Can I (Kehlani song)

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"Can I"
Single by Kehlani featuring Tory Lanez
from the album It Was Good Until It Wasn't
ReleasedJune 3, 2020
Genre
Length2:59
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Kehlani singles chronology
"I Still"
(2020) 		"Can I"
(2020) 		"Birthday"
(2020)
Tory Lanez singles chronology
"Temperature Rising"
(2020) 		"Can I"
(2020) 		"Goin' Up"
(2020)
Music video
"Can I" on YouTube

"Can I" is a song recorded by American singer Kehlani featuring Canadian singer and rapper Tory Lanez. It was sent to rhythmic contemporary radio on June 3, 2020, as the lead single from Kehlani's second album It Was Good Until It Wasn't (2020).[1] A video dedicated to sex workers was released on July 30, in which Lanez does not appear. Kehlani announced that Lanez's verse would be omitted from the album's planned deluxe edition, shortly after he was arrested for carrying a concealed firearm in his vehicle, an incident in which rapper Megan Thee Stallion was shot.

"Can I" is the highest-charting song from It Was Good Until It Wasn't, peaking at number 50 on the Billboard Hot 100. It is also Kehlani's third-highest charting song, behind "Gangsta" and their guest feature on "Ring" with Cardi B.

Background[edit]

During a Twitter listening session, Kehlani said "Can I" is one of their favorite songs on the album, with their favorite line being "sniper gang no Bradley Cooper" a reference to Bradley Cooper's 2014 film American Sniper.[2] Prior to its release, Lanez called it the "nastiest song on the project".[3]

Following Lanez's arrest for having a concealed firearm outside a party, where rapper Megan Thee Stallion was shot in her feet, fans questioned Kehlani on the inclusion of Lanez's verse going forward. Kehlani explained on July 29, 2020, in a since-deleted tweet, that since the album came out months ago, they cannot remove the original, but "can only move forward",[4] stating his verse would be removed and replaced[5] on the album's deluxe edition and that he would not appear in the song's video either.[6] The shooter was not revealed at the time, however Kehlani clarified: "I stand with women, believe women, & i love my friends. If that's something that turns you off from me or makes you no longer support, bless you forreal you have no reason to have ever supported me in the first place.. i'm not your cup of tea".[7] Kehlani and Megan previously collaborated on "Hit My Phone" from Megan's EP Suga.[8] Megan also performed a skit on It Was Good Until It Wasn't.[9]

Composition[edit]

Described as a seductive",[2] "luxuriant sex jam",[10] "Can I" is a neo soul,[9] R&B[11] ballad,[2] detailing the "typical push-pull that exists between couples".[12] It contains "spurts" of echoing guitar strings[13] and "bubbly creaking", while, as noted by HotNewHipHop's Rose Lilah, "Kehlani gets [their] flow off, singing [their] lyrics stacked on top of one another, quickly ushering in the next line as [they] wrap up the first. Tory Lanez mimics the flow for his verse, too".[11] The song interpolates the chorus of Aaliyah's 2002 song "Come Over". Kehlani previously interpolated "Come Over" on their 2017 track, "Personal".[14]

Critical reception[edit]

Various critics named the track a standout from its parent album.[15][5][16] Hannah Mylrea of NME called it "a glowering cut", and said it is reminiscent of "early Drake, if only Drizzy had a penchant for neo-soul".[9] musicOMH's Ben Devlin called the song an "effective collaboration", noting its "earworm verse that's hookier than the hook".[17] Exclaim!'s Veracia Ankrah was less favorable, opining that it "lacks the clever subtlety of innuendos".[18]

Music video[edit]

The song's official video was released on July 30, 2020, directed by Sebastian Sdaigui and Kehlani (under their creative alias Hyphy Williams).[19] It is Kehlani's sixth "quarantine style" video, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[4] Kehlani described the visual as an "ode to sex work, honoring sex workers, uplifting their movement". The video is similar to their previous single "Toxic", except the roles are reversed: Kehlani watches various sex workers, including some of their transgender friends,[7] performing for them via live webcam.[20] The video concludes with monologue from Kehlani's friend, writer and activist[4] Da'Shaun Harrison talking about the difficulties faced by black sex work.[6] Tory Lanez does not appear in the video, although his verse does.[20]

Charts[edit]

Chart (2020) Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[21] 71
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[22] 13
UK Singles (OCC)[23] 85
US Billboard Hot 100[24] 50
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[25] 20
US Rhythmic (Billboard)[26] 31
US Rolling Stone Top 100[27] 23

Certifications[edit]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[28] Gold 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Top 40 Rhythmic Crossover Radio Music News, Charts, Top Songs, Stations". AllAccess. Archived from the original on June 11, 2020. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c Mamo, Heran (May 25, 2020). "Here Are the Lyrics to Kehlani's 'Can I', Feat. Tory Lanez". Billboard. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  3. ^ Harper, Rosario (May 8, 2020). "Tory Lanez Celebrates Kehlani Dropping It Was Good Until It Wasn't Album: "We Got The Nastiest Song On The Project"". SOHH. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c Curto, Justin (July 30, 2020). "Kehlani's 'Can I' Quarantine Video Is an Ode to Black Sex Workers". Vulture. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  5. ^ a b Hoksen, Patrick (July 30, 2020). "Kehlani's 'Can I' Video Is A Total Celebration Of Sex Workers". MTV. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  6. ^ a b Strauss, Matthew (July 30, 2020). "Kehlani Shares New "Can I" Video, Says She's Removing Tory Lanez From the Song". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  7. ^ a b Marie, Erika (July 30, 2020). "Kehlani Has A Message: "I Stand With Women, Believe Women, & I Love My Friends"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  8. ^ Marie, Erika (July 30, 2020). "Kehlani To Remove Tory Lanez's Verse From "Can I" Single On Deluxe Album". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  9. ^ a b c Mylrea, Jannah (May 7, 2020). "Kehlani – 'It Was Good Until It Wasn't' review: a newly brooding sound takes the shine from her sparkling R&". NME. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  10. ^ Cragg, Michael (May 30, 2020). "R&B star Kehlani: 'You can't believe that everybody means what they say about you'". The Guardian. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  11. ^ a b Lilah, Rose (May 8, 2020). "Kehlani Links With Tory Lanez On "Can I"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  12. ^ Kaplan, Ilana. "Kehlani comes clean: The singer on love, life, and It Was Good Until It Wasn't". EW. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  13. ^ Petridis, Alexis (May 7, 2020). "Kehlani: It Was Good Until It Wasn't review – talent shines in pansexual soap opera". The Guardian. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  14. ^ Fu, Eddie; (Genius Senior Staff Writer) (May 8, 2020). "Kehlani's Tory Lanez Collaboration "Can I" Flips A Classic Aaliyah Hit". Genius. Retrieved July 31, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ Jones, Jiggy (July 30, 2020). "Kehlani To Remove Tory Lanez's Verse From "Can I" Collaboration On Deluxe Album". The Source. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  16. ^ "Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande And Kehlani In This Week's Wonderlist". Wonderland Magazine. May 8, 2020. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  17. ^ Devlin, Ben (May 8, 2020). "Kehlani – It Was Good Until It Wasn't". musicOMH. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  18. ^ Ankrahe, Veracia (May 13, 2020). "Melancholy Is Muddled on 'It Was Good Until It Wasn't". Exclaim!. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  19. ^ "Kehlani Celebrates Sex Workers in 'Can I' Video". Rap-Up. July 30, 2020. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  20. ^ a b Darville, Jordan (July 30, 2020). "Kehlani goes camming in the NSFW "Can I" music video, cuts Tory Lanez from deluxe album". The Fader. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  21. ^ "Kehlani Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  22. ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  23. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  24. ^ "Kehlani Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  25. ^ "Kehlani Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  26. ^ "DJ Khaled Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  27. ^ "Top 100 Songs, May 8, 2020 - May 14, 2020". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on July 3, 2020. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  28. ^ "American single certifications – Kehlani – Can I". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
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