Shooters (song)
| "Shooters" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Tory Lanez | ||||
| from the album Memories Don't Die | ||||
| Released | September 22, 2017 | |||
| Genre | Trap | |||
| Length | 3:28 | |||
| Label |
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| Songwriter(s) |
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| Producer(s) | C-Sick | |||
| Tory Lanez singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Shooters" on YouTube | ||||
"Shooters" is a song by Canadian rapper Tory Lanez, released on September 22, 2017 as the lead single from his second studio album Memories Don't Die (2018). It was produced by C-Sick.
Composition[edit]
The song contains horn-led production,[1] beginning with a "grand, cinematic" beat in the style of trap.[2] Lyrically, it finds Tory Lanez bragging about his winnings, including luxuries and women.[2][3]
Music video[edit]
An official music video of the song premiered exclusively on Billboard on October 12, 2017. It deals with the theme of police brutality and the concept was inspired by the documentary television miniseries Time: The Kalief Browder Story. In an interview with Billboard, Tory Lanez stated:
His story had me surfing the internet to research all the different cases of people who were wrongfully charged and looking up the rate of how many unarmed black people get shot in a year – well in the last year – and then how many of those officers were indicted. It was over hundreds of deaths and the percentage of the officers who were convicted was below one percent.
I imagined that there are times when those families have thought, "What if I could go kill the officer who killed my son or nephew?" What I'm trying to preach and show with this message is no matter how you may feel about it, violence is not the answer. Even with the cops, killing us ain't the answer either.[4]
The video, which Lanez co-directed with Zac Facts,[5] opens with a disclaimer that explains his inspiration and intentions behind the intro,[6][7][8][9] as well as a message reading "Sometimes the only justice is injustice".[4][5] After that, the video begins with a skit that sees Lanez and a friend seeking revenge on a police officer who had shot and killed Lanez's cousin.[4][5][6][7][8] They sneak into the officer's home and kill him. As they leave, the two men are confronted by two white police officers who question and aim their guns at them. Lanez and his friend respond calmly and raise their arms up in a "Hands up, don't shoot" gesture. Tory's friend is shot to death by the police, leading Tory to pull out his gun to fire back, only to be killed as well.[4] The visual then transitions to sequences of him wearing luxury clothing,[9] expensive cars, women smoking marijuana,[8] and Lanez being surrounded by women toting guns,[4] as well as clips of men getting arrested and an American flag with bullet holes painted on the back of a woman. It ends with a dead body laid out on a concrete floor as flowers spread across the body to symbolize the innocence of unarmed people dying.[4]
Charts[edit]
| Chart (2017–2018) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[10] | 68 |
| US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[11] | 19 |
Certifications[edit]
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[12] | Gold | 40,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[13] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References[edit]
- ^ Slingerland, Calum (September 22, 2017). "Tory Lanez "Shooters"". Exclaim!. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ a b Penrose, Nerisha (September 22, 2017). "Tory Lanez Returns With New Single 'Shooters': Listen". Billboard. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ C.M., Emmanuel (September 22, 2017). "Tory Lanez Reps His "Shooters" for New Song". XXL. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f Penrose, Nerisha (October 12, 2017). "Tory Lanez Tackles Police Brutality in 'Shooters' Video: Premiere". Billboard. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ a b c Thiessen, Brock (October 12, 2017). "Tory Lanez Takes on Police Violence with New "Shooters" Video". Exclaim!. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ a b India, Lindsey (October 12, 2017). "Tory Lanez Fights Against Police Brutality in "Shooters" Video". XXL. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ a b Miss2bees (October 12, 2017). "Tory Lanez Tackles Police Brutality in "Shooters" Video". The Source. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c Findlay, Mitch (October 12, 2017). "Tory Lanez Tackles Police Brutality In Powerful "Shooters" Video". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ a b Boykins, Austin (October 12, 2017). "Tory Lanez Shares His Personal Fears in New "Shooters" Video". Hypebeast. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ "Tory Lanez Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
- ^ "Tory Lanez Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
- ^ "Canadian single certifications – Tory Lanez – Shooters". Music Canada.
- ^ "American single certifications – Tory Lanez – Shooters". Recording Industry Association of America.