Shut 'em Down (Onyx song) explained

Shut 'Em Down
Cover:	Shut em Down.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Onyx featuring DMX
Album:	Shut 'Em Down
B-Side:	Raze It Up
Released:	February 3, 1998 https://books.google.com/books?id=fQ0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA28
Recorded:	1997
Studio:	Sound On Sound Studios, NYC
Genre:	Hardcore hip hop
Length:	3:58
Label:	JMJ Def Jam
Producer:	Self
Chronology:	Onyx
Prev Title:	The Worst
Prev Year:	1997
Next Title:	React
Next Year:	1998

"Shut 'Em Down" is a song by American hip hop group Onyx. It was released on February 3, 1998, by Def Jam and JMJ Records as the second single from Onyx's third album, Shut 'Em Down. The song featured labelmate DMX.

Produced by Self, Shut 'Em Down was successful on the R&B and rap charts, peaking at 61 on the US Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and 43 on the US Hot Rap Singles.

The official remix, which also appeared on the Shut 'Em Down album, featured rappers, Noreaga and Big Pun and was featured in the 2005 video game, .

Background

In the interview on "White Label Radio", Fredro Starr told a story about how Onyx recorded the title track. DMX came to the NYC's studio, "Sound On Sound Studios, to record the song "Shut 'Em Down" accompanied by his pitbulls and members of Ruff Ryders, but on the shooting of a video in Downtown Los Angeles, he arrived alone with the dogs!^[1]

Music video

The music video was directed by Gregory Dark and was filmed in Downtown Los Angeles on December, 1997 and was released on "The BOX" in February 1998.^[2]

The video can be found on the 2008's DVD Onyx: 15 Years Of Videos, History And Violence.^[3]

In popular culture

• In 2001, instrumental of this song was used in Santa Cruz - Uprising, the movie by Santa Cruz Skateboards about skateboarding.^[4]
• In 2005, "Shut 'Em Down (Remix)" has been featured in the video game .^[5]

Tribute

In 2012, the Mongolian hip-hop group Ice Top recorded a cover version of the song "Shut 'Em Down Remix" by Onyx called "Shartai" and then filmed a video for this track.^[6]

In 2017, in honor of 19th anniversary of Onyx's album "Shut 'Em Down" Atlanta's rapper Sick Flo, who also a member of Onyx's movement "100 MAD", released a tribute video "Shut 'Em Down".^[7]

Releases

Single was released with a promo sticker "From the forthcoming album 'Shut 'Em Down' in stores March 17, 1998".

12" vinyl single track listing

A-Side:

1. "Shut 'Em Down" (Radio Edit)- 3:26 (featuring DMX)
2. "Shut 'Em Down" (LP Version)- 3:59 (featuring DMX)
3. "Shut 'Em Down" (Instrumental)- 3:53

B-Side:

1. "Raze It Up" (Radio Edit)- 4:03
2. "Raze It Up" (LP Version)- 4:03
3. "Raze It Up" (Instrumental)- 4:03

C-Side:

1. "Throw Ya Gunz" (Radio Edit)- 3:16
2. "Throw Ya Gunz" (LP Version)- 4:02
3. "Throw Ya Gunz" (Instrumental)- 4:12
4. "Shifftee" (LP Version)- 3:18

D-Side:

1. "Last Dayz" (Radio Edit)- 3:32
2. "Last Dayz" (LP Version)- 3:31
3. "Last Dayz" (Instrumental)- 3:31
4. "Evil Streets" (Remix)- 4:18 (featuring Method Man)

CD promo single track listing

1. "Shut 'Em Down" (Radio Edit)- 3:26

Samples

• "Vieillir" by Jacques Brel

Personnel

• Onyx - performer, vocals
• Fredro Starr - performer, vocals, producer ("Last Dayz")
• Sticky Fingaz - performer, vocals
• Sonny Seeza - performer, vocals
• Self - producer ("Shut 'Em Down")
• Ken "DURO" Ifill - engineer ("Shut 'Em Down")
• DJ LS One - engineer, scratches ("Shut 'Em Down")
• Tom Coyne - mastering
• Keith Horne - producer ("Raze It Up")
• Don Elliot - engineer ("Raze It Up", "Last Dayz")
• Chyskillz - producer ("Shifftee", "Throw Ya Gunz")
• Troy Hightower - engineer ("Throw Ya Gunz")
• Norman Bullard - assistant engineer ("Throw Ya Gunz")
• Jam Master Jay - producer ("Shifftee")
• Rich July - engineer ("Shifftee", "Throw Ya Gunz")
• Swift - engineer ("Evil Streets" (Remix))

Charts

Chart	Position
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks (Billboard)^[8]	61
US Hot Rap Singles (Billboard)^[9]	43
US Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales (Billboard)^[10]	26
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)^[11]	136

References

1. Web site: Fredro Starr Speaks With White Label Radio (Los Angeles) [April 16, 2015] - 19:19]. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/_RhFaIqD9aw . 2021-12-15 . live. youtube.com . 28 April 2015 . 2018-10-06.
2. Web site: Onyx feat. DMX - Shut 'em down. mvdbase.com . 2018-10-06.
3. Web site: Onyx: 15 Years of Videos, History & Violence (2008). imdb.com . 2018-10-06.
4. Web site: Santa Cruz - Uprising (2011). skatevideosite.com . 2018-10-06.
5. Web site: Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (2005 Video Game) - Soundtracks. imdb.com . 2018-10-06.
6. Web site: Ice Top "Shartai" (Music Video). https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/DTEhkVAYhmA . 2021-12-15 . live. youtube.com . 5 August 2012 . 2018-08-31.
7. Web site: Sick Flo - Shut 'Em Down (Freestyle) (Music Video). facebook.com . 2018-08-31.
8. Web site: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard) March 21, 1998. https://web.archive.org/web/20180902020515/https://www.billboard.com/music/onyx/chart-history/r-b-hip-hop-songs/song/55000. dead. September 2, 2018. billboard.com . 2018-10-06.
9. Web site: Hot Rap Songs (Billboard) February 7, 1998. https://web.archive.org/web/20180902053746/https://www.billboard.com/music/onyx/chart-history/rap-song/song/55000. dead. September 2, 2018. billboard.com . 2018-10-06.
10. Web site: Hot Dance Music (Billboard) February 28, 1998. 28 February 1998. 2018-10-06.
11. Web site: Chart Log UK 1994–2010: The O – Ozric Tentacles. Tobias Zywietz. zobbel.de. 2021-01-03. Zywietz, Tobias.

External links

• Shut 'Em Down at RapGenius
• Shut 'Em Down at Discogs