| "Give It Up" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byPublic Enemy | ||||
| from the albumMuse Sick-n-Hour Mess Age | ||||
| Released | August 1994 | |||
| Recorded | 1993 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 4:44 | |||
| Label | Def Jam | |||
| Songwriters |
| |||
| Producer | Gary G-Wiz | |||
| Public Enemy singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Give It Up" onYouTube | ||||
"Give It Up" is a song by Americanhip hop groupPublic Enemy, released in August 1994 byDef Jam Recordings as the first single from their fifth album,Muse Sick-n-Hour Mess Age (1994).[1] It was co-written and produced byGary G-Wiz, and became their highest-peaking song on the USBillboardHot 100, reaching number 33. The accompanying music video was nominated for Clip of the Year in the category for Rap at the 1994Billboard Music Video Awards.[2]
Brad Beatnik from theRecord Mirror Dance Update named "Give It Up" Tune of the Week in June 1994, writing, "O Boy, it's such a thrill to hear this bunch again particularly when they come back with something as fresh as this. The combination ofChuck D andFlavor Flav on the mic still sounds totally unique as they lead a fairly laid-back but joyous twanging guitar-flavoured chant about the bad things in life. The Dirty Drums In Memphis Mix emphasises the rhythms and both mixes help put PE back at the top of the rap pack."[3] Tony Cross fromSmash Hits gave it a full score of five out of five and named it Best New Single, saying, "'Give It Up' is about destruction on the street: fighting for self-respect and unity against the evils of crack and gratuitous gun violence. This could only be carried off in such a homie party style by a band as masterly as this. AsSteve Wright says, this deserves "much respect"!"[4]Charles Aaron fromSpin noted, "A groove deep enough to rumble suburban asphalt, a rap deep enough to humble studio gangstas, and the best hoops rhyme of the year".[5]
| Chart (1994) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[6] | 16 |
| Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[7] | 16 |
| France (SNEP)[8] | 36 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[9] | 36 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[10] | 36 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[11] | 14 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[12] | 37 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[13] | 18 |
| UK Dance (OCC) | 11 |
| UK Dance (Music Week)[14] | 11 |
| UK Club Chart (Music Week)[15] | 73 |
| USBillboardHot 100[16] | 33 |
| USHot Rap Singles (Billboard) | 5 |
| USHot R&B Singles (Billboard)[17] | 30 |
| USMaxi-Singles Sales (Billboard)[18] | 4 |
