"Phantom" is a song by English rappers EsDeeKid and Rico Ace, released on 7 March 2025 as the second single from the former's debut mixtape, Rebel (2025). Considered to be a sleeper hit, it went viral on the video-sharing app TikTok, following which it became one of EsDeeKid's breakout hits along with his songs "LV Sandals" and "4 Raws".
Composition The beat of the song is marked by "stop-and-slow drums", in addition to "haunting Digitone synth lines and blown-out 808s layered over hard trap and off-kilter Jerk grooves". In his signature thick scouse accent, EsDeeKid raps about the pressures of living in an inner-city environment.
Critical reception The Guardian described that the song's lyrics "come with catarrh-loosening k's, as if he's gobbing the words on to the pavement". Antonio Johri of Complex commented that the song has "some of the most intense, ear-catching beats in hip-hop" and "EsDee fires off bars like he's got endless breath, talking his shit while repping his hometown."
Commercial performance According to Luminate, the song earned 2.98 million official on-demand U.S. streams in the week of 14–20 November.
Charts + Chart performance for "Phantom" Chart (2025–2026) Peakposition Australia (ARIA) 21 Australia Hip Hop/R&B (ARIA) 3 Canada (Canadian Hot 100) 35 Global 200 (Billboard) 85 Greece International (IFPI) 15 Latvia Streaming (LaIPA) 4 Lithuania (AGATA) 1 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) 30 Norway (IFPI Norge) 59 Poland (Polish Streaming Top 100) 44 Portugal (AFP) 200 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) 87 US Billboard Hot 100 67 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard) 14
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