The Rapper Explained

The Rapper
Cover:	The Rapper (1970 The Jaggerz single).png
Type:	single
Artist:	The Jaggerz
Album:	We Went to Different Schools Together
B-Side:	Born Poor
Released:	January 1970^[1]
Genre:	Rock, pop
Length:	2:41
Label:	Kama Sutra KA 502
Producer:	Sixuvus Productions
Prev Title:	Need Your Love
Prev Year:	1970
Next Title:	I Call My Baby Candy
Next Year:	1970

"The Rapper" is a song by The Jaggerz, written by band member Donnie Iris.^[2] Released as a single, it reached No. 2 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart, behind Simon & Garfunkel's smash "Bridge Over Troubled Water" on 20 March 1970, it reached No. 1 on the Record World Singles chart.^[3] It was certified Gold by the RIAA in 1970 (see 1970 in music) for selling over a million copies.^[4]

Background

The song is addressed to a girl, or girls in general; it describes the method of a man who seduces women with untruths ("rapping"). The singer says, "You know what he's after"; he concludes by saying there comes a point at which the man has his target where he wants her, and the girl has to "face reality". The record ends with a small burst of applause heard in the studio.

The "rapper" of the title and "rappin'" in the lyrics have only some coincidental resemblance to the vocal style of rapping.^[5]

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (1970)	Peak position
Australian (Kent Music Report)^[6]	32
Canada RPM^[7]	3
U.S. Billboard Hot 100^[8]	2
U.S. Cash Box Top 100^[9]	2
U.S. Record World Singles	1

Year-end charts

Chart (1970)	Rank
Canada ^[10]	48
U.S. Billboard Hot 100^[11]	45
U.S. Cash Box Top 100^[12]	34

Covers

"The Rapper" has been covered by two Jaggerz members. Since beginning his solo career, Donnie Iris has covered the song numerous times in concert. Additionally, live recordings of the song have appeared on his compilation albums.

Also, "The Rapper" was covered by Jimmie Ross during the time period when The Jaggerz weren't together. Additionally, the single was covered by Wolfman Jack. Canadian hard rock trio Santers recorded the song for their 1981 debut album Shot Down In Flames.

Album appearances

• We Went to Different Schools Together, 1970 (The Jaggerz)
• Live! At Nick's Fat City, 1998 (Donnie Iris)
• 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of Donnie Iris, 2001 (Donnie Iris)
• Re-Rapped by Request, 2001 (The Jaggerz)
• Ah! Live!, 2009 (Donnie Iris)
• Full Circle, 2010 (Jimmie Ross)

See also

• List of 1970s one-hit wonders in the United States

Notes and References

1. Book: Popoff, Martin . Martin Popoff . 2009 . Goldmine Price Guide to 45 RPM Records . Krause Publications . 357 . 978-0-89689-958-2 .
2. Web site: . The Rapper . YouTube . 19 September 2023 . en . Provided to YouTube by Sony Music Entertainment.
3. News: Tady . Scott . 50 years ago, the Jaggerz topped the charts . 21 September 2023 . The Beaver County Times.
4. Book: Murrells, Joseph . The Book of Golden Discs . 1978 . 2nd . Barrie and Jenkins Ltd . London . 262 . 0-214-20512-6 . limited . 2022-01-21.
5. Web site: The Rapper by The Jaggerz . 2019-05-27 . 2019-05-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190527035647/https://www.songfacts.com/facts/the-jaggerz/the-rapper . live .
6. Book: Kent, David . David Kent (historian) . Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 . illustrated . Australian Chart Book . St Ives, N.S.W. . 1993 . 0-646-11917-6 . 153.
7. Web site: RPM Top 100 Singles - March 28, 1970.
8. Web site: March 21, 1970 . . 2022-01-21 . 2018-02-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180205193630/https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/1970-03-21 . live .
9. Web site: Top 100 1970-03-21 . . 2015-11-26 . 2013-03-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130302011422/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/70s_files/19700321.html . live .
10. Web site: Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada . collectionscanada.gc.ca . 17 July 2013 . 5 July 2017 . 28 August 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170828112032/http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.3740&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.3740.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.3740 . live .
11. Web site: Top 100 Hits of 1970/Top 100 Songs of 1970 . Musicoutfitters.com . 2016-10-03 . 2017-10-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171010063344/http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1970.htm . live .
12. Web site: Top 100 Year End Charts: 1970 . . 2016-07-07 . 2012-09-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120922141548/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/70s_files/1970YESP.html . dead .