However, despite the positive reviews the song received negative reactions. 'Anaconda' was also placed at number two on MTV's Best Songs of 2014. It ranked #3 on the list of 101 entries and Spin herald it 'much more than just a song' but a 'cultural movement.' She was the only rapper to make the top ten of the list as a lead artist. The song made Spin's end of year 'The 101 Best Songs of 2014' list.

Sir Mix-a-Lot said he had 'a whole new level of respect for Minaj' after hearing the record and that he became a 'fan for life'. Kevin Goddard from HotNewHipHop said 'Nicki's raunchy new version may be the next big thing to hit the industry.' Dan Reilly from Spin said 'Minaj takes the good Sir's '92 ode to protruding posteriors and adds a heavy dose of 2014 sex lingo.' Amy Davidson from Digital Spy gave the song three stars out of five and said that 'Nicki's breaking down barriers.'

Kory Grow from Rolling Stone praised the use of the ' Baby Got Back' sample and said the song stayed true to the theme of the original. Problems playing this file? See media help.Ĭarolyn Menyes from Music Times said it is a bit 'raunchy' though this was 'expected' and saying 'Anaconda' continues Minaj's promise to move away from her poppier singles such as ' Super Bass' and ' Starships', and go back to her hardcore rap roots. The song is written in the key of C ♯ minor with a tempo of 130 beats per minute. Musically, the song is a hip hop and pop-rap song. Production team Da Internz were then brought in to add drums to the song, whereafter it was sent for mixing and mastering, which made it 'perfect'. Īccording to Minaj's sound engineer Aubry 'Big Juice' Delaine, 'Anaconda' had 27 different versions at first. Whereas Sir Mix-a-Lot focuses on a woman's body and the pleasure it gives him, Minaj raps from the perspective of the unnamed woman, and shows how she uses her body to profit and empower herself. The song has been viewed by some as a diss track, in answer to ' Baby Got Back'. The song heavily samples ' Baby Got Back' by Sir Mix-a-Lot, who also has vocals in the chorus of the song. On various digital music stores, the cover art is censored with the Parental Advisory label over Minaj's buttocks. The cover art for the single went viral on the web after being revealed. However, on August 24, 2014, Elliott contradicted Polow's recollections, saying she never received the instrumental. On August 5, 2014, producer Polow da Don claimed that the 'Anaconda' instrumental was originally intended for rapper and musician Missy Elliott, but was scrapped and then re-recorded by Minaj. The song was also nominated for two categories at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards, Best Female Video and Best Hip-Hop Video, winning the latter. 'Anaconda' was nominated for Best Rap Song at the 2015 Grammy Awards. To further promote the song, Minaj performed it live at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards and also performed it at Fashion Rocks and the iHeartRadio Music Festival. In 2021, Anaconda became the first music video for a solo female rap song to hit 1 billion views. Following the video's release, it broke the 24-hour streaming record on Vevo by accumulating 19.6 million views in its first day of release.

The song also peaked within the top ten in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, top forty in Austria, France and Portugal and top fifty in Czech Republic.Ĭolin Tilley directed an accompanying video for the song, which was released on August 19, 2014.

The song peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Minaj's highest charting single at the time. Released on Augby Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records, and Republic Records as the second single from the album, the song was produced by Polow da Don, DJ Spydr, and Da Internz, and prominently samples ' Baby Got Back' (1992) by Sir Mix-a-Lot. ' Anaconda' is a song by rapper Nicki Minaj from her third studio album, The Pinkprint (2014). For other songs with the same title, see Anaconda (disambiguation) § Music.

Anaconda music video white girls