Get Busy
Encyclopedia
"Get Busy" is a 2002 Dancehall
song by Jamaican dancehall reggae toaster Sean Paul
, from his album Dutty Rock
. The song was one of the many hits from the jumpy handclap
riddim
known as the Diwali Riddim
, produced by then-newcomer Steven "Lenky" Marsden
, and was the only song that never made the "Diwali" rhythm album on Greensleeves Records
as it was more than likely a late entry.
The lyrics encourage sexy club-going
ladies to "get busy"... on the dancefloor, that is. Paul described it as "...mainly a party song. It's not all about smoking weed." "Get Busy" topped the Billboard Hot 100
for three weeks from 10 May 2003, preceded by "In Da Club
" by 50 Cent
and followed by "21 Questions
" by 50 Cent featuring Nate Dogg
. It was performed live on Saturday Night Live
in May 2003.
and The Crooklyn Clan
, the remix uses the instrumental of Sean Paul's previous single,"Gimme the Light
", on the near end of the song.
) was shot in Woodbridge, Ontario
, a Vaughan
suburb, and released in February 2003. The video was also nominated for two MTV Video Music Awards
for Best Dance Video and Best New Artist in 2003. At the end of the video Paul's brother Jason introduces a song, noting it as a brand new single, and Paul then sings part of "Like Glue
". Kardinal Offishall
makes a cameo appearance in the video along with Lil' Jon.
milkshake ads, in which a man is shaking a cow to the song, and was also used in the DANCE! Online
, a multiplayer online casual rhythm game
, and in the game Dance Dance Revolution Extreme 2
. The song's remix was played in the club scene of the 2003 film Grind
. The song also briefly appeared in the season two episode of The Wire
, Hot Shots.
CD maxi - Europe
CD maxi - U.S.
12" maxi - UK
12" maxi - Germany
Dancehall
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s. In the mid-1980s, digital instrumentation became more prevalent, changing the sound considerably,...
song by Jamaican dancehall reggae toaster Sean Paul
Sean Paul
Sean Paul Ryan Francis Henriques , who performs under stage name Sean Paul, is a Jamaican pop rap and reggae singer.-1973–1996: Early life:...
, from his album Dutty Rock
Dutty Rock
Dutty Rock is the second album by reggae/dancehall toaster Sean Paul. It was released on November 12, 2002. It features two U.S. #1 singles, "Get Busy" and "Baby Boy" with Beyoncé. It also features singles "Gimme the Light", "Like Glue" and "I'm Still in Love with You", which all charted in the top...
. The song was one of the many hits from the jumpy handclap
Clapping
A clap is the sound made by striking together two flat surfaces, as in the body parts of humans or animals. Humans clap with the palms of their hands, often in a constant drone to express appreciation or approval , but also in rhythm to match sounds in music and dance...
riddim
Riddim
Riddim is the Jamaican Patois pronunciation of the English word "rhythm," but in dancehall/reggae parlance it refers to the instrumental accompaniment to a song. Thus, a dancehall song consists of the riddim plus the "voicing" sung by the deejay. The resulting song structure may be taken for...
known as the Diwali Riddim
Diwali Riddim
Greensleeves Rhythm Album #27: Diwali, also known as the Diwali Riddim, is an album and popular dancehall riddim that came to prominence in 2002...
, produced by then-newcomer Steven "Lenky" Marsden
Steven "Lenky" Marsden
Steven "Lenky" Marsden is a Jamaican-born music producer and musician who specializes primarily in dancehall reggae music. He also arranges and remixes pop and hip hop songs. Marsden is the founder of the Jamaica-based label, 40/40 Records and was a former member of singjay Buju Banton's band.He is...
, and was the only song that never made the "Diwali" rhythm album on Greensleeves Records
Greensleeves Records
Greensleeves Records & Publishing is a record label specialising in dancehall and reggae music. The company was founded by Chris Cracknell and Chris Sedgwick and started as a small record store in West Ealing, London, in November 1975 and is based in Britain....
as it was more than likely a late entry.
The lyrics encourage sexy club-going
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
ladies to "get busy"... on the dancefloor, that is. Paul described it as "...mainly a party song. It's not all about smoking weed." "Get Busy" topped the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
for three weeks from 10 May 2003, preceded by "In Da Club
In da Club
"In Da Club" is a hip hop song performed by rapper 50 Cent from his commercial debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin. The song was produced by Dr. Dre with co-production from Mike Elizondo. 50 Cent, Dr. Dre, and Elizondo wrote the song...
" by 50 Cent
50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin and The Massacre . Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified eight times platinum by...
and followed by "21 Questions
21 Questions
"21 Questions" is a song performed by American rapper 50 Cent and Nate Dogg. The song was written by 50 Cent, K. Risto, J. Cameron, and V. Cameron for 50 Cent's commercial debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin . Released in 2003 as the album's second single, it became his second number one song in the...
" by 50 Cent featuring Nate Dogg
Nate Dogg
Nathaniel Dwayne Hale , better known by his stage name Nate Dogg, was an American musician. He is noted for his membership of rap trio 213 and his solo career in which he collaborated with Dr. Dre, Warren G, Tupac and Snoop Dogg on many hit releases. Nate Dogg released three solo albums, G-Funk...
. It was performed live on Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
in May 2003.
Remix
The official remix, "Get Busy (Clap Your Hands Now Remix)", features rapper Fatman ScoopFatman Scoop
Isaac Freeman III, better known by his stage name Fatman Scoop is a hip hop promoter and radio personality famed for his on-stage rough, raw, loud voice....
and The Crooklyn Clan
The Crooklyn Clan
The Crooklyn Clan is a New York based Hip-Hop and Mash Up production team. The members are Brooklyn NY natives DJ Sizzahandz & DJ Riz. The group was formed in 1993 with their first release on Nervous Records....
, the remix uses the instrumental of Sean Paul's previous single,"Gimme the Light
Gimme the Light
"Gimme the Light" is the first single from Jamaican artist Sean Paul's 2002 album Dutty Rock. It was his first hit single, peaking at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and also becoming a top 20 hit in the Netherlands, UK and Canada...
", on the near end of the song.
Music video
The video for "Get Busy" (directed by Little XLittle X
Julien Christian Lutz , better known as Little X, X or Director X, is a Canadian music video director. He also has his own clothing line X Fit...
) was shot in Woodbridge, Ontario
Woodbridge, Ontario
Woodbridge is a large suburban community in the City of Vaughan, just north of Toronto in Southern Ontario. It was once an independent town before being amalgamated with nearby communities to form the city in 1971. Its traditional downtown core is the Woodbridge Ave...
, a Vaughan
Vaughan
Vaughan is a city in York Region north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Vaughan is the fastest growing municipality in Canada achieving a population growth rate of 80.2% between 1996–2006, according to Statistics Canada having nearly doubled in population since 1991. Vaughan is located in Southern...
suburb, and released in February 2003. The video was also nominated for two MTV Video Music Awards
MTV Video Music Awards
An MTV Video Music Award , is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in music videos...
for Best Dance Video and Best New Artist in 2003. At the end of the video Paul's brother Jason introduces a song, noting it as a brand new single, and Paul then sings part of "Like Glue
Like Glue
"Like Glue" is a song recorded by Jamaican dancehall artist Sean Paul, from his second album Dutty Rock . The song was produced by Tony "CD" Kelly, and written by Kelly and Sean Paul. Lyrics from "Like Glue" were originally the intro to "Gimme the Light" until Sean Paul expanded it and made it into...
". Kardinal Offishall
Kardinal Offishall
Jason D. Harrow , better known by his stage name Kardinal Offishall , is a Canadian rapper and record producer. He is often credited as Canada's "hip-hop ambassador", and is best known for his distinctive reggae and dancehall-influenced style of hip-hop.-Life and career:Harrow was born in...
makes a cameo appearance in the video along with Lil' Jon.
In popular culture
The song is currently being used to support Carl's Jr.Carl's Jr.
Carl's Jr. is an American fast-food restaurant chain located mostly in the Western and Southwestern United States. The first store has opened in Canada in Kelowna, BC. They are in the process of expanding to Mexico, Malaysia, Denmark, Costa Rica, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Russia, Vietnam,...
milkshake ads, in which a man is shaking a cow to the song, and was also used in the DANCE! Online
Dance! Online
DANCE! Online was a downloadable massively multiplayer online music video game produced by David Perry and published by Acclaim in North America. It is a free-to-download PC title that largely resembles a combination of Audition Online and Dance Dance Revolution series. It is based on the Chinese...
, a multiplayer online casual rhythm game
Music video game
A music video game, also commonly known as a music game, is a video game where the gameplay is meaningfully and often almost entirely oriented around the player's interactions with a musical score or individual songs...
, and in the game Dance Dance Revolution Extreme 2
Dance Dance Revolution Extreme 2
Dance Dance Revolution Extreme 2 is the tenth home version of Dance Dance Revolution to be released in the United States. It was released by Konami on September 28, 2005 for the PlayStation 2 video game console...
. The song's remix was played in the club scene of the 2003 film Grind
Grind (2003 film)
Grind is a 2003 American adventureassshole movie comedy film about four young aspiring amateur skaters Eric Rivers , Matt Jensen , Dustin Knight , and Sweet Lou Singer who are trying to make it in the world of pro skateboarding by pulling insane stunts in front of pro skater Jimmy Wilson...
. The song also briefly appeared in the season two episode of The Wire
The WIRE
the WIRE is the student-run College radio station at the University of Oklahoma, broadcasting in a freeform format. The WIRE serves the University of Oklahoma and surrounding communities, and is staffed by student DJs. The WIRE broadcasts at 1710 kHz AM in Norman, Oklahoma...
, Hot Shots.
Track listings
CD single- "Get Busy" – 3:32
- "Get Busy" (Diwali Riddim instrumental) – 3:20
CD maxi - Europe
- "Get Busy" (album version) – 3:32
- "Get Busy" (Diwali Riddim instrumental) – 3:20
- "Gimme the Light" (2Step Moabit Relick remix) – 5:53
- "Gimme the Light" (Nappy Doggout remix) – 3:50
CD maxi - U.S.
- "Get Busy" (album version) – 3:31
- "Get Busy" (instrumental) – 3:20
- "Get Busy" (acapella) – 3:43
- "Get Busy" (video) – 4:27
12" maxi - UK
- "Get Busy" (album version) – 3:31
- "Get Busy" (instrumental) – 3:20
- "Get Busy" (acapella) – 3:43
12" maxi - Germany
- "Get Busy" (album version) – 3:31
- "Get Busy" (Diwali Riddim instrumental) – 3:20
- "Gimme the Light" (2Step Moabit Relick remix) – 3:53
- "Gimme the Light" (2Step Moabit Relick instrumental) – 3:53
- "Like Glue" (album version) – 3:53
- "Like Glue" (instrumental) – 4:01
Personnel
- Written by Steven Marsden and Sean Paul Henriques
- Mastered by Paul Shields
- Executive producers: Christopher Chin, Jeremy Harding, Murray Elias, and Sean Paul Henriques
- Produced by Steven "Lenky" Marsden
- Photography by William Richards
- Artwork by Floodzone Design
Peak positions
| Chart (2003) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA Singles Chart | 4 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 4 |
| Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart | 3 |
| Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart | 3 |
| Danish Singles Chart | 4 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 1 |
| Eurochart Hot 100 | 2 |
| Finnish Singles Chart | 17 |
| French SNEP Singles Chart | 8 |
| German Singles Chart | 3 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 14 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 1 |
| New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart | 19 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 2 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 4 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 2 |
| UK Singles Chart | 4 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Latin Pop Airplay | 37 |
| U.S. Billboard Rhythmic Top 40 | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream | 3 |
Year-end charts
| End of year chart (2003) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 45 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 19 |
| Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart | 11 |
| Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart | 17 |
| Dutch Top 40 | 21 |
| French Singles Chart | 33 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 3 |
Decade-end charts
| Chart (2000–2009) | Rank |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
50 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification | Date | Sales certified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Gold | 2003 | 35,000 |
| Austria | Gold | 30 September 2003 | 15,000 |
| Belgium | Gold | 23 August 2003 | 25,000 |
| France | Silver | 13 November 2003 | 125,000 |
| Germany | Gold | 2003 | 150,000 |
| Sweden | Gold | 19 August 2003 | 10,000 |
| Switzerland | Gold | 2003 | 15,000 |