| "Tequila Shots" | |
|---|---|
| Song byKid Cudi | |
| from the albumMan on the Moon III: The Chosen | |
| Released | December 11, 2020 |
| Recorded | 2020 |
| Genre | Pop-trap[1] |
| Length | 3:13(original) 3:57(Prime Day Show version) |
| Label | |
| Songwriters | |
| Producers |
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"Tequila Shots" is a song by American rapperKid Cudi, released on December 11, 2020 as part of his seventh studio albumMan on the Moon III: The Chosen. The song wasproduced byDot da Genius,Take a Daytrip and Cudi himself. In June 2022, the song reached platinum status, selling over 1 million units in the US.[2] The song was later included on Cudi’s firstgreatest hits albumThe Boy Who Flew to the Moon, Vol. 1 (2022).
In an interview withZane Lowe, Kid Cudi stated that "Tequila Shots" was the first song he made forMan on the Moon III which he finished before even deciding to make the album. He said of the song, "it sounds like such anintroduction, it sounds like you pick right back up where we left off ten years ago", referring to the 2010 release ofMan on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager.[3]
The song was created on the day that Kid Cudi's collaboration with fellow American rapperTravis Scott, titled "The Scotts", reached the peak of theBillboard Hot 100 chart, marking Cudi's first number-one hit single in the US. Its title derived from Cudi, Dot da Genius and Take a Daytrip drinkingshots oftequila in celebration.[4]
The song features "warped synths and distorted organs",[5] as well as humming from Cudi.[6] It has been described as reminiscent of his early music in style.[7] Kid Cudi sings about facing internal conflicts relating to mental health which he thought had already been dealt with,[3][5] and being ready to manage them.[8]
The song received generally positive reviews from critics. Aron A. ofHotNewHipHop wrote that it "brings Cudi's long-time collaborator Dot Da Genius into the fold alongside Take A Daytrip for an exhilarating and psychedelic blast-off".[9] Alphonse Pierre ofPitchfork called it the best song fromMan on the Moon III.[7]
Kid Cudi performed the song onSaturday Night Live on April 10, 2021.[10]
In 2021, Kid Cudi released an alternate version of the song, which originally premiered onAmazon’sPrime Day Show.[11] The alternate version was included on anextended play (EP) titledPrime Day Show x Kid Cudi, issued exclusively onAmazon Music, on June 17, 2021.[12]
| Chart (2020) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| CanadaHot 100 (Billboard)[13] | 52 |
| France (SNEP)[14] | 95 |
| Global 200 (Billboard)[15] | 37 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[16] | 51 |
| New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[17] | 6 |
| Portugal (AFP)[18] | 146 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[19] | 73 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[20] | 86 |
| USBillboard Hot 100[21] | 41 |
| USHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[22] | 7 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[23] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
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