Skillibeng Scores First Billboard Hot 100 With Nicki Minaj
Dancehall star Skillibeng has notched his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100, after his Crocodile Teeth (Remix) with rapper Nicki Minaj entered at the very bottom of the songs chart at No. 100.
The last Jamaican Dancehall artist to enter the Hot 100 was Sean Paul, who peaked at No. 81 in 2017, with an Enrique Iglesias collaboration titlted Subeme La Radio.
This week, Skillibeng has also debuted on Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart at No. 35, alongside Alkaline, who debuted at No. 37. This chart seeks to highlight the top-performing rising acts in the US each week.
The remix also entered the Billboard Global 200 chart at No. 182, and the Digital Song Sales chart at No. 43.
The updated Crocodile Teeth track received a fresh first verse from Minaj and was one of three new songs included on her re-released Beam Me Up Scotty Mixtape.
.@NICKIMINAJ & @skillibeng's "Crocodile Teeth" debuts at No. 100 on this week's #Hot100.
— billboard charts (@billboardcharts) May 24, 2021
Debuts on this week's #EmergingArtists chart:
#3, @ChayceBeckham
#6, @bellapoarch
#12, @mooseofrob
#25, @finneas
#31, #Sunbomb
#35, @skillibeng
#37, #Alkaline
#39, @SonsOfKemet— billboard charts (@billboardcharts) May 25, 2021
Seeing Green, Minaj’s collaboration with Young Money affiliates Drake and Lil Wayne, has debuted at No. 1 on this week’s Digital Song Sales chart and at No. 12 on the Hot 100 song chart.
Fractions, the third new song off the mixtape, has debuted at No. 7 on the Digital Song Sales chart and at No. 52 on the Hot 100.
Following its May 14 release, the Crocodile Teeth (remix) drew over 2.5 million views on YouTube and 2.4 million plays on Spotify. The original song, released in October 2020, has over 20 million views on the official YouTube music video.
In an interview with the Jamaica STAR, one of the track’s producers, Johnny Wonder, said that Nicki Minaj’s team had reached out to be a part of the remix. Wonder revealed that having listened to the beat and the lyrics of the song, Minaj took a keen interest in Crocodile Teeth.
The producer said that the collab is proof that young Dancehall acts have what it takes to pull the attention of international artists.
Nicki Minaj isn’t the only international rapper to express an interest in Skillibeng‘s crossover hit. Similar to SpotemGottem’s viral hit, Beat Box, which has sparked several remixes, rappers like Tory Lanez and UK-based Youngs Teflon have tapped the Crocodile Teeth riddim with unofficial remixes.
Skillibeng’s other recent international collaboration is Real Boss with rappers Rich The Kid and Jay Critch. Real Boss‘ official video currently stands at 1.4 million views on YouTube since its release last month.
The St. Thomas native’s has also released solo hits like Coke, HOT, Mr. Universe, and his 2019 breakout song Brik Pan Brik.
Correction: Story was updated to include Skilli’s placement on the Emerging Artists, Billboard Global 200 and the Digital Song Sales charts.