"Crush on You" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Lil' Kim featuring Lil' Cease | ||||
from the album Hard Core | ||||
Released | June 10, 1997 | |||
Recorded | 1996 | |||
Genre | Hip hop | |||
Length | 4:32 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Andraeo "Fanatic" Heard | |||
Lil' Kim singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Crush on You" on YouTube |
"Crush on You" is a song by American rapper Lil' Kim. The original version, a solo performance by fellow Junior M.A.F.I.A. member Lil' Cease, was released in 1996 on Lil' Kim's debut album Hard Core . In 1997 a remix of the song with Lil' Kim performing alongside Lil' Cease was released as a non-album single. The Notorious B.I.G. makes an uncredited appearance, performing the chorus, on both versions. The Remix peaked at number 23 on the UK Singles Chart. The song samples "Rain Dance" by the Jeff Lorber Fusion.
According to music executive Lance Rivera's first hand account in a May 2023 VladTV interview, [1] Biggie instructed "Un" to cut rapper Mase (Mason Betha) a check for $45,000 to write six songs for Lil' Cease's debut album. According to rapper Cam'ron in an April 2021 interview on Drink Champs, [2] however, Mase in turn paid him $5,000 to write a song on his behalf which later turned out to be "Crush on You." The original song included three verses for Lil' Cease with vocals from Biggie. According to a January 2022 VladTV interview, Lil' Cease, [3] apparently hated the song, and Notorious B.I.G. made the decision to put the song on Lil' Kim's debut album in its original form without any verses or vocals from Lil' Kim to help break Lil' Cease's career. [4] After the commercial success of Lil' Kim's first single "No Time featuring Sean Combs," radio stations began to play the original version of "Crush on You" on Lil' Kim's Album. Given the explosion in radio airplay, a remixed single of "Crush on You" was released featuring two verses and additional ad-libs written by Lil' Kim. [5] [6] In a Fall 2016 issue of XXL magazine, Lil' Kim told a slightly different version of the story from her point of view stating: "I do remember being pregnant at the end of that album, where I couldn’t really finish some of the songs and that’s how Lil’ Cease ended up on “Crush on You.” He wasn’t supposed to be on that record, but I was sick and I had to go away and clear my head because I was pregnant. I wanted to finish the album because that’s what I wanted. I really wanted to display my talent to the world. [7] " But as Cam'ron confirmed in XXL: “I wrote the ‘Crush on You’ song and they ended up keeping it for Lil’ Kim album but it was really for Lil’ Cease. The original ‘Crush on You’ is all Lil’ Cease, Lil’ Kim isn’t even on the record [8] .” Although Lil' Kim's unexpected pregnancy made it difficult for her to complete her album, "Crush on You" was written for Lil' Cease. Lil' Cease wasn't on the song by accident, it was intended (along with a number of other songs written by Mase and Cam'ron to be used on a future Lil' Cease solo album. Finally, it was Biggie who made the decision to include "Crush on You" on Lil' Kim's debut album to help promote Lil' Cease's career [9]
The song has been sampled many times since its release, including:
The music video was directed by Lance "Un" Rivera and it was filmed on January 29, 1997. The music video was released for the week ending on February 23, 1997. The music video for "Crush on You" is noted as being the first video to feature the different colored wigs that Kim became known for. The theme for the video, the changing floor colors, was based on the film The Wiz . After deciding on the theme, Kim and her stylist thought that her outfits should change to match the floor color, with Kim adding that she should wear wigs to match as well. The video consists of four colored setups, blue, yellow, green and red with Kim's outfits and wigs changing throughout to match.
Additionally, Luke, Aaliyah, Leslie Segar, Ed Lover and Sheek Louch make cameos in the music video.
Charts (1997) | Peak position |
---|---|
Scotland (OCC) [11] | 56 |
UK Singles (OCC) [12] | 23 |
UK Dance (OCC) [13] | 7 |
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC) [14] | 5 |
US Dance Singles Sales ( Billboard ) [15] With "Not Tonight" | 2 |
US Radio Songs ( Billboard ) [16] | 52 |
US R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay ( Billboard ) [17] | 4 |
US Rhythmic ( Billboard ) [18] | 34 |
Chart (1997) | Position |
---|---|
US Hot Dance Maxi-Singles Sales ( Billboard ) [19] | 11 |
Christopher George Latore Wallace, better known by his stage names the Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, or simply Biggie, was an American rapper. Rooted in the New York rap scene and gangsta rap traditions, he is widely considered one of the greatest rappers of all time. Wallace became known for his distinctive, laidback lyrical delivery, offsetting his lyrics' often grim content. His music was often semi-autobiographical, telling of hardship and criminality, but also of debauchery and celebration.
Kimberly Denise Jones, better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper. She was born and raised in New York City and lived much of her adolescent life on the streets after being expelled from home. In her teens, she would freestyle rap, influenced by fellow female hip-hop artists like MC Lyte and the Lady of Rage. In 1994, she was discovered by fellow rapper The Notorious B.I.G., who invited her to join his group Junior M.A.F.I.A.; their debut album, Conspiracy, generated two top 20 singles in the United States and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Cam'ron Giles, known mononymously as Cam'ron, is an American rapper. Beginning his career in the early-1990s as Killa Cam, Giles signed with Lance "Un" Rivera's Untertainment, an imprint of Epic Records to release his first two studio albums Confessions of Fire (1998) and S.D.E. (2000); the former received gold certification by the RIAA. After leaving Epic, Giles signed with Roc-A-Fella Records in 2001 to release his third studio album, Come Home with Me, the following year. It received platinum certification by the RIAA and spawned the singles "Oh Boy" and "Hey Ma", which peaked at numbers four and three on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively. His fourth studio album, Purple Haze (2004) was met with similar success and likewise received gold certification by the RIAA.
Total is an American R&B girl group and one of the signature acts of the Bad Boy Records imprint during the mid-1990s. The group consists of founding members Kima Raynor, Keisha Spivey, and Pamela Long. Total is best known for their feature on Mase's "What You Want", as well as their hits "Kissin' You", "Can't You See", and "What About Us?" and "Trippin'", both featuring Missy Elliott. Long also sung the chorus of The Notorious B.I.G.'s hit song "Hypnotize", although she was not officially credited. Total made their first appearance singing the hook on The Notorious B.I.G.'s debut single, "Juicy", widely considered one of the greatest hip-hop songs of all time.
Hard Core is the debut studio album by American rapper Lil' Kim, released on November 12, 1996, by Undeas Recordings, Big Beat Records, and Atlantic Records. After achieving success with the hip hop group Junior M.A.F.I.A. and their album Conspiracy (1995), Kim began working on her solo album with the Notorious B.I.G. serving as the executive producer. She collaborated with a number of producers, such as Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs, Stevie J., David "Ski" Willis and Jermaine Dupri, among others. Other rappers, including Jay-Z, Lil' Cease and Puff Daddy were featured on the album.
"One More Chance / Stay with Me (Remix)" is a song written and recorded by American rapper The Notorious B.I.G. Three versions of the song exist: An original, lyrically explicit version prefaced by an answering machine performance featured on the album, and two versions released as singles, both of which contain identical lyrics by B.I.G. despite differing instrumentals and choruses. The first is an upbeat "Hip Hop Mix" that samples Marley Marl's "Droppin Science", and the second is a sultrier R&B remix parenthetically labeled the "Stay with Me Remix", which samples the namesake 1983 song by the band DeBarge. The lattermost remains the most popular, and features backing vocals and harmonies performed by his wife Faith Evans, as well as uncredited appearances by Mary J. Blige and Bad Boy Records label boss Puff Daddy—who also produced the version with Rashad Smith. It received platinum certification by the RIAA by July 31, 1995, and has sold 1.1 million copies.
"It's All About the Benjamins" is a song by American rapper and producer Puff Daddy. It was released as the third single from his debut studio album No Way Out. "Benjamins" is a slang word for money, referring to Benjamin Franklin's image on the US $100 bill. The song featured an uncredited vocal arrangement by Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, and featured a signature guitar hook played by Marc Solomon.
Mason Durell Betha, better known by his mononym Mase, is an American rapper. Best known for his work with Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs' Bad Boy Records, he signed with the label in 1996 and quickly found mainstream recognition as Combs' hype man. He guest appeared on Combs' 1997 single, "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down", which peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100, while his singles as a lead artist, "Feel So Good" and "What You Want" both peaked within the top ten of the chart. Released in October of that year, his debut studio album, Harlem World (1997) peaked atop the Billboard 200 chart, received quadruple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and spawned his third top ten single as a lead artist, "Lookin' at Me". Furthermore, his guest performances on labelmate the Notorious B.I.G.'s single "Mo Money Mo Problems" and Puff Daddy's "Been Around the World" peaked at numbers one and two on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively, that same year.
James Lloyd, better known by his stage name Lil' Cease, is an American rapper and former member of hip hop group Junior M.A.F.I.A.
"Not Tonight" is a song performed by the American rapper Lil' Kim featuring Jermaine Dupri for her debut studio album Hard Core (1996). A remix was released the following year featuring female rappers Da Brat, Missy "Misdeameanor" Elliott, Angie Martinez, and Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes for the Nothing to Lose soundtrack. It was released on June 24, 1997, by Atlantic Records.
American rapper Mase has released three studio albums and twenty-two singles, including ten as a featured artist.
"Oh Boy" is a 2002 Grammy-nominated hip hop single by Cam'ron from his album Come Home with Me, and features Juelz Santana. The single was released through Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Records, Cam'ron's Diplomats Records and Def Jam Recordings.
"Notorious B.I.G." is a song and single by the Notorious B.I.G. from the album Born Again, which features Lil' Kim, and Puff Daddy. As a tribute song, Lil' Kim and Puff Daddy's verses have little relevance to Biggie's verse, which is about being in the hospital while being comforted by attractive female nurses. It samples the song "Notorious" by Duran Duran.
"Let It Go" is a song by American R&B singer Keyshia Cole featuring American rappers Missy Elliott and Lil' Kim. It was written by Cole, Jack Knight, Cainon Lamb, Lil' Kim, and Missy Elliott for her second album Just Like You (2007) and samples "Juicy Fruit" by Mtume, and "Don't Stop the Music" by Yarbrough and Peoples, while also interpolating "Juicy" by The Notorious B.I.G., who also sampled "Juicy Fruit." An uptempo song written by all three artists with Jack Knight, Cainon Lamb and James Mtume and produced by Lamb and Elliott, it marked the first collaboration between any of the three artists with one another.
"I Can Love You" is a song by American recording artist Mary J. Blige. It was written by Blige along with her sister LaTonya Blige-DaCosta, Rodney Jerkins, and Lil' Kim for her third album, Share My World (1997), with Jerkins producing the song and Lil Kim having featured vocals. The contains elements of the song "Queen Bitch," a track from Kim's debut album Hard Core (1996), co-written by Carlos Broady and Nashiem Myrick. Due to the inclusion of the sample, they are also credited as songwriters.
"Get Money" is a song by the American rap group Junior M.A.F.I.A., released as the third and final single from their debut album Conspiracy (1995). "Get Money," whose instrumental is fundamentally a sample of R&B singer Sylvia Striplin's 1981 song "You Can't Turn Me Away," was produced by EZ Elpee, rapped by the Notorious B.I.G. and Lil' Kim, and received a music video. B.I.G., formally, was featured, but at times was deemed, like Lil' Kim and Lil' Cease, a Junior M.A.F.I.A. member.
"Only You" is the debut single by R&B group 112, from their 1996 self-titled debut album. Both the original and the remix were released as singles, in May and July 1996 respectively. Q, Slim, and Mike share lead vocals on both versions of the song. The original features The Notorious B.I.G., and the remix features both B.I.G. and Mase. The original samples the riff from "I Get Lifted" by KC and the Sunshine Band.
"Been Around the World" is a song by American rapper Puff Daddy, featuring the Notorious B.I.G. and Mase and included on Puff Daddy's debut studio album No Way Out (1997). The song samples David Bowie's 1983 hit song "Let's Dance", and contains an interpolation of Lisa Stansfield's song "All Around the World", sung by the Notorious B.I.G. in the chorus. In the album version, the song concludes with a skit featuring an interview with "The Mad Producer".
"Horse & Carriage" is the lead single from Cam'ron's debut album, Confessions of Fire. It was released through Untertainment and Epic Records. The song was produced by Trackmasters and Cam'ron's childhood friend Mase was featured on the song's hook.
Lance "Un" Rivera is an American film director, film producer, screenwriter, record producer, and music executive.