Writing on the Wall

Album: Montana (2019)
Charted: 44 56
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Songfacts®:

  • The popular idiom "writing on the wall" refers to an event foreshadowing trouble or disaster. The reference is to the Old Testament book of Daniel chapter 5, which recounts how King Belshazzar is informed of the forthcoming destruction of the Babylonian empire through the appearance of a mysterious hand that is writing on the wall.

    Here, Malone references the titular phrase during his rapturous hook to indicate his commitment to a romantic relationship. Even when the writing is on the wall, he will be there for her.
  • Montana drops the first verse, during which he rhymes about living the high life. Malone raps the second verse about getting his girl the finer things in life. Cardi wraps up the song with some intimate details about a relationship as well as some stabs at her haters.
  • French Montana previously teamed up with Post Malone when he jumped on his remix of "White Iverson" in 2015. "Writing on the Wall" marks his first collaboration with Cardi B.
  • Though Montana was born in Morocco, when he was 13, his family relocated to the Bronx - the same New York City borough Cardi B hails from. "I'm so happy to see her come out of those Bronx streets," he told EW. "It's the mecca of hip-hop and where it all started so everybody is judging you for every little thing there."
  • The minimal reggae-like beat was mainly supplied by Jamaican producer-singer Rvssian. Cashio and Louis Bell also contributed to the instrumentation.
  • The song was originally recorded by Cardi B for her 2018 debut album, Invasion of Privacy, and featured three verses by the Bronx rapper. However, her team couldn't clear the production in time.

    Cardi later agreed to let French Montana record the tune. His version changed the beat and omitted two of her verses.

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