Press (Cardi B song)

"Press" is a song by American rapper Cardi B. It was released on May 31, 2019, through Atlantic.^[2] The single was produced by Slade Da Monsta and Key Wane. It debuted and peaked at number 16 on the US Billboard Hot 100.^[3] The song has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The parental advisory-labeled music video, starring Cardi B as a naked rampage killer facing a trial, marked her directorial debut.

"Press"
Single by Cardi B
Released	May 31, 2019 (2019-05-31)
Genre	Hip hop
Length	2:23
Label	Atlantic
Songwriter(s)	Derrick Milano[1]
Producer(s)	Slade Da Monsta Key Wane
Cardi B singles chronology
"Clout" (2019) "Press" (2019) "South of the Border" (2019)
Music video
"Press" on YouTube

Promotion

In December 2018, Cardi B posted a video to Instagram of her rapping part of the song. She later said that she was set to release it soon before teasing it, but decided to release "Money" instead.^[4] On May 27, 2019, Cardi B tweeted that the "single and official cover art drops this Friday 5/31".^[2] She shared the cover art of the single, which features her escorted out of a court room entirely naked by a group of men with paparazzi taking pictures of her.^[5]

Critical reception

"Press" received generally positive reviews from critics, with many noting the evolution of the rapper's attitude towards the media in the lyrics from previous songs such as "Bartier Cardi" and her featured verse on husband Offset's single "Clout"; NME called the song "defiant",^[6] while Billboard labelled her as "pressing on" amid "bad press, haters, beefs".^[7] Pitchfork praised Cardi being "now fully ready to take aim at any haters" while noting the deviation between "non-stop cut-downs" and "goofier boasts about her money and sexual prowess"; the magazine also stated that the rapper had "sharpened her rapping abilities to deadly effect" in the song.^[8]

Music video

The video generated controversy; in it, Cardi and other dancers are either partially or fully nude. The scene pictured shows the crew assassinated lying on the floor.^[9]

Cardi B announced that the video for "Press" would be released in June 2019 on her Twitter. The video was then officially released on June 26, 2019, on her YouTube account.^[10] It was directed by Jora Frantzis and co-directed by Cardi. The parental advisory-marked music video has since received over 100 million views.

The video opens with Cardi B's character shooting a male and a female after having a threesome. Accused of murder, she then is arrested and taken to an interrogation, where she challenges the officers. She is seen leading a choreographed routine with a crew of nude dancers. She killed a courtroom jury and the dancers.^[11] The clip closes with her angrily drowning her cellmate in the toilet.^[12]

Live performances

The first televised performance of "Press" was when Cardi B performed live at the 2019 BET Awards, along with a performance of "Clout" featuring her husband Offset.^[13] Entertainment Weekly named it "the top moment" of the night in their review article.^[14] BET ranked the esmerald attire as the best performance outfit since their first show in 2001.^[15] Introduced by Drake, Cardi B opened her set at the 2019 OVO Fest performing "Press".^[16]

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2019) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[17] 65 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[18] 37 China Airplay/FL (Billboard)[19] 21 France (SNEP)[20] 158 Greece (IFPI)[21] 15 Hungary (Single Top 40)[22] 6 Ireland (IRMA)[23] 38 Lithuania (AGATA)[24] 34 New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[25] 6 Portugal (AFP)[26] 91 Scotland (OCC)[27] 74 Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)[28] 12 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[29] 97 UK Singles (OCC)[30] 44 UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[31] 18 US Billboard Hot 100[32] 16 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[33] 6 US R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (Billboard)[34] 7 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[35] 18 US Rolling Stone Top 100[36] 47

Year-end charts Chart (2019) Position US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[37] 55

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[38]	Platinum	1,000,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Label
Various	May 31, 2019	Streaming digital download	Atlantic

References

1. "ASCAP Repertory entry for this song". ASCAP. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
2. "Press single and official cover art drops this Friday 5/31". May 27, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2019 – via Twitter.
3. Trust, Gary (June 10, 2019). "Lil Nas X's 'Old Town Road' Rules Billboard Hot 100 for 10th Week, the Longest Reign Since Drake's 'In My Feelings'". Billboard. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
4. Post, Chantilly (May 20, 2019). "Cardi B Assures Fans That Her Single 'Press' Is Coming 'Soon'". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
5. "PRESS SINGLE AND OFFICIAL ART WORK DROPS THIS WEEK ON 5/31 !!!". May 27, 2019. Archived from the original on 2021-12-25. Retrieved May 28, 2019 – via Instagram.
6. Moore, Sam (2019-05-31). "Listen to Cardi B's defiant new song 'Press'". NME. Retrieved 2019-06-05.
7. "Cardi B Hits Back on 'Press': Stream It Now". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-06-05.
8. Kim, Michelle (May 31, 2019). ""Press" by Cardi B Review". Pitchfork.
9. "Cardi B dances naked, goes to jail and murders inmate in dark Press video". 26 June 2019.
10. "Cardi B - Press [Official Music Video]". YouTube. 26 June 2019.
11. "MUCH".
12. "Cardi B Goes to Jail in NSFW 'Press' Video: Watch". Billboard.
13. Bloom, Madison (June 24, 2019). "BET Awards 2019: Watch Cardi B Open the Show With "Press"". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 25, 2019.
14. "The top 7 moments from the BET Awards". Entertainment Weekly.
15. "BET Awards '20: Our Top 10 Best Performance Outfits Of All Time". BET.
16. "Watch Drake bring out Cardi B, Offset, Tyga, Meek Mill and more at OVO Fest 2019". NME. 6 August 2019.
17. "ARIA Chart Watch #528". auspOp. June 8, 2019. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
18. "Cardi B Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
19. "China Airplay Chart/Foreign Language - 15/07/2019". Billboard China (in Chinese). Retrieved July 15, 2019.
20. "Le Top de la semaine : Top Singles (téléchargement + streaming) – SNEP (Week 23, 2019)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
21. "Official IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International) – Week: 21/2019". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on 6 June 2019. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
22. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
23. "IRMA – Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
24. "Savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. June 10, 2019. Retrieved December 3, 2019.
25. "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. June 10, 2019. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
26. "Cardi B – Press". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved June 30, 2019.
27. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
28. "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 23". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
29. "Cardi B – Press". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
30. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
31. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
32. "Cardi B Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
33. "Cardi B Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 11, 2019.
34. "Cardi B Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
35. "Cardi B Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
36. "Top 100 Songs". Rolling Stone. June 28, 2019. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
37. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2019". Billboard. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
38. "American single certifications – Cardi B – Press". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 3, 2019.

External links

• Audio on YouTube