Peak
5
Weeks
32
Score
6,109
Chart Year
2019
Mike Diva directed the music video for "Panini" starring Skai Jackson.[14] It premiered on September 5, 2019. The video features her trying to outrun Lil Nas X and choreographed robots in a futuristic Tokyo setting.[15] It makes use of several lights, holograms and advertisements; along with floating billboards and flying cars.[16] Stereogum's Tom Breihan compared the visuals to the 1982 film Blade Runner, interpreting them as "a sort of parody of what it's like to have a song that's suddenly inescapable, and for what it's like when other people have to deal with that omnipresence".[17] Kristin Corry of Vice similarly wrote that the video could be taken metaphorically, "because his presence in it is similar to the mega-success of the ubiquitous 'Old Town Road' this summer".[18] Writing for Vulture, Zoe Haylock praised the video by stating that its art department and visual effects team deserve "an Academy Award? Nobel Prize?"
Panini was a character from the Cartoon Network animated series Chowder that ran from 2007 to 2010. A pink cabbit (cat/rabbit hybrid) friend of the title character, Panini had a crush on Chowder and was over possessive of him. During this slinky trap cut, Lil Nas X playfully reflects on his older fans who were initially pleased about his success with his "Old Town Road" single, but have now grown resentful. Ayy, Panini, don't you be a meanie Thought you wanted me to go up Why you tryna keep me teeny? It's a dream, he wished it on a genie I got fans finally, ain't you wanting them to see me? X explained to Genius that Chowder is "a representation of fans of who love you when you're small. Once you get the spotlight, they aren't feeling you as much. The song is not a diss, but anger towards that fan, but also wanting them back." X interpolates Nirvana's Nevermind song "In Bloom" on the chorus. It follows Lil Nas' use of another rock tune, Nine Inch Nails' "34 Ghosts IV" on "Old Town Road." According to X, his borrowing from the classic grunge track wasn't pre-planned. "People was like, 'Wow, he sampled Nirvana.' I was like, 'No.' It's like, I didn't realize I was using almost the exact same melody," the rapper told Beats 1's Zane Lowe. X added that writing the song introduced him to Nirvana's classic album, Nevermind. "It's like I always seen the cover but I never actually listened to it," he said. The song was recorded during Lil Nas' first-ever studio session in early April 2019. It was produced by the duo Take a Daytrip (Sheck Wes' "Mo Bamba," 6ix9ine's "DUMMY") and Dot Da Genius (best known for his many collaborations with Kid Cudi). As they convened for the session, Take a Daytrip's Denzel Baptiste and David Biral started playing DotDaGenius some of their ideas. When DotDaGenius heard their beat for "Panini," he immediately latched onto it. Nas X then started making suggestions for subtle changes. "What he did, without saying it, is extend the first verse to have twice the length, and he moved the chorus around and added a pre-chorus," Baptiste recalled to Complex. "But he obviously didn't know the vocabulary for all that. He was just intuitively moving it." Lil Nas performed this at the 2019 MTV VMAs, where "Old Town Road" won for Song of the Year. The futuristic video follows Disney actress Skai Jackson navigating a cyborg world of flying cars and hologram billboards. We see her trying to escape Lil Nas X, who pops up in hologram form everywhere she goes, trying to win her over as a fan. The treatment for the visual came directly from Lil Nas X himself and was brought to life by film director, special effects artist and YouTuber Mike Diva. More songs from Lil Nas X
D-D-Daytrip took it to ten (hey) Ayy, Panini, don't you be a meanie Thought you wanted me to go up Why you tryna keep me teeny? I It's a dream, he wished it on a genie I got fans finally, ain't you wantin' them to see me? I I thought you want this for my life, for my life Said you wanted to see me thrive, you lied Just say to me what you want from me Just say to me what you want from me Baby, let's go, uh Okay, this song right here remind me of my ex Say I be declinin' all her calls And I don't respond to none of her texts I be like, "Girl, hush your mouth You know I ain't got time for nothin' but sex" She know I injured my right hand So when I get behind I use my left She watched that Walker Texas Ranger Say I remind her of Nas X I'm talkin' Old Town Road, all my hoes down low They like girls and I like girls Three at a time, sometimes four And if my backend not all hundreds And ain't no time, then I don't go, I be like Say to me what you want from me Just say to me what you want from me (what you want?) Ayy, Panini, don't you be a meanie Thought you wanted me to go up Why you tryna keep me teeny now? Now they need me, number one on streaming Oh yeah, you used to love me So what happened, what's the meaning? I I thought you want this for my life, for my life Said you wanted to see me thrive, you lied Now when it's all done, I get the upper hand I need a big Benz, not another fan But I still want you as a fan I'ma need to sit down, don't mean to make demands But I need you to... Say to me what you want from me Just say to me what you want from me D-D-Daytrip took it to ten (hey)
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jul 6, 2019 | 16 | 110 |
| 2 | Jul 13, 2019 | 22 | 104 |
| 3 | Jul 20, 2019 | 27 | 99 |
| 4 | Jul 27, 2019 | 29 | 97 |
| 5 | Aug 3, 2019 | 28 | 98 |
| 6 | Aug 10, 2019 | 31 | 95 |
| 7 | Aug 17, 2019 | 31 | 95 |
| 8 | Aug 24, 2019 | 36 | 90 |
| 9 | Aug 31, 2019 | 38 | 88 |
| 10 | Sep 7, 2019 | 40 | 86 |
| 11 | Sep 14, 2019 | 29 | 97 |
| 12 | Sep 21, 2019 | 14 | 112 |
| 13 | Sep 28, 2019 | 5 | 121 |
| 14 | Oct 5, 2019 | 6 | 120 |
| 15 | Oct 12, 2019 | 8 | 118 |
| 16 | Oct 19, 2019 | 10 | 116 |
| 17 | Oct 26, 2019 | 9 | 117 |
| 18 | Nov 2, 2019 | 6 | 120 |
| 19 | Nov 9, 2019 | 9 | 117 |
| 20 | Nov 16, 2019 | 8 | 118 |