Ain't No Nigga

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"Ain't No Nigga"
Single by Jay-Z featuring Foxy Brown
from the album Reasonable Doubt and The Nutty Professor
Released March 26, 1996
Format 12-inch single, Vinyl
Recorded 1995
Genre East Coast hip hop
Length 4:03
Label Roc-A-Fella
Writer(s) Shawn Carter
Inga Marchand
Jonathan Burks
Dennis Lambert
Brian Potter
Tyrone Thomas
August Moon
Producer Big Jaz
Jay-Z singles chronology
"Dead Presidents"
(1996)
"Ain't No Nigga"
(1996)
"Can't Knock the Hustle"
(1996)
Foxy Brown singles chronology
"I Shot Ya (Remix)"
(1989)
"Ain't No Nigga"
(1996)
"Touch Me, Tease Me"
(1996)

"Ain't No Nigga" is the second single from rapper Jay-Z's debut album Reasonable Doubt (album). It features a long verse of rapping from a then 16-year old Foxy Brown.

Contents

[edit] Background

The song's beat is produced by Big Jaz, who samples "Seven Minutes of Funk" by the funk band The Whole Darn Family. The song's chorus interpolates "Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got)" by The Four Tops. The "Ain't No Nigga" single goes under the clean alias "Ain't No Playa". The music video of the song starts with a scene similar to a scene of the film Scarface. It is the second time the album references the film, the first with the start of "Can't Knock the Hustle".

Citing the funky production and lyrics about unfaithful relationships, Spence D. of IGN.com describes it as "one of the better opposite sex rap duets ever laid on wax."[1]

"Ain't No Nigga" is cited as playing a significant role in securing Jay-Z's UK record deal.[2] According to Sony BMG A&R Nick Raphael, "Will Socolof of Freeze Records sent me a CD and a video and said to me, “This guy is incredible, but he needs a bigger label to take over. Are you interested?” The record he sent to me was “Ain’t No Nigga” and I went crazy, thinking that I had to sign him!"[2]


[edit] Single track list

[edit] Vinyl

[edit] A-Side

  1. "Ain't No Playa (Rae & Christian Mix)"
  2. "Ain't No Playa (Original Mix)"

[edit] B-Side

  1. "Ain't No Playa (Fresh to Def Mix)"
  2. "Ain't No Playa (New York Street Mix)"

[edit] Vinyl (Remixes)

[edit] A-Side

  1. "Ain't No Nigga (Ganja Kru Mix)"

[edit] B-Side

  1. "Can't Knock the Hustle (Desired State Remix)"

[edit] References

  1. ^ Spence D. . "Reasonable Doubt Review". IGN.com. November 10, 2003. Retrieved June 25, 2007.
  2. ^ a b "Interview With Nick Raphael", HitQuarters, 25 May 2005.

[edit] See also

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