Yung Rapunxel

"Yung Rapunxel"
Single by Azealia Banks
from the album Broke with Expensive Taste
Released April 16, 2013
Format Digital download
Recorded 2012
Genre
Length 3:45 (Single Version)
4:00 (Album Version)
Label
Writer(s)
  • Azealia Banks
  • Kevin "SB" James
  • Premro Smith
  • Chadron Moore
Producer(s) Lil Internet[1]
Azealia Banks singles chronology
  • "Yung Rapunxel"
  • (2013)

"Yung Rapunxel" (stylized as #YUNGRAPUNXEL) is a song recorded by American rapper and singer Azealia Banks for her debut studio album Broke with Expensive Taste. Interscope Records released the song as the album's first single to mainstream radio on April 16, 2013. The track contains an interpolation of the song "No More Drama" by R&B singer Mary J. Blige. "Yung Rapunxel" was lauded by music critics, with many complimenting Banks' departure of style. On March 9, the artwork for the single was released via Banks' Twitter account.[1] On March 11, the song was made available for streaming via SoundCloud.[2][3] She performed the song live at Glastonbury in June 2013.

Release

"Yung Rapunxel" was originally set to be released on March 26, 2013.[1] However, on March 28, 2013, it was announced that the single would drop on April 16. The first single from the album was originally planned to be "Miss Amor/Miss Camaraderie". Nevertheless, on January 28, Banks acknowledged that the first single was going to be "Yung Rapunxel".[4][5] The original release date, which was February 12, was delayed to March, and then again, delayed to April 16, 2013. For unknown reasons, it is now unavailable in iTunes UK.

Michael Depland from MTV Buzzworthy described "Yung Rapunxel" as a 1990s Hi-NRG-influenced hip house song, which is built on a busy witch hop beat.[6] Meanwhile, The Guardian‍ '​s Alex Macpherson detailed the track as an industrial number.[7]

Critical reception
"Yung Rapunxel"
"Yung Rapunxel" is a hip house and industrial song over a witch hop beat
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Yung Rapunxel" has received highly positive reviews from music critics, with them noting a significant departure from Banks' previous work. Spin's Marc Hogan wrote that the song "comes across as a reinvention for her, though it doesn't have quite that track's instantly memorable catchphrases... [That] Finally, Banks has left seapunk behind to go where she belonged all along: another galaxy".[8] MTV's Michael Depland believed that on the track, "A bona fide hip-house banger, Azealia rhymes slickly (and NSFW-ly) over a busy witch-hop beat", that Banks is "back spitting fire over a manic '90s HI-NRG-influenced track, which is cut in between muffled hollers".[6]

Music video

Banks in the Yung Rapunxel music video

Shooting for the music video began on February 22, 2013, and was continued into March.[9] The official music video was released on April 16, 2013.[10] The video was created by visual artist Jam Sutton. The video features a mostly black-and-white setting, including police running through mist, owls with yellow and red eyes flying in suspended motion, Banks riding a mechanical bull, a rotating Yin & Yang symbol, a disembodied hand with an eye embedded in the palm floating in mid air and Banks with mouths for eyes.

Charts

Chart (2013) Peak
position
Australia Urban (ARIA)[11] 25
UK R&B (Official Charts Company)[12] 30
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[13] 152

Release history

Region Date Format Label
Canada[14] April 16, 2014 Digital download Polydor
United States[15] Interscope

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Minsker, Evan (March 9, 2013). "Azealia Banks Shares Terrifying "Yung Rapunxel" Artwork, Goes Off on the Stone Roses". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 11, 2013.
  2. ↑ Minsker, Evan and Laura Snapes (March 11, 2013). "Listen: Azealia Banks: "Yung Rapunxel"". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 11, 2013.
  3. ↑ Corner, Lewis (March 11, 2013). "Azealia Banks unveils debut single 'Yung Rapunxel' - listen". Digital Spy. Retrieved March 11, 2013.
  4. ↑ Clements, Ashley (January 28, 2013). "Azealia Banks announces new single 'Yung Rapunxel' and release date". Gigwise. Retrieved March 11, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Azealia Banks announces new single, ‘Yung Rapunxel’". Fact. January 28, 2013. Retrieved March 11, 2013.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Depland, Michael (March 11, 2013). "New Song: Azealia Banks, 'Yung Rapunxel' (NSFW)". MTV Buzzworthy. Retrieved March 14, 2013.
  7. ↑ Macpherson, Alex (November 11, 2014). "Azealia Banks: Broke With Expensive Taste review – the album she wanted to make". The Guardian. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  8. ↑ Hogan, Mark (March 11, 2013). "Azealia Banks Blasts Off on House-Rap Screamer 'Yung Rapunxel'". Spin. Retrieved March 14, 2013.
  9. ↑ Twitter/@AZEALIABANKS: Struggling to wake-up :( ..... But I'm shooting the video for #YUNGRAPUNXEL TODAY! Gonna be trippy as fuck!!!!
  10. ↑ Minsker, Evan (April 16, 2013). "Watch Azealia Banks' Crazy "Yung Rapunxel" Video". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 17, 2013.
  11. ↑ "The ARIA Report" (PDF). Pandora Archive (Australian Recording Industry Association) (1210). May 6, 2013. Retrieved February 6, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2013-04-27" UK R&B Chart. Retrieved February 6, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2013-04-27" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved February 6, 2015.
  14. ↑ "iTunes – Music – Yung Rapunxel – Single by Azealia Banks". Canada: iTunes Store. Archived from the original on February 6, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Yung Rapunxel [Explicit]". Amazon.com. Archived from the original on February 6, 2015.

External links