Hey Mama (David Guetta song)

"Hey Mama"
Single by David Guetta featuring Nicki Minaj and Afrojack
from the album Listen
Released	March 16, 2015 (2015-03-16)
Format	Digital download
Recorded	2014
Genre	Electro house hip house
Length	3:04
Label	Parlophone Atlantic
Writer(s)	David Guetta Onika Maraj Giorgio Tuinfort Nick van de Wall Ester Dean Bebe Rexha Sean Douglas
Producer(s)	David Guetta Afrojack Tuinfort
David Guetta singles chronology
"What I Did for Love" (2015) "Hey Mama" (2015)
Nicki Minaj singles chronology "Truffle Butter" (2015) "Hey Mama" (2015) "The Night Is Still Young" (2015) Afrojack singles chronology "Turn Up the Speakers" (2014) "Hey Mama" (2015)

"Hey Mama" is a song by David Guetta featuring vocals from American rapper Nicki Minaj and Dutch music producer DJ Afrojack taken from Guetta's album Listen. It also features uncredited vocals from American recording artist Bebe Rexha, who also wrote the chorus of the song; the intro and post-chorus features a prominent sample from "Rosie", an Alan Lomax recording from the 1940s.

"Hey Mama" is Guetta and Minaj's third collaboration, following "Where Them Girls At" (which features Minaj and Flo Rida]]) and "Turn Me On".

Background

American singer-songwriter Bebe Rexha explained why is she isn't credited on the featured artist she told Billboard "We talked about it -- I actually emailed Guetta about it," Rexha tells Billboard. "I really wanted to be featured on it, because, you know, I've been signed and dropped, and now signed a second time, so it's been hard. What ended up happening was that it looked like a lot of names on the title, so they wanted to keep as many low features as possible. That's what I was told, and it makes sense to me. I guess more than two [featured] names don't look good on the radio."

Critical reception

"Hey Mama" received critical acclaim, with many praising the discothèque nature of the song. Bianca Gracie of the Idolator described it as "a crazed electro-house/trap sound", noting Minaj's "rap flow into a island-tinged romp."^[1] It was described by Direct Lyrics as an "intelligently-produced radio-friendly EDM-island sound", whilst Richard Baxter of Popology Now complimented the track's trap and dancehall electronic styles, describing Rexha as the "star" of Hey Mama with her "hook heavy chorus".^[2]

Several music companies and reviewers chose "Hey Mama" as the highlight of the album, with Billboard describing it as a "bombastic island-flavored jam"^[3][4] and the Associated Press stating Minaj and Afrojack had produced "a startling R&B bump and funk gem."^[3] Minaj, in particular, received acclaim for her vocals, with Newsday calling the track Minaj's "most undeniable hit" since her song "Super Bass", and The Guardian describing Minaj's vocals as a highlight from the album.^[5]

Track listing

• Digital download^[6]

1. "Hey Mama" (featuring Nicki Minaj and Afrojack) (Afrojack remix) – 3:17

Charts

Release history

References