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"Boss"
"Boss"
Song by The Carters
from the album Everything Is Love
Released	June 16, 2018
Recorded	2017–2018
Studio	U Arena (Paris)
Genre	R&B; hip-hop;
Length	4:04
Label	Parkwood; Roc Nation;
Songwriter(s)	Beyoncé; Shawn Carter; Tyrone Griffin Jr.; Dernst Emile II;
Producer(s)	The Carters; Derek Dixie; D'Mile; Stuart White; MeLo-X; Mike Dean;

"Boss" is a song recorded by American musical duo The Carters for their debut album Everything Is Love.^[1]^[2] Recognized by Bustle as "honor[ing] the hard work the couple have put in to everything they touch, ... extend[ing] to raising a family", the song was certified Gold in 2021 by the RIAA for sale of over 500,000 units.^[3]^[4]

Background and composition

“Boss” was written by Knowles, Shawn Carter, Tyrone Griffin Jr., and Dernst Emile II, and produced by The Carters, Derek Dixie, D'Mile, Stuart White, MeLo-X, and Mike Dean. Ty Dolla Sign also contributes backing vocals.^[5] In his verse, Jay-Z raps about someone who is “not a boss", allegedly referring to Canadian rapper Drake, who reportedly declined a contract with streaming service Tidal to later accept a $19 million contract with Apple.^[6] On Beyonce's rapped verse, she discusses the building of intergenerational wealth in Black communities, addressing her method of building a legacy and portfolio for their descendants. In thinking of how children down the line will benefit from her inheritance, she mentions that “My great-great-grandchildren already rich/That's a lot of brown chil’ren on your Forbes list...” ^[6]^[3]

The Independent highlighted the "big brass [outro] (recorded in the team locker rooms at U Arena in Paris) that recall[ed] Beyoncé's mind-boggling show at Coachella; paying tribute to the traditional high school marching band." The track closes with their daughter Blue Ivy Carter offering a message to her younger twin siblings: “Shout out to Rumi and Sir, love, Blue.”^[7]^[3]

Reception

In their respective reviews of the parent album, both Pitchfork and The Guardian highlighted Beyonce's line on the song "My great-great-grandchildren already rich/That’s a lot of brown chil’run on your Forbes list”— as "the best of many flexes on the album."^[8]^[9] Bustle celebrated the inclusion of their daughter Blue Ivy Carter, before describing the song as a "masterpiece", as well as "an empowering anthem that honors the fact that the Knowles-Carters — or, for the sake of this album, the Carters — are legit bosses, in every sense of the word."^[3]

Personnel

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter – lead & background vocals, production, vocal production
Shawn Carter – lead & background vocals, production
D'Mile – production
Derek Dixie – additional production
Mike Dean – additional production
MeLo-X – additional production
Stuart White – additional production
Blue Ivy Carter – additional vocals
Ty Dolla Sign – additional vocals
Derek Dixie – horn arrangement
Corbin Jones – horns
Christopher Gray – horns
Christopher Johnson – horns
Crystal Torres – horns
Arnetta Johnson – horns
Lessie Vonner – horns
Peter Ortega – horns
Randy Ellis – horns
Richard Lucchese – horns
Gimel Keaton – recording engineer
Tony Maserati – mixing engineer
Adrien Crapanzano – assistant engineer
Colin Leonard – mastering engineer