"TV Off" (stylized in lowercase) is a song written and recorded by American rapper Kendrick Lamar for his sixth studio album, GNX (2024). It was released on November 26, 2024, alongside the A-side[citation needed] "Squabble Up", and features guest vocals by rapper Lefty Gunplay. It was produced by Sounwave, Jack Antonoff, Mustard, Kamasi Washington, and Sean Momberger.
| "TV Off" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Kendrick Lamar featuring Lefty Gunplay | |
| from the album GNX | |
| A-side | Squabble Up[citation needed] |
| Released | November 26, 2024[1] |
| Recorded | May 2024 |
| Genre | West Coast hip hop |
| Length | 3:40 |
| Label | |
| Songwriter(s) | Kendrick Duckworth |
| Producer(s) | |
| Audio video | |
| "TV Off" on YouTube | |
Background
editUpon release, "TV Off" emerged as one of the standout tracks on the album, mainly due to its sonic resemblance to the Mustard-produced "Not Like Us", released earlier in 2024. According to Mustard, the similarities were "definitely intentional" and revealed that it was recorded around the same time as "Not Like Us" in May 2024 but at two different times, thus the beat switches. The song was especially noted for Lamar screaming Mustard's name as a transition between the two parts,[2][3] subsequently popularized as a meme.[4]
Composition and content
edit"TV Off" is a West Coast hip-hop song[5] split into two distinct parts that are connected through a beat switch around the two-minute mark. The song contains samples from "MacArthur Park" by Monk Higgins,[6] along with a snippet of horns from "The Black Hole - Overture" composed by John Barry for the soundtrack to the film The Black Hole (1979),[7] and an interpolation from "Kick in the Door" by The Notorious B.I.G.[8] As the production of the first part fades out, Mustard's signature tag emerges again as a "booming" percussion kicks in and is followed by Lamar's "animated" scream.[9]
Critical reception
editZachary Horvath of HotNewHipHop viewed the song as a "pseudo-sequel" to "Watch the Party Die", released exclusively on Lamar's social media in September 2024, as it furthers the idea of resetting the culture in rap music. Despite the superficial similarities to "Not Like Us", distinctions mainly stand out on the lyrical front. Lamar offers his critical stance in regards to social media and the associated distortion of perception.[10] Writing for Pitchfork, in a mixed review, Alphonse Pierre said of the song: "Mustard’s backside of 'tv off' is drowned out by these cheesy blaring horns that feel made to go dumb in Nike commercials."[11]
Charts
edit| Chart (2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[12] | 12 |
| Australia Hip Hop/R&B (ARIA)[13] | 3 |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[14] | 52 |
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[15] | 7 |
| France (SNEP)[16] | 64 |
| Global 200 (Billboard)[17] | 5 |
| India International (IMI)[18] | 12 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[19] | 5 |
| Italy (FIMI)[20] | 69 |
| Latvia (LaIPA)[21] | 6 |
| Lithuania (AGATA)[22] | 8 |
| Luxembourg (Billboard)[23] | 17 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[24] | 17 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[25] | 5 |
| Norway (VG-lista)[26] | 29 |
| Poland (Polish Streaming Top 100)[27] | 48 |
| Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[28] | 69 |
| South Africa (TOSAC)[29] | 3 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[30] | 27 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[31] | 19 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[32] | 6 |
| UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[33] | 2 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[34] | 2 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[35] | 1 |
| US Rhythmic (Billboard)[36] | 10 |
Release history
edit| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | November 26, 2024 | Rhythmic crossover | [37] |
References
edit- ^ "A Recap of Radio Add Recaps".
- ^ Havens, Lyndsey (November 22, 2024). "Mustard Reacts to Surprise Kendrick Lamar Album GNX & Says His "TV Off" Shout Out 'Was Elite'". Billboard. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
- ^ Setaro, Shawn (November 25, 2024). "Mustard reacts to Kendrick Lamar's viral 'Mustaaard!' line on "TV Off"". HipHopDX. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
- ^ Woodroof, Corey (November 23, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar yelling 'Mustard!' on his new album turned into an outstanding meme". For the Win. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
- ^ Silbermann-Schön, Jonas (November 22, 2024). "Überraschungsalbum veröffentlicht" [Kendrick Lamar surprisingly releases new album "GNX"]. Visions (in German). Retrieved November 26, 2024.
- ^ Zoladz, Lindsay (November 26, 2024). "Digging Into Kendrick Lamar's Samples". The New York Times. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
- ^ "Kendrick Lamar - GNX :: Le Recensioni di OndaRock". OndaRock (in Italian). Retrieved November 28, 2024.
- ^ Curto, Justin (November 22, 2024). "All the Surprises From Kendrick Lamar's Surprise Album GNX". Vulture. Archived from the original on November 23, 2024. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
- ^ Price, Joe (November 22, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar Screaming 'Mustard' on "TV Off" Is an Instant Meme". Complex. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
- ^ Horvath, Zachary (November 24, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar & Mustard Have Another Hit With The Thought-Provoking "TV Off"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
- ^ Pierre, Alphonse (November 26, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar: GNX". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 27, 2024.
- ^ "ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. December 2, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
- ^ "ARIA Top 40 Hip Hop/R&B Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. December 2, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
- ^ "Kendrick Lamar feat. Lefty Gunplay – TV Off" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
- ^ "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
- ^ "Top Singles (Week 48, 2024)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved December 2, 2024.
- ^ "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
- ^ "IMI International Top 20 Singles for week ending 2nd December 2024 | Week 48 of 52". IMIcharts. Archived from the original on December 8, 2024.
- ^ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
- ^ "Top Singoli – Classifica settimanale WK 48" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
- ^ "Straumēšanas Top 2024 – 48. nedēļa" [Streaming TOP 2024 – Week 48] (in Latvian). LaIPA. December 11, 2024. Retrieved December 12, 2024.
- ^ "2024 48-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. November 29, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
- ^ "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Luxembourg Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
- ^ "Kendrick Lamar feat. Lefty Gunplay – TV Off" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
- ^ "Official Top 40 Singles". Recorded Music NZ. November 29, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
- ^ "Singel 2024 uke 48". VG-lista. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
- ^ "OLiS – oficjalna lista sprzedaży – single w streamie" (Select week 22.11.2024–28.11.2024.) (in Polish). OLiS. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
- ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 48. týden 2024 in the date selector. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
- ^ "Local & International Streaming Chart Top 10 Week 48-2024". The Official South African Charts. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
- ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 48". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
- ^ "Kendrick Lamar feat. Lefty Gunplay – TV Off". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
- ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 7, 2024.
- ^ "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
- ^ "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
- ^ "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
- ^ "Crossover". HITS Daily Double. Archived from the original on December 1, 2024. Retrieved December 1, 2024.