OTW

* Single
* BURNS Version

"**OTW**" (an acronym for "**On the Way**") is a song by American singers Khalid, Ty Dolla $ign, and 6LACK. It was released by RCA Records on April 20, 2018, as a stand-alone single, before being added as a bonus track to the vinyl edition of Khalid's extended play (EP) *Suncity* (2018). A remix version was released on June 29, 2018, by British DJ and record producer BURNS.

## Synopsis

Single
An ode to anticipation from three of R&B's hottest young guns.

Remix
Off-kilter R&B transformed into a rave-ready 2-step anthem.

## Background

On March 31, 2018, Khalid posted a snippet of the song on Twitter. He officially announced the single during the nominations announcement for the 2018 *Billboard* Music Awards.

## Critical reception

Briana Younger of *Pitchfork* called the single "pure R&B nostalgia," adding how "Ty Dolla offers a verse of his lyrically flashy rap-singing while 6LACK adds coolness with a subdued melody." *Uproxx*'s Caitlin White believed it deserved to be a "sleeper hit," where "the song is a playfully crooned ballad about meeting up with a love interest. It's adorable and soulful, full of throwback vibes but backed by crisp, modern production and boasting solid guest verses."

## Music video

The accompanying music video, directed by Calmatic, premiered to Khalid's Vevo channel on July 3, 2018. It visually pays homage to the early 2000s, where *Complex* remarked, "opens on the three artists sporting matching jackets and sliding side-to-side in unison, as classic music video credits appear in the lower left corner. We then zoom out on a playfully pink teen bedroom, where a gang of cute girls are getting ready for a night out. Khalid croons on the TV in the background, reminding us all of that magical time when music videos played on cable networks."

 **Length** | 4:17

## Personnel

Song
* Andy Barnes – recording engineer
* Brian Alexander Morgan – writer
* Chris Athens – mastering engineer
* Denis Kosiak – mixing engineer, recording engineer
* Eazy - vocal engineer
* Idan Kalai – writer
* Jared "JT" Gagarin – recording engineer
* Khalid Robinson – lead artist, vocals, writer
* Paul "Nineteen85" Jefferies – writer, producer
* Ricardo "6LACk" Valentine – featured artist, vocals, writer
* Tyrone "Ty Dolla $ign" Griffin, Jr. – featured artist, vocals, writer

Video
* Camile Yorrick – commissioner
* Candice Dragonas – producer
* Charles "CALMATIC" Kidd II – director
* Daniel Yaro – producer
* Mike Spagnoli – editor

## Gallery

Khalid - OTW (Official Audio)Khalid - OTW (BURNS Version (Official Audio))
## Lyrics

**"OTW"**
[Intro: Khalid]

Na, na, na, na, ooh

Oh, no, oh, ayy

[Chorus: Khalid]

Put it in drive, I'll be outside, I'll be on the way

I'll be on the way

You can meet me in five, I'll be all night, I'll be a-all day

I'll be a-all day

Put it in drive, I'll be outside, I'll be on the way

I'll be on the way

You can meet me in five, I'll be all night, I'll be all day

I'll be all day

[Verse 1: Khalid]

Yeah, yeah, yeah

This the type of shit that you been waiting all year for

Back in town for a minute if you with it (Yeah-yeah)

Got a lot of time, I just need somewhere to spend it

I just press a button and the top go missing

I kept the slip so you know it's not rented, yeah, oh, oh

What you wanna do?

Worried 'bout your friends, they saw you this afternoon

I been reading your mind

No fair, but you gotta let me know

I'm all ears and I got a lot of room in my whip

If you wanna take it there, I'm on my way

[Chorus: Khalid]

Put it in drive, I'll be outside, I'll be on the way

I'll be on the way

You can meet me in five, I'll be all night, I'll be all day

I'll be all day

Put it in drive, I'll be outside, I'll be on the way

I'll be on the way

You can meet me in five, I'll be all night, I'll be all day

I'll be all day

[Verse 2: Ty Dolla $ign]

(Dolla $ign, Dolla $ign)

Drop top the Porsche, put that bitch in sport

Out here in the field, oh yeah (Yeah), I'm already here, yeah

Come outside, looking like a snack, hurry up, get in, hell yeah (Yeah)

Come with me on this mission (Ooh, yeah, ooh, yeah)

Riding down the coast (ooh yeah), I want that for sure (Ooh, yeah)

You say, "Play Khalid" (Ooh, yeah)

I say, "Pass the weed" (Ooh, yeah)

Pull up to the crib, oh, said you've never been before

Put you in Provocateur, girl, I made you mi amor

You said you left your ex, that dude was always gassin'

You said before me, you ain't never been this happy

You took an L with him and winning ever since (Ever since)

You hit my phone, I'm on my way, I cancel plans, yeah, yeah

[Chorus: Khalid]

Put it in drive, I'll be outside, I'll be on the way

I'll be on the way

You can meet me in five, I'll be all night, I'll be all day

I'll be all day

Put it in drive, I'll be outside, I'll be on the way

I'll be on the way

You can meet me in five, I'll be all night, I'll be all day

I'll be all day

[Verse 3: 6LACK]

You tryna make a move

Tonight I got the time, tell me what you wanna do

Call the squad if you wanna rendezvous

They gon' push up on they own, I only got room for two

From the 'jects on the set, it's a Porsche, not a 'Vette

I confess, I'ma flex till they show some respect

Get away so we can make sense of your life

You was in park but I just put your shit in drive

Now coast like there's no tomorrow

Moving too fast, I'm open to drive slow (Yeah)

I don't want you to wonder where I go

Can learn a lot from this and that's something that I know

[Chorus: Khalid]

Put it in drive, I'll be outside, I'll be on the way

I'll be on the way

You can meet me in five, I'll be all night, I'll be all day

I'll be all day

Put it in drive, I'll be outside, I'll be on the way

I'll be on the way

You can meet me in five, I'll be all night, I'll be all day

I'll be all day

## References

1. ↑ Espinoza, Joshua (April 19, 2018). "Khalid Teams Up with Ty Dolla Sign and 6lack on "OTW"". *Complex*.
2. ↑ Thompson, Desire (April 17, 2018). "Khalid to Release Single with Ty Dolla $ign & 6LACK on Friday". *Vibe*.
3. ↑ Younger, Briana (April 24, 2018). ""OTW" [ft. 6LACK, Ty Dolla $ign"]. *Pitchfork*.
4. ↑ White, Caitlin (September 5, 2018). "Why Khalid's Throwback R&B Jam 'OTW' Deserves to Be the Sleeper Hit of the Year". *Uproxx*.
5. ↑ "Khalid Drops Video for 'OTW,' Featuring Ty Dolla $ign and 6lack". *Variety*. July 3, 2018.
6. ↑ Montgomery, Sarah (July 3, 2018). "Watch Khalid's Nostalgic "OTW" Video f/ Ty Dolla Sign and 6lack". *Complex*.

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