Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!) Explained

Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)
Cover:	Hit em up style.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Blu Cantrell
Album:	So Blu
Studio:	D.A.R.P. (Atlanta, Georgia)
Length:	4:10
Label:	Arista
Producer:	Dallas Austin
Next Title:	I'll Find a Way
Next Year:	2001

"Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" is a song by American R&B singer Blu Cantrell, written and produced by Dallas Austin and included on Cantrell's debut album, So Blu (2001). The song was released in the United States on April 23, 2001, as Cantrell's debut single. It is her most successful single in the US and her only single to enter the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number two for two weeks in July 2001. It experienced similar success worldwide, becoming a top-10 hit in Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.

Composition

The lyrics propose that women should take revenge on cheating men by draining them of their available assets, both monetary assets and property. Cantrell has said that she did not particularly care for the song artistically, but the bitter feelings she was experiencing at the time led her to include it on the album anyway.^[1] "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" takes a small snippet sample from Frank Sinatra’s "Boys' Night Out". The song is written in the key of F minor and is written in half time with a tempo of 90 beats per minute. The song features the chords Fm and Bm6, and Cantrell's vocals span from B₃ to A₅.^{[2] [3]}

Track listings

The snippets from So Blu consist of "Till I'm Gone" (1:01), "I'll Find a Way" (1:03), "The One" (1:09), "U Must B Crazy" (0:59), and "Waste My Time" featuring L.O. (1:08)US CD single^[4]

1. "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" (radio mix) – 4:02
2. "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" (instrumental) – 4:12
3. Snippets from So Blu

US 12-inch single^[5]

A1. "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" (radio mix) – 4:12

A2. "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" (instrumental) – 4:11

B1. "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" (radio mix) – 4:12

B2. "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" (a cappella) – 4:01

UK CD single^[6]

1. "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" (radio mix) – 4:02
2. "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" (remix featuring Foxy Brown) – 3:34
3. "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" (remix featuring Jazze Pha and L.O.) – 4:36

UK 12-inch single^[7]

A1. "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" (radio mix)

B1. "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" (remix)

B2. "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" (instrumental)

UK cassette single and European CD single^{[8] [9]}

1. "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" (radio mix) – 4:02
2. "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" (remix featuring Foxy Brown) – 3:34 (4:12 in Europe)

Australian maxi-CD single^[10]

1. "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" (album version radio edit) – 4:02
2. "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" (remix featuring Foxy Brown) – 4:12
3. "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" (remix featuring Jazze Pha and L.O.) – 4:38
4. "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" (album version instrumental) – 4:12

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from the US CD single liner notes.^[4]

Studios

• Recorded at D.A.R.P. Studios (Atlanta, Georgia)
• Mixed at Larrabee North Studios (Hollywood, California)

Personnel

• Blu Cantrell – vocals, background vocals
• Dallas Austin – writing, bass, keyboards, production
• Kimberly Smith – production coordination
• Carlton Lynn – recording
• Doug Harms – recording assistance
• Kevin "KD" Davis – mixing
• Rick Sheppard – MIDI and sound design
• Antonio "LA" Reid – executive production
• C. "Tricky" Stewart – executive production
• Tab Nkhereanye – co-executive production
• gravillis inc. – design
• Kwaku Alston – photography

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2001–2002)	Peak position
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Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)^[11]	7
Canada CHR (Nielsen BDS)^[12]	1
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Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[13]	33
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Year-end charts

Chart (2001)	Position
Australia (ARIA)^[14]	54
Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)^[15]	82
Canada Radio (Nielsen BDS)^[16]	32
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[17]	59
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[18]	97
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[19]	23
UK Urban (Music Week)^[20]	38
US Billboard Hot 100^[21]	11
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks (Billboard)^[22]	59
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)^[23]	10
US Rhythmic Top 40 (Billboard)^[24]	18

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)
United States	April 23, 2001	Radio	Arista	^[25]
Europe	September 1, 2001	CD		^[26]
Denmark	September 3, 2001			^[27]	).
Australia	September 17, 2001			^[28]
United Kingdom	November 12, 2001			^[29]

Notes and References

1. Cantrell, Blu. (March 1, 2008). Interview. Baisden After Dark, TV One
2. Web site: Blu Cantrell "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" Sheet Music in F Minor – Download & Print. Austin. Dallas. Musicnotes.com. February 27, 2012 . June 7, 2016.
3. Web site: BPM for 'hit em up style' by blu cantrell songbpm.com. songbpm.com. June 7, 2016.
4. Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!). Blu Cantrell. 2001. US CD single liner notes. Arista Records. 07822-13974-2.
5. Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!). Blu Cantrell. 2001. US 12-inch single vinyl disc. Arista Records. 07822-13943-1.
6. Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!). Blu Cantrell. 2001. UK CD single liner notes. Arista Records. 74321 891632.
7. Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!). Blu Cantrell. 2001. UK 12-inch single sleeve. Arista Records. 74321 891631.
8. Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!). Blu Cantrell. 2001. UK cassette single sleeve. Arista Records. 74321 90786 4.
9. Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!). Blu Cantrell. 2001. European CD single liner notes. Arista Records. 74321888132.
10. Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!). Blu Cantrell. 2001. Australian maxi-CD single liner notes. Arista Records. 74321888122.
11. Web site: Blu Cantrell Chart History (Canadian Digital Songs). Billboard. June 2, 2018.
12. Web site: Canadian Top 20 in 2001. Cross Canada Countdown. https://web.archive.org/web/20050407223203/http://www.crosscanadacountdown.com/pdfs/2001.pdf. 7 April 2005. April 11, 2024.
13. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. 19. 49. 9. December 1, 2001. March 5, 2020.
14. Web site: ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2001. ARIA. September 29, 2020.
15. Web site: Canada's Top 200 Singles of 2001. Jam!. https://web.archive.org/web/20030126204339/http://jamshowbiz.com/JamMusicCharts/2001_singles.html. January 26, 2003. March 26, 2022.
16. Web site: BDS CHART : Top 100 of 2001. Jam!. https://web.archive.org/web/20020701174353/http://jamshowbiz.com/JamMusicCharts/100_2001.html. July 1, 2002. March 26, 2022.
17. Web site: Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 2001. Dutch Top 40. March 24, 2020.
18. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Single 2001. MegaCharts. nl. March 24, 2020.
19. Web site: End of Year Charts 2001. Recorded Music NZ. October 10, 2019.
20. Top 40 Urban Tracks of 2001. Music Week. 26. January 19, 2002. August 4, 2023.
21. Web site: Billboard Top 100 – 2001. August 31, 2010.
22. The Year in Music 2001: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks. Billboard. 113. 52. YE-44. December 29, 2001.
23. Most-Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs of 2001. Airplay Monitor. 9. 51. 60. December 21, 2001.
24. Most-Played Rhythmic Top 40 Songs of 2001. Airplay Monitor. 9. 51. 48. December 21, 2001.
25. Arista Newcomer Cantrell Sounds 'So Blu' on Heartfelt Debut Album. King. Aliya S.. Billboard. 113. 24. 25. June 16, 2001. September 29, 2020.
26. Airborne. Cairo. Raul. Music & Media. 19. 42. 18. October 13, 2001. September 29, 2020.
27. Web site: Blu Cantrell: Single. click2music.dk. da. https://web.archive.org/web/20030201011132/http://www.click2music.dk/denmark/default.asp. February 1, 2003. November 4, 2023. To view release date, select Cantrell Blue from Vælg kunster (A - Å), then click on Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops
28. Web site: The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 17th September 2001. ARIA. 24. September 17, 2001. dead. https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20020220130000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20020221-0000/www.aria.com.au/issue603.pdf. February 20, 2002. April 23, 2021.
29. New Releases – For Week Starting November 12, 2001: Singles. Music Week. 29. November 10, 2001. August 18, 2021.