"Turks" is a song by Canadian rapper Nav and American rapper Gunna, featuring vocals from American rapper Travis Scott. It was released on March 27, 2020 through XO and Republic as the lead single from Nav's third studio albumGood Intentions. "Turks" was produced by Wheezy. An accompanying video was released on March 30, 2020. The title of the song is a reference to the Turks and Caicos Islands. The three artists previously collaborated on Scott's single "Yosemite", from his third studio album, Astroworld.
Background
"Turks" marks the first new material from Nav since the release of his second studio album, Bad Habits, as well as his first release in a year as a lead artist since the album, which was released on March 22, 2019. The song was first teased on January 26, 2020 in a video posted on Instagram by a Travis Scott fan page. The video showed Nav and Scott at the birthday party of Nav's XO manager and XO co-founder Cash, playing their respective verses to "short eight-bar increments". The song was eventually released on March 27, 2020, following an Instagram Live session between Nav and Gunna on March 25, 2020. All three artists had previously collaborated on Scott's song "Yosemite", from Scott's third studio album, Astroworld, in August 2018. The song's title is a reference to the Caribbean islandTurks & Caicos, a country occasionally appearing on a list of proposed new Canadian provinces and territories. When the final version of the song was released on March 27, 2020, Gunna and Scott's verses were switched.
Composition and lyrics
"Turks" is a "trap-heavy anthem". On the song, the rappers each "ride the beat with their melodic rapping", a trademark of all three artists, mimicking each other's flows. Jordan Darville of The Fader said Nav's flow on the track is reminiscent of the rapping employed on Young Thug's "Hot", as well as Roddy Ricch's flow on "The Box". The song is dedicated to the Turks and Caicos Islands, which all three artists and Wheezy visited in February 2020. In the chorus, Nav references this, singing "Took 20 bitches on my first vacay/ I ain't pickin' up, I'm in Turks, lil' baby".
Commercial performance
"Turks" reached number one on Apple Music the same day it was released. It became Nav's highest charting entry as a lead artist or featured artist on the Billboard Hot 100, debuting at number 17.
Music video
The song's official video, starring the three artists, premiered on Nav's YouTube channel on March 30, 2020. Directed by Nav's XO label boss Cash and Zac Facts, it was filmed on a military base and finds the artists in the Turks and Caicos Islands as they are surrounded by an army of female soldiers, tanks, and heavy artillery. Nav is seen waving the XO label flag in the video. Young Thug, a close friend and frequent collaborator of the three artists, makes a cameo appearance.
