“Panda” is the commercial debut single and music video by American rapper Desiigner.
The song premiered on December 15, 2015, and was released for digital download on the iTunes Store as a single on December 20, 2015, before being re-released on February 27, 2016. The song was written by Desiigner and its producer Menace.
“Panda” was heavily sampled by Desiigner’s fellow GOOD Music label-mate and founder Kanye West, for “Pt. 2”, a song on West’s seventh studio album The Life of Pablo, and inspired a number of remixes. The single topped the US Billboard Hot 100 at the end of April 2016.
The music video was directed by Paul Geusebroek and created alongside with Kanye West. An official video was released on May 10, 2016 via Desiigner’s official YouTube VEVO channel.
“Panda” is a trap song. The hook, layered over a Menace beat, was written about Desiigner’s affinity for the Rolls Royce Phantom. Explained by Desiigner, lyrically “the panda is the black X6 and the white X6. The black X6 look like a Phantom, the white X6 look like a panda. I’m just putting it in a greater way of how I say and the way I live.” Desiigner discovered the song’s beat on YouTube, which was produced by up-and-coming producer, Menace.
