Own It
by Stormzy (featuring Ed Sheeran & Burna Boy)

Album: Heavy Is the Head (2019)
Charted: 1
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Stormzy kicks off "Own It" with some flirty rhymes addressed to a girl who has caught his interest at a party. He is joined by the Nigerian star Burma Boy, who also has a crack at seducing the sexy young lady. The female is well aware of the effect she's having on the guys – she "owns" the situation.
  • Ed Sheeran hops on midway through the track. The English singer seems to have already won the heart of his girl; he sings of chilling with her and sharing kisses.
  • The song is the third collaboration between Stormzy and Sheeran. Back in 2017, the British rapper jumped on a remix of "Shape Of You." A couple of years later, Stormzy assisted Ed Sheeran on his No. 6 Collaborations Project track "Take Me Back To London."

    Stormzy is an artist of Ghanaian descent. This is the first time he has teamed up with fellow West African Burna Boy.
  • Fred Gibson supplied the beat. The English producer worked on a dozen of Sheeran's No. 6 Collaborations Project tracks, including "Take Me To London."
  • Stormzy performed "Own It" live for the first time on December 7, 2019, during his six-song set Jingle Bell Ball at The O2 in London.
  • "Own It" started with Stormzy and Fred Gibson trying to imitate a sound on Kanye West's The Life of Pablo track, "Waves." Then the grime rapper decided he wanted a verse from Sheeran and some additional "flavor, sauce" from Burna Boy.

    Stormzy explained to The Observer that he wanted to make a song that women could put on and feel good about themselves. "Sometimes music can be a bit sexist or like using women as objects," he said. "I was like, no, forget all of that, I want a woman to be able to play this before she's going out for drinks with her girls."
  • The song was Stormzy's third UK chart-topper in the space of 12 months, following "Vossi Bop" and "Take Me Back To London" (with Ed Sheeran).

    The last British rapper to score #1 singles during a 12-month period was Dizzee Rascal, who landed a trio of chart-toppers with "Holiday," "Dirtee Disco" and "Shout For England" between September 2009 and June 2010.
  • "Own It" earned Burna Boy his first UK #1 and Ed Sheeran his ninth in total.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Tim Butler of The Psychedelic Furs

Tim Butler of The Psychedelic FursSongwriter Interviews

Tim and his brother Richard are the Furs' foundation; Tim explains how they write and tells the story of "Pretty In Pink."

Chad Channing (Nirvana, Before Cars)

Chad Channing (Nirvana, Before Cars)Songwriter Interviews

Chad tells tales from his time as drummer for Nirvana, and talks about his group Before Cars.

David Sancious

David SanciousSongwriter Interviews

Keyboard great David Sancious talks about his work with Sting, Seal, Springsteen, Clapton and Aretha, and explains what quantum physics has to do with making music.

80s Video Director Jay Dubin

80s Video Director Jay DubinSong Writing

Billy Joel and Hall & Oates hated making videos, so they chose a director with similar contempt for the medium. That was Jay Dubin, and he has a lot to say on the subject.

Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne

Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of WayneSongwriter Interviews

The guy who brought us "Stacy's Mom" also wrote the Jane Lynch Emmy song and Stephen Colbert's Christmas songs.

Mike Scott of The Waterboys - "Fisherman's Blues"

Mike Scott of The Waterboys - "Fisherman's Blues"They're Playing My Song

Armed with a childhood spent devouring books, Mike Scott's heart was stolen by the punk rock scene of 1977. Not surprisingly, he would go on to become the most literate of rockers.