Takeover (Jay-Z song)
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"Takeover" | |
---|---|
Song by Jay-Z | |
from the album The Blueprint | |
Released | September 11, 2001 |
Recorded | July 2001 |
Genre | |
Length | 5:13 |
Label | |
Songwriter(s) | |
Producer(s) | Kanye West |
"Takeover" is a track recorded by
.Background
This song was the first official LP diss track to publicize directly the hip hop feud between Jay-Z and Nas (although there exists several other rap records prior to this featuring disses from both Nas and Jay-Z toward each other). It samples the song "
References to other rappers
In the second verse, Jay-Z alleges that Prodigy (member of Mobb Deep) took ballet classes as a child and mocks Prodigy's small stature. Jay-Z further dismisses Mobb Deep as competition in the hip hop industry by pointing out that his career had more commercial success than they ever would, and dissing Mobb Deep's famous song "
In the third verse (which has 32 bars, while the other verses have 16), Jay-Z ridicules Nas's
The song initiated one of the biggest and most hyped hip hop rivalries within the industry, and was generally well received by fans. At the time, the song's hard-hitting caliber was such that Jay-Z and many hip hop fans had felt that this song could have potentially ended Nas's career.[citation needed] On the contrary, however, the track merely served to reinvigorate Nas' career as he responded to "Takeover" with an unreleased version of "The General" as well as with a diss track of his own, entitled "Ether".
Jay-Z responded to "Ether" with "People Talkin", "Don't You Know", and a freestyle entitled "Supa Ugly". Jay-Z and Nas would release other subsequent diss tracks and records referencing the feud, including "Blueprint 2" (from Jay-Z's The Blueprint2: The Gift & The Curse) and "Last Real Nigga Alive" (from Nas's God's Son.)
"Takeover" was produced by Kanye West and samples The Doors' "Five to One" as well as "Sound of da Police" by KRS-One. 50 Cent swards Mobb Deep in his own diss song "Piggy Bank", by telling his rival Jadakiss "Jada don't fuck with me if you wanna eat, 'cause I'll do your lil' ass like Jay did Mobb Deep." Coincidentally, 50 signed Mobb Deep to his G-Unit Records imprint a mere few months later.
On
Chicago pop-rock band Fall Out Boy referenced this song in their 2007 album Infinity on High with the song "The Take Over, the Breaks Over" as a direct mention to the rivalry.
In 2007
Accolades
"Takeover" appeared at 51 on
There have been diss tracks that have been more personal, more vicious, hell, even more effective-- Nas got a bigger career boost out of his response, the simplistic and homophobic "Ether", which inexplicably (well, not really) was declared the winner by internet scorekeepers who would soon use its title as a slang for smiting one's enemies at all costs. But there's never been a better diss song: Kanye West's "Five to One" flip turned Jim Morrison's Dionysus into Hercules while Jay calmly doled out dismissals that were all the more perfect for their brevity and focus-- "a wise man told me don't argue with fools..."; "I sold what your whole album sold in my first week"; "you only get half a bar..." That entire third verse. As is the case with so many other spats in real life, Jay-Z and Nas would eventually bury the hatchet in the name of good business, but listen to "Takeover" if you're ever confused about who's wearing the pants: Regardless of Jigga's recent output, "Takeover" will always beam with the righteousness one can only have when they're clearly playing the upper hand.[3]
Credits and personnel
The credits for "Takeover" are adapted from the liner notes of The Blueprint.[4]
- Studio locations
- Mastered at Masterdisk, New York City, New York.
- Mixed and recorded at Baseline Studios, New York City, New York.
- Personnel
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- Samples
- "Sound of da Police", as performed by KRS-One and written by Lawrence Parker, Eric Burdon, Alan Lomax, Bryan Chandler and Rodney Lemay.
- "Five to One", as performed by The Doors and written by Jim Morrison, John Densmore, Robert Krieger and Ray Manzarek.
See also
- "Ether" (song)
- List of notable diss tracks
References
- ^ Coulehan, Erin. "Jay-Z Wrote Letter to the Doors' John Densmore". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
- ^ Reid, Shaheem. "Jay-Z's Special Guest A Thriller For Summer Jam Crowd". MTV. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
- ^ "Staff Lists: The Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s: 100-51". Pitchfork.com. April 19, 2009. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
- ^ The Blueprint (Liner notes). Jay-Z. Roc-A-Fella Records. 2001. 586 396-2.
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