| "Shots Fired" | |
|---|---|
| Song byMegan Thee Stallion | |
| from the albumGood News | |
| Released | November 20, 2020 (2020-11-20) |
| Genre | Hip hop |
| Length | 2:50 |
| Label | |
| Composer(s) | |
| Lyricist(s) | |
| Producer(s) | Buddah Bless |
"Shots Fired" is a song by American rapperMegan Thee Stallion. It was released as the first track from Megan's debut studio album,Good News, on November 20, 2020. Adiss track, the song recounts Megan's 2020 shooting incident, mocking the shooter, rapperTory Lanez. The song includes a sample of theNotorious B.I.G.'s 1995 track "Who Shot Ya?".
"Shots Fired" was universally lauded by critics, who praised Megan's response to Lanez's 2020 albumDaystar, which also referenced the shooting.
On July 15, 2020, internettabloidTMZ posted video footage appearing to show an injuredMegan Thee Stallion in an incident involving theLos Angeles Police Department (LAPD).[1] After initial reports that the injury had been caused by broken glass on the floor of the car in which she was riding, Megan issued a statement clarifying that she "suffered gunshot wounds, as a result of a crime that was committed against me and done with the intention to physically harm me".[2] The following month, Megan namedTory Lanez as her shooter, and said that she did not immediately name him out of fear of the police, especially in light of themurder of George Floyd and subsequentprotests.[3][4] Megan later revealed that Lanez and his team offered her money in exchange for silence on the matter.[5]
On September 25, 2020, Lanez released his fifth studio album,Daystar, in which he repeatedly denied shooting Megan.[6][7]Daystar received widespread criticism from music journalists, many of whom refused to review the album. Andre Gee ofComplex referred to the album as "a project too contemptible to be evaluated on any musical scale",[8] while Chris Murphy ofVulture released a headline saying, "For the Love of God, Do Not Listen to Tory Lanez's AlbumDAYSTAR".[9] Fellow rapperRick Ross took to social media to rebuke Lanez for his album, saying "That ain't how you address the accusations you facing with the sister. That was a poor choice, homie. You ain't getting no money with that shit".[10]Highsnobiety announced that they would refuse to cover Lanez after he dropped "the most toxic album of the year".[11]
"Shots Fired" is arap track, thatsamplesThe Notorious B.I.G.'s 1995 hip hop track "Who Shot Ya?"[12] The track was written by Megan (under her birth name of Megan Pete),Buddah Bless (under his birth name of Tyron Douglas),Herb Magidson, andAllie Wrubel, and was produced by Bless.[13] The track references specific elements of the shooting, including thepellet and.22 caliber with which she was shot, her decision not to tell the police, and the money she and her friend were offered in exchange for their silence.[14] Megan chooses never to name the subject of the track in the song, but instead makes a reference to theshooting of Breonna Taylor.[15]
Megan Thee Stallion announced the name and release date of her debut studio album,Good News on November 12, 2020.[16] On November 17, three days before the album release, Megan released the album's track list, with "Shots Fired" as the first track. This led to media and fan speculation that the song would address the Lanez incident.[17][18]Good News was released on November 20, 2020.[19]
Megan revealed in an interview withWQHT Hot 97 that the song was "ready to go the next day" after being shot, but that she held off on releasing the song until she decided that, "at the end of the day, I just can't keep letting people walk all over me".[20] In a subsequent interview withRadio.com, Megan said that she had no interest in continuing to address the incident, and that she felt "like I said enough" on "Shots Fired".[21]
"Shots Fired" was released to wide acclaim frommusic critics, who praised Megan's response to the shooting incident. Justin Curto ofVulture said that the song is "a perfect reminder [...] that [Megan is] past the point of having to prove herself, or anything, to anyone", and called it "a diss track in line with a long lineage of greats".[22]Teen Vogue said that the track "feels cathartic in allowing her to take the space to fully tell her side of the story".[23] Jon Blistein ofRolling Stone praised "Shots Fired" as "catty and cutting, and most vicious of all, backed up by the evidence", and compared the song toNoname's "Song 33", a diss track againstJ. Cole.[24]
Writing forNME, Kyann-Sian Williams referred to "Shots Fired" as "a signal that Megan is not messing around", and that the song "suggests she's done with having her kindness taken for weakness".[25] Steffanee Wang ofNylon said that "Megan's storytelling ability, clear-eyed delivery, and general charisma as a rapper as she tells her side of the story take center stage", and that "Megan's got the last word" between her and Lanez.[26] In a review forStereogum, Tom Breihan said that Megan "just atomizes this motherfucker, clowning him for everything from his shallow social-media self-aggrandizement to his choice of weaponry".[27]
"Shots Fired" also had a strong fan and commercial showing, with many Twitter users praising the track upon its release.[28] In the United States, "Shots Fired" debuted at number 82 on theBillboard Hot 100, and at number 23 on theBillboardHot Rap Songs chart.[29][30] Elsewhere, the song spent one week at number 25 on theRecorded Music NZ charts, and entered theBillboard Global 200 at number 162.[31][32]
Credits adapted from Tidal.[13]
| Chart (2020–2021) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Global 200 (Billboard)[32] | 162 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[33] | 25 |
| USBillboard Hot 100[29] | 82 |
| USHot Rap Songs (Billboard)[30] | 23 |