| "Lil Freak" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Usher featuring Nicki Minaj | ||||
| from the album Raymond v. Raymond | ||||
| Released | March 2, 2010 | |||
| Studio | No Excuses Studio (Santa Monica, California) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:55 | |||
| Label | LaFace | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
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| Usher singles chronology | ||||
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| Nicki Minaj singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Lil Freak" on YouTube | ||||
"Lil Freak" is a song by American singer Usher, taken from his sixth studio album, Raymond v. Raymond. Featuring guest vocals by Trinidadian rapper Nicki Minaj, the song was written by her, Usher, Ester Dean, Blac Elvis and Polow da Don, the latter two producing the track. Its hook is based on a manipulated sample of American soul musician Stevie Wonder's 1973 hit, "Living for the City". "Lil Freak" was released as the second single from the album in the United States and Canada on March 2, 2010.
Carrying a dark tone, composed of heavy bass beats derived from R&B and hip hop music, the lyrics are about the thrill of orchestrating a ménage à trois in a club. The song received positive reviews from critics who complimented its sensual nature. It peaked at number 40 on the Billboard Hot 100, and eight on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, becoming Usher's 16th top ten hit on the latter chart. The song's accompanying music video has a secret society concept, dealing with an underground club, playing on the storyline of the song.