"212" (pronounced "two-one-two") is the debut single by American rapper Azealia Banks. The musical base of the track is the song "Float My Boat" by Belgian DJ Jef Martens and his brother Toon (under the alias "Lazy Jay"), who also produced Banks' version. The song title is a reference to the area code 212 which covers Manhattan, New York City where Banks grew up. It was first released on December 6, 2011 in the United Kingdom as the lead single from her 2012 EP 1991, and is also included on her debut studio album Broke with Expensive Taste (2014).[4][5]
The song was lauded by critics, and has been included in many publications' lists of the best songs of the 2010s, with Billboard citing it as one of the songs that "defined the decade". Rolling Stone also placed the song's music video on their list of the '100 Greatest Music Videos', and the song itself on their revised list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
"212", released first as a free download, was commercially successful in Europe, peaking in the top 20 in the United Kingdom, and on the Benelux charts. In September 2011, it was chosen as the Record of the Week by Nick Grimshaw on BBC Radio 1.[6] As of 2017, it is one of the top 100 biggest hip hop songs of all time in the United Kingdom.[7]
The Guardian gave the song a positive review and placed it at number 2 on their The Best Songs of 2011 list.[8][9] In the review, Michael Cragg praised the song, calling it "a startling three and a half minutes of attitude" as well as "incredible."[9] Carrie Battan of Pitchfork named the song "Best New Track", lauding Banks' "unpredictable vocal range" and wrote, "She clicks between characters and styles casually, effortlessly. No seams. A jaw-slackening demo reel."[10] Thomas H. Green from The Independent called it "a potty-mouthed sex song that encapsulates the way the current US explosion in EDM has adapted and adopted European rave, mixing the style with hip-hop and R&B stylistic tics."[11]NME dubbed the song number 18 on their 50 Best Tracks Of 2011, calling it "mischievous, quick-witted and full of filthy cunnilanguage: it's made Azealia Banks the coolest girl on the planet, and it delivered on 2011's forward-thinking promise."[12]NPR Music gave the song a positive review and listed it as one of their 100 Favorite Songs Of 2011, calling the song "the raunchiest shut-down of 2011."[13]The Village Voice's Pazz & Jop ranked "212" at number 6 to find the best music of 2011. Pitchfork also ranked it number 9 on their Top 100 Tracks of 2011 list, writing:
If it were judged only on its visceral thrill, "212" would still be one of 2011's best, an unashamed banger in a mostly mid-tempo year. But the more you dig into the song, the more you can hear details and decisions that suggest a scary degree of pop talent.[14]
In 2019, "212" was placed 6th in Pitchfork's list of the 200 Best Songs of the 2010s.[15]Billboard cited the song as one of the songs that "defined the decade".[16] In 2021, Rolling Stone placed it at number 485 on their 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list.[17]
Music videoedit
A music video to accompany the release of "212" was first released onto YouTube on September 12, 2011 at a total length of three minutes and twenty-five seconds. Directed by Vincent Tsang, the video is shot in black-and-white, and features Banks dancing in front of a brick wall and close-ups of her rapping to camera.[18] In addition to Lazy Jay, the video also includes appearances by Québécois record producers Lunice and Jacques Greene.
In 2021, Rolling Stone placed it on their list of the '100 Greatest Music Videos'.[19]
In the mediaedit
Since its release, "212" has been featured in the season one finale of the HBO show Girls and the series six opener of the E4 drama Skins.
^Gigs, and Tours (December 6, 2011). "The brilliant '212' by BBC Sound of 2012 nominee @AZEALIABANKS is available to download on iTunes now!". Twitter. Retrieved December 6, 2011.
^Wood, Mikael (June 18, 2012). "Aural Fixation". Paper. Paper Publishing Company. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
^Rolling Stone Staff (June 28, 2018). "The 100 Greatest Songs of the Century – So Far". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 31, 2023. After being dropped by XL Recordings, Banks self-released this gem, a bawdy, galloping hip-house cut...
^Gigs, and Tours (December 6, 2011). "The brilliant '212' by BBC Sound of 2012 nominee @AZEALIABANKS is available to download on iTunes now!". Twitter. Retrieved December 6, 2011.
^Banks, Azealia (February 21, 2013). "Twitter". Twitter.com. Retrieved February 21, 2013. I've written ALL new material for this record..... Except for 212 lol.
^"Zola Jesus Fresh Off Stage". BBC. September 26, 2011.
^"The Official Top 100 biggest Hip-Hop Songs of all time". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
^"The best songs of 2011". The Guardian. December 19, 2011. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
^ abCragg, Michael (September 27, 2011). "New music: Azealia Banks – 212". The Guardian. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
^"The Heat (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". iTunes. June 25, 2013. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
^"The Bling Ring (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". iTunes. January 2013. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
^. IndieWire. Archived from the original on July 17, 2013. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
^. iTunes Store (GB). Archived from the original on May 24, 2012.
^ "ARIA Top 100 Singles – Week Commencing 30th April 2012" ARIA Top 100 Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved July 1, 2014.
^"ARIA Urban Singles Chart – Week Commencing 21st May 2012" (PDF). ARIA Charts. Australian Web Archive. p. 17. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 15, 2012. Retrieved July 1, 2014.
^"Azealia Banks feat. Lazy Jay – 212" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
^"Azealia Banks feat. Lazy Jay – 212" (in Dutch). Ultratop Dance.
^"Azealia Banks feat. Lazy Jay – 212" (in French). Ultratop 50.
^"Azealia Banks feat. Lazy Jay – 212" (in French). Ultratop Dance.
^"Azealia Banks Chart History (Euro Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved April 12, 2014.
^"JAAROVERZICHTEN 2012: Singles" (in Dutch). Ultratop (NL). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
^"JAAROVERZICHTEN 2012: Dance" (in Dutch). Ultratop (NL). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
^"Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 2012" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
^. BBC Radio 1. December 31, 2012. Archived from the original on March 7, 2013. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
^"British single certifications – Azealia Banks ft Lazy Jay – 212". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
^Syme, Rachel (April 3, 2015). "Billboard Cover: Azealia Banks on Why No One Really Wants to See Her Naked, Her Impure Thoughts About Barack Obama and Why She's 'Not Here to Be Your Idol'". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
^Gigs, and Tours (December 6, 2011). "The brilliant '212' by BBC Sound of 2012 nominee @AZEALIABANKS is available to download on iTunes now!". Twitter. Twitter. Retrieved December 6, 2011.
^. Canada: 7digital. Archived from the original on July 19, 2013. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
^. United States: 7digital. Archived from the original on February 8, 2015.
^"Top 40/R Future Releases". All Access. from the original on October 8, 2009.
April 12, 2024
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Not to be confused with 214 song 212 pronounced two one two is the debut single by American rapper Azealia Banks The musical base of the track is the song Float My Boat by Belgian DJ Jef Martens and his brother Toon under the alias Lazy Jay who also produced Banks version The song title is a reference to the area code 212 which covers Manhattan New York City where Banks grew up It was first released on December 6 2011 in the United Kingdom as the lead single from her 2012 EP 1991 and is also included on her debut studio album Broke with Expensive Taste 2014 4 5 212 Single by Azealia Banks featuring Lazy Jayfrom the EP 1991 and the album Broke with Expensive TasteReleasedDecember 6 2011 2011 12 06 1 Recorded2011GenreHip house 2 3 Length3 25LabelSelf releasedSongwriter s Azealia BanksJef MartensProducer s Lazy JayAzealia Banks singles chronology 212 2011 Liquorice 2012 Music video 212 on YouTubeThe song was lauded by critics and has been included in many publications lists of the best songs of the 2010s with Billboard citing it as one of the songs that defined the decade Rolling Stone also placed the song s music video on their list of the 100 Greatest Music Videos and the song itself on their revised list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time 212 released first as a free download was commercially successful in Europe peaking in the top 20 in the United Kingdom and on the Benelux charts In September 2011 it was chosen as the Record of the Week by Nick Grimshaw on BBC Radio 1 6 As of 2017 it is one of the top 100 biggest hip hop songs of all time in the United Kingdom 7 Contents 1 Critical reception 2 Music video 3 In the media 4 Track listing 5 Charts and certifications 5 1 Weekly charts 5 2 Year end charts 5 3 Certifications and sales 6 Release history 7 ReferencesCritical reception edit nbsp 212 source source track A 20 second sample of 212 a hip house song Problems playing this file See media help The Guardian gave the song a positive review and placed it at number 2 on their The Best Songs of 2011 list 8 9 In the review Michael Cragg praised the song calling it a startling three and a half minutes of attitude as well as incredible 9 Carrie Battan of Pitchfork named the song Best New Track lauding Banks unpredictable vocal range and wrote She clicks between characters and styles casually effortlessly No seams A jaw slackening demo reel 10 Thomas H Green from The Independent called it a potty mouthed sex song that encapsulates the way the current US explosion in EDM has adapted and adopted European rave mixing the style with hip hop and R amp B stylistic tics 11 NME dubbed the song number 18 on their 50 Best Tracks Of 2011 calling it mischievous quick witted and full of filthy cunnilanguage it s made Azealia Banks the coolest girl on the planet and it delivered on 2011 s forward thinking promise 12 NPR Music gave the song a positive review and listed it as one of their 100 Favorite Songs Of 2011 calling the song the raunchiest shut down of 2011 13 The Village Voice s Pazz amp Jop ranked 212 at number 6 to find the best music of 2011 Pitchfork also ranked it number 9 on their Top 100 Tracks of 2011 list writing If it were judged only on its visceral thrill 212 would still be one of 2011 s best an unashamed banger in a mostly mid tempo year But the more you dig into the song the more you can hear details and decisions that suggest a scary degree of pop talent 14 In 2019 212 was placed 6th in Pitchfork s list of the 200 Best Songs of the 2010s 15 Billboard cited the song as one of the songs that defined the decade 16 In 2021 Rolling Stone placed it at number 485 on their 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list 17 Music video editA music video to accompany the release of 212 was first released onto YouTube on September 12 2011 at a total length of three minutes and twenty five seconds Directed by Vincent Tsang the video is shot in black and white and features Banks dancing in front of a brick wall and close ups of her rapping to camera 18 In addition to Lazy Jay the video also includes appearances by Quebecois record producers Lunice and Jacques Greene In 2021 Rolling Stone placed it on their list of the 100 Greatest Music Videos 19 In the media editSince its release 212 has been featured in the season one finale of the HBO show Girls and the series six opener of the E4 drama Skins It has also featured in several films including The Heat The Bling Ring A Long Way Down Pitch Perfect Divines Bodies Bodies BodiesThe song was also used on an episode of Cuckoo 20 21 22 Track listing editDigital download 23 212 3 25Charts and certifications editWeekly charts edit Chart 2011 2012 PeakpositionAustralia ARIA 24 68Australia Urban ARIA 25 20Belgium Ultratop 50 Flanders 26 17Belgium Dance Ultratop Flanders 27 1Belgium Ultratop 50 Wallonia 28 34Belgium Dance Ultratop Wallonia 29 36Euro Digital Song Sales Billboard 30 16Ireland IRMA 31 7Netherlands Single Top 100 32 17Scotland OCC 33 12UK Singles OCC 34 12UK Hip Hop R amp B OCC 35 3 Year end charts edit Chart 2012 PeakpositionBelgium Ultratop 50 Flanders 36 92Belgium Dance Ultratop Flanders 37 19Netherlands Dutch Top 40 38 99UK Singles Official Charts Company 39 44Certifications and sales edit Region Certification Certified units salesUnited Kingdom BPI 40 Platinum 600 000 United States 560 000 41 Sales streaming figures based on certification alone Release history editRegion Date Format LabelUnited Kingdom 42 December 6 2011 Digital download PolydorCanada 43 April 24 2012 InterscopeUnited States 44 United States 45 June 5 2012 Rhythmic contemporary radioReferences edit Gigs and Tours December 6 2011 The brilliant 212 by BBC Sound of 2012 nominee AZEALIABANKS is available to download on iTunes now Twitter Retrieved December 6 2011 Wood Mikael June 18 2012 Aural Fixation Paper Paper Publishing Company Retrieved March 1 2014 Rolling Stone Staff June 28 2018 The 100 Greatest Songs of the Century So Far Rolling Stone Retrieved May 31 2023 After being dropped by XL Recordings Banks self released this gem a bawdy galloping hip house cut Gigs and Tours December 6 2011 The brilliant 212 by BBC Sound of 2012 nominee AZEALIABANKS is available to download on iTunes now Twitter Retrieved December 6 2011 Banks Azealia February 21 2013 Twitter Twitter com Retrieved February 21 2013 I ve written ALL new material for this record Except for 212 lol Zola Jesus Fresh Off Stage BBC September 26 2011 The Official Top 100 biggest Hip Hop Songs of all time www officialcharts com Retrieved June 17 2022 The best songs of 2011 The Guardian December 19 2011 Retrieved July 31 2013 a b Cragg Michael September 27 2011 New music Azealia Banks 212 The Guardian Retrieved July 31 2013 Battan Carrie October 14 2011 Azealia Banks 212 Pitchfork Media Retrieved July 31 2013 Review 50 Best Tracks of 2011 NME Retrieved July 31 2013 NPR Music Staff December 14 2011 NPR Music s 100 Favorite Songs Of 2011 NPR Retrieved July 31 2013 Pitchfork December 12 2011 The Top 100 Tracks of 2011 Pitchfork Media Archived from the original on March 3 2016 Retrieved July 31 2013 The 200 Best Songs of the 2010s Pitchfork October 7 2019 Retrieved October 12 2019 Lyons Patrick November 21 2019 Songs That Defined the Decade Azealia Banks feat Lazy Jay s 212 Billboard Retrieved June 21 2020 The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time Rolling Stone September 15 2021 Retrieved September 15 2021 AZEALIA BANKS 212 FT LAZY JAY YouTube Retrieved July 1 2015 Browne David Conteh Mankaprr Ehrlich Brenna Fear David Fontoura Maria Freeman Jon Garber Paul Elisabeth Greene Andy Grow Kory Hiatt Brian Hoard Christian Ihaza Jeff Newman Jason Martoccio Angie Portwood Jerry Shaffer Claire Sheffield Rob Shteamer Hank Spanos Brittany Vozick Levinson Simon July 30 2021 The 100 Greatest Music Videos Rolling Stone Retrieved May 28 2022 The Heat Original Motion Picture Soundtrack iTunes June 25 2013 Retrieved July 31 2013 The Bling Ring Original Motion Picture Soundtrack iTunes January 2013 Retrieved July 31 2013 All Songs In Pitch Perfect IndieWire Archived from the original on July 17 2013 Retrieved August 5 2013 iTunes Music 212 feat Lazy Jay iTunes Store GB Archived from the original on May 24 2012 ARIA Top 100 Singles Week Commencing 30th April 2012 ARIA Top 100 Singles National Library of Australia Retrieved July 1 2014 ARIA Urban Singles Chart Week Commencing 21st May 2012 PDF ARIA Charts Australian Web Archive p 17 Archived from the original PDF on June 15 2012 Retrieved July 1 2014 Azealia Banks feat Lazy Jay 212 in Dutch Ultratop 50 Azealia Banks feat Lazy Jay 212 in Dutch Ultratop Dance Azealia Banks feat Lazy Jay 212 in French Ultratop 50 Azealia Banks feat Lazy Jay 212 in French Ultratop Dance Azealia Banks Chart History Euro Digital Song Sales Billboard Retrieved April 12 2014 The Irish Charts Search Results 212 Irish Singles Chart Retrieved January 18 2020 Azealia Banks feat Lazy Jay 212 in Dutch Single Top 100 Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100 Official Charts Company Official Singles Chart Top 100 Official Charts Company Official Hip Hop and R amp B Singles Chart Top 40 Official Charts Company JAAROVERZICHTEN 2012 Singles in Dutch Ultratop NL Hung Medien Retrieved July 11 2014 JAAROVERZICHTEN 2012 Dance in Dutch Ultratop NL Hung Medien Retrieved July 11 2014 Top 100 Jaaroverzicht van 2012 in Dutch Dutch Top 40 Retrieved July 11 2014 Top 100 Singles of 2012 BBC Radio 1 December 31 2012 Archived from the original on March 7 2013 Retrieved January 5 2013 British single certifications Azealia Banks ft Lazy Jay 212 British Phonographic Industry Retrieved April 25 2021 Syme Rachel April 3 2015 Billboard Cover Azealia Banks on Why No One Really Wants to See Her Naked Her Impure Thoughts About Barack Obama and Why She s Not Here to Be Your Idol Billboard Prometheus Global Media Retrieved April 3 2015 Gigs and Tours December 6 2011 The brilliant 212 by BBC Sound of 2012 nominee AZEALIABANKS is available to download on iTunes now Twitter Twitter Retrieved December 6 2011 212 2012 Azealia Banks Canada 7digital Archived from the original on July 19 2013 Retrieved February 8 2015 212 2012 Azealia Banks United States 7digital Archived from the original on February 8 2015 Top 40 R Future Releases All Access Archived from the original on October 8 2009 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 212 song amp oldid 1215065878, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
