Dirt off Your Shoulder

"Dirt off Your Shoulder" is the second single released from Jay-Z's 2003 album The Black Album.

"Dirt off Your Shoulder"
Single by Jay-Z
from the album The Black Album
ReleasedMarch 2, 2004
Recorded2003
GenreEast Coast hip hop
Length3:59
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Timbaland
Jay-Z singles chronology
"Change Clothes"
(2003)		 "Dirt off Your Shoulder"
(2004)		 "99 Problems"
(2004)

In 2004, the song was combined with the Linkin Park single "Lying from You" and released as a single for the mash-up album Collision Course.

The track references the first bars of Scarlatti's Sonata in F minor, although the time signature is changed.

Political influence

On April 17, 2008, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama referenced the song in gesture, in response to sharp attacks from his then-rival Hillary Clinton and a debate which was widely criticized for focusing on campaign gaffes rather than on candidates' policy positions.[1][2] Referencing his opponents' "textbook Washington" tactics, focusing on personal attacks and trivial issues, Obama used Jay-Z's hand signal to "brush the dirt" off his shoulders.[3] When asked whether Obama was deliberately referencing the song, a campaign spokesman said, "He has some Jay-Z on his iPod."[4]

Clinton later made the same gesture during her appearance before the House Select Committee on Benghazi.[5]

Formats and track listings

A-Side
  1. Dirt off Your Shoulder (Radio Edit)
  2. Dirt off Your Shoulder (LP)
  3. Dirt off Your Shoulder (Instrumental)

B-Side
  1. Encore (Radio Edit)
  2. Encore (LP)
  3. Encore (Instrumental)

99 Problems/Dirt off Your Shoulder, Pt. 1
  1. 99 Problems (Explicit)
  2. Dirt off Your Shoulder (Explicit)

99 Problems/Dirt off Your Shoulder, Pt. 2
  1. 99 Problems (Explicit)
  2. Dirt off Your Shoulder (Explicit)
  3. 99 Problems (Video)
  4. Dirt off Your Shoulder (Video)

99 Problems/Dirt off Your Shoulder, Vinyl

A-Side

  1. 99 Problems (Explicit)
  2. 99 Problems (Clean)

B-Side

  1. Dirt off Your Shoulder (Explicit)
  2. Dirt off Your Shoulder (Clean)

Charts

In the U.S. the song peaked at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 making it Jay-Z's third highest peak on the chart (tied with "Swagga Like Us").

Chart (2004) Peak
position
Canadian Singles Chart 6
Ireland (IRMA) 23
UK Singles (OCC)[6] 12
US Billboard Hot 100[7] 5
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[8] 3
US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[9] 2

Year-end charts
Chart (2004) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100 21

See also

References
  1. Kurtz, Howard (2008-04-18). "Performance By ABC's Moderators Is a Matter Of Debate". Washington Post. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
  2. Whitcomb, Dan (2008-04-18). "ABC criticized for handling of Democratic debate". Reuters. Retrieved 2008-04-19.
  3. Melber, Ari (2008-04-17). "Obama Meets Jay-Z in YouTube Mashup Slamming Clinton & Debate". The Nation. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
  4. Wiltz, Teresa (2008-04-19). "Obama Has Jay-Z on His IPod and The Moves To Prove It". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2008-04-19.
  5. Reilly, Mollie (2015-10-22). "Hillary Clinton Gets That Dirt Off Her Shoulder". HuffPost. Retrieved 2019-03-22.
  6. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  7. "Jay-Z Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  8. "Jay-Z Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
  9. "Jay-Z Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard.
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