller." The video ends with Minaj and Will striking poses.
Live performances
Minaj and will.i.am appeared together at the 2010 VMA's Pre-show, where the duo performed "Check It Out" as well as Minaj appearing alone to perform her single "Your Love". Rap-UpRap-Up
Rap-Up is a magazine launched in 2001 by founder Devin Lazerine. The publication was originally a website devoted to hip hop, until Lazerine decided to pitch the possibility of a magazine to several publishers. The magazine is focused on the hip hop and R&B aspect of the music industry, and...
magazine said the performance had eccentric dancing and pink escapades. However a Chris Ryan from MTV Buzzworthy
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
was less impressed with the duo appearing as The Jetsons
The Jetsons
The Jetsons is a animated American sitcom that was produced by Hanna-Barbera, originally airing in prime-time from 1962–1963 and again from 1985–1987...
. He said "The WTF? ... Look, we LOVE Nicki Minaj. We would fake-marry her if Drake
Drake (entertainer)
Aubrey Drake Graham , who records under the mononym Drake, is a Canadian recording artist and actor. He originally became known for playing Jimmy Brooks on the television series Degrassi: The Next Generation....
hadn't already fake-married her. And one thing we really, really love about Nicki Minaj is the wild and crazy looks she breaks out. But given the flack he's taken in the last few days over his, um, unique choice in attire, she might have wanted to pregame with Will.i.am a little harder, regarding his stage fashion." He later went on to say that Minaj's performance lived up to expectations. "And of course, Nicki more than delivered. Harajuku Barbie really brought the house down with "Check It Out", You have to see it to believe it."
However will.i.am attracted negative media criticism for his choice of outfit, consisting of: "an all black leather outfit with matching all black make-up". Sean Michaels of The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
said "It was a look more Max Headroom than Al Jolson, but never underestimate the Internet's capacity for righteous indignation", while fans "comparing his makeup to the racist 19th century blackface minstrel shows." "1st. just because I where all black including head mask as expression and emphasize my outfit, it shouldn’t be looked at as racial…, let go of the past. there are far more important things 2 bark about. (Jobs, health, education) not a black man wearing all black everything. Are you guys serious? my outfit set “black people back 100 yrs” choose your twits wisely. no education sets people back, no jobs, bad health." Minaj agreed with Will.i.am's decision and attire in an interview with Hot 97’s Funkmaster Flex stating "You can’t expect him to make common folk happy."
The duo also appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
on October 4, 2010. The performance recalled some of the elements of their VMA performance, including the two female back-up dancers and Minaj's hype man S.B. wearing a Pink Friday t-shirt. Both later performed the single on the Live with Regis & Kelly show on October 11, 2010. Minaj performed in a blonde wig, kaleidoscopic Marc Bouwer couture dress, and Christian Louboutin ankle boots.
The Buggles have performed the song twice, in 2010 and in 2011.
Personnel
- Chris Bellman - masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
- Ariel Chobaz - recording
- DJ AmmoDJ AmmoDJ Ammo is an American disc jockey and music producer from Los Angeles, California. He has co-produced "The Time " along with three other songs from The Black Eyed Peas' sixth studio album, The Beginning, and "4th of July " by Kelis.-External links:** at Discogs...
- synths - Geoff DownesGeoff DownesGeoffrey "Geoff" Downes is an English rock keyboard player, songwriter, best known as the keyboardist for the bands The Buggles, Yes and Asia, of which he is the only consistent member. When he was a keyboardist for The Buggles, he played multiple keyboards to achieve a New Wave technopop sound...
- writingSongwriterA songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer... - Dylan "3D" Dresdow - mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
- Trevor HornTrevor HornTrevor Charles Horn CBE is an English pop music record producer, songwriter, musician and singer. He was born in Houghton-le-Spring in north-east England....
- writing - Padriac Kerin - recording
- Nicki MinajNicki MinajOnika Tanya Maraj , better known by her stage name Nicki Minaj; ), is a Trinidadian-born American recording artist...
- writing, vocalsRappingRapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”... - will.i.amWill.i.amWilliam James Adams, Jr. , better known by his stage name will.i.am and occasionally by his other stage name Zuper Blahq, is an American rapper, musician, songwriter, singer, actor and producer...
- writing, vocals, productionRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, recording, synths - Bruce WoolleyBruce WoolleyBruce Woolley is an English writer, performer, record producer and composer.- Early years :Bruce Woolley was born in Loughborough, England on 11 November 1953 and was educated at Loughborough Grammar School where he learned electric guitar, began to write songs and where he met his future wife,...
- writing
- Source:
Track listing
- UK CD single
- "Check It Out" – 4:11
- "Check It Out" [Special Mix] (featuring Cheryl Cole) – 4:11
- Remixes download
- "Check It Out" (Benny BenassiBenny BenassiMarco Benassi , better known as Benny Benassi, is a Grammy Award winning Italian disc jockey and record producer of electro house music. He is best known for his 2002 summer club hit "Satisfaction"...
Remix) – 5:55 - "Check It Out" (Shameboy Remix) – 5:11
Charts
| Chart (2010–11) | Peak positions |
|---|---|
| Denmark (IFPI IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... Dance) |
40 |
| Japan (Japan Hot 100 Japan Hot 100 The Japan Hot 100 is a music singles chart in Japan. It is compiled by Billboard and Hanshin Contents Link ever since February 2008. The chart is updated every Wednesday at billboard-japan.com and every Thursday at billboard.com .... ) |
5 |
Release history
| Country | Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| United States | September 3, 2010 | Digital download Music download A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment... |
| September 14, 2010 | Mainstream radio | |
| October 19, 2010 | Urban radio | |
| United Kingdom | October 31, 2010 | Digital download |
| November 1, 2010 | CD single CD single A CD single is a music single in the form of a standard size Compact Disc, not to be confused with the 3-inch CD single, which uses a smaller form factor. The format was introduced in the mid-1980s, but did not gain its place in the market until the early 1990s... |