Dirt off Your Shoulder

Last updated
"Dirt off Your Shoulder"
Jay-Z - 99 Problems+Dirt Off Your Shoulder (CD2).jpg
Single by Jay-Z
from the album The Black Album
ReleasedMarch 2, 2004
Recorded2003
Genre East Coast hip-hop
Length3:59
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Timbaland
Jay-Z singles chronology
"Change Clothes"
(2003)		"Dirt off Your Shoulder"
(2004)		"99 Problems"
(2004)

"Dirt off Your Shoulder" is the second single released from Jay-Z's 2003 album The Black Album .

Contents

In 2004, the song was combined with the Linkin Park single "Lying from You" and released as a single for the mash-up album Collision Course .

Political influence

On April 17, 2008, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama referenced the song in gesture, in response to sharp attacks from his then-rival Hillary Clinton and a debate which was widely criticized for focusing on campaign gaffes rather than on candidates' policy positions. [1] [2] Referencing his opponents' "textbook Washington" tactics (focusing on personal attacks and trivial issues) Obama used Jay-Z's hand signal to "brush the dirt" off his shoulders. [3] When asked whether Obama was deliberately referencing the song, a campaign spokesman said, "He has some Jay-Z on his iPod." [4]

Clinton later made the same gesture during her appearance before the House Select Committee on Benghazi. [5]

Formats and track listings

A-Side

  1. Dirt off Your Shoulder (Radio Edit)
  2. Dirt off Your Shoulder (LP)
  3. Dirt off Your Shoulder (Instrumental)

B-Side

  1. Encore (Radio Edit)
  2. Encore (LP)
  3. Encore (Instrumental)

99 Problems/Dirt off Your Shoulder, Pt. 1

  1. 99 Problems (Explicit)
  2. Dirt off Your Shoulder (Explicit)

99 Problems/Dirt off Your Shoulder, Pt. 2

  1. 99 Problems (Explicit)
  2. Dirt off Your Shoulder (Explicit)
  3. 99 Problems (Video)
  4. Dirt off Your Shoulder (Video)

99 Problems/Dirt off Your Shoulder, Vinyl

A-Side

  1. 99 Problems (Explicit)
  2. 99 Problems (Clean)

B-Side

  1. Dirt off Your Shoulder (Explicit)
  2. Dirt off Your Shoulder (Clean)

Charts

In the U.S. the song peaked at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 making it Jay-Z's third highest peak on the chart at the time when including featured appearances (tied with "Swagga Like Us").

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [16] 2× Platinum2,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref.
United StatesJanuary 19, 2004 Rhythmic contemporary · urban contemporary radio Roc-A-Fella, IDJMG [17]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Kurtz, Howard (April 18, 2008). "Performance By ABC's Moderators Is a Matter Of Debate". The Washington Post . Retrieved April 18, 2008.
  2. ↑ Whitcomb, Dan (April 18, 2008). "ABC criticized for handling of Democratic debate". Reuters . Retrieved April 19, 2008.
  3. ↑ Melber, Ari (April 17, 2008). "Obama Meets Jay-Z in YouTube Mashup Slamming Clinton & Debate". The Nation. Retrieved April 18, 2008.
  4. ↑ Wiltz, Teresa (April 19, 2008). "Obama Has Jay-Z on His IPod and The Moves To Prove It". The Washington Post . Retrieved April 19, 2008.
  5. ↑ Reilly, Mollie (October 22, 2015). "Hillary Clinton Gets That Dirt Off Her Shoulder". HuffPost . Retrieved March 22, 2019.
  6. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  8. ↑ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Jay-Z Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  10. ↑ "Jay-Z Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
  11. ↑ "Jay-Z Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard.
  12. ↑ "Jay-Z Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Jay-Z Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 – 2004". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  15. ↑ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2004". Billboard. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  16. ↑ "American single certifications – Jay-Z – Dirt off Your Shoulder". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  17. ↑ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records . No. 1538. January 16, 2004. p. 24. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
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