Coco (PewDiePie song)
| "Coco" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Cover art for the single, serving as a still-frame from the music video | ||||
| Single by PewDiePie | ||||
| Released | 14 February 2021 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:53 | |||
| Songwriter(s) | PewDiePie, Boyinaband | |||
| Producer(s) | Oxygen Beats (oo oxygen) | |||
| PewDiePie singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Coco" is a satirical diss track by Swedish YouTuber Felix "PewDiePie" Kjellberg (co-written with David "Boyinaband" Brown), directed at American YouTube channel Cocomelon, though the track makes heavy references to American rapper 6ix9ine and Kjellberg’s past competition with Indian record label T-Series. The song and music video premiered on YouTube on 14 February 2021.[1][2][3] Just four days after the video was uploaded, on 18 February, YouTube removed it for having "violated the Terms of Service".[4] However, as of 22 March 2021, the original song as well as official instrumental and acapella versions are available on streaming services.[5]
Background[]
The name of the song, "Coco", is derived from the first four letters of the YouTube channel Cocomelon-Nursery Rhymes, on which the diss track primarily focuses.
In the months leading up to the song's release, Cocomelon had begun to close in on Kjellberg's subscriber count and was expected to overtake him soon, becoming the second most-subscribed channel on YouTube.[6] Cocomelon finally surpassed him on April 25 of the same year. Kjellberg had hinted at the track's release for several weeks prior to its release. At the end of the song, Kjellberg states "I'm just playing, Coco; you know I love you", which is a reference to American rapper Eminem, as he has used the phrase "I'm just playing (x); you know I love you" in songs such as "Kill You" and "Killshot".
Composition[]
In the song, Kjellberg expresses how he negatively views companies that take advantage of the YouTube algorithm to target children. The lyrics[7] are set to a nursery-rhyme inspired trap beat, produced by Oxygen Beats. The song also includes references to 6ix9ine, J. K. Rowling, Mojo Jojo from The Powerpuff Girls and Kjellberg's previous subscriber contest with T-Series.[8] The producer uploaded the official instrumental and acapella to YouTube on the same day as the music video.[9]
Disses directed at Cocomelon - Nursery Rhymes[]
PewDiePie disses Cocomelon as the primary target of the song. It includes lines such as "It's not even funny and your head is really big", referring to the art and animation style of Cocomelon's videos, which Kjellberg criticised in a video uploaded in June 2020, remarking that the heads of certain characters appeared disproportionately large compared to the rest of their bodies. Other lines include "Your audience is just a bunch of motherfucking virgins" and "Scrub behind your ears (Okay), then you rinse your eyes" as a reference to a video Cocomelon has produced by the name of "Bath Song". He also goes after the parents by saying "Babies must be viewing when their mommy is asleep, while their brain is developing, before they can talk. They learn to subscribe before they can walk".[10]
Disses directed at 6ix9ine[]
Despite the song being advertised as being about Cocomelon, it includes numerous lines about American rapper 6ix9ine, including "Don't eat lead paint or you'll cry (cry, cry) / Then your brain will end up like 6ix9ine (nine, nine)" and Kjellberg calling the rapper an "ankle-monitor-wearing cunt" and "snitch".[11][8] At the end of the song, Kjellberg challenges 6ix9ine to a "legal fight". He also throws a line related to 6ix9ine's involvement in a child sex complaint, telling the children to watch out for him after their bath.
Disses directed at J. K. Rowling[]
PewDiePie also aimed at J. K. Rowling, saying "I'll spoil Harry Potter; wait, J.K. already did that."
Disses directed at T-Series[]
PewDiePie dissed T-Series too, saying, "Last time that I dissed, it took a government to blacklist me", referring to the Indian government banning PewDiePie's past diss tracks against T-Series, "Bitch Lasagna" and "Congratulations".[10]
Music video[]
The music video, released on 14 February 2021 alongside the song, features Kjellberg in simple-coloured environments. The first one has decorated, vibrantly coloured props on a white background while wearing a red sweater, possibly referencing attire commonly worn by Fred Rogers on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. The next scene shows PewDiePie in camouflage clothing in front of a blue-and-white backdrop. Pewdiepie later confirmed in a video that this was a reference to Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket. There is also a scene in which he is dressed as a samurai (that was made by Cosplay Shop Select Style) and concludes with PewDiePie wearing a suit covered in a transparent raincoat with an axe, referencing American Psycho.[12] Some of the scenes show PewDiePie with children, usually a group of them. Some of the children featured in the music video are the children of Oxygen Beats, the producer of the song. The segment of the music video accompanying the break of the song shows PewDiePie destroying watermelons (Cocomelon's logo is a combination of a television and watermelon) with various weapons. The children also participate, but with cardboard cut-outs instead of actual weapons. The music video also contains a 3D animated section for the first leg of the third verse, which was animated by BadHistoryTV.[13] At the time of the song's deletion from YouTube, it had received over 11 million views. Pewdiepie never wrote a song after this for fears that his song may be taken down again
Reception[]
Controversies[]
In the music video, there are several scenes in which PewDiePie appears to use profanity in front of children, who then repeat it back to him. This has raised some concerns regarding child harassment and bullying. A day after the music video's release, Kjellberg confirmed in a livestream that a censored version of the track was used on the set of the music video, so he did not play or use actual profanity in front of the children. Oxygen Beats, the producer of the song, commented on the music video that the children were not swearing.[14]
Policy violation and removal[]
On 18 February 2021, the music video was removed by YouTube for supposedly violating YouTube's policy on harassment and bullying. In response to a fan, YouTube stated on Twitter that, "Our policies prohibit content that leads to repeated patterns of harassment on-and off-platform. Following a review, we've removed the video in question for violating those policies because they had the effect of encouraging abusive fan behaviour.",[15] despite "diss tracks" being explicitly stated as an exception from said policies.[16]
See also[]
- PewDiePie
- David Brown (British musician)
- PewDiePie vs T-Series
- Bitch Lasagna
- Congratulations (Roomie, PewDiePie and Boyinaband song)
- Cocomelon
- Diss track
- List of diss tracks
- Criticism of YouTube
References[]
- ^ "PewDiePie takes aim at 'snitch' Tekashi 6ix9ine on Cocomelon 'diss track'.KSI IS A FATNEEK". Metro. 15 February 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
- ^ Koepp, Brent (14 February 2021). "PewDiePie calls out "snitch" 6ix9ine in diss track against Cocomelon YouTube channel". Dextero. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
- ^ Gatollari, Mustafa (16 February 2021). "Finally, Someone Made a Diss Track That Puts 'Cocomelon' in Its Place". Distractify. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
- ^ "Coco (formerly)". YouTube. PewDiePie. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
- ^ "Coco on Spotify". Spotify.
- ^ "PewDiePie jokes he and T-Series will 'join forces' as children's channel looks set to overtake them in subscribers". Metro. Louise Griffen. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
- ^ PewDiePie – Coco (Lyrics), retrieved 19 February 2021
- ^ a b "Coco Lyrics". Genius. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
- ^ oo, oxygen (14 February 2021). "