Background and release[edit]

"Karate Chop" was originally written by Nayvadius Wilburn (Future) and Lil Wayne
. It was produced by Metro Boomin and originally featured a verse from Free Band
Gang member Casino. The original version of the track appeared on DJ Spinz and
DJ Pretty Boy Tank's mixtape We Are Radio 6. Future premiered the song on Januar
y 25, 2013,[1] and it was sent to urban radio on January 29, 2013.[2]
Metro Boomin stated in an interview with XXL Magazine how the record came about.
He explained: "I actually made that beat before I moved to Atlanta... I never r
eally liked it, but once I moved to Atlanta I just started going to the studio w
ith Future like everyday. So one day, I didn't come, and when I showed up the ne
xt day he played "Karate Chop". And I just didn't like it at all. Then every tim
e people would come in to the studio, he would always play the record...".[3] Th
e song was officially remixed featuring a guest appearance from American rapper
Lil Wayne and was released as the lead single for his upcoming album, Future Hen
drix, later to be retitled Honest. The Lil Wayne remix became a bonus track on t
he album. It was sent to urban and rhythmic radio and released for digital downl
oad on February 19, 2013.[4][5]
Remix[edit]
On May 10, the song's official remix was released featuring Rick Ross, French Mo
ntana and Birdman, called the RichMix.[6] Metro Boomin also released a remix to
the song featuring Wiz Khalifa in late May 2013. Young Buck, Young Dro, Riff Raf
f, and Jeremih have also released remixes to the song.
Critical reception[edit]
Pitchfork Media ranked it a number 80 on their list of the 100 best songs of 201
3. They commented saying, ""Karate Chop", where his staccato-fied rhymes, suprem
ely druggy performance, and computer-assisted warble reduce his verses to a jumb
le of phonemes that you have to squint at to recognize as actual words. Combined
with a beat by wunderkind producer Metro Boomin that pairs a Hendrix-y synthesiz
ed guitar lick with blaring Inception-style horns, the song announced his new pu
sh into updating 60s psychedelia for the digital age."[7]
Controversy[edit]
The song has garnered much controversy due to a lyric in rapper Lil Wayne's vers
e. The lyric, "Beat that pussy up like Emmett Till", drew much criticism and the
ire of Till's family. Emmett Till was a 14-year-old boy who was murdered in the
1950s for allegedly flirting with a white woman. Epic Records apologized for th
e line and made efforts to take the song down.[8] Future mentioned in an intervi
ew with MTV that he's sure Wayne meant no harm, stating, "The record it was done
from a good place, good art, he ain't have no bad intentions when he was thinki
ng about it like that".[9] The song was officially re-released with the line edi
ted out of the verse.[10] On May 3, 2013, Lil Wayne was dropped from his endorse
ment deal with Mountain Dew because of the lyrics.[11]