How Do U Want It Explained

How Do U Want It
Cover:How Do U Want It.jpeg
Type:single
Artist:2Pac featuring K-Ci & JoJo
Album:All Eyez on Me
A-Side:California Love
B-Side:"2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted"
"Hit 'Em Up"
Released:June 4, 1996
Recorded:1995
Studio:Can-Am Studios (Tarzana, Los Angeles)
Genre:
Length:
  • 4:47
  • 3:59
Label:
Producer:Johnny "J" & Mr.Dalvin
Chronology:2Pac
Prev Title:2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted
Prev Year:1996
Next Title:I Ain't Mad at Cha
Next Year:1996

"How Do U Want It" is a song by American rapper 2Pac from his fourth studio album, All Eyez on Me (1996). It was released on June 4, 1996 as a double a-sided single with "California Love" from the same album and was his final single to be released during his lifetime. The song features R&B duo K-Ci & JoJo, who at the time were best known as the lead singers of the group Jodeci. The song reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, becoming Death Row Records first and only chart topping single, and number seventeen in the UK in 1996. The song received a Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group Grammy nomination in 1997. [1]

Produced by Johnny "J", "How Do U Want It" samples Quincy Jones' 1974 song "Body Heat", and includes a diss towards civil rights activist and fierce rap critic C. Delores Tucker. Tucker later sued 2Pac's estate, claiming that comments in this song, and on the track "Wonda Why They Call U Bitch" from the same album, inflicted emotional distress, were slanderous, and invaded her privacy.[2] The case was later dismissed.[3] A music video was created for "How Do U Want It" and its B-sides "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted" and "Hit 'Em Up".

Music videos

There were three videos filmed for this song: A dirty version and a clean version, both directed by Ron Hightower and produced by Tracy D. Robinson. These two versions are distinguished by music ratings (one is certified adult material). The videos portray a wild sex party with Jacuzzi, mechanical bull riding, cage dancing and pole stripping. The dirty version also features numerous porn stars, including Nina Hartley, Heather Hunter, Nadia Cassini and Angel Kelly.The third version, known as the concert version, is mostly live on stage (not from the House of Blues live performance). There are cameo appearances by K-Ci & JoJo, and fellow group member of Digital Underground Shock G both in the concert and studio segments.

Track listing

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for "How Do U Want It"!Chart (1996)!Peak
position
Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)[4] 11
US Hot Rap Singles (Billboard)[5] 1

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for "How Do U Want It"!Chart (1996)!Position
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[6] 13
US Billboard Hot 100[7] 17
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[8] 6

See also

Hot 100 number-one hits of 1996 (USA)

List of number-one singles in New Zealand (1996)

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/1997/grammys.htm 39th Grammy Awards - 1997
  2. Web site: Rap critic sues Shakur's estate for defamation . . August 1997 .
  3. Web site: C. Delores Tucker; William Tucker, Her Husbandv.richard Fischbein; Belinda Luscombe; Newsweek Magazine; Johnnie L. Roberts; Time Inc.c. Delores Tucker; William Tucker, Appellants, 237 F.3d 275 (3d Cir. 2001) .
  4. Billboard: Hits of the World. Billboard. 16 November 1996. 21 January 2017.
  5. Web site: 2Pac > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles . . . January 25, 2012.
  6. Web site: End of Year Charts 1996. Recorded Music NZ. December 3, 2017.
  7. Web site: Billboard Top 100 - 1996 . August 27, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090301121523/http://longboredsurfer.com/charts.php?year=1996 . March 1, 2009 .
  8. 1996 The Year in Music. Billboard. 108. 52. YE-40. December 28, 1996. June 29, 2021.