Back in the Day (Ahmad song)

Last updated
"Back in the Day"
Ahmad+Back+In+The+Day+(Giant+Records)+1994.jpg
Single by Ahmad
from the album Ahmad
ReleasedMarch 29, 1994
Recorded1993
Genre West Coast hip hop
Length5:18
Label Giant/Reprise/Warner Bros. Records
41416
Songwriter(s)
  • Ahmad A. Lewis, Julian Williams,
  • Stefan K. Gordy
Producer(s)
Music video
"Back in the Day" on YouTube

"Back in the Day" is a 1994 single by Ahmad. Released when Ahmad was only 18, the song is a nostalgic remembrance of childhood and young teenage years, from a somewhat jaded adult perspective. "Back in the Day" was Ahmad's only major hit single, making it to number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 19 on the US R&B chart. The song contains a sample of the Teddy Pendergrass song "Love T.K.O."; and it was the first single of his 1994 self-titled album and was RIAA-certified gold.

Contents

The TKO Remix of "Back in the Day" (produced By Maurice Thompson of Barr 9 Productions) is featured as the single and on the soundtrack of The Wood , a 1999 motion picture. The song also appears in the 2018 film Tag . [1]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1994)Peak
position
UK Singles (OCC) [2] 64
UK Dance (OCC) [3] 22
US Billboard Hot 100 [4] 26
US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard) [5] 15
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [6] 19
US Hot Rap Songs ( Billboard ) [7] 3
US Rhythmic ( Billboard ) [8] 13

Year-end charts

Chart (1994)Position
US Billboard Hot 100 [9] 93
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard) [10] 92

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [11] Gold500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Legacy

Mariah Carey's 12th studio album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel , featured an interpolation of "Back in the Day" on the track "Candy Bling". Travie McCoy's debut studio album Lazarus features a song titled "Akidagain" that interpolates "Back in the Day". On J. Cole's mixtape The Come Up , his song "School Daze" also interpolates "Back in the Day". Cassidy did an interpolation of this song entitled "Back in the day". In 2013, Complex added the song in its list of nineteen great songs made by teenage rappers in the last 19 years. Complex editor Kyle Kramer said "The blueprint for many songs by nostalgic teenagers since, "Back in the Day" perfectly captures the wistful vibe of the rearview look with its warm chorus and deeply descriptive verses. As a result, ever since back in the day, the song's been a classic." [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Music (Erick Sermon song)</span> 2001 single by Erick Sermon featuring Marvin Gaye

"Music" is a 2001 hit single by Erick Sermon featuring archived vocals from Marvin Gaye.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gin and Juice</span> 1994 single by Snoop Dogg

"Gin and Juice" is a song by American rapper Snoop Dogg. It was released on January 18, 1994, as the second single from his debut album, Doggystyle (1993). The song was produced by Dr. Dre and contains an interpolation from Slave's "Watching You" in its chorus and a sample from George McCrae. Tony Green created its bassline; additional vocalists on the song include Dat Nigga Daz, Jewell, Heney Loc, and Sean "Barney" Thomas. "Gin and Juice" peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. It earned a gold certification from the RIAA and sold 700,000 copies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang</span> 1993 single by Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg

"Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" is a song by American rapper Dr. Dre, featuring fellow American rapper Snoop Dogg, on Dre's debut solo album, The Chronic (1992). As the album's first single it reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 on March 20, 1993, behind "Informer" by Snow, outperforming The Chronic's other singles, "Fuck wit Dre Day ", which peaked at number 8, and "Let Me Ride", which peaked at number 34. The single also reached number 1 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart, and was a number 31 hit in the UK. Its music video was directed by Dr. Dre himself.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fuck wit Dre Day (And Everybody's Celebratin')</span> 1993 single by Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg

"Fuck wit Dre Day (And Everybody's Celebratin')", or as a single titled "Dre Day", is a song by American rapper and record producer Dr. Dre featuring fellow American rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg and uncredited vocals from Jewell released in May 1993 as the second single from Dre's debut solo album, The Chronic (1992). "Dre Day" was a diss track targeting mainly Dre's former groupmate Eazy-E, who led their onetime rap group N.W.A and who, along with N.W.A's manager Jerry Heller, owned N.W.A's record label, Ruthless Records. In "Dre Day" and in its music video, which accuse Eazy of cheating N.W.A's artists, Dre and Snoop degrade and menace him. Also included are disses retorting earlier disses on songs by Miami rapper Luke Campbell, by New York rapper Tim Dog, and by onetime N.W.A. member Ice Cube, although Dre, while still an N.W.A member, had helped diss Cube first. After "Dre Day," a number of further diss records were exchanged.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The World Is Yours (Nas song)</span> 1994 single by Nas

"The World Is Yours" is a 1994 song by American rapper Nas, for his debut album, Illmatic. The song was released one month after the released as the album's fourth single. The song was written by Nas and Peter Phillips. The song is considered by music critics as one of the greatest hip-hop songs ever recorded; About.com ranked it seventh greatest rap song of all time. It reached number 13 on the Hot Rap Singles chart in 1994. The song, produced by Pete Rock, samples Ahmad Jamal's I Love Music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)</span> 2000 single by Jay-Z

"I Just Wanna Love U " is a song by American rapper Jay-Z, released as the first single from his 2000 album The Dynasty: Roc La Familia. It was produced by the Neptunes and features a chorus performed by Neptunes member Pharrell and Pennsylvania rapper Omillio Sparks, both of whom remain uncredited. The video for the song, directed by David Meyers, features cameos from rappers Lil' Kim, Lil' Cease, Damon Dash, Beanie Sigel, Memphis Bleek, Jermaine Dupri and actor John Witherspoon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">C.R.E.A.M.</span> Song by hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan

"C.R.E.A.M." is a song by the American hardcore hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, released on January 31, 1994 by Loud Records, as the second single from their debut studio album Enter the Wu-Tang (1993). The song was produced by the group's de facto leader RZA, and contains a sample of the Charmels' 1967 song "As Long As I've Got You" throughout. It features two verses from members Raekwon and Inspectah Deck, who discuss their upbringings while living in New York City, and Method Man, who sings its hook. Its music video, featuring all Wu-Tang Clan members in New York City, was released in 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whoomp! (There It Is)</span> 1993 single by Tag Team

"Whoomp! " is the debut single by American hip-hop/pop-rap duo Tag Team, released in May 1993 by label Life as the first single from their debut album by same name (1993). The song is written by members Cecil "DC the Brain Supreme" Glenn and Steve "Rolln" Gibson, and reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot R&B chart, as well as No. 2 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Cash Box Top 100. "Whoomp!" reached multi-platinum status and broke records for the number of consecutive weeks in the Billboard top 10. Tag Team is considered a one-hit wonder, as their subsequent singles did not find the same success. "Whoomp!" has remained a pop culture staple with multiple placements in film, television, and advertisements. The song has also endured as a mainstay at sporting and arena events. In 2024, Billboard ranked "Whoomp! " number 14 in their "The 100 Greatest Jock Jams of All Time".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Best Friend (50 Cent song)</span> Song by 50 Cent

"Best Friend" is a song by American rapper 50 Cent released as a bonus track on the soundtrack of the film Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2005). A remix version featuring singer Olivia was released as a single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The City Is Mine</span> 1998 single by Jay-Z featuring Blackstreet

"The City Is Mine" is the second single from rapper Jay-Z's second album In My Lifetime, Vol. 1. It was released on February 3, 1998. It features vocals from Blackstreet and production from Blackstreet member Teddy Riley. Riley samples "You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else" by The Jones Girls for the song's beat, while Blackstreet interpolates "You Belong to the City" by Glenn Frey and Jack Tempchin for the song's chorus. In addition, a young Chad Hugo plays saxophone on this song. The first verse is dedicated to the memory of his friend, The Notorious B.I.G.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Take Me There (Blackstreet and Mya song)</span> 1998 single by Blackstreet and Mýa

"Take Me There" is a song by American quartet Blackstreet and singer Mya, featuring Bad Boy rappers Mase and Blinky Blink. It was written by Mase, Michael Foster, Madeline Nelson, Tamara Savage and Teddy Riley. Riley also produced the song. The song serves as the theme song for the animated feature film The Rugrats Movie and was released on November 30, 1998, as the lead and only single from the soundtrack. It also appeared on Blackstreet's third studio album, Finally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let's Get Down (Bow Wow song)</span> 2003 single by Bow Wow featuring Baby

"Let's Get Down" is a song by American rapper Bow Wow, released on June 24, 2003 as the first single off his third album Unleashed (2003). The song was written by Shad Moss, Phalon Alexander, Rahman Griffin and a then-unknown T.I. It was produced by Jazze Pha and features rapper Birdman under his former alias "Baby". It's the first song to be released by Bow Wow without the "Lil'" moniker in his name after making his film debut in 2002's Like Mike and releasing his cover of "Basketball" for the film's soundtrack. Bow Wow said that following the name change, he wanted to do the same with his music by contributing more into the songwriting process of the album and release a single that matched his new image.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cha Cha Cha (MC Lyte song)</span> 1989 single by MC Lyte

Cha Cha Cha is the lead single from MC Lyte's second album Eyes on This. Produced by King Of Chill, who also has songwriting credits, it was released on September 8, 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love T.K.O.</span> 1980 single by David Oliver

"Love T.K.O." is a song written by Cecil Womack and Gip Noble, Jr. It was written for soul singer David Oliver, and appeared first on his album Here's to You in 1980. Cecil and Linda Womack recorded the song themselves as Womack & Womack and it appeared simply as "T.K.O." on their debut album Love Wars in 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bling Bling (song)</span> 1999 single by B.G.

"Bling Bling" is the debut single by New Orleans rapper B.G., released in 1999 from his fourth studio album Chopper City in the Ghetto. It features Hot Boys and Big Tymers. The song peaked at number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 and yielded B.G.'s furthest commercial success.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All Gold Everything</span> 2012 single by Trinidad James

"All Gold Everything" is the debut single by American rapper Trinidad James. It was released on December 20, 2012, as the first single from his debut mixtape Don't Be S.A.F.E. (2012). The single has sold over 1,000,000 copies and was certified platinum by the RIAA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King Kunta</span> 2015 single by Kendrick Lamar

"King Kunta" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Kendrick Lamar, from his third album, To Pimp a Butterfly (2015). It was released as the album's third single on March 24, 2015. Lamar co-wrote the song with Thundercat, while Terrace Martin, Michael Kuhle, and Sounwave served as producers. The song features interpolations and references to lyrics written by Michael Jackson, James Brown, Fred Wesley, John Starks, Ahmad, Redfoo, and Johnny Burns, who are all credited as songwriters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tink (musician)</span> American rapper and singer

Trinity Laure'Ale Home , better known by her stage name Tink, is an American rapper and R&B singer from the Chicago area in Illinois. She is best known for the single "Treat Me Like Somebody" and for the collaboration with singer and producer Jeremih on "Don't Tell Nobody". Since 2012, she has released seven mixtapes and has gone independent due to label issues regarding the release of her debut album. Her 2014 mixtape, Winter's Diary 2: Forever Yours, was featured as a top 10 R&B album in both Rolling Stone and Billboard magazines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Fix (song)</span> 2015 single by Nelly featuring Jeremih

"The Fix" is a song by American rapper Nelly featuring American singer Jeremih. The track is produced by DJ Mustard and Mike Free and interpolates Marvin Gaye's 1982 hit song "Sexual Healing". The song came to fruition as a result of Nelly and DJ Mustard having the same publisher, who made sure all references to the interpolation contained within "The Fix" were cleared before it was released.

"Captain Save a Hoe" clean version titled " Captain Save Them Thoe" is a song by American rapper E-40 featuring hip hop group The Click. It is the lead single from E-40's EP The Mail Man (1993). It is E-40's breakthrough hit and one of his most well-known songs. It has been featured in the soundtrack of the video game Grand Theft Auto V.

References

  1. "Tag (2018) - Soundtrack.Net". www.soundtrack.net. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
  2. "Ahmad: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  3. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
  4. "Ahmad Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  5. "Ahmad - Ahmad| Awards". AllMusic . All Media Network . Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  6. "Ahmad Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  7. "Ahmad Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  8. "Ahmad Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  9. "Billboard Top 100 - 1994". Archived from the original on March 1, 2009. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
  10. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 1994". Billboard. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
  11. "American single certifications – Ahmad – Back in the Day". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved October 12, 2014.
  12. Kramer, Kyle (July 6, 2013). "Nineteen Great Songs Made By Teenage Rappers in the Last 19 Years: Ahmad "Back In the Day" (1994)". Complex . Complex Media . Retrieved October 11, 2014.