| "Ain't No Nigga" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single byJay-Z featuringFoxy Brown | ||||
| from the albumReasonable DoubtandThe Nutty Professor | ||||
| Released | March 19, 1996 | |||
| Recorded | 1995 | |||
| Genre | East Coast hip-hop | |||
| Length | 4:03 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriters |
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| Producer | Big Jaz | |||
| Jay-Z singles chronology | ||||
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| Foxy Brown singles chronology | ||||
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| Big Jaz singles chronology | ||||
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"Ain't No Nigga" (edited as "Ain't No Playa") is the second single from American rapperJay-Z's first album,Reasonable Doubt, and is featured on thesoundtrack to the 1996 filmThe Nutty Professor. It was released on March 19, 1996. The track featuresFoxy Brown and contains uncredited vocals byJaz-O.
The song's beat is produced byBig Jaz whosamples "Seven Minutes of Funk" by the funk band The Whole Darn Family. The song's chorus was sung by Jaz-O, andinterpolates "Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got)" by theFour Tops. The "Ain't No Nigga" single goes under the clean alias"Ain't No Playa".Foxy Brown was 17 at the time when the song was released.
Citing the funky production and lyrics about unfaithful relationships, Spence D. ofIGN describes it as "one of the better opposite sex rap duets ever laid on wax."[1]
"Ain't No Nigga" is cited as playing a significant role in securing Jay-Z's record deal[2] withDef Jam. According to Sony BMG A&RNick Raphael, "Will Socolof of Freeze Records sent me a CD and a video and said to me, "This guy is incredible, but he needs a bigger label to take over. Are you interested?" The record he sent to me was "Ain't No Nigga" and I went crazy, thinking that I had to sign him!"[2]
The music video of the song, which was shot inMiami, starts with a scene similar to a scene of the filmScarface. It is the second time the album references the film, the first with the start of "Can't Knock the Hustle". The music video features cameos byThe Notorious B.I.G.,Irv Gotti, andMic Geronimo.
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| Chart (1996) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| USBillboard Hot 100[3] | 50 |
| USHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[4] | 17 |
| USHot Rap Songs (Billboard)[5] | 4 |
| USR&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (Billboard)[6] | 24 |
