H.A.M. Explained

H•A•M
Cover:20110111-HAM.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Jay-Z and Kanye West
Album:Watch the Throne
Recorded:2010
Length:4:38
Chronology:Jay-Z
Prev Title:Monster
Prev Year:2010
Next Title:Otis
Next Year:2011

"H•A•M" is a song by American rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West. It was released as the first single from their collaborative studio album Watch the Throne on January 11, 2011. It was produced by Lexus "Lex Luger" Lewis and Kanye West.[1] The song has served as the opening track to the duo's Watch the Throne Tour. Various rap artists have remixed it, such as Ace Hood and Busta Rhymes. The song was featured in the 2012 film Project X.[2] It peaked at No. 23 on Billboard Hot 100.

Background

Lex Luger told Mixtape Daily how the song came about:

In an interview with HuffPost opera singer Aude Cardona explained how she came to be featured on the song, stating that she received a random call from West's manager, who told her that West needed an opera singer for his album with Jay-Z. Elsewhere, she said that she recorded in the Mercer Hotel for seven hours, and a lot of what she did was her own improvisation, as opposed to the male singer on the song.[3]

Reception

Fellow rapper and producer Swizz Beatz commented positively on the song, saying, "I think that those being both of my friends, and knowing that people can team up on such a high caliber level as musicians, as rappers, as friends, as peers I think it's super positive, and I think that if more of the industry did moves like this it would be a better place for everybody."[4] "H•A•M" received mixed reviews from critics. The song received a three out of five star review from Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone.[5] Kevin O'Donnell of Spin praised the song by saying, "Kanye's latest, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, was the most epic album of 2010 and the rapper's ambitions haven't eased up one bit here. The track morphs into the weirdest sounding opera ever, with a female singing window-shattering trills over a gospel piano progression and the song's hard-hitting beat."[6]

In an interview with Miami radio station 99 Jamz, Jay-Z spoke about the song;

"H.A.M." is super intense, you don't want to hear that every day. It's difficult to hear that. Inside a whole body work, it's different. Like when we perform "H.A.M." live it's a whole different experience, it reacts like it was this massive hit record. Because that's the setting or it. The setting for it is a concert, not inside your home."[7]

Remixes

Busta Rhymes made a remix to the song. Roscoe Dash also did a freestyle to it for the intro to his "Dash Effect" Mixtape.[8] Also freestyles have been made by Lupe Fiasco,[9] Lil' Kim,[10] Chingy, 40 Cal, Papoose, Emilio Rojas, Ace Hood, Lil Wyte (who renamed it "Porter House") and XV (who renamed the song "Heroes Amongst Men").[11] Odd Future members Tyler, The Creator, Earl Sweatshirt, and Domo Genesis also remixed the song and freestyled it on Hot 97.

Chart performance

On January 19, 2011, "H•A•M" made its debut on the US Billboard Hot 100 at number 23 and on the US Billboard Hot Digital Songs at number 10, with digital sales of 125,000 units.[12]

Credits and personnel

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2011)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[13] 78
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[14] 56
scope="row"
Denmark (Tracklisten)[15] 35
scope="row"
Netherlands (Mega Single Top 100)[16] 53
scope="row"
Russia (Tophit)[17] 292
South Korea International Singles (Gaon)[18] 7
scope="row"
scope="row"
scope="row"
scope="row"

Year-end charts

Radio and release history

CountryDateFormatLabel
United StatesJanuary 11, 2011Digital download[20]
UkraineJanuary 12, 2011Roc-A-Fella Records[21]
AustraliaJanuary 17, 2011Contemporary hit radio[22]
Alternative radio
United StatesJanuary 25, 2011Urban contemporary radioDef Jam Recordings[23]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Jay-Z & Kanye West. The letters H•A•M stand for Hard As a Motherfucker. – H.A.M.. Real Talk NY. 2011-01-15. https://web.archive.org/web/20120305085513/http://realtalkny.uproxx.com/2011/01/topic/topic/music/jay-z-kanye-west-h-a-m/. 2012-03-05. dead.
  2. Web site: Kevin Jagernauth . Here's All The Music That Pumped Up 'Project X' Including The xx, Four Tet, Kanye West, LCD Soundsystem & More . Indie Wire . 20 November 2019 . 3 March 2012 . 5 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230105211406/https://www.indiewire.com/2012/03/heres-all-the-music-that-pumped-up-project-x-including-the-xx-four-tet-kanye-west-lcd-soundsystem-more-253522/ . dead .
  3. Web site: Amy Lee . 'Watch The Throne' Does Opera: Meet Aude Cardona . Huffington Post . 11 January 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160726020727/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/19/watch-the-throne_n_929530.html . 26 July 2016 . 19 August 2011 . dead .
  4. Web site: Swizz Beatz Says Jay-Z And Kanye West's 'H.A.M. Is 'Super Positive'. https://web.archive.org/web/20110115233242/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1655838/swizz-beatz-jayz-kanye-wests-ham-super-positive.jhtml. dead. January 15, 2011. MTV. Mawuse Ziegbe. Jan 12, 2011.
  5. Kanye West and Jay-Z. Rolling Stone. Jody Rosen. January 11, 2011. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20180405153702/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/songreviews/h-a-m-20110111. April 5, 2018.
  6. Web site: O'Donnell. Kevin. HEAR IT: Kanye and Jay-Z Leak First Collabo Song. Spin. January 11, 2011.
  7. Erika Ramirez . Jay-Z Talks 'Watch the Throne' & Calls Beyonce 'The Second Coming' . Billboard . 4 February 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160402051856/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-juice/467908/jay-z-talks-watch-the-throne-calls-beyonce-the-second-coming . 2 April 2016 . 15 August 2011 . live.
  8. Web site: New Music – HAM Busta Rhymes Remix. Rap Radar. January 18, 2011.
  9. Web site: Audio: Lupe Fiasco – H.A.M. Freestyle (On Westwood). 2011-02-17. https://web.archive.org/web/20120723012146/http://www.thelupendblog.com/2011/02/audio-lupe-fiasco-ham-freestyle-on.html. 2012-07-23. dead.
  10. Web site: New Music – Lil Kim HAM Remix. Rap Radar. January 27, 2011.
  11. Web site: Listen Up: "H.A.M. (Heroes Amongst Men)" by XV . 2011-02-09 . Langley, JT . Jan 27, 2011 . Ology . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110130214042/http://ology.com/music/listen-ham-heroes-amongst-men-xv . 2011-01-30 .
  12. Trust. Gary. Britney Spears' 'Hold It Against Me' Debuts Atop Hot 100. Billboard. January 19, 2011.
  13. Web site: The ARIA Report: Issue 1091 (Week Commencing 24 January 2011) . https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20110120130000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20110121-0000/Issue1091.pdf . dead . 2011-01-20 . . February 6, 2012 . 2 .
  14. Web site: Kanye West & Jay-Z – H•A•M – Austriancharts.at . Ö3 Austria Top 40. Hung Medien . May 20, 2013 . de.
  15. Web site: danishcharts.dk – Kanye West & Jay-Z – H•A•M . Tracklisten. Hung Medien . May 20, 2013.
  16. Web site: Dutchcharts.nl – Kanye West & Jay-Z – H•A•M . Mega Single Top 100. Hung Medien . May 20, 2013 . nl.
  17. News: Kanye West & Jay-Z – H • A • M. ru. Tophit. June 5, 2019.
  18. Web site: South Korea Gaon International Chart (2011.01.16 – 2011.01.22) . . May 20, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130316222941/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/online/download/list.gaon?nationGbn=E . March 16, 2013 .
  19. R&B/Hip-Hop Songs - 2011 Year End Charts. Billboard. 2019-01-30.
  20. Web site: H•A•M – Single by Jay Z & Kanye West . . May 20, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110605122925/http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/h-a-m-single/id414431115 . June 5, 2011 .
  21. Web site: H•A•M (Edited Version) – Single by Jay Z & Kanye West . . August 29, 2013.
  22. Kanye West & Jay-Z – H*A*M – Issue 819 . . Surry Hills . 819 . January 17, 2011 . May 20, 2013.
  23. Web site: Urban/UAC Future Releases . All Access Music Group . May 20, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110125155248/http://www.allaccess.com/urban/future-releases . January 25, 2011.

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