Yung Rapunxel

"Yung Rapunxel" (stylized as #YUNGRAPUNXEL) is a song recorded by American singer/rapper Azealia Banks for her debut studio album titled 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. On March 11, 2013, the song was made available for online streaming via SoundCloud.[2][3] The song was performed by Banks during the Glastonbury Festival in June 2013.

"Yung Rapunxel"
Single by Azealia Banks
from the album Broke with Expensive Taste
ReleasedApril 16, 2013 (2013-04-16)
Recorded2012
Genre
Length3:45 (single version)
4:00 (album version)
Label
Songwriter(s)
  • Azealia Banks
  • Kevin "SB" James
  • Premro Smith
  • Chadron Moore
Producer(s)Lil Internet[1]
Azealia Banks singles chronology
"Liquorice"
(2012)		 "Yung Rapunxel"
(2013)		 "Heavy Metal and Reflective"
(2014)
Music video
"Yung Rapunxel" on YouTube

Background and 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, 2013. The first single from Broke With Expensive Taste was initially planned to be "Miss Amor/Miss Camaraderie". Nevertheless, on January 28, 2013, Banks acknowledged that the first single was going to be "Yung Rapunxel".[4][5] The original release date, which was the February 12, was delayed to March, and then again, delayed to April 16, 2013. For unknown reasons, it is now unavailable on iTunes UK. On March 9, the artwork for the single was released via Banks' Twitter account.[1]

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

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

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 (OCC)[12] 30
UK Singles (OCC)[13] 152

Release history
Region Date Format Label
Canada[14] April 16, 2013 Digital download Polydor
United States[15] Interscope

References
  1. 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. 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. "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 6, 2015.
  13. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. 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.
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