| "Space Cadet" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single byMetro Boomin featuringGunna | ||||
| from the albumNot All Heroes Wear Capes | ||||
| Released | January 29, 2019 | |||
| Genre | Trap | |||
| Length | 3:23 | |||
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| Metro Boomin singles chronology | ||||
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| "Space Cadet" onYouTube | ||||
"Space Cadet" is a song by American record producerMetro Boomin featuring American rapperGunna. It was sent torhythmic contemporary radio through Boominati andRepublic on January 29, 2019, as the fifth and final single of Metro's debut studio album,Not All Heroes Wear Capes (2018).[1]
"Space Cadet" is primarily produced by Metro Boomin andWheezy, withAllen Ritter as an additional producer. Meanwhile, the vocals are handled by Gunna, with background vocals at the end from fellow American rapper and singerTravis Scott, a close friend and frequent collaborator of both Metro and Gunna, who also appears on five other album tracks: "Overdue", "Dreamcatcher", "Up to Something", "Only 1 (Interlude)", and "No More" On the song, Gunna raps about his lavish lifestyle. It is mostly a reference to theRolls-Royce Wraith, an expensive car that is known for its starry ceiling. A space cadet is a trainee astronaut.
It marks the second official collaboration between Metro and Gunna, following Gunna's 2018 song "Car Sick", which also features Canadian rapperNav, who is a close friend and frequent collaborator of both artists. The song is from Gunna's commercial mixtape,Drip Season 3, to which Metro served as an executive producer on and also produced four other songs from the project, "Helluva Price", "Pedestrian", "My Soul", and "No Joke". Gunna also makes another appearance on the album alongside fellow American rapper and label bossYoung Thug on the song "Lesbian".
While talking about "Space Cadet", Alphonse Pierre fromPitchfork opined:
On "Space Cadet", Metro ushers Gunna into "The Twilight Zone" with a twinkling instrumental, and Gunna responds with one of the album's bounciest hooks. The "Space Cadet" instrumental, like so much of the album's production, feels cinematic but thankfully not far removed from hisAtlanta-built sound.[2]
"Space Cadet" debuted and peaked at number 51 on the USBillboard Hot 100 chart, on the week of November 17, 2018.[3] The single also debuted at number 22 on the USHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[4] On November 7, 2023, the song was certifiedfour-times platinum by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and streaming equivalent units of over four million units in the United States.[5]
The official music video for "Space Cadet" premiered on April 22, 2019. It was directed by Zac Facts.[6] Metro Boomin and Gunna are dancing and floating around in lasers and bright lights, like a simulation of outer space.Young Thug, a close friend and frequent collaborator of both artists, makes a cameo appearance.[7]
On February 11, 2019, Metro Boomin and Gunna performed the song live onThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.[8] In tribute of American rapper21 Savage, a longtime close friend and frequent collaborator of Metro, the latter wore a jacket with the words "Free 21 Savage".[9] The rapper was in jail at the time of the performance for illegally being in theUnited States of America, but was released the following day.[10]
| Chart (2018) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[11] | 40 |
| USBillboard Hot 100[12] | 51 |
| USHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[13] | 31 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[14] | 2× Platinum | 140,000‡ |
| Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[15] | 2× Platinum | 80,000‡ |
| Canada (Music Canada)[16] | 5× Platinum | 400,000‡ |
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[17] | Gold | 45,000‡ |
| France (SNEP)[18] | Platinum | 200,000‡ |
| Italy (FIMI)[19] | Gold | 50,000‡ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[20] | 2× Platinum | 60,000‡ |
| Poland (ZPAV)[21] | Platinum | 50,000‡ |
| Portugal (AFP)[22] | Gold | 5,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[23] | Gold | 400,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[5] | 4× Platinum | 4,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
| Country | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Various | November 2, 2018 |
| [24] | |
| United States | January 29, 2019 | Rhythmic contemporary radio | [1] |
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