Stay Dangerous

Stay Dangerous is the third studio album by American rapper YG. It was released on August 3, 2018, by 4Hunnid Records and Def Jam Recordings. The album features guest appearances from 2 Chainz, ASAP Rocky, Ty Dolla Sign, Quavo, Mozzy, Jay 305, Big Sean, YoungBoy Never Broke Again and Nicki Minaj.

Stay Dangerous
Studio album by YG
Released	August 3, 2018 (2018-08-03)
Genre	Gangsta rap[1]
Length	50:21
Label	4Hunnid Def Jam
Producer	DJ Mustard KJ Santana Mike Will Made It MP808 TM88
YG chronology
Still Brazy (2016) Stay Dangerous (2018) 4Real 4Real (2019)
Singles from Stay Dangerous
"Suu Whoop" Released: February 16, 2018 "Big Bank" Released: May 25, 2018

Stay Dangerous was supported by two singles: "Suu Whoop" and "Big Bank". The album received generally positive reviews from critics and debuted at number five on the US Billboard 200.

Promotion

On August 2, 2018, YG released a trailer for the album, inspired by Dos Equis's The Most Interesting Man in the World ad campaign.[2]

Singles

The album's lead single, "Suu Whoop", was released for streaming and digital download on February 16, 2018.[3] Its music video was released a month later.[4]

The album's second single, "Big Bank" featuring 2 Chainz, Big Sean and Nicki Minaj, was released on May 25, 2018.[5] Its music video was released a month later.[6] It peaked at number 16 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[7][8]

Promotional singles

The lead promotional single, "Handgun" featuring ASAP Rocky, was released on July 26, 2018, alongside its music video.[9]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Album of the Year	66/100[10]
AnyDecentMusic?	6.5/10[11]
Metacritic	71/100[12]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[13]
The A.V. Club	B[14]
Entertainment Weekly	B+[15]
The Guardian	[1]
HipHopDX	3.2/5[16]
Pitchfork	6.5/10[17]
PopMatters	6/10[18]
Rolling Stone	[19]
Slant Magazine	[20]
XXL	3/5[21]

Stay Dangerous was met with generally positive reviews. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 71, based on 16 reviews.[12] Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it 6.5 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.[11] Album of the Year assessed the critical consensus as 66 out of 100, based on 17 reviews.[10]

Isaac Feldberg of Entertainment Weekly praised the album saying, "YG's objectives across Stay Dangerous are more narrow and (for him) natural. Reuniting with long-time producer DJ Mustard for around half the album, YG is largely content to low-ride in his lane, swaggering across Bloods-allegiant bangers (electrifying "Suu Whoop") and incisive tell-alls from the hood ("Too Brazy" "Deeper Than Rap")."[15] Jack Riedy of Consequence of Sound said, "Though it doesn't quite reach the heights of his first two, his new album, Stay Dangerous, is another solid project from one of the best on the West Coast."[22] Clayton Purdom of The A.V. Club gave the album a positive review stating, "It pretty much all works, in the way that all of YG's music works, anchored by superlative taste and a flow as versatile and reliable as T.I. in his prime."[14] Meaghan Garvey of Rolling Stone wrote: "Mustard's beats here don't exactly reinvent the wheel, but they serve as hydraulics to YG's low-riding delivery; on "Too Cocky", the producer's minimalist West Coast bounce pairs perfectly with YG's unexpected and inspired Right Said Fred interpolation."[19] Jackson Howard of Pitchfork saying "For YG, an artist we've come to expect the unexpected from, someone currently standing at a career-defining intersection, Stay Dangerous is an exercise in predictability."[17]

In a mixed review, XXL's Chris Gibbons stated: "Stay Dangerous doesn't quite feel like the grand statement of Still Brazy or My Krazy Life. It's a slight step back from a rapper who is capable of much greater. While the brief glimpses of his personal life aren't quite enough to elevate the project, it's worthwhile to hear him breezing over Mustard beats once again."[21] In another mixed review, The Guardian's Rachel Aroesti stated: "YG doesn't cover his subject matter with a huge amount of wit or creativity. Yet the rapper makes up for lyrical dullness with a sound that can be tantalising."[1] Zachary Hoskins of Slant Magazine said, "The rigid codes of masculinity governing hardcore rap, though, keep YG's lyrics from showing as much range as Mustard's beats."[20]

Commercial performance

In YG's home country of United States, Stay Dangerous debuted at number five on the Billboard 200 with 56,000 album-equivalent units, which included 11,000 pure album sales.[23] It serves as YG's third consecutive top-ten album in the United States.[23] The album earned 23,000 album-equivalent units in the second week.[24] On April 10, 2019, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over 500,000 units in the United States.[25]

In Australia, the album opened at number 15 on the ARIA Albums Chart, becoming YG’s first top 20 album on the country.[26] In Canada, Stay Dangerous debuted at number nine on the Canadian Albums Chart.[27] It serves as YG's second non-consecutive top-ten album in the country.[27]

Track listing

Credits adapted from Tidal.[28]

Stay Dangerous track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"10 Times"	Keenon Jackson Dijon McFarlane	DJ Mustard	2:38
2.	"Bulletproof" (featuring Jay 305)	Jackson Keith Stinson Jay Cummins	KJ Santana	2:33
3.	"Handgun" (featuring ASAP Rocky)	Jackson Bryan Simmons Terrell McNeal Rakim Mayers	TM88 MP808	3:34
4.	"Suu Whoop"	Jackson McFarlane Jordan Holt	DJ Mustard Holt^[a]	3:04
5.	"Cant Get in Kanada"	Jackson McFarlane Leslie Wakefield Jr.	DJ Mustard Official^[a]	2:21
6.	"Too Cocky"	Jackson McFarlane Christopher Fairbrass Richard Fairbrass Robert Manzoli	DJ Mustard	2:52
7.	"Big Bank" (featuring 2 Chainz, Big Sean and Nicki Minaj)	Jackson McFarlane Nye Lee Jr. Tauheed Epps Sean Anderson Onika Maraj	DJ Mustard	3:57
8.	"Power" (featuring Ty Dolla Sign)	Jackson McFarlane Ruben Sosa Tyrone Griffin Jr.	DJ Mustard Citoonthebeat^[a]	2:52
9.	"Slay" (featuring Quavo)	Jackson McFarlane Quavious Marshall Willie Hutch	DJ Mustard	4:44
10.	"666" (featuring YoungBoy Never Broke Again)	Jackson Michael Williams Peyton Landers Kentrell Gaulden Craig Lawson Bobby Sandimanie Jonathan Smith Michael Tyler	Mike Will Made It Ziti^[a]	4:39
11.	"Too Brazy" (featuring Mozzy)	Jackson McFarlane Sosa Timothy Patterson	DJ Mustard Citoonthebeat^[a]	3:30
12.	"Pussy Money Fame"	Jackson Enoch Harris	Lil Rich	2:58
13.	"Deeper Than Rap"	Jackson Harris	Lil Rich	3:22
14.	"Free the Homies Interlude"	Marlon Williams McFarlane	DJ Mustard	1:53
15.	"Bomptown Finest"	Jackson McFarlane	DJ Mustard	5:23
Total length:				50:21

Notes

• ^{^[a]} signifies a co-producer
• "Handgun" is known as "Band Drum" on the clean version of the album
• "Bulletproof" features background vocals by Carter Kim
• "Handgun" and "666" features additional vocals by Albert Thompson
• "Free the Homies Interlude" features voice by Leandre Herman

Sample credits

• "Too Cocky" contains an interpolation from "I'm Too Sexy", written by Christopher Fairbrass, Richard Fairbrass, and Robert Manzoli, and performed by Right Said Fred.

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[28]

Musicians

• DJ Mustard – guitar (track 14)
• Marlon Williams – guitar (track 14)
• Richard "Hymnbeats" Antione – additional keyboards (track 14)

Technical

• Dee Brown – recording (tracks 1, 2, 5–8, 10–13, 15)
• David Pizzimenti – recording (tracks 3, 4)
• Nolan Presley – recording (track 7)
• Gregg Rominiecki – recording (track 7)
• Cyrus Taghipour – recording (track 9)
• Mark Dorflinger – recording (track 10)
• DJ Mustard – recording (track 14)
• Derek "MixedbyAli" Ali – mixing (tracks 2–5, 8–11, 15)
• Michael "MikFly" Dottin – mixing (tracks 1–3, 6–13), recording (track 15)
• Finis "KY" White – vocal mixing (track 7)

Charts

Weekly charts Chart performance for Stay Dangerous Chart (2018) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA)[29] 15 Canadian Albums (Billboard)[30] 9 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[31] 71 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[32] 21 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[33] 54 US Billboard 200[34] 5 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[35] 5

Year-end charts 2018 year-end chart performance for Stay Dangerous Chart (2018) Position US Billboard 200[36] 173 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[37] 63

Certifications

Certifications for Stay Dangerous

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[25]	Gold	500,000
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone sales+streaming figures based on certification alone

Release history

Release dates and formats for Stay Dangerous

Region	Date	Label(s)	Format(s)	Ref.
Various	August 3, 2018	4Hunnid Def Jam	Digital download streaming	[38]
	August 31, 2018		CD	[39]
	November 9, 2018		Vinyl	[40]

References

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2. Hussein, Wandera (August 2, 2018). "Watch YG's cheeky Stay Dangerous album trailer". The Fader. Archived from the original on August 3, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
3. Hamilton, Xavier (February 19, 2018). "YG Reminds Folks L.A. Is Not For Sale With "Suu Whoop"". Vibe. Archived from the original on August 3, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
4. Mojica, Nick (March 13, 2018). "YG Kicks It Old-School in New Suu Whoop Video". XXL. Archived from the original on August 3, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
5. Wicks, Amanda; Strauss, Matthew (May 25, 2018). "YG, Nicki Minaj, Big Sean, and 2 Chainz Team for New Song "Big Bank": Listen". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on August 3, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
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