In da Club (2003)

"In da Club" is a song by American rapper 50 Cent from his debut studio album Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2003). Written by 50 Cent alongside producers Dr. Dre and Mike Elizondo, the song, which uses an unconventional off-beat rhythm, was released to digital download in the United States on January 7, 2003, as the album's lead single and peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming 50 Cent's first number-one single.

"In da Club" received praise from critics; at the 46th Grammy Awards, it was nominated for Best Male Rap Solo Performance and Best Rap Song. The accompanying music video for "In Da Club" won Best Rap Video and Best New Artist at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards. In 2009, the song was listed at number 24 in Billboard's Hot 100 Songs of the Decade. It was listed at number 13 in Rolling Stone's "Best Songs of the Decade". In 2010, it was ranked 448th in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list. It was performed by 50 Cent in the Super Bowl LVI halftime show on February 13, 2022.

Background

After 50 Cent was discovered by fellow rapper Eminem in 2002, he flew to Los Angeles where he was introduced to record producer Dr. Dre. "In da Club" was the first of seven tracks he recorded in five days with Dr. Dre. 50 Cent described the studio sessions, saying: Dre, he'll play dope beats ... [He'll say], 'These are the hits, 50. So pick one of these and make a couple of singles or something.' The very first time he heard [me rap on] 'In Da Club' he said, 'Yo, I didn't think you was going to go there with it, but, you know, it works.' He was probably thinking of going in a different direction with that song. Then he expanded it into a hit record.

Dr. Dre and Mike Elizondo created the production that became "In da Club" around "six months before" its release, as one of five productions developed from the same drum programming. It was originally given to the hip-hop group D12 for a potential contribution to the 8 Mile soundtrack (2002), but the group passed it on as they did not know how to approach the song. It was also offered to fellow Aftermath artist Rakim, but due to creative tensions with Dr. Dre his version was never released. Immediately taking a liking to the production upon hearing it, 50 Cent wrote all the song's lyrics in around an hour. Since much of the content on Get Rich or Die Tryin' was "dark", he wanted to write material that was "the exact opposite". He called the song a "celebration of life. Every day it's relevant all over 'cause every day is someone's birthday." According to Sha Money XL, 50 Cent developed the chorus from a lyric by his G-Unit colleague Lloyd Banks ("Find me in the club, bottle full of Bubb"), observing that "Fifty heard it and knew how to make it a hook and make it hot".

50 Cent first recorded the track with only the drum beat present, in the basement studio of Sha Money XL's home in Long Island. It was then re-recorded two weeks later in the Los Angeles sessions, where Dr. Dre and Elizondo also added additional synths and an eight-note guitar section. Elizondo told Vibe in 2013 that "We didn't want to layer it with too much stuff to clutter it up ... Dre was using the concept of 'less is more', but make it sound as big as possible".

Critical reception

"In da Club" received universal acclaim by music critics. AllMusic described it as "a tailor-made mass-market good-time single". The Source called the song a "guaranteed party starter" with its "blaring horns, funky organs, guitar riffs and sparse hand claps". The BBC also wrote that the song is "a spectacular party anthem" that "highlights 50 Cent's ability to twist his words effortlessly". Entertainment Weekly noted that 50 Cent "boasts unashamedly of his career objectives and newly flush bank account" with lyrics such as "I'm feelin' focus, man, my money on my mind/Got a mil out the deal and I'm still on the grind."

Rolling Stone wrote that the song sports "a spare yet irresistible synth hook augmented by a tongue-twisting refrain".The Guardian called the track "irresistible" due to its "sparse orchestral samples and snaking chorus", and Pitchfork Media said, "the bounce on 'In da Club' is straight-up irresistible, Dre at both minimalist best and most deceptively infectious." Splendid magazine called the song an "insanely catchy" single with its "stanky, horn-addled thump". The track was listed at number ten on Blender magazine's "The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born". In 2008, it was ranked at number 18 on VH1's "100 Greatest Hip Hop Songs".

Chart performance

Dr. Dre produced "If I Can't". But Em wanted "In da Club". In the end they were deadlocked, so they asked me and I told them, real quiet, "In da Club'."