Cherry Wine Explained

Cherry Wine
Cover:Nas_Featuring_Amy_Winehouse_-_Cherry_Wine.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Nas featuring Amy Winehouse
Album:Life Is Good
Released:September 19, 2012
Length:5:56
Label:Def Jam
Producer:Salaam Remi
Chronology:Nas
Prev Title:Daughters
Prev Year:2012
Next Title:Free
Next Year:2013

"Cherry Wine" is a song by American rapper Nas, released in 2012 by Def Jam Recordings as the fourth single from his tenth studio album Life Is Good (2012).[1] [2] [3] The single features vocals by singer Amy Winehouse and was nominated for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 2013 Grammy Awards. It is the final single to feature vocals from Winehouse.[4]

Writing and recording

Speaking to NME, Nas expressed that "Cherry Wine" came from "God, and Amy". Asked if record producer Salaam Remi had "Cherry Wine" from their recording sessions together, he said: "Yeah, Salaam worked on her last album, and they were working. We don’t even have an explanation for how it happened. It was just magic. It just happened. It was supposed to happen. She made it happen."[5] Lyrically, "Cherry Wine" finds Nas expressing his ongoing search for his perfect mate.[6]

Music video

The music video for "Cherry Wine" premiered on October 2, 2012, and portrays Nas as a bartender, while images of Amy Winehouse are projected onto the brick walls of the bar.[7] The video ends with a picture of Winehouse beside the dedication "In Memory of Amy Winehouse (1983 - 2011)".[8]

Accolades

"Cherry Wine" was nominated for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 55th Grammy Awards in 2013.[9]

Track listing

Digital download[10]
  1. "Cherry Wine" (Album Version) — 5:56

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.[11] [12]

Charts

Chart (2012)Peak
position
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[13] 144
US R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[14] 44
US Rap Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[15] 47

Notes and References

  1. Web site: BBC - Newsbeat - Rapper Nas to 'donate' to Amy Winehouse Foundation. BBC.co.uk. 17 October 2012.
  2. Web site: Amy Winehouse 1 Year on - Outside Org. https://archive.today/20130421022526/http://www.outside-org.co.uk/blog/?p=349. dead. 21 April 2013. Outside.org. 24 July 2012.
  3. Web site: Nas Announces O2 Gig with Ticket Proceeds Going Towards the Amy Winehouse Foundation. Flavour Magazine. 22 October 2012.
  4. Web site: Grammys 2013: Mumford, Kanye, Fun lead nominations. Music Week. 6 December 2012.
  5. Web site: Nas releases 'Cherry Wine' video featuring Amy Winehouse – watch. NME. 2 October 2012.
  6. Web site: Behind The Scenes Of Nas' "Cherry Wine" ft. Amy Winehouse Video (Photos). Hip Hop Wired. 15 September 2012.
  7. Web site: Amy Winehouse featured in new 'Cherry Wine' video with Nas. Digital Spy. 2 October 2012.
  8. Web site: The Bittersweet Taste Of Nas' "Cherry Wine" Featuring Amy Winehouse. https://web.archive.org/web/20130617191614/http://www.vh1.com/music/tuner/2012-10-02/the-bittersweet-taste-of-nas-cherry-wine-featuring-amy-winehouse/. dead. June 17, 2013. VH1. 2 October 2012.
  9. Web site: Grammys 2013: Complete list of nominees - latimes.com. Los Angeles Times. 6 December 2012. 6 December 2012.
  10. Web site: Cherry Wine (Explicit): Nas: Amazon.co.uk: MP3 Downloads. Amazon.co.uk. 16 July 2012.
  11. Nas. Life Is Good. Def Jam Recordings. B001705602. 2012. CD liner.
  12. Web site: Nas - Life Is Good CD Boolet (Photos). Hip-Hop Wired. 13 July 2012.
  13. Web site: Chart Log UK - 2012 + Weekly Updates + Sales 2012. Zobbel.de.
  14. Nas Chart History (R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales). Billboard. February 16, 2020.
  15. Nas Chart History (Rap Digital Song Sales). Billboard. February 16, 2020.
  16. Web site: Radio playlist update: Radio 1. Music Week. 26 September 2012.
  17. Web site: BBC - Radio 1 - Playlist. BBC Radio 1. 26 September 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120911180402/http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/playlist/. 11 September 2012. dead.