"Frisky"
Single by Tinie Tempah featuring Labrinth
from the album Disc-Overy
Released7 June 2010
Recorded2010
Genre
Length
  • 3:41 (radio edit)
  • 4:55 (album version)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Tinie Tempah singles chronology
"Pass Out"
(2010) 		"Frisky"
(2010) 		"Written in the Stars"
(2010)
Labrinth singles chronology
"Pass Out"
(2010) 		"Frisky"
(2010) 		"Let the Sun Shine"
(2010)

"Frisky" is a song by English rapper Tinie Tempah, crediting the song's producer Labrinth as its featured artist. The track was released in the United Kingdom on 7 June 2010 as the second single from the musician's debut studio album, Disc-Overy (2010).[1][2] On the chart week ending 19 June 2010, "Frisky" debuted at number two on the UK Singles Chart behind "Shout" by Shout for England;[3] in Scotland, it debuted at number one, becoming Tempah's second number-one single there.

Background

"Frisky" was first revealed on the radio show 'Koko Pop' on 17 April 2010, where both Tempah and Labrinth performed the track live.[4] It was then four days later, on 21 April, that "Frisky" received its first radio play—from BBC Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe.[5] Speaking to Lowe of the track, Tempah said: "After Pass Out came out, there was a little bit of 'gosh', yeah the second one, we gotta get it right. Ultimately Zane, as you can probably tell, the record is about having a lot of fun and just trying to push boundaries and make unconventional music that doesn't have to sound a certain way. I just had fun with it, to be honest." before informing Lowe that "I learnt the kind of effective, during all the performances, especially doing Pass Out. It's a tune that kind of really connects with those sounds."[citation needed]

Critical reception

Nick Levine of Digital Spy gave the song a very positive review:

He's already explained precisely how he likes to party - 'til he and his mates "pass out", of course - and now he's got something else to get off his rapidly-swelling chest. Namely his intention to get inside the knickers of a well-turned out, All Saints-sporting fitty who "likes to talk a lot - that's why I call her Trisha". Yes, Tinie Tempah's lines are just as ear-snagging here as they were on his chart-topping debut. Once again, Labrinth fulfils his part of the bargain too, cloaking them in a drum 'n' bass-cum-electropop production that's positively brimming with hooks and vocal trickery. The result? A bit like your barnet after a trip to a trendy East London barbers - sleek and shiny for sure, but pretty street with it..[6]

Track listings

Digital EP[1]
No.TitleLength
1."Frisky" (Album Version)4:55
2."Frisky" (Radio Edit)3:39
3."Frisky" (Shy FX & Benny Page Digital Soundboy Remix)5:01
4."Frisky" (South Rakkas Crew 'Fuck Me' Remix)4:55
5."Frisky" (Kurtis Mantronik 'La La La' Remix)5:58
German CD single[7]
No.TitleLength
1."Frisky" (Radio Edit)3:39
2."Frisky" (Craze & Hoax Remix)4:55
Promotional CD single[citation needed]
No.TitleLength
1."Frisky" (Album Version)4:55
2."Frisky" (Radio Edit)3:39
3."Frisky" (Instrumental)4:55
Promotional EP[citation needed]
No.TitleLength
1."Frisky" (Album Version)4:55
2."Frisky" (Shy FX & Benny Page Digital Soundboy Remix)4:34
3."Frisky" (TC Remix)6:45
4."Frisky" (South Rakkas Crew 'Fuck Me' Remix)4:55
5."Frisky" (Kurtis Mantronik Club Remix)7:56
6."Frisky" (Craze & Hoak Remix)4:55

Music video

The HD video of the song was uploaded onto Parlophone's official YouTube channel on 21 April 2010.[citation needed] On the day, the track received 300 views; reaching 63,000 views by 23 April; and soon after over 140,000 views. Just three weeks after its upload to YouTube, the song had over 940,000 views. It passed the one million mark on 12 May and by 20 July it had over 4,500,000 views. The video features Tinie Tempah and Labrinth in a derelict stone building, surrounded by several female dancers (including Funda Önal) and bright disco lights.[citation needed]

Usage in Media

"Frisky" was featured in the soundtrack of the 2010 racing video game Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit.[8]

Charts

Sales and certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[14] Platinum 600,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format Ref.
United Kingdom 6 June 2010 Digital download [1]
Germany 7 June 2010 CD single [7]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Tinie Tempah - 'Frisky (feat. Labrinth)' - EP". iTunes (UK). Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  2. ^ "Tinie Tempah confirms new single". Digital Spy. 23 April 2010. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  3. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  4. ^ "Tinie Tempah debuts new single, 'Frisky', on Koko Pops". tinietempah.com. 17 April 2012. Archived from the original on 20 April 2010. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  5. ^ "First play of 'Frisky'". Twitter. 21 April 2012. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  6. ^ "Tinie Tempah & Labrinth - 'Frisky' - Music Review". Digital Spy. 8 June 2010. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  7. ^ a b "Tinie Tempah - 'Frisky (feat. Labrinth)' - Single". Amazon (Germany). Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  8. ^ "Need for Speed Hot Pursuit (2010) soundtrack - NFSSoundtrack".
  9. ^ "Hits of the World – European Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 122, no. 25. 26 June 2010. p. 47. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  10. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Frisky". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
  11. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  12. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
  13. ^ "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2010". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  14. ^ "British single certifications – Tinie Tempah ft Labrinth – Frisky". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
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