"Hate Me Now" is the second and final single by rapper Nas featuring Sean Combs (performing as Puff Daddy), from Nas' third studio album I Am.... The backbeat is inspired by, and contains some samples from, Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana". It was ranked 119 on XXL's 250 Best Songs of the 1990s.[1]

"Hate Me Now"
US cover
Single by Nas featuring Diddy
from the album I Am...
B-side
ReleasedApril 6, 1999 (1999-04-06)
Recorded1998
GenreHip hop
Length4:44
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)
  • Jones
  • Gavin Marchand
Producer(s)
Nas singles chronology
"Nas Is Like"
(1999)
"Hate Me Now"
(1999)
"Did You Ever Think"
(1999)
Puff Daddy singles chronology
"Come with Me"
(1998)
"Hate Me Now"
(1999)
"P.E. 2000"
(1999)
Music video
"Hate Me Now" on YouTube

Production and release edit

In a 2007 interview with Rolling Stone, Nas recalled the making of the song: "It was a track D-Moet produced for Foxy Brown, and she didn't want the record, she didn't like it. It fit with my album, I Am..., so I did the D-Moet track and it sounded perfect for Puff to be on, so I gave it to him, went to the studio, and he rocked it, knocked it out."[2]

"Hate Me Now" was released as a single in the U.S. by Columbia Records on April 6, 1999.[3]

Composition edit

Biographer Ronin Ro describes Combs's persona in "Hate Me Now" as "the angry young rapper battling jealous critics," a theme that would influence Combs's 1999 album Forever.[4] The beat samples "Carmina Burana" by Carl Orff.[5]

Critical reception edit

For RapReviews.com, Steve Juon said that "Hate Me Now" was the "only truly overpowering song" from I Am...: "It may be yet another mad track about playa hating, but the rebuttal of the hate is crisp and well defined - owing little to cliche."[6] In 2013, Complex ranked the "Hate Me Now" video no. 8 in its "50 Best Rap Videos of the '90s" list.[7]

Music video and Sean Combs controversy edit

The music video for the single, directed by Hype Williams and featuring Nas being crucified, was the subject of extreme controversy, as the original edit also featured Sean Combs, then known as Puff Daddy, on the cross.[8] Puffy, who was a Catholic, had demanded that his crucifixion scene be excluded from the broadcast edit of the video. However, the wrong edit was incorrectly sent to MTV, which aired that version on the April 15, 1999, edition of TRL.[9][8][10] Within minutes of the broadcast, Combs had barged into the offices of Nas' former manager, Steve Stoute, with several bodyguards, and struck Stoute over the head with a champagne bottle.[11] In June 1999, Stoute sued Combs, resulting in a $500,000 out-of-court settlement from Combs.[12]

Use in media edit

Charts edit

Weekly charts edit

Chart (1999) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[24] 62
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[25] 18
US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[26] 8
US R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (Billboard)[41] 11

References edit

  1. ^ XXL Magazine (2011). XXL Special Edition "250 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs 1990-1999: Rap's Best Decade Ever. Harris. ASIN B0054LSF0W.
  2. ^ Serpick, Evan. "Nas' "Greatest Hits": A Track-By-Track Journey". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 17, 2007. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  3. ^ "Hate Me Now - Nas | Releases | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  4. ^ Ro, Ronin (2001). Bad Boy: The Influence of Sean "Puffy" Combs on the Music Industry. New York: Pocket Books. p. 153. ISBN 0-7434-2823-4 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ Powers, Ann (June 14, 1999). "Not Medieval but Eternal; In Its Sixth Decade, 'Carmina Burana' Still Echoes". The New York Times. p. E1. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  6. ^ Juon, Steve (April 1999). "Nas: I Am..." RapReviews.com. Archived from the original on January 10, 2001. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  7. ^ Baker, Ernest; et al. (February 24, 2013). "The 50 Best Rap Videos of the '90s". Complex. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  8. ^ a b "Today In Hip-Hop: Nas Premiered Controversial "Hate Me Now" Video On TRL". XXL. 15 April 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  9. ^ Kangas, Chaz (January 10, 2013). "How Have We Not Seen Diddy Crucified in "Hate Me Now?"". The Village Voice. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  10. ^ "Sean "Puffy" Combs Possibly Being Investigated Over Alleged Label Exec Beating". MTV News. April 16, 1999. Archived from the original on August 10, 2001.
  11. ^ O'Connor, Christopher (September 8, 1999). "Puff Daddy Pleads Guilty To Reduced Charge In 'Hate Me Now' Case". Sonicnet. Archived from the original on January 15, 2000. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  12. ^ Frankel, Daniel (June 17, 1999). "Puffy Settles with Battered Record Exec". E! Online. Archived from the original on November 3, 1999. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  13. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 199.
  14. ^ "Nas – Hate Me Now" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  15. ^ "Nas – Hate Me Now" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  16. ^ "Nas – Hate Me Now" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  17. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 30, 1999" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  18. ^ "Nas – Hate Me Now" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  19. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
  20. ^ "Nas – Hate Me Now". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  21. ^ "Nas – Hate Me Now". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  22. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
  23. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  24. ^ a b "Nas Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  25. ^ a b "Nas Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  26. ^ a b "Nas Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  27. ^ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
  28. ^ "Jaarlijsten 1999" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  29. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1999". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
  30. ^ "Ultimate Finale V" (Action, Reality-TV, Sport). Allen Berube, Herb Dean, Nate Diaz, Robert Emerson. 2007-06-23. Retrieved 2020-09-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  31. ^ "UFC 102: Couture vs. Nogueira" (Sport). Randy Couture, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Bruce Buffer, Herb Dean. 2009-08-29. Retrieved 2020-09-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  32. ^ "Dave East on 'Hate Me Now' Mixtape + First Meeting Nas". Youtube. November 12, 2015. Archived from the original on 2021-12-13. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  33. ^ "Girl Talk's 'Hold Up' - Discover the Sample Source". WhoSampled. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
  34. ^ Ali, Reyan (4 April 2014). "The Real King of Pro Wrestling? The Ordinary Video Editor". Wired. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  35. ^ "Ace Hood Freestyles on Funk Flex Pt. 2". Youtube. HOT97. February 6, 2013. Archived from the original on 2021-12-13. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  36. ^ Andem, Julie (2016-11-18). "Escobar Season" (Drama, Romance). Tarjei Sandvik Moe, Henrik Holm, Marlon Valdés Langeland, Ruby Dagnall. Retrieved 2020-09-24.
  37. ^ Sarkar, Samit (July 26, 2013). "NBA 2K14 soundtrack curated by cover athlete LeBron James". Polygon. Archived from the original on July 30, 2013. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
  38. ^ Bell, BreAnna (22 September 2021). "'Dear White People' Final Season Musical Moments, Ranked". Variety. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
  39. ^ GRAN TURISMO - Official Trailer (HD) on YouTube
  40. ^ McArdle, Tommy (2 May 2023). "'Orlando Bloom and David Harbour Train a Video Game Expert for Real-Life Racing in 'Gran Turismo' Trailer". Yahoo News. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  41. ^ "Nas Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved July 27, 2023.

External links edit