"How You Want It?" (stylized as "HYWI?") is a song by American recording artist Teyana Taylor featuring King Combs. It was released as a single via GOOD Music and Def Jam Recordings on August 2, 2019 as the lead single from her third studio album The Album. The song was written by Teyana Taylor, Sean Combs, Eric Bellinger, Nashiem Myrick, Mason Betha, Keisha Spivey, Curtis Mayfield, alongside its producers, BoogzDaBeast, Cardiak, and Hitmaka.
Composition The song runs for 3 minutes and 42 seconds and samples Mase's "What You Want", which also contains a sample of Curtis Mayfield's "Right On The Darkness". The track contains "crisp drums and light guitars", as described by Hype Beast.
Promotion Just a week prior to the song's release, she announced on Instagram its release date and a teaser for the music video.
Music video The music video was released on the same day as the song's release on Taylor's YouTube channel. Directed by Taylor herself (under the name "Spike Tee"), it features footage of King Combs.
Synopsis The music video opens with Teyana stares through a peephole while watching herself in various outfits. She then strips down while twerking on a white carpet in another throwback scene. Afterward, she appears in a scene of shiny suits. The final scenes conclude with a performance on a Las Vegas rooftop.
Critical reception Tom Breiham of Stereogum described the song as "a sexed-up ’90s-style jam" and praised the song's lyrics for its "strutting, loping piece of dirty talk". In a HotNewHipHop article by Erika Marie, she applauds King Combs and the song's sample, stating "the track was a collaboration of Bad Boy Records artists in the heart of an era when the label was dropping hits left and right, so it seems only fitting that Diddy's son adds his flavor on Teyana's revision of the beat".
Credits and personnel Adapted from Tidal and YouTube.
Teyana Taylor – main artist, songwriting King Combs – featured artist Sean Combs – songwriting Hitmaka – production, songwriting BoogzDaBeast – production, songwriting, recording Cardiak – production, songwriting Nashiem Myrick – songwriting Mason Betha – songwriting Keisha Spivey – songwriting Curtis Mayfield – songwriting Eric Bellinger – songwriting Jaycen Joshua – mixing Jacob Richards – mixing assistance Mike Seaberg – mixing assistance
Charts Chart (2019) Peakposition New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ) 13
Certifications
Release history Region Date Format Label Various August 3, 2019
References