Jump to content

Shifftee

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Shifftee"
SinglebyOnyx
from the albumBacdafucup
B-side"Bichasniguz"
ReleasedAugust 30, 1993[1][2]
Recorded1992; Soundtrack Studios,NYC
Genre
Length3:26
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Onyxsingles chronology
"Slam"
(1993) 		"Shifftee"
(1993) 		"Live!!!"
(1995)
Music video
"Shifftee"onYouTube

"Shifftee"is a song by American hip hop groupOnyx.It was released on August 30, 1993 byJMJ Records,Rush Associated LabelsandChaos Recordingsas the third single from Onyx's debut album,Bacdafucup.The song was about being grimy and having that echo into a myriad of life situations.

Produced byChyskillzandJam Master Jay,"Shifftee" was not as successful as the first two singles, but it still managed to make to five differentBillboardcharts, peaking at 2 on theHot Rap Singles.

The song was sampled by several rap artists includingMad Skillz,Raekwon,Marco PoloandNoreaga.

Background

[edit]

In an interview withHipHopDXFredro Starrrevealed the concept of the song:[3]

"...The concept basically underlined what Onyx is. Onyx is the shiftee, low down, gritty, and grimy. So we made a song about it. We represent the struggle, we represent the out crowd, the dudes who can’t get in the club, the guys who got to sneak in the club, bumrush the door. Those dudes."

The single also included a remix of the song named "Shytizon Remix". This remix was made by aJam Master Jay's friend, Dex.

Music video

[edit]

The music video was directed by Parris Mayhew, known in the past as guitarist and songwriter ofCro-Mags.Drew Stone's production companyStone Films NYCwas a producer of this video. The video was filmed on42nd Street (Manhattan),NYCon June 3, 1993, and was premiered onThe BOXon August 30, 1993.[4][5]Director Parris Mayhew made two versions of the video: censorship and explicit. The explicit version begins with the fall of the Onyx logo with the inscription "Throw Ya Gunz", and the video itself begins with riots on the street: two groups of people run on each other from the opposite sides, and eventually they faced. The censorship version begins with neon signs indicate a pornographic theater. Onyx performs on the street near the signs as people around them jump around and dance.[6]In an interview withHipHopDXFredro Starrsaid thatLyor Cohencame up with the idea of using $3,000 multi-colored jackets in the video:[7]

"...Lyor Cohen, President of Def Jam said," Yo I'm gonna take y’all to this store, and I’m gonna get y'all some ill shit to wear! "We were like aight whatever, and we went to the store and the jackets we had in the" Shiftee "video was 3G's a piece."

Director Parris Mayhew also added that Lyor Cohen came up with idea how to shoot one scene withSticky Fingazand originally the video had to come out in black and white footage:

"...I do remember Lyor had a cool idea to incorporate in the video which I did shoot. He wanted Sticky lying on the ground face rapping. And the jackets were amazing, although after we shot it there was a lot of talk about how the jackets were" not Onyx "and they asked to make the footage black and white which I fought and ultimately it stayed in color.."

Parris Mayhew told that Fredro Starr was a screenwriter of one scene, which was later cut out by the decision ofRussell Simmons:

"...I wrote the treatment of my idea for the video (just like I did for" Slam ") and that's what we shot. I remember Sticky saying" I loved the line in the treatment, "like being on acid in a riot". The group did contribute one idea, a narrative scene with a white family at dinner serving pork. The child refuses to eat the pork and it is revealed he has a mad face tattoo. We did shoot Fredro's concept, to play at the beginning of the video but Russell said, "cut that out." So I did. The rest of the video was my concept. Great group, great song, great video. "

Appearance on television

[edit]

Appearance in movies

[edit]
  • In 1993, the song appeared inNew World Order,the movie by World Industries about skateboarding.[8][9]
  • In 2011, the song appeared inStene 6-1,the movie by Stene Productions about skateboarding.[10][11]
  • The song was sampled by several rap artists includingMad Skillz,Raekwon,Marco PoloandNoreaga.[12]

Single track listing

[edit]

A-Side

[edit]
  1. "Shifftee" (Radio Mix)- 3:27
  2. "Shifftee" (Shytizon Remix)- 3:28
  3. "Shifftee" (Spikinspan Remix)- 3:28
  4. "Shifftee" (Acapella)- 2:32

B-Side

[edit]
  1. "Shifftee" (Instrumental)- 3:26
  2. "Shifftee" (Instrumental Remix)- 3:28
  3. "Bichasniguz" (LP Mix)- 3:54
  4. "Bichasniguz" (Instrumental)- 3:54

Personnel

[edit]
  • Onyx - performer, vocals
  • Fredro Starr - performer, vocals
  • Sticky Fingaz - performer, vocals
  • Sonee Seeza - performer, vocals
  • Big DS - performer, vocals
  • Chyskillz - producer, performer (musician)
  • Jam Master Jay - producer, performer (musician), remixer
  • Dex - remixer
  • Tony Dawsey - mastering
  • Rich July - engineer
  • John Kogan - engineer
  • Gary Clugston - engineer
  • Kevin Crouse - assistant engineer
  • Troy Hightower - engineer
  • Norman Bullard - assistant engineer

Charts

[edit]

Weekly charts

[edit]
Chart (1993) Peak
position
USBillboardHot 100[13] 92
USHot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks(Billboard)[14] 52
USHot Rap Singles(Billboard)[15] 2
USHot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales(Billboard)[16] 14
USR&B/Hip-Hop Airplay(Billboard)[17] 41
US Top 100 R&B Singles (Cashbox)[18] 49
US Top 100 Pop Singles (Cashbox)[19] 84
US Top 30 Rap Singles (Cashbox)[20] 4
US Gavin Rap Retail Singles (Gavin Report)[21] 14
US Mix Show Movers (Hitmakers)[22] 23

References

[edit]
  1. ^"Copyright Encyclopedia - Shifftee by Onyx".copyrightencyclopedia.Retrieved2018-11-18.
  2. ^"ONYX - Shifftee (JMJ/RAL/Chaos) (Gavin Report) September, 1993"(PDF).americanradiohistory.Retrieved2018-11-18.
  3. ^"Onyx - Revisits" Shiftee "For Throwback Thursday [June 19, 2014]".hiphopdx.19 June 2014.Retrieved2018-09-22.
  4. ^"Copyright Encyclopedia - Shifftee by Onyx".copyrightencyclopedia.Retrieved2018-11-18.
  5. ^"Billboard Magazine September 11, 1993 - The Box adds Onyx" Shifftee "for the week ending September 4, 1993"(PDF).americanradiohistory.Retrieved2018-11-18.
  6. ^"Onyx: Shifftee (1993)".imdb.Retrieved2018-09-22.
  7. ^"Onyx - Revisits" Shiftee "For Throwback Thursday [June 19, 2014]".hiphopdx.19 June 2014.Retrieved2018-09-22.
  8. ^"World Industries - New World Order (1993)".skatevideosite.Retrieved2018-09-23.
  9. ^"New World Order-World Industries (1993)".youtube.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-12-15.Retrieved2018-09-23.
  10. ^"Stene 6-1 (2011)".skatevideosite.Retrieved2018-09-23.
  11. ^"Stene 6-1 (2011)".vimeo.Retrieved2018-09-23.
  12. ^"Shifftee by Onyx".whosampled.Retrieved2018-09-22.
  13. ^"Hot 100 (Billboard) October 16th, 1993".billboard.Archived fromthe originalon September 22, 2018.Retrieved2018-09-22.
  14. ^"Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard) October 16th, 1993".billboard.Archived fromthe originalon September 22, 2018.Retrieved2018-09-22.
  15. ^"Hot Rap Songs (Billboard) October 16th, 1993".billboard.Archived fromthe originalon September 22, 2018.Retrieved2018-09-22.
  16. ^"Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales (Billboard) October 16th, 1993".billboard.Retrieved2018-09-22.
  17. ^"R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (Billboard) October 16th, 1993".billboard.Archived fromthe originalon September 23, 2018.Retrieved2018-09-22.
  18. ^"Top 100 R&B Singles (Cashbox) October 23, 1993"(PDF).americanradiohistory.Retrieved2018-11-18.
  19. ^"Top 100 Pop Singles (Cashbox) October 30, 1993"(PDF).americanradiohistory.Retrieved2018-11-18.
  20. ^"Top 30 Rap Singles (Cashbox) November 20, 1993"(PDF).americanradiohistory.Retrieved2018-11-18.
  21. ^"Gavin Rap Retail Singles (Gavin Report) November 12, 1993"(PDF).americanradiohistory.Retrieved2018-11-18.
  22. ^"Street Sheet (Hitmakers Magazine) October 22, 1993"(PDF).americanradiohistory.Retrieved2018-11-18.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shifftee&oldid=1234881778"