Released December 9, 1997 Recorded 1997 Label Columbia | Format Vinyl, CD Length 4:46 | |
Genre East Coast hip hop, g-funk | ||
"Deja Vu (Uptown Baby)" is a song by American hip hop duo Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz, released in December 1997, as the lead single from their debut album, Make It Reign. The song, produced by production team KNS, was a huge success for Tariq and Gunz, becoming a hit in both the United States and in Canada, peaking at number nine on the US Billboard Hot 100 and at number six on the Canadian Singles Chart. It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on March 31, 1998 for sales of one million copies. However, the duo's success would be short-lived, as they broke up in 1999 without releasing a follow-up album or single.
Contents
The song is built around a sample of Steely Dan's "Black Cow". In exchange for clearing use of the sample, Steely Dan requested an advance payment of $115,000 as well as 100% of publishing royalties, and as a result of this agreement, Steely Dan members Walter Becker and Donald Fagen are the sole credited songwriters on "Deja Vu (Uptown Baby)".
Remix
Three remixes were made for the song. The Frankenstein remix produced by Frank "Frankenstein" Fallico, the Pro Black remix produced by Ayatollah and a Bad Boy remix that was made by Mase, The LOX and Puff Daddy.
Legacy
The song "Daydreamin'" by Tatyana Ali released later in 1998 used the same "Black Cow" sample and featured both Tariq and Gunz. Gunz even mentions hearing "Black Cow" and being inspired to rap to the beat.
Track listing
- "Deja Vu (Uptown Baby)" (Album Version) – 4:44
- "Deja Vu (Uptown Baby)" (Instrumental) – 4:43
- "Deja Vu (Uptown Baby)" (Acapella) – 4:29
- "Deja Vu (Uptown Baby)" (Frankenstein Remix) – 4:40
- "Deja Vu (Uptown Baby)" (Frankenstein Remix Instrumental) – 4:42
- "Deja Vu (Uptown Baby)" (Pro Black Remix) – 4:32
- "Deja Vu (Uptown Baby)" (Pro Black Remix Instrumental) – 4:29