Artist: Johnny
Title: Back That Up
Genre(s): R&B, Trap, Hip Hop
Length: 3:22
Writers: Johnny Carter, Kennedi Lykken, Jameel Roberts
Producers: Havoc the Saint
Label: Just Record Records
From the Album: Human
Back That Up is a song by American recording artist, Johnny Carter. The song was released worldwide on April 13th 2020, being announced a day prior. "Back That Up" serves as the second single from Johnny's second studio album, Human, due for release on April 20th 2020. The R&B and trap influenced track was written by Johnny Carter, Kennedi Lykken and Jameel Roberts with production being handle by Havoc the Saint, who appears courtesy of Five Pesky Kids. The song mixes trap beats and melodic bars with a grumbling bass, hand claps and sultry vocals, with the track having an overall "sexy" and "sassy" feel to it. Lyrically, the song is filled with innuendos mirroring dancing and sex. Johnny wants his potential suitor to impress him with his moves on the floor before anything else.
The single's artwork has gained criticism and stirred controversy as, although fully clothed as opposed to his album artwork, it depicts Carter wearing white Calvin Klein underwear which clearly outline the head of his penis. Some countries have censored the artwork, putting a parental advisory logo over the area despite the song not containing any expletives that apply to the guidelines of the parental logo.
"Back That Up" was completed in the summer of 2019, becoming the last song to be created for the Human album. Carter expressed how he wanted something more "urban" leaning and a track that catered to a club audience, finding himself with a mix of mid-tempos, ballads and the pop offering of "Nice Guys". The song contains a mixture of vocal styles, from melodic "bars" in the verses, breezy and smooth vocals in the pre-choruses and a deeper, almost growling delivery in the chorus. The track was written over an already existing beat created by producer Havoc the Saint, whom Johnny had worked with a few months prior on the same album.
Johnny wrote:"I feel like Back That Up was the perfect choice as the second single and the one to drop before the album. It was the last one I recorded so it still feels fresh to me, the good weather is coming in and I think it could be a summer jam and it also counters the more pop sound heard on "Nice Guys", the first single. I think that it gives a little taster of all the shades of the "Human" record. Although the whole album is R&B and there are a couple of sexy songs on there, I knew it was missing something before we recorded this one. I just wanted something really frisky, naughty and just gritty in sound. With the heavy bass and those trap beats, the whole song just sounded dark and dirty. I didn't want to flex vocally. I really wanted the listener to get lost in the beat and the picture that the lyrics paint. I don't do anything too strenuous with my vocals. Instead, I sing rather casually with a bit of grit and just create more of a "vibe". The first single was more in your face with it's tempo and the jolly sounding brass sections. "Back That Up" is more lowkey."
+ "Back That Up" +Caught your beautiful eyes across the crowded room
Sipping your poison on ice looking so quizzical
Know you're watching my moves, hit me with that zoom
So come over here, pay attention to my every syllable
Gucci labels and small talk won't whisk me to the bedroom
You gotta come correct before we get to the physical
Talk a good game but I ain't seen nothing
Is it all candy coated, you just bluffing?
Put your money where your mouth is, stop frontin'
Mmmm, I think we could really be onto something
Actions speak louder than words
So can you back that up to the beat?
So can you back that up to me?
I wanna find it out before the end of the night
But I won't give it away, gotta play your cards right
So can you back that up to the rhythm?
So can you back that up with precision?
Back that up, back that up, back that up on meDon't butter me with words to get me out the door
If I left with you, could you even handle it?
They're playing my song and there's room on the floor
If I grab your hand could you take me to a different planet?
Definitely feeling something but I still need to be sure
Baby don't lose your head, I'm still in control like Ms Janet
Talk a good game but I'm still waiting
Maybe you're just a master of anticipation?
Appetising but I won't give in to temptation
Prove yourself to me before any sweet sensation
Actions speak louder than words
So can you back that up to the beat?
So can you back that up to me?
I wanna find it out before the end of the night
But I won't give it away, gotta play your cards right
So can you back that up to the rhythm?
So can you back that up with precision?
Back that up, back that up, back that up on meI could just grab myself a freak
Yeah, every day of every week
But I'm looking for some technique
Someone to back it up to the beat
And you can find yourself a freak
Yeah, every day of every week
But they won't have my technique
Watch me back it up to the beat
Mmmm, actions speak louder than words
So can you back that up to the beat?
So can you back that up to me?
I wanna find it out before the end of the night
But I won't give it away, gotta play your cards right
So can you back that up to the rhythm?
So can you back that up with precision?
Back that up, back that up, back that up on meCan Be Compared To:
