Released March 2, 2004 Recorded 2003 Length 3:59 | Format 12" Single Genre East Coast hip hop Label Roc-A-Fella Records | |
"Dirt off Your Shoulder" is the second single released from Jay-Z's 2003 album The Black Album.
Contents
- Political influence
- A Side
- B Side
- 99 ProblemsDirt off Your Shoulder Pt 1
- 99 ProblemsDirt off Your Shoulder Pt 2
- 99 ProblemsDirt off Your Shoulder Vinyl
- Charts
- References
In 2004, the song was combined with the Linkin Park single "Lying from You" and released as a single for the mash-up album Collision Course.
The track references the first bars of Scarlatti's Sonata in F minor, although the time signature is changed.
Political influence
On April 17, 2008, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama referenced the song in gesture, in response to sharp attacks from his rival Hillary Clinton and a debate which was widely criticized for focusing on campaign gaffes rather than on candidates' policy positions. Referencing his opponents' "textbook Washington" tactics, focusing on personal attacks and trivial issues, Obama used Jay-Z's hand signal to "brush the dirt" off his shoulders. When asked whether Obama was deliberately referencing the song, a campaign spokesman said, "He has some Jay-Z on his iPod."
Clinton later made the same gesture during her appearance before the House Select Committee on Benghazi.
A-Side
- Dirt off Your Shoulder (Radio Edit)
- Dirt off Your Shoulder (LP)
- Dirt off Your Shoulder (Instrumental)
B-Side
- Encore (Radio Edit)
- Encore (LP)
- Encore (Instrumental)
99 Problems/Dirt off Your Shoulder, Pt. 1
- 99 Problems (Explicit)
- Dirt off Your Shoulder (Explicit)
99 Problems/Dirt off Your Shoulder, Pt. 2
- 99 Problems (Explicit)
- Dirt off Your Shoulder (Explicit)
- 99 Problems (Video)
- Dirt off Your Shoulder (Video)
99 Problems/Dirt off Your Shoulder, Vinyl
A-Side
- 99 Problems (Explicit)
- 99 Problems (Clean)
B-Side
- Dirt off Your Shoulder (Explicit)
- Dirt off Your Shoulder (Clean)
Charts
In the U.S. the song peaked at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 making it Jay-Z's third highest peak on the chart (tied with "Swagga Like Us")