| "Can I Get A... (Soundtrack Version)" | ||||
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 Sticker from shrink wrap of the U.S. 12-inch vinyl single | ||||
| Single byJay-Z featuringJah andAmil | ||||
| from the albumDef Jam's Rush Hour Soundtrack andVol. 2... Hard Knock Life | ||||
| Released | August 22, 1998 (1998-08-22) | |||
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| Length | 5:11 | |||
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| Jay-Z singles chronology | ||||
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| Jah singles chronology | ||||
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| Amil singles chronology | ||||
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"Can I Get A..." is a song recorded by American rapperJay-Z, featuringJa Rule (credited as Jah) andAmil. It was released onDef Jam's Rush Hour Soundtrack in promotion of the filmRush Hour, but also appears on Jay-Z's third albumVol. 2... Hard Knock Life as its first single. The song is produced byIrv Gotti and Lil' Rob. The song is notable for popularizing a young Amil and Ja Rule, as well as becoming one of Jay-Z's most commercially successful singles at the time, peaking at number 19 on theBillboard Hot 100.
The chorus of the original song starts with "Can I Get A 'Fuck You'?", but it was censored to "Can I Get A 'What What'?" for radio airplay. The song deals with the question of whether Jay-Z's girlfriend would stick with him if he weren't wealthy.[2] ProducerIrv Gotti claimed Ja Rule gave Jay-Z the chorus and lyrical flow for the record.[3]
The vinyl "Can I Get A..." single was released in 1998 with two tracks that do not feature Jay-Z:Ja Rule's "Bitch Betta Have My Money" andWu-Tang Clan's "And You Don't Stop". The CD single was released in 1999 with two different tracks that do not feature Jay-Z:Case andJoe's "Faded Pictures" as well asDru Hill andRedman's "How Deep Is Your Love". All songs were included in theRush Hour soundtrack.
Janet Jackson's 2004 song "Strawberry Bounce", from her albumDamita Jo,samples "Can I Get A...".
VH1 ranked "Can I Get A..." at No. 57 in the network's100 Greatest Songs of the 90s.
Chris Penn appears in the video as a bartender.Jermaine Dupri also makes a cameo.
| Chart (1998–1999) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[4] | 36 |
| Germany (GfK)[5] | 12 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[6] | 30 |
| Scotland Singles (OCC)[7] | 55 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[8] | 26 |
| UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[9] | 5 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[10] | 24 |
| USBillboard Hot 100[11] | 19 |
| USHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[12] | 6 |
| USHot Rap Songs (Billboard)[13] | 22 |
| USPop Airplay (Billboard)[14] | 27 |
| USRhythmic Airplay (Billboard)[15] | 2 |
| Chart (1999) | Position |
|---|---|
| Germany (Official German Charts)[16] | 80 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[17] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
Bounce with me, bounce with me, Jay chants in his glossiest club track, an electro-disco gold-digger symposium with Amil speaking up for the ladies.
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