"Return of the Mack" is a song written and recorded by the British R&B singer Mark Morrison. It was released in the United Kingdom in March 1996 and topped the UK Singles Chart a month later. It reached the number-one spot on the UK Singles Chart in April 1996 and number 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in June 1997 for one week behind "MMMBop" by Hanson and went Platinum.[1]
Background and composition
On the 2002 documentary I Love the 1996, Morrison said: "Sexual betrayal. Just like "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" [by] Marvin Gaye. Sexual betrayal – that's what "Return of the Mack"'s about."[2]
The song was used by US democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang in 2019 as his walk-out track at a democratic primary event in Iowa. [citation needed]
The song lends its title to and makes several appearances in the episode "Return of the Mack" of The CW show Legends of Tomorrow.
The song is referenced in UK grime artist Skepta's track, "That's Not Me" where he declares: "It's the Return of the Mack / I'm still alive just like 2Pac".
The song appears in the Season 5 episode of New Girl, "A Chill Day In."
The song is covered by both American rapper Mann, Swedish DJ Nevada, and Lady Bee.
A clip of the song appears in the third episode of Master of None, where Dev is dancing with Rachel during an after party.[47][48][49]
Post Malone covered the song as part of Seth Rogen's Hilarity for Charity special that aired on Netflix in April 2018.
American hip-hop/rap artist Mann released a cover version of the song, featuring vocals from Snoop Dogg and Iyaz. His version is simply titled "The Mack". The single was released in the United Kingdom on 23 May 2011 as a digital download. The Music Video premiered on Mann's YouTube Channel on 28 June. It was released in the United States on 5 July 2011.
Music video
A music video to accompany the release of "The Mack" was first released onto YouTube on June 23, 2011 at a total length of three minutes and fifty-five seconds. It features Mann, Iyaz and Snoop Dogg, at a pool party that starts off in the day into the night and they are surrounded by women. Mark is also shown entering London Heathrow airport and then driving a car.[50]
Critical reception
Lewis Corner of Digital Spy gave the song a positive review stating, "I'm tryin' to bag a chick from a centerfold and I'm tryin' burn bread like it's gonna be toast," the pint-sized rapper curiously explains between an instantly recognisable chorus that samples Mark Morrison's '96 classic 'Return Of The Mack' – the robotic tones courtesy of Iyaz. "Mann, he was buzzed, and he's on my level, Snoop fo shizzles as he continues to heap praise on the rising star. With such an endorsement, that ever-tricky second single shouldn't be an issue for long", rewarding it three of five stars.[51]
Swedish DJ Nevada released a cover version of the song titled "The Mack", twenty years after the release of the original version.[59] Nevada's cover features the vocal collaboration of Mark Morrison and American rapper Fetty Wap.[60] The song was written by Morrison, William Maxwell, Pyramids in Paris, and Jonathan White.[61] It was released to digital download through Straightforward Music, Nourishing Music, and Capitol Records on 23 September 2016.[62] This song has since received commercial successful by peaking inside top 20 in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, while received chart appearance in many other countries.
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
In 2012 "Return of the Mack" was sampled again in a song by Trae Tha Truth called "I'm On" which samples the opening vocals from "Return of the Mack" and features MDMA, Lupe Fiasco, Big Boi, Wale & Wiz Khalifa. And in June 2012, he made a remix called "I'm On 2.0".
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 48. týden 2016 in the date selector. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201646 into search. Retrieved 24 November 2016.