The song samples lyrics from "Fuck the Club Up"[1] and contains trap production.[2] It finds Nicki Minaj asserting her dominance in the hip hop music industry.[3][4] In addition, she seemingly takes shots at fellow rapper Megan Thee Stallion in the second verse with lyrics mentioning rappers Tory Lanez and Iggy Azalea: "Stay in your Tory lane, bitch, I'm not Iggy"; Lanez had shot Megan Thee Stallion in 2020. Azalea had written a letter in support of him to the court in the legal case of the shooting.[2][5]
Critical reception
Robin Murray of Clash called the song a "foul-mouthed club salute".[6] Nick Malone of PopMatters described the bass in the song's production as a "pimp smack to the jaw".[7] Fred Thomas of AllMusic regarded the song to be one of the "concise burners" from Pink Friday 2.[8] However, Julianne Escobedo Shepherd of Pitchfork commented "Minaj should be taking a victory lap—she is one of the most important rappers of this century—and yet she seems to feel like she has to keep reiterating her position and punching down, hitting a low point on the Waka Flocka-sampling 'FTCU' when she raps, 'Stay in your Tory lane, bitch, I'm not Iggy.'"[4]
Promotion
Minaj appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on December 20, 2023, and performed a freestyle over the beat of FTCU, "battling" Colbert.[9] A remix of the song entitled "Sleezemix" featuring rappers Travis Scott, Sexyy Red and singer Chris Brown was released on April 19, 2024.