"Sicko Mode" is a song by American rapper Travis Scott, released by Epic Records on August 3, 2018, as the third track from Scott's third studio album, Astroworld. The song features an uncredited guest rap by Canadian rapper Drake, and additional uncredited vocals by Swae Lee and Big Hawk posthumously. It is Scott's first number one on the US BillboardHot 100, as well as the first hip hop song in history to spend at least 30 weeks in the chart's top ten region. It received nominations for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards. The song contains a sample from "Gimme the Loot", written by The Notorious B.I.G. and Easy Mo Bee, as performed by the former and an interpolation from "I Wanna Rock", written and performed by Uncle Luke.
Critical reception
"Sicko Mode" received critical acclaim, with some critics considering it the highlight of Astroworld. Writing for Rolling Stone, Christopher R. Weingarten deemed the "hard-knocking" track the "album highlight," while Brendan Klinkenberg from the same magazine described it as "the apex of Scott's synthetic instincts." Brian Josephs of Entertainment Weekly called it a "mini-suite of bangers." Roisin O'Connor of The Independent felt Drake "sounds more important on this record than he did at any point on his own recent release, Scorpion, with a ballsy, confident flow."
Chart performance
"Sicko Mode" debuted at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100, It reached number two following the release of its music video, first behind "Girls Like You" by Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B, and then behind "Thank U, Next" by Ariana Grande. It later became his first number one on the issue dated December 8, 2018, after seventeen weeks in the top 10, aided in part by the Skrillex remix. The single also became his first top 10 on the Radio Songs chart. It finished 3rd in Triple J's Hottest 100 2018.
Music video
The music video for "Sicko Mode" was directed by Dave Meyers and Travis Scott. It was released on October 19, 2018. The video starts off with Scott's red head on a building while a camera zooms into it, and cuts to the next scene of people getting back into some multi-coloured houses. Following scenes show Drake walking a dog while being burned by an eclipse and Scott riding a horse. The video ends with Drake and Scott walking away.
Remix
On November 28, 2018, an electronic remix by American record producer Skrillex was released. The remix's accompanying audio and lyric videos were released to Scott's and Skrillex's YouTube channels on the same day. On February 28, 2020, Swae Lee released his long-awaited follow-up "Someone Said", based on his one line from the song.
