"I Used to Love H.E.R." is a hip hop song by the Chicago-born rapper Common Sense. Released in September 27, 1994 as the lead single from his second studio album Resurrection, "I Used to Love H.E.R." has since become one of Common's best known songs. Produced by No I.D., its jazzy beat samples "The Changing World" by George Benson. It is often regarded as one of the greatest hip hop recordings ever.[2][3][4]
| "I Used to Love H.E.R." | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Common Sense | ||||
| from the album Resurrection | ||||
| B-side | "Communism" | |||
| Released | September 27, 1994 | |||
| Recorded | 1994 Battery Studios[1] (Chicago, Illinois) | |||
| Genre | Hip hop, jazz rap | |||
| Length | 4:39 | |||
| Label | Relativity Records | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Lonnie Lynn Jr., Dion Wilson | |||
| Producer(s) | No I.D. | |||
| Common Sense singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "I Used to Love H.E.R." on YouTube | ||||
Acclaim and legacy
editTiffany Hamilton of AllHipHop.com described it as a "timeless ode to Hip-Hop [...] that established Common as one of the pioneers in conscious Hip-Hop."[5] Vukile Simelane of RapReviews.com claims it to have one of the "fattest beat[s] ever constructed".[6] Alex Henderson of Allmusic considers it to be the standout track on Resurrection.[7] Duke University professor Mark Anthony Neal considers it to be Common's best single ever.[8] Andrea Duncan-Mao of XXL describes it as a "bittersweet ode to hip-hop" and a "classic" track.[9] Pitchfork's Ryan Dombal considers it to be a "classic hip-hop parable".[10] In 2008, the song was ranked number 69 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop. It was ranked number 1 on About.com's Greatest Rap Songs Of All Time.[11]
Remixes
edit- 9th Wonder, a producer from North Carolina, remixed "I Used to Love H.E.R." and released the remix as a single. Independent record label Boom Bap Records distributed the single, which contained "The 6th Sense" as a B-side.
Music video
editThe music video was filmed on September 20, 1994 and directed by Chris Halliburton. It shows clips of Common's home of Southside Chicago and a woman, who is the main subject of the video because of the extended metaphor. It shows how she "became a gangster" when this woman is seen with two other gangster-looking women in allusion to the rise of gangsta rap.
Track listing
editA-side
edit- "I Used to Love H.E.R." (4:29)
- "I Used to Love H.E.R. (Instrumental)" (4:43)
- "I Used to Love H.E.R. (Acapella)"
B-side
edit- "Communism (2:16)"
- "Communism (Instrumental)" (2:39)
- "Communism (Acapella)"
Chart positions
edit| Chart (1994) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | 91 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Rap Singles | 31 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Insanul Ahmed, Andrew Barber, Keenan Higgins (2011-10-29). "The Making of Common's "Resurrection"". Complex. Retrieved 2019-10-30.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "100 Greatest Rap Songs at About.com". Archived from the original on April 5, 2015. Retrieved March 25, 2007.
- ^ "Top 100 Greatest Hip-Hop/Rap Singles of All Time at Top40-Charts.com". Retrieved March 25, 2007.
- ^ "The Source's 100 Best Rap Singles at Rocklist.net". Retrieved March 25, 2007.
- ^ Hamilton, Tiffany. "AllHipHop Feature - Common: Invocation". Archived from the original on April 5, 2007. Retrieved April 22, 2007.
- ^ Simelane, Vukile. "Resurrection Review at RapReviews.com". Retrieved March 25, 2007.
- ^ Henderson, Alex. "Resurrection Review at Allmusic". Retrieved March 25, 2007.
- ^ Neal, Mark Anthony. "Like Water for Chocolate Review at PopMatters.com". Retrieved April 27, 2007.
- ^ Duncan-Mao, Andrea. "XXL Magazine Features: Common". Retrieved May 24, 2007.
- ^ Dombal, Ryan. "Be Review at PitchforkMedia.com". Archived from the original on June 3, 2007. Retrieved May 24, 2007.
- ^ Adaso, Henry. "100 Greatest Rap Songs". rap.about.com. Archived from the original on April 5, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2013.