Keep Their Heads Ringin' Explained

Keep Their Heads Ringin'
Cover:Keep_Their_Heads_Ringin'_single_cover.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Dr. Dre
Album:Friday (soundtrack)
B-Side:"Take a Hit" by Mack 10
Recorded:1994
Genre:
Length:5:06
Label:
Producer:Dr. Dre
Prev Title:Natural Born Killaz
Prev Year:1994
Next Title:U Better Recognize
Next Year:1995

"Keep Their Heads Ringin'" is a song by American rapper Dr. Dre featuring vocalist Nanci Fletcher.[1] It was the only single released from the soundtrack of the 1995 movie Friday,[2] starring Dre's former N.W.A bandmate, Ice Cube and Chris Tucker. Although the soundtrack was released on Priority Records, Death Row Records still owns the masters to the song. In the United States, the song topped the Hot Rap Tracks chart and peaked at number ten on the Billboard Hot 100. It was certified gold by the RIAA on May 10, 1995, and sold 700,000 copies domestically.[3] It interpolates "Funk You Up" by The Sequence from their 1980 single released under Sugar Hill. F. Gary Gray directed the music video for the song.

Critical reception

Dr. Bayyan from Cash Box wrote, "Well, there is no doubt that the patented "Dre funk" is present, but there's one aspect that fans will notice about this single. He concentrates more on his improved lyrical delivery rather than on killin' niggas and cheekin' ho's. Dre is one of the few rappers that doesn't have to tone down his hardcore image to gain commercial status."[4]

Cathi Unsworth from Melody Maker said, "Dr Dre practices what he preaches in one long reeling reefer high that pulses like the first narcotic rush that brings on the weekend. A smoothly subversive operator."[5] Keith Cameron from NME commented, "The vibes from the crib are up tp the regulatory slink norm, the gel chorus keeps matters literal ("Ring ding dong/A ring-a-ding-ding-ding-dong"), and regardless of how good the film is, it's hard to imagine Cube coming up with a line as chucklesome as Dre's: "Your chances of jackin' me are slim, Gl'Cos I rock from summer 'til Santa comes down the chimney"."[6]

Music video

The accompanying music video for "Keep Their Heads Ringin'" was directed by American film director, film producer, and music video director F. Gary Gray and takes place in a plane hangar. The video contains cameo appearances from the actors of the movie Friday including Chris Tucker, Faizon Love, Paula Jai Parker and Nia Long. New Line offered the clip to theatres to play right before showings of Friday. It also appears as a bonus feature on the VHS and DVD releases of the film.

Track listing

  1. "Keep Their Heads Ringin'" (LP Version) — 5:01
  2. "Keep Their Heads Ringin'" (Instrumental) — 4:57
  3. "Take a Hit" (by Mack 10) (LP Version) — 4:34
  4. "Take a Hit" (by Mack 10) (Instrumental) — 4:34
  1. "Keep Their Heads Ringin'" (Radio Version) — 5:02
  2. "Keep Their Heads Ringin'" (LP Version) — 5:01
  3. "Keep Their Heads Ringin'" (Instrumental) — 4:57

Personnel

Charts

Year-end charts

Chart (1995)Position
Belgium (Ultratop Wallonia)[10] 60
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[11] 98
France (SNEP)[12] 72
Germany (Official German Charts)[13] 82
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[14] 83
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[15] 38
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[16] 38
US Billboard Hot 100[17] 53
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[18] 42

Notes and References

  1. Adeniji, Ade The Unsung Hook Singers of ‘90s Rap Classics Speak Okayplayer. July 5, 2023
  2. Book: King, Alex P. . Hit-parade — 20 ans de tubes . Pascal . 2004 . Paris . 338 . fr . 2-35019-009-9.
  3. Best-Selling Records of 1995 . Billboard. BPI Communications. January 20, 1996 . May 5, 2015 . 56 . 0006-2510. 108. 3.
  4. Dr. Bayyan. Urban: Rap Single Reviews. Cash Box. April 22, 1995. 13. October 14, 2022.
  5. Cathi. Unsworth. Singles. Melody Maker. June 3, 1995. 34. January 20, 2024. Cathi Unsworth.
  6. Keith. Cameron. Singles. NME. June 3, 1995. 45. January 20, 2024.
  7. Web site: Dr. Dre – Keep Their Heads Ringin' (1995, Dark Blue Disc, CD). . 1995 .
  8. Web site: Images for Dr. Dre - Keep Their Heads Ringin'. .
  9. Web site: The ARIA Report: Issue 1083. https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20110120130000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20110121-0000/Issue1083.pdf. dead. 2011-01-20.
  10. Web site: Rapports Annuels 1995. Ultratop. November 30, 2021.
  11. 1995 Year-End Sales Charts: Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. December 23, 1995. September 26, 2020. Music & Media.
  12. 1995 French Singles Chart Disqueenfrance.com (Retrieved January 30, 2009)
  13. Web site: Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts. de. GfK Entertainment. offiziellecharts.de. November 30, 2021.
  14. Web site: Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1995. Dutch Top 40. November 30, 2021.
  15. Web site: End of Year Charts 1995. Recorded Music NZ. December 3, 2017.
  16. Web site: Årslista Singlar – År 1995. Sverigetopplistan. sv. November 30, 2021.
  17. Web site: Billboard Top 100 - 1995 . August 27, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090815124541/http://longboredsurfer.com/charts.php?year=1995 . August 15, 2009 .
  18. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 1995. Billboard. November 30, 2021. August 3, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150803035313/http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1995/hot-r-b-hip-hop-songs. dead.