“Hold Up” is Beyoncé’s salacious and assertive ode to her partner. In it, she verifies that she loves him physically and emotionally, but also states her intention to figure out where his loyalties lie, even if it means losing her sanity. The lighthearted and upbeat instrumental juxtaposes the actual content of the song, which deals with rage and resentment. This is much like the way Bey carries herself as a public figure: composed and stoic.

The song was produced by Diplo, who created the demo with Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig. Father John Misty pitched in as well, revealing in a statement that he wrote the first verse, refrain, and melody.

The song also features interpolations from Soulja Boy’s “Turn My Swag On” and Yeah Yeah Yeahs' “Maps”. This diverse array of artists can be found in the credits, along with the UK-born R&B artist, producer, and songwriter MNEK.

Also, a sample from Andy Williams’s “Can’t Get Used to Losing You” adds subtext to this song’s major message—that others can’t achieve the relationship they have. However, the Williams song adds a note of vulnerability, no matter what the Louisville “Hot Sauce” Slugger says.

In the video for “Hold Up,” Beyoncé struts around town and gleefully smashes car windows with a baseball bat named “hot sauce.” Her canary yellow dress reflects the representation of the Nigerian Yoruba river goddess Oshun, while the visual sequence pays homage to Swiss video artist Pipilotti Rist’s 1997 installation “Ever is Over All.”

The official video for “Hold Up” was released to YouTube on September 4.