"Scream & Shout" is a song by American rapper will.i.am, serving as the third single from his fourth full length studio album, #willpower. The track features additional vocals from American recording artist Britney Spears and was released on November 20, 2012, by Interscope.
Background[]
"Scream & Shout" was written by William Adams, Jef Martens, Jean Baptiste, and was produced by Martens with Adams. In 2012, after RCA Records announced that Spears was taking a break, she signed a contract to be a judge on the second season of American music competition show, The X Factor. A few months later, she announced that she had collaborated with will.i.am on a new track. They had also worked together the previous year on two tracks for Femme Fatale, with "Big Fat Bass" making the final cut.
Initially the song was rumored to be released on October 15, will.i.am pushed back the release following unauthorized leaks of the album. It was then confirmed as a single, premiering on US and UK radio on November 19, 2012 and sent to mainstream radio in the United States through Interscope Records on November 27, 2012.
Composition[]
"Scream & Shout" is an upbeat dance-pop track, set to a moderate tempo of 130 beats per minute.
Lyrical theme[]
"Scream & Shout" has lyrics about having an enjoyable night out. The track begins with Spears rapping the first eight lines. As the song proceeds to its chorus, will.i.am joins Spears on vocals. The song includes a reference to the lyric "It's Britney, bitch", which was first used on Spears' 2007 single "Gimme More", and is used before every breakdown on the track.
Critical reception[]
"Scream & Shout" received mixed reviews from music critics. Michael Murray of RyanSeacrest.com said the song "is like nothing we’ve ever heard", commenting that will.i.am utilizes "his signature electric beats" while Spears embraces an alter-ego. MTV contributor Jocelyn Vena called the track "a club banger", and said it is "an amped up dance-floor anthem, full of tempo changes, sassy one-liners and dubstep aplenty." Robert Copsey of Digital Spy wrote that upon first hearing the track he found it confusing, but after repeated plays he found it a "surprisingly catchy robo-pop stomper." After detailing the release of "Scream & Shout", a reviewer for Take 40 Australia wrote that the track "has all the hallmarks of a hit Will.i.am song". An AOL On reviewer called it a "dance floor anthem" and stated that "perhaps the best part of the song is the best one-liner from Britney's 'Gimme More' – "It's Britney, bitch."
Jenna Hally Rubenstein of MTV Buzzworthy called "Scream & Shout" a "futuristic electro jam", and wrote that parts of it "had us weeping and repenting, like that moment where Brit does a heavy Madonna-fied English accent and that other time will.i.am goes all 'Gimme More' on us with 'It's Britney, bitch'." Chris Eggertsen of HitFix rated the track a B−, and wrote that, "the dubstep-y beat on offer is certainly a booty-shaker, but it lacks the extra "oomph" and originality that would make "Scream and Shout" a truly memorable single. It's the kind of club track that's serviceable enough in the moment, but it's not likely to stick in your head on the cab ride home at 2 a.m.". Emily Exton of PopDust contributor wrote that Spears' contribution is an improvement from "will's monotonous requests to 'lose control', 'let it go' and 'hit the floor'," but said that the song needed "something more from Britney to balance this out." Jason Lipshutz of Billboard news writer wrote that will.i.am "could have utilized Spears' presence in a more efficient manner, but [the song's] goal of inspiring awkward dance moves via its impossibly straightforward chorus ... is soundly accomplished."
Yahoo!'s Kathleen Perricone gave "Scream & Shout" a mixed review, and said it was "not exactly worthy of all the hype", and Alicia Lutes of Hollywood.com criticized its lyrical meaning and repetitive production. Malene Arpe of Toronto Star wrote that it "is really terrible and rather than making you want to scream and shout, it sorta lulls you into a nice nap-like state of ceasing to care around the three-minute mark." The Huffington Post journalist Kia Makarechi called the song a "competent piece of airy dance pop", and wrote that the only mildly inspiring moment on "Scream & Shout" is the sample from "Gimme More". An editorial writer from Popjustice was negative towards "Scream & Shout" and Pitbull's song "Feel This Moment" (2012), stating that what the "two songs represent is pop music writhing around in its own shit." Kurt Schlosser of NBCNews.com also criticized the song's lyrical content, and wrote that it "plays like a forgotten sample from a Black Eyed Peas song, with Britney doing the Fergie talkie parts ... " and that it is will.i.am's song.
It is also the victor of Billboard's 2013 reader-voted March Madness contest, against hits by Kelly Clarkson, Rihanna and Pink, among others.
Remix[]
Hit-Boy Remix[]
On January 1, 2013, will.i.am said that he would release a remix of the song featuring American rappers Hit-Boy, Waka Flocka Flame, Lil Wayne and Diddy.[1] An early version of the remix was leaked on January 25, 2013 and, following the leak, will.i.am uploaded the finished version to his YouTube account. Its production gives the track a hip-hop overhaul, with Spears saying that it was "redefining remix”.[2] It was released for digital download on January 29, 2013 and debuted at number 49 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
A music video for the remix version was released on February 14, 2013, and will.i.am stated, "Remixes have always been important, but this one ... it's so freaking fresh that we had to do a video for it."[3]
Lyrics[]
[Refrain: will.i.am & Britney Spears]
(Bring the action)
When you hear this in the club
You're gonna turn this shit up
You're gonna turn this shit up
You're gonna turn this shit up
When we up in the club
All eyes on us
All eyes on us
All eyes on us
[Pre-Chorus: Britney Spears, will.i.am]
See the boys in the club
They watchin' us
They watchin' us
They watchin' us
Everybody in the club
All eyes on us
All eyes on us
All eyes on us
[Chorus: will.i.am & Britney Spears]
I wanna scream and shout
And let it all out
And scream and shout
And let it out
We sayin' "Oh-we-oh, we-oh-we-oh"
We sayin' "Oh-we-oh, we-oh-we-oh"
I wanna scream and shout
And let it all out
And scream and shout
And let it out
We sayin' "Oh-we-oh, we-oh-we-oh"
[Post-Chorus: will.i.am & Britney Spears]
You are now-now rockin' with
will.i.am and Britney, bitch
[Drop: will.i.am]
Aw, yeah (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Aw, yeah (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Aw, yeah (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
[Verse: will.i.am]
(Bring the action)
Rock and roll
Everybody, let's lose control
On the bottom, we let it go
Goin' fast, we ain't goin' slow, no, no
Ay, yo
Hear the beat, now let's hit the floor
Drink it up and then drink some more
Light it up and let's let it blow, blow, blow
Ay, yo
Rock it out, rockin' now
If you know what we talkin' 'bout
Turn it up and burn down the house, hou-house
Ay, yo
Turn it up and don't turn it down
Here we go, we gon' shake the ground
'Cause everywhere that we go, we
[Refrain: will.i.am, Britney Spears]
(Bring the action)
When you hear this in the club
You're gonna turn this shit up
You're gonna turn this shit up
You're gonna turn this shit up
When we up in the club
All eyes on us
All eyes on us
All eyes on us
[Pre-Chorus: will.i.am & Britney Spears]
You see them girls in the club?
They lookin' at us
They lookin' at us
They lookin' at us
Everybody in the club
All eyes on us
All eyes on us
All eyes on us
[Chorus: will.i.am & Britney Spears]
I wanna scream and shout
And let it all out
And scream and shout
And let it out
We sayin' "Oh-we-oh, we-oh-we-oh"
We sayin' "Oh-we-oh, we-oh-we-oh"
I wanna scream and shout
And let it all out
And scream and shout
And let it out
We sayin' "Oh-we-oh, we-oh-we-oh"
[Post-Chorus: will.i.am & Britney Spears]
You are now-now rockin' with
will.i.am and Britney, bitch
[Drop: will.i.am]
Aw, yeah (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Aw, yeah (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Aw, yeah (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
[Bridge: will.i.am]
It goes on and on and on and on
When me and you party together
I wish this night would last forever
'Cause I was feelin' down, now I'm feelin' better
And maybe it goes on and on and on and on
When me and you party together
I wish this night would last forever
Forever, forever, forever, forever, forever
[Chorus: will.i.am & Britney Spears]
I wanna scream, and shout
And let it all out
And scream, and shout
And let it out
We sayin' "Oh-we-oh, we-oh-we-oh"
We sayin' "Oh-we-oh, we-oh-we-oh"
I wanna scream, and shout
And let it all out
And scream, and shout
And let it out
We sayin' "Oh-we-oh, we-oh-we-oh"
We sayin' "Oh-we-oh, we-oh-we-oh"
I wanna scream and shout
And let it all out
And scream and shout
And let it out
We sayin' "Oh-we-oh, we-oh-we-oh"
[Post-Chorus: will.i.am & Britney Spears]
You are now-now rockin' with
will.i.am and Britney, bitch
[Intro: Diddy]
It’s like shit is coming down from the motherfuckin’ heavens
It’s a new motherfuckin’ day
Get down or lay down
Ay yo, turn the fuck up
Ay yo, fuck sparklers
I wanna see flamethrowers in this motherfucker
This a will.i.am joint
Hit-Boy, Britney, Waka, Weezy
And they call me Diddy, bitch
[Verse 1: Hit-Boy]
Where 1 Oak at? Where Darby at?
If you at Greystone gettin’ your drink on, tell ‘em to run this back
Put your hands up in the air, got the call from will.i.am
Now it’s Hit-Boy on a hit boy
You turned up and I’mma bring the action
[Bridge: Britney Spears, will.i.am & (Diddy)]
When you hear this in the club
You’re gonna turn-turn it up (Turn up, bitch)
You’re gonna turn-turn it up (Turn up, bitch)
You’re gonna turn-turn it up (Turn up, bitch)
When we up in the club, all eyes on us (Turn up, bitch)
All eyes on us (Turn up), all eyes on us (Let’s rock)
See the boys in the club, they watching us
They watching us (You watching us), they watching us
Everybody in the club, all eyes on us
All eyes on us (You watching us), all eyes on us
[Chorus: will.i.am & Britney Spears]
I wanna scream, and shout, and let it all out
And scream, and shout, and let it out
We sayin', “Ohh, wee-ohh, wee-oh-wee-oh”
We sayin', “Ohh, wee-ohh, wee-oh-wee-oh”
I wanna scream, and shout, and let it all out
And scream, and shout, and let it out
We sayin', “Ohh, wee-ohh, wee-oh-wee-oh”
You are now-now rockin' with will.i.am and Britney, bitch
[Verse 2: will.i.am]
It’s rock and roll, roll
Whole world know my shit everywhere I go
Whole world bang this song ‘cause it’s cold
Ah, shit, I think that girl ready to go off
But she want a photo – so I took a photo
Yeah, I took a picture with a I.Am Foto Sosho
Yeah, you got a cold chick, but I got a colder ho
But, she don’t really know shit, so I gotta show the ho
Hide your paper, yeah I’m stackin’ paper
Money to the ceiling, now I need a skyscraper
You are now, now rockin’ with, will.i.am and Britney, bitch
Waka Flocka Flame, Lil’ Wayne, Hit-Boy, Diddy, bitch
[Bridge: will.i.am]
When you hear this in the club, just put your hands up
Just put your hands up, just put your hands up
When we up in the club…
[Interlude: Diddy]
Motherfuckers I said put your hands up!
Turn the fuck up right motherfuckin’ now!
[Verse 3: Waka Flocka Flame]
Flocka!
Oh, it’s time to party, oh, it’s time to party
Smokin’, drinkin’, no passin’ out
YOLO, I’mma shout it out, we party hard, we yell it out
Disrespect me, knock him out, crack a smile, Pacquiao
Fuck the VIP, I’m in the crowd, me and Britney, we actin’ wild
It’s Waka Flame, you know my style, this little chain like 40 thou
All eyes on me, thugged out, pop a bean, that’s the old me
Molly’s here, we don’t fight fair, my buzz big, like Lightyear
You ain't real, shorty, you can’t stand here
Friends, fans and family here
Outfit real, live with no fear, turn the club into a mosh pit
Spend 20 bands, do a backflip, girl, drop it low, shake that
My wrists rocky like A$AP, this a G mix and I laced that! FLOCKA!
[Bridge: Britney Spears & (Diddy)]
When you hear this in the club
You’re gonna turn-turn it up (Turn up, bitch)
You’re gonna turn-turn it up (Turn up, bitch)
You’re gonna turn-turn it up (Turn up, bitch)
When we up in the club, all eyes on us
All eyes on us, all eyes on us
[Chorus: will.i.am & Britney Spears]
I wanna scream and shout, and let it all out
And scream and shout, and let it out
We saying: “oh wee, oh wee, oh wee, oh”
You are now, now rocking with will.i.am and Britney, bitch
[Verse 4: Lil' Wayne]
Hi! I’m Tunechi – I give the girls my room key
Money can’t buy you love, so I don’t pay for no pussy
I don’t pay these haters no mind – so fuckin’ call me cheap
I grab life by the horns, and that bitch went “beep-beep”
I swear right now I feel like Pac – ‘cause all eyes on me
And I don’t mean to throw no salt but these n**gas small fries to me
And my bitch bad like Britney, but I wish I had Britney
She remind me of my Jeep, but I got a bad memory
And I’m feelin’ good, I’m lookin’ good, I’m smokin’ good, I’m sippin’
These hoes think they classy? Well that’s the class I’m skippin’
Got a party in my bedroom, that’s a party she ain’t missin’
I brought her by will.i.am, but she kept callin’ him William
Only God can judge me, case closed
I got more hoes than Drake shows
I got this shit on lock, no escape doors
And I’ll make that bitch scream, and shout, and let it all out
I’ll put it in her backyard like a fuckin’ doghouse – Tunechi!
[Chorus: will.i.am, Britney Spears & (Lil' Wayne)]
Scream and shout, and let it all out (Yeah, yeah)
And scream and shout, and let it out (Yeah)
We saying: “oh wee, oh wee, oh wee, oh”
We saying: “oh wee, oh wee, oh wee, oh”
I wanna scream and shout, and let it all out
And scream and shout, and let it out
We saying: “oh wee, oh wee, oh wee, oh
You are now, now rocking with
Will.i.am and Britney, bitch
[Outro: Diddy]
Let’s go
This is the remix
This is a super black man remix
This is the remix
This is a super black man remix
This is a super black man remix
Yeah
And they call me Diddy, bitch
Yeah, scream and shout
And turn them all out, yeah
Music videos[]
The music video was directed by Ben Mor and filmed on October 13 – 14, 2012, in Los Angeles. Behind the scenes footage of the video recording—in which according to the Daily Mirror Spears wore a Herve Leger dress and black gloves—was leaked on October 14. When asked about the video's concept and style, will.i.am said that it will include "uber fresh fashion", and that he intended to release the video and song together.
On November 23, 2012, a short preview of the music video was aired during a promotional commercial for X Factor. On November 26, 2012, will.i.am tweeted that the video edit had been finished, and added, "I'm so happy and excited for everyone to see it ... ". The music video for "Scream & Shout" premiered in the US during a live episode of The X Factor on November 28, 2012, and was made available for viewing on Vevo immediately after the show's broadcast on the west coast.
Remix music video[]
An accompanying music video for the remix version was filmed in Los Angeles, California on January 23, 2013, and will.i.am said that the remix is "so freaking fresh that we had to do a video for it." The video was due to premiere on February 15, 2013, at BET's 106 & Park. However, the day before its planned release it was leaked online through Youku, and was therefore uploaded to Vevo the same day.
Formats and tracklistings[]
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Scream & Shout Demo[]
"I Don't Give a Fuck" (also known as "IDGAF") is an early demo of "Scream & Shout," recorded by British singer Tulisa. She co-wrote the song with Jean Baptiste and originally planned to release it on her debut studio album, The Female Boss. The track was was originally titled "I Don't Give a F**k," but things changed when producer Lazy Jay decided not to give it to Tulisa. Instead, he handed the song over to will.i.am, who reworked it with Spears in mind.[4]
Although Tulisa later claimed that her vocals could still be heard in the final version, she was never credited as a co-writer of "Scream & Shout." In 2012, she filed a lawsuit against will.i.am, and by 2018, she won, securing 10% of the publishing rights.[5]
In 2024, Tulisa claimed in a podcast that her vocals were used as the lead in the final version of the song, which explained Spears's British accent in the track.[6] However, this claim was later debunked when the recording sessions for "Scream & Shout" leaked in December of the same year, proving that Spears was the one singing on the track.[7] You can listen to the sessions by downloading them here and listen to the leaked song here.
You can watch a performance of the song by Tulisa here.
Credits and personnel[]
Recording[]
- Instrumentation recorded at The Blue Room in Hoogstraten, Belgium.
- will.i.am's vocals recorded at The Record Plant in Hollywood, California.
- Britney Spears's vocals recorded at Studio Malibu in Malibu, California.
- Mixed at The Record Plant in Hollywood, California.
Personnel[]
- Jef "Lazy Jay" Martens – producer, keyboards, drums, midi programming, songwriter
- will.i.am – songwriter, additional producer, lead vocals, engineer, background vocals, synths, bass, drum programming, moog bass
- Tulisa - songwriter, background vocals
- Jean Baptiste – songwriter
- David Levy - vocal producer
- Dylan Dresdow – mixing
- Britney Spears – lead vocals, background vocals
Trivia[]
- The remix version was to be performed on her planned Vegas show Domination (2019) with a routine Spears choreographed herself.[8]
- On January 29, 2013, an unofficial remix of the song called the "Cade Dunk Remix", featuring British singer Luciana, was published online. You can listen to it here.
- The song was rumored to be named "Sexy Sexy."
[]
References[]
- ↑ https://x.com/iamwill/status/286020348682567680
- ↑ https://twitter.com/britneyspears/status/294925945922523136
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20130226174733/http://medleymag.com/content/2013-02-17/William-Britney-Spears-Scream-Shout-Remix-ft-P-Diddy-Lil-Wayne-Waka-Flocka-Flame-and-Hit-Boy/
- ↑ https://www.popjustice.com/thenews/will-i-am-admits-scream-shout-was-given-to-tulisa-first/
- ↑ https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/tulisa-will-i-am-britney-spears_uk_5ac4a760e4b093a1eb20a5c7
- ↑ https://youtu.be/6-W0dKgb6A4?si=_0EmDKUw_cs7YzZK&t=1470
- ↑ https://x.com/breatheonmiley/status/1871282927965008275
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-Ctiv3uoxg