Shook Ones (Part II)

Last updated
"Shook Ones (Part II)"
"Shook Ones (Part II)" cover.jpg
Single by Mobb Deep
from the album The Infamous
ReleasedFebruary 7, 1995
Recorded1994
Genre
Length5:26
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Havoc
Mobb Deep singles chronology
"Hit It from the Back"
(1993)
"Shook Ones (Part II)"
(1995)
"Survival of the Fittest"
(1995)
Music video
"Shook Ones (Part II)" on YouTube

"Shook Ones (Part II)" is the lead single from Mobb Deep's 1995 album The Infamous.... The song is a sequel to the group's 1994 promotional single "Shook Ones", with similar lyrics, but less profanity. The original song is featured on the b-side of some releases of "Shook Ones, Part II" and was also included on the international version of the group's album Hell on Earth . The narrative is told from the perspective of inner-city youths engaged in territorial warfare and struggling for financial gains. The phrase "shook one" refers to someone who acts tough and hardcore but when faced with murder and crime, they are scared and run away.

Contents

The song contains a pitched down sample of "Jessica" by Herbie Hancock and "Kitty with the Bent Frame" by Quincy Jones. The drum break is sampled from "Dirty Feet" by Daly-Wilson Big Band. [1] The Herbie Hancock sample was slowed down and the pitch was altered to create the beat in the song. [2]

In 1997, the song was sampled by Mariah Carey in her single "The Roof (Back in Time)". For its single remix, Mobb Deep recorded additional raps and also appeared in the music video.

In 2010 Pitchfork Media included the song at number 25 on their Top 200 Tracks of the 90s. [3] Rolling Stone magazine placed the song on its list of The 50 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time and their list of the "Top 500 Best Songs of All Time" at No. 215. [4] [5] while Complex ranked "Shook Ones (Part II)" at #23 on their list of the 25 most violent rap songs of all time. [6]

The song appears in the 2002 movie 8 Mile and in the 2005 video games Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories in the in-game radio station The Liberty Jam and in True Crime: New York City. It also appears in NBA 2K13 and NBA 2K18 .

Track listing

  1. "Shook Ones (Part II)" (LP version) — 5:26
  2. "Shook Ones (Part II)" (instrumental) — 4:41
  3. "Shook Ones (Part II)" (A Cappella) — 3:49
  4. "Shook Ones (Part I)" (original Version) — 4:13
  5. "Shook Ones (Part I)" (instrumental) — 4:13

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1995)Peak
position
US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs [7] 52
US Billboard Hot Rap Singles [8] 7
US Billboard Hot 100 [9] 59

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [10] Gold45,000
United Kingdom (BPI) [11] Platinum600,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<i>Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)</i> 1993 studio album by Wu-Tang Clan

Enter the Wu-Tang is the debut studio album by the American hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, released on November 9, 1993, by BMG, RCA Records and Loud Records. Recording sessions took place during late 1992 to early 1993 at Firehouse Studio in New York City, and the album was produced by the group's de facto leader RZA. Its title originates from the martial arts films Enter the Dragon (1973) and The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978).

"Takeover" is a track recorded by Jay-Z for his 2001 album The Blueprint. The song is a diss track aimed at rappers Nas and Prodigy of Mobb Deep.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mind Playing Tricks on Me</span> 1991 single

"Mind Playing Tricks on Me" is a song by Geto Boys, featured on their 1991 album We Can't Be Stopped . The lyrics describe the mental anguish and exhaustion of life as a gangster, including dealing with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, paranoia, suicidal ideation, and loneliness. It also samples "Hung Up on My Baby" by Isaac Hayes, from his 1974 film Tough Guys. At the song's peak, it reached 23 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the highest-charting single by the Geto Boys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Humpty Dance</span> 1990 single by Digital Underground

"The Humpty Dance" is a song by the American rap group Digital Underground from their debut album Sex Packets. Released as the second single from the album in January 1990, it reached No. 11 on the pop chart, No. 7 on the R&B chart, and No. 1 on the Billboard Rap Singles chart. The song is sung by Shock G's alter ego, "Humpty Hump", marking the character's second musical appearance; the first was Digital Underground's "Doowutchyalike," a pre-album video-single released in the spring of 1989. The song has been sampled by many different artists and producers. In the song's video, a young Tupac Shakur is visible in the background.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Groove Is in the Heart</span> 1990 single by Deee-Lite

"Groove Is in the Heart" is a song by American dance band Deee-Lite, released in August 1990 as their debut and lead single from their first album, World Clique (1990). Written and produced by the band, it was a hit in many countries, reaching number-one in Australia and on both the Canadian RPM and US Billboard dance charts. Today it is widely recognized as a classic of its genre.

<i>Its Dark and Hell Is Hot</i> 1998 studio album by DMX

It's Dark and Hell Is Hot is the debut album by American rapper DMX. It was released on May 19, 1998, by Def Jam Recordings and Ruff Ryders Entertainment. It was supported by four singles—"Get at Me Dog", "Stop Being Greedy", "Ruff Ryders' Anthem" and "How's It Goin' Down", in order of release—and their accompanying music videos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)</span> 1993 single by Us3

"Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)" is a song by British jazz-rap group Us3, originally released in October 1992 by Blue Note Records as the lead single from the group's debut album, Hand On the Torch (1993). The song was recorded as a demo a year before the group's first release and features a sample of Herbie Hancock's song "Cantaloupe Island". Another sample, the announcement by Pee Wee Marquette, is taken from the Blue Note album A Night at Birdland, Vol. 1 by The Art Blakey Quintet. "Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)" did not chart in the group's native UK, but in the US, it reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the group's only top 40 single. It was subsequently re-released in UK where it peaked at No. 23. The song was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on March 25, 1994 for selling over 500,000 copies.

<i>The Infamous</i> 1995 studio album by Mobb Deep

The Infamous is the second studio album by the American hip hop duo Mobb Deep. It was released on April 25, 1995, by BMG, RCA Records and Loud Records. The album features guest appearances by Nas, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, and Q-Tip. It was largely produced by group member Havoc, with Q-Tip also contributing production while serving as the mixing engineer. Most of the leftover songs from the album became bonus tracks for Mobb Deep's The Infamous Mobb Deep album (2014).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mobb Deep</span> American hip hop duo

Mobb Deep was an American hip hop duo from New York City, formed in 1991. Consisting of rappers Prodigy and Havoc, they are considered to be among the principal progenitors of hardcore East Coast hip hop. Mobb Deep became one of the most successful rap duos of all time, having sold over three million records. Their best-known albums are The Infamous (1995), Hell on Earth (1996) and Murda Muzik (1999), and their most successful singles were "Shook Ones " and "Survival of the Fittest." They were known for their dark and hardcore delivery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Survival of the Fittest (song)</span> 1995 single by Mobb Deep

"Survival of the Fittest" is a song by American hip hop duo Mobb Deep from their second studio album, The Infamous (1995). It was released as the second single from the aforementioned album on May 29, 1995 by Loud Records. The song was produced by Havoc, using a sample of the 1976 song "Skylark" by The Barry Harris Trio and Al Cohn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grindin'</span> 2002 single by Clipse

"Grindin'" is the debut single from Virginia Beach rap duo Clipse. The song was produced by The Neptunes, and featured on the Clipse's debut album, Lord Willin'. The song became a summer Top 40 hit, reaching number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 on the issue dated August 10, 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ready or Not (Fugees song)</span> 1996 single by Fugees

"Ready or Not" is a song by American hip-hop group Fugees, from their second studio album, The Score (1996). The song contains a sample of "Boadicea" (1987) by Irish singer Enya, and its chorus is based on "Ready or Not Here I Come " by the Delfonics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">This Is Why I'm Hot</span> 2007 single by Mims

"This Is Why I'm Hot" is the debut single by American rapper Mims. The song was co-written by Mims and produced by Blackout Movement for his first album Music Is My Savior (2007).

<i>Music Is My Savior</i> 2007 studio album by Mims

Music Is My Savior is the debut studio album by American rapper Mims, released on March 27, 2007 by Capitol Records and Mims’ American King Music imprint. The album was supported by the singles "This Is Why I'm Hot" and "Like This", the former of which reached the peak of the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Milli</span> 2008 single by Lil Wayne

"A Milli", abbreviated occasionally as "Milli", is a song by American rapper Lil Wayne. The song was released February 13, 2008, as the second official single from his sixth album Tha Carter III.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Niggas in Paris</span> 2011 single by Jay-Z and Kanye West

"Niggas in Paris" is a song by American rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West from their collaborative album Watch the Throne (2011). The song is built around a synth bell loop from the Dirty South Bangaz music library, and contains vocal samples from "Baptizing Scene" by Reverend W.A. Donaldson, an interpolation of "Victory" by Puff Daddy featuring The Notorious B.I.G. and Busta Rhymes, and dialogue excerpts from the 2007 film Blades of Glory. On the week of the album's release, "Niggas in Paris" debuted at number 75 on the Billboard Hot 100, eventually peaking at number five. Outside of the United States, "Niggas in Paris" peaked within the top ten of the charts in the United Kingdom. As of 2018, it has sold 6.7 million archetype digital units in the United States. The song won Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juicy (The Notorious B.I.G. song)</span> 1994 single by the Notorious B.I.G.

"Juicy" is the first single by American rapper the Notorious B.I.G. from his 1994 debut album, Ready to Die. It was produced by Poke of the duo Trackmasters and Sean "Puffy" Combs. "Juicy" contains a sample of Mtume's 1983 song, "Juicy Fruit", though it is directly sampled from the song's "Fruity Instrumental" mix, and has an alternative chorus sung by Bad Boy Records cohorts, the girl group Total and label boss, Combs. The song is widely considered to be one of the greatest hip-hop songs of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Humble (song)</span> 2017 single by Kendrick Lamar

"Humble" is a song by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was released on March 30, 2017, by Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. The song was written by Lamar and producers Mike Will Made It and Pluss. It was provided to rhythmic contemporary radio as the lead single from Lamar's fourth studio album, Damn. "Humble" is Lamar's second number-one single on the US Billboard Hot 100 after "Bad Blood" and his first as a lead artist. The song received four nominations at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards: Record of the Year, Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, and Best Music Video, winning in the last three categories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Need It (Migos song)</span> 2020 single by Migos featuring YoungBoy Never Broke Again

"Need It" is a song by American hip hop trio Migos featuring American rapper YoungBoy Never Broke Again. It was released on May 22, 2020, as the lead single from Migos' fourth studio album Culture III. Produced by Buddah Bless, the song samples "Get In My Car" by 50 Cent.

<i>Drillmatic – Heart vs. Mind</i> 2022 studio album by the Game

Drillmatic – Heart vs. Mind is the eleventh studio album by American rapper the Game, released on August 12, 2022, by 100 Entertainment and Virgin Music Services. The album was initially scheduled for release on July 8, 2022, but was delayed. The album includes the January 2022 single "Eazy" with Kanye West, the single "Stupid" with Big Sean, in addition to collaborations with Drake, Ice-T, Fivio Foreign, Roddy Ricch, YG, Ty Dolla Sign, Moneybagg Yo, ASAP Rocky, Jeremih, Pusha T, Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz, Meek Mill, Dreezy, G Herbo, Blxst, French Montana, Tory Lanez, Rick Ross, Nipsey Hussle, Chris Brown, Blueface, Twista, Cam'ron, Chlöe, Cassie, and DJ Khaled across its other 30 tracks.

References

  1. "Who sampled? Shook Ones Pt.II". Who Sampled.
  2. "How Mobb Deep's Prodigy Saved 'Shook Ones,' Hip-Hop's Most Mysterious Masterpiece (Video)". The Wrap.
  3. "The Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s: 50-21 - Page 3". Pitchfork.
  4. "50 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. December 5, 2012.
  5. "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. 2021-09-15. Retrieved 2022-07-18.
  6. "The 25 Most Violent Rap Songs of All Time". Complex.
  7. "Mobb Deep - Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard . Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  8. "Mobb Deep - Billboard Hot Rap Singles". Billboard . Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  9. "Mobb Deep - Billboard Hot 100". Billboard . Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  10. "Danish single certifications – Mobb Deep – Shook Ones (Part II)". IFPI Danmark . Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  11. "British single certifications – Mobb Deep – Shook Ones (Part II)". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved July 7, 2023.