"I Shot the Sheriff" was the lead single released from Warren G

Warren G

Warren G , is an American West Coast rapper and hip hop producer. He is also Dr. Dre's half-brother.His biggest hit is the song "Regulate" with Nate Dogg released in 1994...

's second album, Take a Look Over Your Shoulder

Take a Look Over Your Shoulder

Take a Look Over Your Shoulder is the second studio album by the g-funk rapper Warren G. It contains the hit "I Shot the Sheriff" , and the UK hit "Smokin' Me Out"...

. Like his previous single, "I Shot the Sheriff" was a remake of Bob Marley

Bob Marley

Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...

's 1973 classic, "I Shot the Sheriff

I Shot the Sheriff

"I Shot the Sheriff" is a song written by Bob Marley, told from the point of view of a man who admits to having killed the local sheriff, but claims to be falsely accused of having killed the deputy sheriff. He also claims to have acted in self defense when the sheriff tried to shoot him. The...

", which was later covered by Eric Clapton

Eric Clapton

Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...

 in 1974. Warren replaced Marley's original lyrics with his own, though Clapton's version of the song is sampled and R&B singer Nancy Fletcher sings the original chorus. The song was a hit in several countries, in the U.S. it peaked at 20 on the Billboard Hot 100

Billboard Hot 100

The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

 and was certified Gold by the RIAA on May 2, 1997, in the UK it peaked at #2 and in New Zealand, it peaked at #1.

The official remix was produced by EPMD

EPMD

EPMD is an American hip hop group from Brentwood, New York. The group's name is a concatenation of the members' name "E" and "PMD" or an acronym for "Erick and Parrish Making Dollars", referencing its members, emcees Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith...

 member Erick Sermon

Erick Sermon

Erick Sermon , in Bay Shore, New York is an American rapper, musician, and producer.Sermon is best known as half of late-1980s/1990s hip hop group EPMD and for production work. He currently resides in Islandia, New York.- Career :...

, it is based around EPMD's "Strictly Business

Strictly Business (EPMD song)

"Strictly Business" is the debut single by EPMD from their debut album, Strictly Business. Written and produced by the duo, "Strictly Business" became EPMD's first charting single, becoming a minor hit on the R&B charts...

", which also sampled Clapton's version of the song.

A-Side

1. "I Shot The Sheriff" (EPMD Radio Remix)
2. "I Shot the Sheriff" (Original Radio Edit)
3. "What We Go Through" (Radio Edit)

B-Side

1. "I Shot the Sheriff" (EPMD Instrumental)
2. "I Shot the Sheriff" (Instrumental)
3. "What We Go Through" (Instrumental)

Charts

Chart (1997)	Peak position
Billboard Hot 100	20
Billboard Hot R&B / Hip-Hop Songs	16
Billboard Hot Rap Singles	5
UK Singles Chart	2
New Zealand Singles Chart	1