Released in September 2017 as the lead single from his second studio album beerbongs & bentleys , by Post Malone featuring 21 Savage became a defining track of the streaming era. The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it remained for eight consecutive weeks, and has since been certified Diamond by the RIAA. Chart Dominance and Controversy
The song is often cited as a prime example of the "genre-less" style Post Malone is known for, blending elements of trap, hip-hop, and rock.
The track's ascent was marked by a unique marketing strategy involving a three-and-a-half-minute loop of the song's chorus uploaded to YouTube by Republic Records. This loop funneled viewers toward streaming services to hear the full track, a tactic that some industry analysts labeled a "clever marketing scheme" while others viewed it as a loophole for boosting chart rankings. Visual Identity
The official music video, directed by Emil Nava and released in November 2017, features a cinematic, violent aesthetic inspired by the Japanese action film Lady Snowblood . In the visual, Post Malone and 21 Savage engage in a samurai sword battle against a gang of enemies, ending with the two artists covered in blood. The video surpassed one billion views on YouTube in June 2022. Critical and Award Recognition