| "R.I.P. Screw" | |
|---|---|
| Song byTravis Scott featuringSwae Lee | |
| from the albumAstroworld | |
| Released | August 3, 2018 |
| Recorded | 2018 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 3:05 |
| Label | |
| Songwriter(s) | |
| Producer(s) | |
"R.I.P. Screw" is a song by American rapper and singerTravis Scott featuring fellow American rapper and singerSwae Lee. It was released throughCactus Jack,Grand Hustle, andEpic Records on August 3, 2018 as the fourth track from the former's third studio albumAstroworld. The song was written by the artists alongside Blair Lavigne,FKi 1st, andMike Dean, the latter two producing it with Scott. The song serves as a tribute to American disc jockeyDJ Screw, who was from Scott's hometown of Houston, Texas and died from acodeine overdose in 2000.
"R.I.P. Screw" serves as an honor to the late DJ Screw that also sees Scott pay tribute to the city of Houston, where he was born and raised, and talk about drug usage. He name-drops DJ Screw, as well as fellow Houston rapperPimp C and the Houston-basedScrewed Up Click collective that DJ Screw was a part of.[1] The song includes "an aggressively angelic mix of Swae Lee's coos and candy-sweet keys".[2] It contains a "dreamlike, codeine-paced beat" and Scott also references pouring four ounces of promethazine, a drug that DJ Screw was known for using.[3]
The song received generally positive reviews from music critics. Larry Fitzmaurice ofPitchfork simply described it as "lovely".[4] Writing forXXL, Scott Glaysher felt that "Swae Lee provides soothing vocals on the somber homage cut".[5] Andrew Barker ofVariety described the song as "meditative" and felt that it "is an appropriately molasses-paced tribute to Houston's chopped-and-screwed innovator DJ Screw".[6] Aaron Williams ofUproxx summarized: "Equal parts haunting and body-rocking, 'R.I.P. Screw' redeems some of the complaints about Swae Lee'sSwaecation while establishing that Travis' chemistry with theRae Sremmurd crooner is perhaps the best of any of his repeat collaborators".[7]
| Chart (2018) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[8] | 28 |
| France (SNEP)[9] | 87 |
| Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)[10] | 3 |
| USBillboard Hot 100[11] | 26 |
| USHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[12] | 17 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[13] | Gold | 35,000‡ |
| Canada (Music Canada)[14] | Platinum | 80,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[15] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
