The Bitch in Yoo
Encyclopedia
"The Bitch in Yoo" is a single
and diss song released by rapper Common
in 1996
. The song first appeared on the Relativity Records
compilation Relativity Urban Assault
and later on Roc Raida
's Crossfaderz
. It was also performed live alongside De La Soul
on their album Live at Tramps, NYC, 1996
. The b-side of "The Bitch in Yoo" is "The Real Weight", a solo track by No I.D.
.
", the rapper partially blamed hip hop's change from pro-black music to street music on its domination by West Coast
Gangsta rap
. In particular, the line "I wasn't salty: she was with the boys in the hood" alluded to the film Boyz n the Hood
(set in South Central
, Los Angeles
), a movie starring Ice Cube. This caused Ice Cube's group to release the song "Westside Slaughterhouse
", throwing jabs at Common, amongst other rappers from the East Coast. In turn, Common responded with "The Bitch in Yoo."
, Common responds to verbal attacks by Westside Connection
and its lead rapper Ice Cube
. He claims that Ice Cube
has not released a "dope" album since Amerikkka's Most Wanted, that too many of Ice Cube's beats sample
George Clinton
songs, and that Cube took Common's lyrics from "I Used to Love H.E.R." out of context.
" as performed by Brian Auger's Oblivion Express. It also contains vocal samples of Raekwon
from the track "Eye for a Eye (Your Beef Is Mines)" by Mobb Deep
, and "Suspended in Time" by Group Home
, as well as a scratched
vocal sample from the song "Lyin' Ass Bitch", by Fishbone
. The end of the song incorporates a scratched vocal sample from the movie "The Five Heartbeats." The opening of the song is taken from the film "The Education of Sonny Carson
" scene where a leader of the The Hawks Gang proclaims their superiority over the rival Lords.
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
and diss song released by rapper Common
Common (rapper)
Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. , better known by his stage name Common , is an American hip-hop artist and actor....
in 1996
1996 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1996.-January:* January – At the trial of two American teenagers, Nicholaus McDonald and Brian Bassett, for the murder of Bassett's parents and young brother, defense lawyers attempt to lay the blame for the murders on the fact...
. The song first appeared on the Relativity Records
Relativity Records
Relativity Records, often branded just Relativity, is an American record label founded by Barry Kobrin at the site of his company, Important Record Distribution in metro New York. Early on, as an indie label, Relativity released music in a variety of styles, including dance, jazz, punk, and...
compilation Relativity Urban Assault
Relativity Urban Assault
Relativity Urban Assault is a compilation album released by Relativity Records on September 24, 1996. The album's best known song is Common's "The Bitch in Yoo", which was a diss song aimed at rapper, Ice Cube and his group Westside Connection....
and later on Roc Raida
Roc Raida
Anthony Williams , better known as Roc Raida or Grandmaster Roc Raida, was an American DJ, turntablist and producer. He was also a member of the legendary DJ group, The X-Ecutioners....
's Crossfaderz
Crossfaderz
Crossfaderz is the second album by turntablist, Roc Raida. It was released on July 11, 2000 for Moonshine Music and featured production from Roc Raida, DJ Q-Bert, D-Styles and The X-Ecutioners.-Track listing:#"Who You Fuckin' Wit?"- 2:07...
. It was also performed live alongside De La Soul
De La Soul
De La Soul is an American hip hop trio formed in 1987 on Long Island, New York. The band is best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres...
on their album Live at Tramps, NYC, 1996
Live at Tramps, NYC, 1996
Live at Tramps, NYC, 1996 is a live album recorded by De La Soul on May 13, 1996, at New York's famous Tramps nightclub, and released by De La Soul in 2004.During the performances, the group is joined by Jungle Brothers, Common, and Mos Def....
. The b-side of "The Bitch in Yoo" is "The Real Weight", a solo track by No I.D.
No I.D.
No I.D., officially known as Immenslope and also known as Ernest Wilson , is a hip hop and R&B record producer, also the vice-president of Def Jam Recordings, best known for his early work with Chicago rapper Common and is known as "The Godfather of Chicago hip hop".. The nickname No I.D...
.
History
In Common's song "I Used to Love H.E.R.I Used to Love H.E.R.
"I Used to Love H.E.R." is a hip hop song by the Chicago-born rapper Common. Released on the 1994 album Resurrection, "I Used to Love H.E.R." has since become one of Common's best known songs. Produced by No I.D., its jazzy beat samples "The Changing World" by George Benson. A video directed by...
", the rapper partially blamed hip hop's change from pro-black music to street music on its domination by West Coast
West Coast hip hop
West Coast hip hop is a hip hop music subgenre that encompasses any artists or music that originates in the westernmost region of the United States, as opposed to East Coast hip hop, based originally in New York alone...
Gangsta rap
Gangsta rap
Gangsta Rap is a subgenre of hip hop music that evolved from hardcore hip hop and purports to reflect urban crime and the violent lifestyles of inner-city youths. Lyrics in gangsta rap have varied from accurate reflections to fictionalized accounts. Gangsta is a non-rhotic pronunciation of the word...
. In particular, the line "I wasn't salty: she was with the boys in the hood" alluded to the film Boyz n the Hood
Boyz N the Hood
Boyz n the Hood is a 1991 American hood film written and directed by John Singleton. Starring Cuba Gooding, Jr., Ice Cube, Laurence Fishburne, Morris Chestnut, Nia Long, Angela Bassett and Regina King, the film depicts life in poor South Central Los Angeles, California and was filmed and released...
(set in South Central
South Los Angeles
South Los Angeles, often abbreviated as South L.A. and formerly South Central Los Angeles, is the official name for a large geographic and cultural portion lying to the southwest and southeast of downtown Los Angeles, California. The area was formerly called South Central, and is still widely known...
, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
), a movie starring Ice Cube. This caused Ice Cube's group to release the song "Westside Slaughterhouse
Westside Slaughterhouse
"Westside Slaughterhouse" is a song by Mack 10 featuring Westside Connection members Ice Cube and WC. This song was the first of many "disses" released by Westside Connection and it was referred towards Chicago-based rapper, Common, after he released his single "I Used to Love H.E.R.", which...
", throwing jabs at Common, amongst other rappers from the East Coast. In turn, Common responded with "The Bitch in Yoo."
Content
Over a beat produced by Pete RockPete Rock
Peter Phillips , better known by his stage name Pete Rock, is an American record producer, DJ and rapper. He rose to prominence in the early 1990s as one half of the critically acclaimed group Pete Rock & CL Smooth...
, Common responds to verbal attacks by Westside Connection
Westside Connection
Westside Connection was an American gangsta rap group consisting of Ice Cube, WC and Mack 10. The group's debut album, Bow Down, reached the number 2 position on the Billboard 200 in 1996, going platinum that year.-Biography:...
and its lead rapper Ice Cube
Ice Cube
O'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer,...
. He claims that Ice Cube
Ice Cube
O'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer,...
has not released a "dope" album since Amerikkka's Most Wanted, that too many of Ice Cube's beats sample
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
George Clinton
George Clinton (funk musician)
George Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and music producer and the principal architect of P-Funk. He was the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s, and launched a solo career in 1981. He has been cited as one of the foremost...
songs, and that Cube took Common's lyrics from "I Used to Love H.E.R." out of context.
Samples
The song contains a sample from "Light My FireLight My Fire
"Light My Fire" is a song by The Doors which was recorded in August 1966 and released the first week of January 1967 on the Doors' debut album. Released as a single in April, it spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and one week on the Cash Box Top 100, nearly a year after...
" as performed by Brian Auger's Oblivion Express. It also contains vocal samples of Raekwon
Raekwon
Corey Woods , better known by the stage name Raekwon, is an American rapper and a member of the Wu-Tang Clan. He released his solo debut, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... in 1995, and has since recorded four solo albums, as well as work with Wu-Tang and an extensive amount of guest contributions with...
from the track "Eye for a Eye (Your Beef Is Mines)" by Mobb Deep
Mobb Deep
Mobb Deep is an American hip hop duo from Queensbridge, Queens, New York, U.S., that consists of Havoc and Prodigy. The duo is "one of the most critically acclaimed hardcore East Coast hip-hop groups." The group is best known for its dark, hardcore delivery, as exemplified by the single "Shook Ones...
, and "Suspended in Time" by Group Home
Group Home
Group Home is a hip hop duo, composed of members Lil' Dap and Melachi the Nutcracker . They came to prominence as members of the Gang Starr Foundation. Lil' Dap made his rhyming debut on Gang Starr's 1992 classic Daily Operation on the song "I'm the Man"...
, as well as a scratched
Scratching
Scratching is a DJ or turntablist technique used to produce distinctive sounds by moving a vinyl record back and forth on a turntable while optionally manipulating the crossfader on a DJ mixer. While scratching is most commonly associated with hip hop music, since the late 1980s, it has been used...
vocal sample from the song "Lyin' Ass Bitch", by Fishbone
Fishbone
Fishbone is a U.S. alternative rock band formed in 1979 in Los Angeles, California, which plays a fusion of ska, punk rock, funk, hard rock and soul. Critics have noted of the band: "Fishbone was one of the most distinctive and eclectic alternative rock bands of the late '80s...
. The end of the song incorporates a scratched vocal sample from the movie "The Five Heartbeats." The opening of the song is taken from the film "The Education of Sonny Carson
The Education of Sonny Carson
The Education of Sonny Carson is a 1974 film based on the best-selling autobiography of Sonny Carson, who joined a gang and committed petty crime before being sent to prison...
" scene where a leader of the The Hawks Gang proclaims their superiority over the rival Lords.
A-side
- "The Bitch in Yoo (W/O Intro)" (3:46)
- "The Bitch in Yoo (W/ Intro Flip)" (4:00)
- "The Bitch in Yoo (Street Version)" (4:00)
B-side
- "The Real Weight" (3:55)
- "The Real Weight (Instrumental Version)" (3:55)
- "The Bitch in Yoo (Instrumental Version)" (3:46)