Doja Cat‘s single, “Paint the Town Red, ” has climbed the Billboard Hot 100 chart from No. 3 to No. 1. The jump marks the first time a rap track has earned the No. 1 position in over a year, which is the longest a song in the genre hasn’t topped the chart.
According to Billboard, “Paint the Town Red” is Doja’s second No. 1 hit, following 2020’s “Say So” featuring Nicki Minaj. The track garnered 32.1 million radio airplay audience impressions, 27.7 million streams and sold 8,000 downloads during the first week of September. The song debuted at No. 15 and is currently No. 2 on the Streaming Songs chart.
“Paint the Town Red” is the rapper’s seventh track to reach Billboard Hot 100’s top ten, most likely thanks to the song’s recent TikTok virality. The song spawned a dance on the platform, with many users partaking in the choreography challenge.
@harley_haisleyyy paint the town redddd
@nianaguerrero had to hit this one too! ( dc @Liam Maughan )
@deodorizeyourself Nevermind #dancer #dojacat #paintthetownred #tiktokdances #fyp #trend #professionaldancer #slay #atethatup #dance #dayone #day1
The last rap song to grace the No. 1 position was Nicki Minaj’s “Super Freaky Girl,” which dropped on Aug. 12, 2022, USA Today reported, debuting at the No. 1 spot. During the 54 weeks between “Super Freaky Girl” and “Paint the Town Red,” several rap tracks made it to the No. 2 spot, including Lil Durk’s “All My Life” featuring J. Cole, Drake’s “Search & Rescue,” and “Rich Flex,” also by Drake and 21 Savage.
The late ’90s/early aughts were the last time there was a significant break between rap No. 1 hits. Following Will Smith’s “Wild Wild West” featuring Dru Hill and Kool Moe Dee, which commanded the Billboard Hot 100 chart for a week in July 1999, a rap song didn’t earn the No. 1 spot until Shaggy’s “It Wasn’t Me” in February 2001.
The No. 1 placement of “Paint the Town Red” isn’t a significant achievement for Doja alone. The song samples Dionne Warwick’s “Walk on By,” which earned the No. 6 spot on the Hot 100 in 1964. Thanks to its sampling, songwriters Burt Bacharach and Hal David received their first No. 1 hit since Twista’s “Slow Jamz” featuring Kanye West and Jamie Foxx in 2004. Bacharach died in February, and throughout his 55-year career, he co-wrote eight Hot 100 No. 1s. David, who died in 2012, was responsible for five No. 1s, all of which he co-wrote with Bacharach.
“Paint the Town Red” is from Doja Cat’s fourth album, Scarlet, set for release on Sept. 22.
