One Love (Nas song)
Encyclopedia
"One Love" is a song by American hip hop
rapper Nas
, released October 25, 1994 on Columbia Records
. It was issued as the fifth and final radio single in promotion of his debut studio album Illmatic
(1994). The song was produced by Q-Tip
of A Tribe Called Quest
, who also contributed vocals for the chorus line. According to Nas, the title of the song originates from Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician Bob Marley
's song of the same name
.
"One Love" is composed as a series of letters by Nas to his incarcerated
friends, describing events that have occurred prior to and after the receivers' imprisonment. "One Love" contains samples of the Heath Brothers
' "Smilin' Billy Suite Part II" (1975) and Parliament
's "Come In Out the Rain" (1970). In the song's first verse, Nas references fellow Queensbridge emcee Cormega
, whose rapping career had been put on hold due to his incarceration during the early 1990s. In 2008, VH1
named "One Love" the forty-eighth greatest hip hop song.
, "One Love" samples the double bass and piano from the Heath Brothers
' "Smilin' Billy Suite Part II" (1975) and contains a drum break from Parliament
's "Come In Out the Rain" (1970), which add to the song's mystical and hypnotic soundscape. Lyrically, "One Love" is composed of a series of letters by Nas to incarcerated
friends, recounting mutual acquaintances and events that have occurred since the receiver's imprisonment, including unfaithful girlfriends, emotionally-tortured mothers and underdog loyalty. According to one writer, the phrase "one love" represents street loyalty in the song. Nas later explained that the title of the song originated from Jamaican singer-songwriter Bob Marley
's song of the same name
, which, according to writer Mickey Hess, "echoed the ubiquitous street salutation 'one' (similar to 'peace') used around Nas's neighborhood." In a 1994 article on the distinct styles of East Coast
and West Coast hip hop
, music journalist Touré
referred to "One Love" as an example of the thematic differences between the two regional scenes, stating:
Among those referenced in the song was fellow Queensbridge-based rapper Cormega
("And night time is more trife than ever/What up with Cormega, did you see him, are y'all together?"). Cormega's rapping career had been put on hold due to his incarceration during the early 1990s, before his release in 1995. After delivering "shout-outs to locked down comrades", Nas chastizes a youth who seems destined for prison in the final verse, "Shorty's laugh was cold blooded as he spoke so foul/Only twelve tryin to tell me that he liked my style ... Words of wisdom from Nas, try to rise up above/Keep a eye out for Jake, shorty-wop, one love". Music writer Mickey Hess wrote that "the literary technique Nas most strongly excels in is the one that would seem to be most pedestrian: rhyme", and cited "One Love" as the first display of Nas's "formal inventiveness". The song's lyrical structure has been compared to that of American rapper Eminem
's "Stan
" (2000).
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
rapper Nas
Nas
Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...
, released October 25, 1994 on Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
. It was issued as the fifth and final radio single in promotion of his debut studio album Illmatic
Illmatic
Illmatic is the debut album of American rapper Nas, released April 19, 1994, on Columbia Records. Following his signing to Columbia with the help of MC Serch, recording sessions for the album took place during 1992 to 1993 at Chung King Studios, D&D Recording, Battery Studios, and Unique Recording...
(1994). The song was produced by Q-Tip
Q-Tip (rapper)
Kamaal Ibn John Fareed , better known by his stage name Q-Tip, is an American hip hop artist, producer, singer, and actor from St. Albans, Queens, New York, part of the critically acclaimed group A Tribe Called Quest...
of A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest
A Tribe Called Quest is an American hip hop group, formed in 1985, and is composed of rapper/producer Q-Tip , rapper Phife Dawg , and DJ/producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad. A fourth member, rapper Jarobi White, left the group after their first album but rejoined in 2006...
, who also contributed vocals for the chorus line. According to Nas, the title of the song originates from Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician 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 song of the same name
One Love (Bob Marley song)
"One Love/People Get Ready" is a reggae/rhythm and blues song by Bob Marley & The Wailers from their 1977 album Exodus. It was first recorded in a ska style by Marley's original group, The Wailers, on their 1965 debut album The Wailing Wailers, and a heavily reworked version was included on African...
.
"One Love" is composed as a series of letters by Nas to his incarcerated
Incarceration
Incarceration is the detention of a person in prison, typically as punishment for a crime .People are most commonly incarcerated upon suspicion or conviction of committing a crime, and different jurisdictions have differing laws governing the function of incarceration within a larger system of...
friends, describing events that have occurred prior to and after the receivers' imprisonment. "One Love" contains samples of the Heath Brothers
Heath Brothers
The Heath Brothers was an American jazz group, formed in 1975 by the brothers Jimmy , Percy , and Albert "Tootie" Heath ; and pianist Stanley Cowell in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Tony Purrone and Jimmy's son Mtume joined the group later...
' "Smilin' Billy Suite Part II" (1975) and Parliament
Parliament (band)
Parliament was a funk band most prominent during the 1970s. It and its sister act Funkadelic, both led by George Clinton, began the funk music culture of that decade.-History:...
's "Come In Out the Rain" (1970). In the song's first verse, Nas references fellow Queensbridge emcee Cormega
Cormega
Cory Mckay , better known as Cormega, is an American emcee best known for his vivid and poignant narratives about inner-city life.- Early life :...
, whose rapping career had been put on hold due to his incarceration during the early 1990s. In 2008, VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
named "One Love" the forty-eighth greatest hip hop song.
Composition
Produced by Q-TipQ-Tip (rapper)
Kamaal Ibn John Fareed , better known by his stage name Q-Tip, is an American hip hop artist, producer, singer, and actor from St. Albans, Queens, New York, part of the critically acclaimed group A Tribe Called Quest...
, "One Love" samples the double bass and piano from the Heath Brothers
Heath Brothers
The Heath Brothers was an American jazz group, formed in 1975 by the brothers Jimmy , Percy , and Albert "Tootie" Heath ; and pianist Stanley Cowell in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Tony Purrone and Jimmy's son Mtume joined the group later...
' "Smilin' Billy Suite Part II" (1975) and contains a drum break from Parliament
Parliament (band)
Parliament was a funk band most prominent during the 1970s. It and its sister act Funkadelic, both led by George Clinton, began the funk music culture of that decade.-History:...
's "Come In Out the Rain" (1970), which add to the song's mystical and hypnotic soundscape. Lyrically, "One Love" is composed of a series of letters by Nas to incarcerated
Incarceration
Incarceration is the detention of a person in prison, typically as punishment for a crime .People are most commonly incarcerated upon suspicion or conviction of committing a crime, and different jurisdictions have differing laws governing the function of incarceration within a larger system of...
friends, recounting mutual acquaintances and events that have occurred since the receiver's imprisonment, including unfaithful girlfriends, emotionally-tortured mothers and underdog loyalty. According to one writer, the phrase "one love" represents street loyalty in the song. Nas later explained that the title of the song originated from Jamaican singer-songwriter 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 song of the same name
One Love (Bob Marley song)
"One Love/People Get Ready" is a reggae/rhythm and blues song by Bob Marley & The Wailers from their 1977 album Exodus. It was first recorded in a ska style by Marley's original group, The Wailers, on their 1965 debut album The Wailing Wailers, and a heavily reworked version was included on African...
, which, according to writer Mickey Hess, "echoed the ubiquitous street salutation 'one' (similar to 'peace') used around Nas's neighborhood." In a 1994 article on the distinct styles of East Coast
East Coast hip hop
East Coast hip hop is a regional subgenre of hip hop music that originated in New York City, USA during the 1970s. Hip hop is recognized to have originated and evolved first in the East Coast...
and West Coast hip hop
West Coast hip hop
West Coast hip hop is a hip hop music subgenre that encompasses any artists or music that originates in the westernmost region of the United States, as opposed to East Coast hip hop, based originally in New York alone...
, music journalist Touré
Touré
Touré is an American novelist, essayist, music journalist, cultural critic, and television personality based in New York City. He is the host of Fuse's Hiphop Shop and On The Record...
referred to "One Love" as an example of the thematic differences between the two regional scenes, stating:
Among those referenced in the song was fellow Queensbridge-based rapper Cormega
Cormega
Cory Mckay , better known as Cormega, is an American emcee best known for his vivid and poignant narratives about inner-city life.- Early life :...
("And night time is more trife than ever/What up with Cormega, did you see him, are y'all together?"). Cormega's rapping career had been put on hold due to his incarceration during the early 1990s, before his release in 1995. After delivering "shout-outs to locked down comrades", Nas chastizes a youth who seems destined for prison in the final verse, "Shorty's laugh was cold blooded as he spoke so foul/Only twelve tryin to tell me that he liked my style ... Words of wisdom from Nas, try to rise up above/Keep a eye out for Jake, shorty-wop, one love". Music writer Mickey Hess wrote that "the literary technique Nas most strongly excels in is the one that would seem to be most pedestrian: rhyme", and cited "One Love" as the first display of Nas's "formal inventiveness". The song's lyrical structure has been compared to that of American rapper Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
's "Stan
Stan (song)
"Stan" is the third single from The Marshall Mathers LP, by rapper Eminem featuring Dido. It peaked at number one in the United Kingdom and Australia. It is also included on Curtain Call: The Hits, performed with Eminem and Dido as well track 17 on Curtain Call: The Hits as a live Performance from...
" (2000).
Restrospect
From artist:A-side
- "One Love" (Album Version) (5:23)
- "One Love" (Radio Edit) (5:23)
- "One Love" (Album Instrumental) (5:23)
- "One Love" (Acappella) (5:21)
B-side
- "One Love" (LG Main Mix) (5:33)
- Produced by The LG Experience
- "One Love" (LG Radio Edit) (4:29)
- "One Love" (LG Instrumental) (2:06)
- "One Love" (One L Main Mix) (5:43)
- Produced by Godfather DonGodfather DonGodfather Don is a New York City hip hop record producer. He was in Cenobites with Kool Keith and The Groove Merchantz with Victor Padilla, The Beatnuts production team. He has been "a creative force within New York City's underground hip-hop scene" since he appeared with debut in...
and Victor Padilla
- Produced by Godfather Don
- "One Love" (One L Radio Edit) (4:48)
- "One Love" (One L Instrumental) (1:55)
Charts
| Chart (1994) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Hot Rap Tracks | 24 |
| US Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales Hot Dance Singles Sales Hot Dance Singles Sales is a chart released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States, established in 1985. It measures the sale of commercially released singles that deal with dance music and remixes... |
6 |