B-side "Get 2 Know U" Format 12" single
CD single Genre Hip hop
gangsta rap | Released September 12, 2004 Recorded 2004 Length 4:30 | |
"Drop It Like It's Hot" is a hit single by American rapper Snoop Dogg featuring American singer and producer Pharrell. Snoop Dogg performs the chorus and the second and third verses (of three), while Pharrell performs the first verse. Pharrell's verse includes a line from "Raspy Shit" (a song from his debut album In My Mind), which was produced by The Neptunes and contains vocal samples from Laid Back's "White Horse". Part of "White Horse"'s production is sampled in "Drop It Like It's Hot" as well.
Contents
- Origin of title
- Music video
- Radio edits
- North America
- Europe
- Track listing
- Remixes
- Mashups
- Samples
- Parodies
- Covers
- Soundtrack appearances
- Trivia
- References
The song was a sleeper hit, and topped the US Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks from December 11, 2004, making it Snoop Dogg's first number one on the chart. It was also his second Top 10 as a solo artist since 1994's "Gin and Juice" ("Beautiful" was the other). The song also gave him his first number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. With that, it ended up appearing on the 2005 compilation album Now That's What I Call Music! 18. It also peaked at number one for four consecutive weeks in New Zealand, and number ten in the UK Singles Chart. It gained some critical attention for its minimal, extremely sparse production, consisting of tongue clicks, keyboards, a drum machine beat and white noise. It was nominated at the Grammy Awards of 2005 for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group, though it lost both awards to the songs "Jesus Walks" and "Let's Get It Started", respectively. The single was Pharrell's biggest hit worldwide, until 2013's "Get Lucky" and "Blurred Lines" (his highest peaking single as lead artist is "Happy").
On December 11, 2009, "Drop It Like It's Hot" was named the most popular "Rap Song" of the decade by Billboard.
Origin of title
The phrase "drop it like it's hot" was already in common use before the song was released, and had been used in various songs since the 1990s. It is a metaphorical description of a dance move commonly performed by women, and is performed by various women throughout the music video. It was used in Positive K's 1992 album The Skills Dat Pay Da Bills, in the song "Ain't No Crime." It was also used by Lil Wayne as a guest rapper on Juvenile's 1999 hit single "Back That Azz Up" from his album 400 Degreez, and in his own song called "Drop It Like It's Hot" from his 1999 debut album Tha Block is Hot. Clark Kent said "drop it like it's hot" in the song "Cashmere Thoughts" from Jay-Z's 1996 debut album, Reasonable Doubt. DJ Quik used the phrase in the song "Sexuality" from his album Balance & Options.
Outside of hip-hop, it was also the title of a song on indie rock band Minus the Bear's 2002 EP Bands Like It When You Yell "Yar!" at Them.
The line was also spoken in the 2000 film Big Momma's House.
Music video
The music video of the single was shot in black-and-white. It was directed by Paul Hunter. It shows Snoop Dogg doing the dance step known as the Crip Walk in the very beginning and end. The video included both of Snoop Dogg's sons, Corde and Cordell. Other appearances in the video include Terry Kennedy, Lauren London, Pharrell Williams' fellow Neptunes member Chad Hugo, and Pusha T.
The video won the award for the best hip hop video at the 2006 MTV Australia Video Music Awards and a MOBO Award for Best Video in 2005.
Radio edits
There are two radio edits for the song: one is a standard radio edit that removes profanities and drug references while the other is an "Extra Clean" edit that removes phrases with gun and gang references (and the word "roll" from the chorus) as well.
North America
"Drop It Like Its Hot" was the highest-ranking debut for the Billboard Hot 100 chart dated October 2, 2004, entering the chart at number 51. The song topped the US Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks from December 11, 2004. The song topped at number one in Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, Rap Songs, Rhythmic Songs, Digital Songs and Hot 100 Airplay
Since its release the song has been certified Gold by the RIAA. The Mastertone version received certification of double platinum by the RIAA.
Europe
The song topped the Recorded Music NZ for four weeks, making it Snoop Dogg's first number one on the chart. The single ten on the UK Singles Chart, and reached on the top ten in several countries.
Track listing
- Drop It Like It's Hot (featuring Pharrell) — 4:32
- Get 2 Know U (featuring Jelly Roll) — 3:36