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"IFHY" (an
acronym
An acronym is a type of abbreviation consisting of a phrase whose only pronounced elements are the initial letters or initial sounds of words inside that phrase. Acronyms are often spelled with the initial Letter (alphabet), letter of each wor ...
for I Fucking Hate You) is a song by American rapper and producer
Tyler, the Creator
Tyler Gregory Okonma (born March 6, 1991), known professionally as Tyler, the Creator, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has been cited as an influential figure in alternative hip-hop during the 2010s. Tyler beca ...
featuring
Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973), also known mononymously as Pharrell, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and fashion designer. He first became known as one half of the music production duo ...
from the former's third studio album, ''
Wolf
The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the grey wolf or gray wolf, is a Canis, canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of Canis lupus, subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, includin ...
'', released on April 2, 2013. The song was written and produced by Tyler. The music video for "IFHY" was released on March 29, 2013.
Background
"IFHY" is the first collaboration between
Tyler, the Creator
Tyler Gregory Okonma (born March 6, 1991), known professionally as Tyler, the Creator, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has been cited as an influential figure in alternative hip-hop during the 2010s. Tyler beca ...
and
Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973), also known mononymously as Pharrell, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and fashion designer. He first became known as one half of the music production duo ...
. Tyler has recounted many times about how Pharrell inspired him to take music more seriously; "I didn't have a father. I didn't have a big brother, I didn't have a cousin. So as a kid, since ten or eleven, Pharrell is who I looked at."
The two would later collaborate on the video for another ''Wolf'' song, "Answer",
and many other times throughout the decade, most recently on Pharrell's song "
Cash In Cash Out".
In March 2013, Tyler stated that
Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...
wanted to be on "IFHY" as well as another ''Wolf'' cut, "48", but was turned down. When asked why he refused, Tyler stated, "cause it was mine. he wanted to be on IFHY too! but i was like, nah hahaha. ye is soo awesome, i talk to him almost everyday it seems like. its cool to have someone you can level with about art and everything else"
'sic''">sic.html" ;"title="'sic">'sic'' In July of that year, he would further comment:
"...I played him the album before it was finished and it was a song that he really, really liked on there and he really liked it a lot and he wanted to be on it or whatever. And the way I do features I specifically pick people for what they're featured on. And that song, it was nowhere where creative-wise where I thought he would fit on there. Kanye is one of the only few people in this industry that I consider a friend. I'll probably talk to him once a week and we just—we both have a love for art and we hate a lot of the same stuff. So, I don't want people to think that's a diss or like a side hit when I said I denied him."
Composition and lyrics
"IFHY" features Tyler under his alter-ego Sam struggling through a love-hate relationship after finding out his girlfriend, Salem, has cheated on him with Wolf (one of Tyler's other alter-egos).
The entire story of the ''Wolf'' album is centered around the three characters, who all attend "Camp Flog Gnaw", a camp for troubled teens.
Craig Jenkins of ''Pitchfork (website)">Pitchfork
A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials.
The term is also applie ...
'' described "IFHY" as "a bit of Neptunes worship so adroit that its plinking synths and jazzy chord changes give way to a falsettoed coda from
Pharrell
Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973), also known mononymously as Pharrell, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and fashion designer. He first became known as one half of the music production duo ...
himself".
The instrumental of the song has been described as "jazzy" but also intense by multiple critics.
Music video
Development
The video was directed by Tyler under the alias "Wolf Haley", which has been a recurring theme in his videos. The filming of the video was a long and complicated process, as revealed in an interview with the video's producer Tara Razavi.
...We started talking about it towards the end of last year while Tyler was recording his album, and we just couldn't get to it. The first time we had to push it, we hadn't found the perfect girl. The second time, he had an allergic reaction to a dog... He had a very specific girl in mind; I was reaching out to every single modeling agency in the world, ndof our top 10 girls, eight of them were on jobs out of the country. Brandy (the final actress) was actually at the top of our list too, but she was out of town. We've done a lot with Tyler, and I've never spent so much time looking for a person who was perfect.
Synopsis
The music video for "IFHY" shows Tyler as his character Sam appearing in a dollhouse, sporting makeup to make him appear coated in plastic; his love interest is also doll-like.
Sam follows the female doll around the house, prompting her to lock herself in the bathroom. Sam kicks down the door, before being picked up by a human hand and having his face burnt. The figure is then brought outside and ran over by a car driven by
Hodgy
Gerard Damien Long (born November 9, 1990), better known as Jerry (formerly Hodgy and Hodgy Beats), is an American rapper and record producer. He is best known for being a founding member of the hip hop collective Odd Future.
Music career
Long ...
and Sam (an alter-ego of Tyler), as another track from ''Wolf'', "Jamba" plays. The rest of the video features them speeding around joyriding in a neighborhood, which
''Respect'' described as a "spoof of a stereotypical rap video." Although not present in the video, Pharrell's vocals still appear in the visual.
Reception
The video has been described as unsettling, creepy, and terrifying due to the uncanny nature of the visual effects, although this was a point of praise.
It has also been described as an "emo" version of
Barbie
Barbie is a fashion doll created by American businesswoman Ruth Handler, manufactured by American toy and entertainment company Mattel and introduced on March 9, 1959. The toy was based on the German Bild Lilli doll, Bild Lilli doll which Hand ...
.
Commercial performance
Although not released as a single, "IFHY" became one of ''Wolf''s more popular songs, appearing on multiple US charts, most notably at number 24 on the US
Heatseekers Songs
The Heatseekers charts were "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. The Heatseekers Albums and the Heatseekers Songs charts were introduced by ''Billboard'' in 1991 with the purpose of highlighting the sales b ...
, on the chart dated April 27, 2013.
On July 25, 2023, it was certified platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
for selling a total of one million units in the United States.
Personnel
Credits adapted from the ''Wolf'' CD liner notes,
and the official music video.
Musicians
*
Tyler, the Creator
Tyler Gregory Okonma (born March 6, 1991), known professionally as Tyler, the Creator, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has been cited as an influential figure in alternative hip-hop during the 2010s. Tyler beca ...
– lead vocals, production, songwriting
*
Pharrell
Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973), also known mononymously as Pharrell, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and fashion designer. He first became known as one half of the music production duo ...
– featured vocals
Video
*
Wolf Haley – video director
* Luis Ponch – director of photography
* Tara Razavi – executive production
* Brandi Bondoc – doll girl
*
Hodgy
Gerard Damien Long (born November 9, 1990), better known as Jerry (formerly Hodgy and Hodgy Beats), is an American rapper and record producer. He is best known for being a founding member of the hip hop collective Odd Future.
Music career
Long ...
– himself
Technical
* Vic Wainstein – recording
*
Manny Marroquin
Manny Marroquin (born September 21, 1971) is a Guatemalan-American record mixing engineer. He has been credited on albums for high-profile pop, R&B, hip hop and rock acts. He has worked with artists including Rihanna, Kanye West, Katy Perry ...
– mixing
* Chris Galland – mix assistance
* Delbert Bowers – mix assistance
*
Brian "Big Bass" Gardner – mastering
*
Bernie Grundman
Bernie Grundman (born 16 December 1943, Minneapolis) is an American audio engineer.
He is most known for his mastering work and his studio, Bernie Grundman Mastering, which he opened in 1984 in Hollywood. The studio, which includes engineers Chr ...
– mastering
Charts
Certifications
References
{{Pharrell Williams
2013 songs
Tyler, the Creator songs
Pharrell Williams songs
Songs written by Tyler, the Creator