Songfacts®:

• St. Louis rapper Sexyy Red (real name: Janae Wherry) released her first song on streaming services in 2018: "Ah Thousand Jugs," a reworking of Vanessa Carlton's "A Thousand Miles." From there, she unleashed a string of explicit singles that turned her into a local sensation. With tracks like "Throw That Mf" and "Hood Bitch," Sexyy Red became known for her irreverent lyrics and unapologetic style. But it was her X-rated anthem, "Pound Town," that finally propelled her beyond the Midwest and into the big leagues.
• The phrase "pound town" is a slang term for a place where vigorous, often rough sexual activity takes place. People often use it humorously or ironically, but it can also have a serious meaning. The term is a play on words. The word "pound" can mean to hit or strike repeatedly, and it can also refer to a unit of weight. In the context of sexual activity, "pound town" suggests that someone is being hit or struck repeatedly, and that they are being subjected to a great deal of physical force.
• Sexyy Red released "Pound Town" on January 27, 2023. It went viral on social media thanks in part to a sex-positive, ladies-first TikTok challenge.
• Sexyy Red received a major boost when Nicki Minaj showed her support and featured on a remix titled "Pound Town 2." Released on May 26, 2023 under Heavy On It/Open Shift/Gamma Records, the revamped version entered the Hot 100 at #66, marking Sexyy Red's first appearance on the tally. It continued the trend of tongue-in-cheek sexually themed rap hits, such as Nicki Minaj's "Super Freaky Girl" and NLE Choppa's "Slut Me Out."
• Multiple versions were released, including the original, sped-up, slowed-down, and instrumental renditions, along with a radio edit and a "bass boosted" mix.
• Tay Keith crafted the haunting piano-driven instrumentation. The Memphis producer is also credited as a featured artist.
  
  Keith earned his first production credit on the Hot 100 with BlocBoy JB's "Look Alive" featuring Drake, which reached #5 in February 2018. Since then, he has continued his streak of chart-topping hits, including two #1 songs: Travis Scott's "Sicko Mode" and Drake's "Jimmy Cooks" featuring 21 Savage. This song is Keith's first Hot 100 entry as a billed recording artist.
• After Tay Keith sent the beat to Sexyy Red, the groundwork for "Pound Town" was laid in a Miami studio session. The rapper started freestyling about a steamy encounter with an ex-boyfriend, and while she and her friends shared laughter throughout the creative process, her team took a more serious stance. "They was like, 'You playing on this man's beat,'" Sexyy Red recalled to Billboard. "I'm like, 'Ain't nobody trying to be serious all the time.' Finally, they [said], 'I understand your vision.'"