"Gatti"
Song by JackBoys, Travis Scott and Pop Smoke
from the album JackBoys
ReleasedDecember 27, 2019
GenreDrill
Length3:01
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Music video
"Gatti" on YouTube

"Gatti" is a song released by American record label Cactus Jack Records, known as JackBoys, performed by American rappers Travis Scott (JackBoys' leader) & Pop Smoke from the former two's compilation album, JackBoys (2019). The song was written by the rappers alongside Peter Klapka, producer 808Melo, and co-producer Axl. A drill song, it sees Travis Scott rap about American model Kylie Jenner and why they broke up. Many critics lauded Pop Smoke's inclusion in the song.

"Gatti" peaked at number 69 on the US Billboard Hot 100, giving Pop Smoke his first Hot 100 hit in the United States. It also reached the top-70 of record charts in Canada and the United Kingdom. An accompanying music video was released on December 30, 2019, and directed by Cactus Jack and White Trash Tyler. The visual features Travis Scott driving around New York's streets in a black and blue Bugatti Chiron while Pop Smoke is sat in the passenger seat. The video received positive reviews, with some critics praising its usage of the Bugatti Chiron.

Background and release

In March 2017, Travis Scott announced he would be launching his own imprint, under the name of Cactus Jack Records.[1][2] On November 29, 2019, Travis Scott released JackBoys merchandise on his website.[3] Travis Scott enlisted the help of fellow rapper Pop Smoke to be on the track "Gatti".[4] The song was written by Travis Scott, Pop Smoke, 808Melo, Axl, and Peter Klapka, while 808Melo handled its production and while Axl was credited as a co-producer.[5] The song was released as the seventh and last track from Travis Scott and Jackboy's compilation album JackBoys, on December 27, 2019.[6] It was later added as a bonus track on the Target edition of Pop Smoke's second mixtape Meet the Woo 2 (2020).[7]

Music and lyrics

Travis Scott in 2014
Kylie Jenner posing
Many publications believed that Travis Scott (left) raps about his ex-girlfriend Kylie Jenner (right) and why they broke up.

Musically, "Gatti" is a drill song.[8][9][10] Ryan Reed of Rolling Stone commented that the track is a "woozy, percussive song".[11] Pop Smoke delivers a few "okay, okay" and "woo" adlibs.[12] Travis Scott raps: "Duck away, she wanna lay up and hibernate/I took a chance, it's a lot to take."[13][14][15] Many writers considered that the lyrics allude to his former girlfriend Kylie Jenner and why they broke up.[13][16] Jess Cohen of E! Online stated "Travis' lyrics could be noting Kylie's chose to 'hibernate' while he's busy performing all over the world".[16] Carolyn Twersky of Seventeen commented that the lyrics are "most likely about Kylie and her expensive taste".[17]

Jessica Vacco-Bolaños for Elite Daily said the song's lyrics may "suggest that Jenner (a known homebody) wanted to settle down, while Scott was not quite ready".[18] InStyle's Alicia Brunker opined the song is "referring to the former couple's different lifestyles which is rumored to have caused them to call it quits".[19] Dusty Baxter-Wright of Cosmopolitan depicted that Travis Scott references the rumors "Kylie wanted to settle down and get married, while he wasn't ready yet".[14] Milly Haddrick of Girlfriend noted it seems like Travis Scott is "referring to Kylie wanting to stay at home, whereas his lifestyle as a musician means he constantly has to be on the road touring". She continued, saying the second part of the lyrics "seem to be hinting at how Kylie demands a lot in a relationship, specifically expensive gifts".[20]

Critical reception

Fred Thomas of AllMusic described "Gatti" as a "bravado-heavy banger".[6] Writing for Billboard magazine, Michael Saponara wrote Pop Smoke and Travis Scott "prove to be a winning combination as [Travis Scott] invades the drill beat".[4] Dhruva Balram of NME opined that Pop Smoke "outshines all his cohorts and it's no wonder he gets most of the spotlight, with [Travis Scott]'s verse reduced to a mere after-thought".[21] Aron A. for HotNewHipHop said it "undoubtedly reached the high expectations set for the song".[22] Jon Caramanica from The New York Times described the song as "menacing but surprisingly fleet, a crucial balance that satisfies both ground-level fans and those peering in from outside".[23]

In a less enthusiastic review, Sheldon Pearce of Pitchfork stated the song "sounds like diet "Welcome to the Party" and drill isn't the kind of subgenre where you’re looking to cut calories".[8] Kevin Cortez of HipHopDX called the track a "confusing choice of a closer track" and said it has "a hurried, yet bland drill beat". He continues, saying Pop Smoke's "grizzly voice soars over a beat that sounds fit for his trigger-happy lyrics, but not his delivery". He concludes, mentioning Travis Scott "hops on the song's latter half and doesn't do much to add any flavor to the already muted production".[12]

Commercial performance

Following the release of Jackboys, "Gatti" debuted and peaked at number 69 on the US Billboard Hot 100, giving Pop Smoke his first Hot 100 hit in the United States.[4][24] It also peaked at number 33 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[25] The song debuted at number 59 on the UK Singles Chart, giving Pop Smoke his first top 100 hit in the United Kingdom.[26][27] "Gatti" further peaked at number 61 in Canada,[28] and number 175 in France.[29]

Music video

Background and synopsis

A music video for "Gatti" was released on December 30, 2019.[30][31] The video was directed by Cactus Jack and White Trash Tyler.[32][33] Reed mentioned that the video is an "NSFW visual with disorienting touches: a series of choppy editing effects, slow motion sequences and an eerie blue light",[11] while Joe Price of Complex stated it has a "suitably dark and lo-fi aesthetic".[9] The visual features Travis Scott driving around the streets of New York in a black and blue Bugatti Chiron, with Pop Smoke sitting in the passenger seat.[11][33][34] Pop Smoke takes up most of the visual, dancing and rapping his verse, while Travis Scott drives them to get something to eat in a McDonald's parking lot.[11][32][33][35] Travis Scott does not show up in the video very much, but instead shows quick glimpses of a lady dancing on a pole and twerking.[35]

Critical reception

The music video was met with positive reviews from critics. Writing for The Fader, David Renshaw described the video as "glossy".[36] Trey Alston of MTV lauded the car as "absolutely stunning", saying "[y]ou could watch [the video] all day just for the scenes of this blue-and-black beauty and its lush interior". He continued, opining that Pop Smoke sounded like if "Darth Vader became an emcee".[35] In his review for Uproxx, Aaron Williams said the "small fleet of Bugatti sports cars pulling up in a McDonald's drive-thru makes for a striking image and reinforces the hood-rich sensibility of the song's lyrics".[34] Carl Lamarre of Billboard magazine commented that the "fiery tandem" of Pop Smoke and Travis Scott "bring their frenetic energy into the streets of New York".[33] The staff of GRM Daily noted the video "sticks with the action-packed theme of the previous drops; projecting junkyard car crews, Bugatti's and jittery animation".[10]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[5]

Charts

Chart performance for "Gatti"
Chart (2020) Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[28] 61
France (SNEP)[29] 175
UK Singles (OCC)[26] 59
US Billboard Hot 100[37] 69
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[25] 33

Certifications

Certifications for "Gatti"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[38] Gold 45,000‡
France (SNEP)[39] Gold 100,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[40] Gold 50,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[41] Gold 25,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[42] Silver 200,000‡
Streaming
Greece (IFPI Greece)[43] Gold 1,000,000†

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
† Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "Travis Scott Announces New Label 'Cactus Jack Records'". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on March 6, 2017. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  2. ^ "Travis Scott Plans To Lead New Label, Cactus Jack Records". Vibe. March 8, 2017. Archived from the original on March 8, 2017. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  3. ^ "Travis Scott and Cactus Jack Unveil Graphic-Heavy 'Jackboys' Merch". Hypebeast. December 27, 2019. Archived from the original on February 27, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c Saponara, Michael (February 19, 2020). "Meet the Woo: 8 Songs to Remember Pop Smoke By". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 21, 2020. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Credits / JackBoys / JackBoys". Tidal. Archived from the original on May 12, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  6. ^ a b Thomas, Fred. "JackBoys/Travis Scott". AllMusic. Archived from the original on October 31, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  7. ^ "Pop Smoke – Meet the Woo 2 (deluxe CD) (explicit Lyrics)". Target. Archived from the original on May 18, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  8. ^ a b Pearce, Sheldon (January 6, 2020). "Travis Scott JackBoys". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on September 29, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  9. ^ a b Price, Joe (December 30, 2019). "Travis Scott and Pop Smoke Share JackBoys Video for 'Gatti'". Complex. Archived from the original on October 16, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  10. ^ a b "Travis Scott and Pop Smoke Connect In Brand-New 'Gatti' Visuals". GRM Daily. December 30, 2019. Archived from the original on October 16, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  11. ^ a b c d Reed, Ryan (December 30, 2019). "Watch Travis Scott, Pop Smoke Cruise Through Dark, Smoky 'Gatti' Video". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 27, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  12. ^ a b Cortez, Kevin (December 30, 2019). "Review:Travis Scott's Crew Is Underserved on JackBoys' Self-Titled Compilation". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on August 6, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  13. ^ a b Yaptangco, Ariana (December 27, 2019). "Travis Scott Seemingly Addresses His Breakup With Kylie Jenner In New Song 'Gatti'". Elle. Archived from the original on October 21, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  14. ^ a b Baxter-Wright, Dusty (December 29, 2019). "Does Travis Scott reference Kylie Jenner split in new song 'Gatti'?". Cosmopolitan. Archived from the original on May 12, 2021. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
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  17. ^ Twersky, Carolyn (December 27, 2019). "The Lyrics to Travis Scott's New Song 'Gatti' are Totally About Kylie Jenner". Seventeen. Archived from the original on September 27, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  18. ^ Vacco-Bolaños, Jessica (December 27, 2019). "Travis Scott's 'Gatti' Lyrics May Reveal Why He & Kylie Jenner Split". Elite Daily. Archived from the original on February 27, 2021. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  19. ^ Brunker, Alicia (December 28, 2019). "Travis Scott's New Song 'Gatti' Might Be About His Breakup with Kylie Jenner". InStyle. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  20. ^ Haddrick, Milly (December 27, 2019). "Travis Scott's new song details split from Kylie Jenner". Girlfriend. Archived from the original on December 3, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  21. ^ Balram, Dhruva (February 20, 2020). "Pay tribute to the late, great Pop Smoke with his 10 best tracks". NME. Archived from the original on October 22, 2020. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  22. ^ A., Aron (December 30, 2019). "Travis Scott & Pop Smoke's 'Gatti' Is The Hardest Track On 'JackBoys'". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on March 1, 2021. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  23. ^ Caramanica, Jon (June 25, 2020). "The Last Days of Pop Smoke". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  24. ^ Anderson, Trevor (February 26, 2020). "Pop Smoke Earns First Solo Hot 100 Hit With 'Dior'". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  25. ^ a b "Pop Smoke Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  26. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  27. ^ Copsey, Rob (February 28, 2020). "Pop Smoke's Dior enters the Top 40 Official UK Singles Chart for the first time following his death". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on February 9, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  28. ^ a b "Pop Smoke Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  29. ^ a b "Pop Smoke – Gatti" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
  30. ^ "Travis Scott And Pop Smoke Floss Luxury Whips In 'Gatti' Music Video". HipHopDX. December 30, 2019. Archived from the original on February 15, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  31. ^ "[Watch] Travis Scott Visual For 'Gatti' FT Pop Smoke Off The Jackboys Project". Hip Hop Weekly. December 30, 2019. Archived from the original on February 14, 2021. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  32. ^ a b Sawyer, Jonathan (December 30, 2019). "Travis Shows Off His Bugatti Chiron In 'JackBoys' Video For 'Gatti'". Highsnobiety. Archived from the original on May 19, 2021. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  33. ^ a b c d Lamarre, Carl (December 30, 2019). "Watch Travis Scott & Pop Smoke Cruise the Streets in New 'Gatti' Video". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 14, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  34. ^ a b Williams, Aaron (December 31, 2019). "Travis Scott And Pop Smoke Make A Flashy Late-Night Fast Food Run In Their 'Gatti' Video". Uproxx. Archived from the original on January 1, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  35. ^ a b c Alston, Trey (December 31, 2019). "Travis Scott And Pop Smoke Squeeze In One Last Flex This Decade With 'Gatti' Video". MTV. Archived from the original on January 1, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  36. ^ Renshaw, David (December 30, 2019). "Travis Scott, Pop Smoke share 'Gatti' video". The Fader. Archived from the original on August 5, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  37. ^ "Pop Smoke Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  38. ^ "Danish single certifications – JackBoys, Pop Smoke & Travis Scott – Gatti". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
  39. ^ "French single certifications – JackBoys, Pop Smoke & Travis Scott – Gatti" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  40. ^ "Italian single certifications – JackBoys, Pop Smoke & Travis Scott – Gatti" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  41. ^ "Wyróżnienia – Złote płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2022 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  42. ^ "British single certifications – Jackboys/Pop Smoke/Travis – Gatti". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
  43. ^ "IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International)" (in Greek). IFPI Greece. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
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