"Big Fish" is a song recorded by American rapper Vince Staples for his second studio album, Big Fish Theory (2017). It was released on May 18, 2017 by Blacksmith Records, ARTium Recordings and Def Jam Recordings.[1] The song features vocals from Juicy J and produced by Christian Rich.[2]
| "Big Fish" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Vince Staples | ||||
| from the album Big Fish Theory | ||||
| Released | May 18, 2017 | |||
| Studio | EastWest Studios, Los Angeles | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:18 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Christian Rich | |||
| Vince Staples singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Big Fish" on YouTube | ||||
Reception and composition
edit"Big Fish" as produced by Nigerian/Chicago duo Christian Rich, featured as Pitchfork's "Best New Track" with Sheldon Pearce deeming it as "a meditation on rap's transformative properties," saying it "engages with rap as a mechanism to escape poverty, evaluating the wealth gap between an emerging rapper’s past and present."[3] According to Clash, Staples "not only reflects on his life prior to fame, but also address the problems that come with success."[4] Spin stated the song takes cues from west coast funk.[5]
Music video
editThe song's accompanying music video premiered on May 18, 2017 on Staples' Vevo channel on YouTube.[6] The music video was directed by David Helman.[2] In the video, Staples is "sitting on a sailboat that's slowly sinking into shark-infested waters. Despite the circumstances, Staples casually leans back and fires a few flares while he tears through the relentless "Big Fish"."[7]
Charts
edit| Chart (2017) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[8] | 82 |
| Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[9] | 11 |
| US Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles (Billboard)[10] | 10 |
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[11] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
edit- ^ "Big Fish - Single by Vince Staples on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
- ^ a b "Video: Vince Staples feat. Juicy J – 'Big Fish' - Rap-Up". Rap-Up. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
- ^ ""Big Fish" Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
- ^ "Vince Staples - Big Fish Theory". Clash. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
- ^ "Vince Staples Drops "Big Fish," Announces 'Big Fish Theory' Release Date". Spin. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
- ^ "Watch Vince Staples' Video for New Song "Big Fish"". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
- ^ "Vince Staples Previews New LP With Striking 'Big Fish' Video".
- ^ "ARIA Chart Watch #427". auspOp. July 1, 2017. Archived from the original on August 27, 2017. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
- ^ "Vince Staples – Big Fish" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
- ^ "Vince Staples – Chart History: Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved June 25, 2017.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "American single certifications – Vince Staples – Big Fish". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 29, 2023.