"Chief Rocka" is the third single released from the Lords of the Underground's debut album, Here Come the Lords. The song was produced and featured scratches by K-Def, with K-Def and Marley Marl mixing it. "Chief Rocka" became the group's most successful single and has become their signature song.[1] It peaked at #55 on the Billboard Hot 100, the group's highest appearance on that chart, and went to #1 on the Hot Rap Singles. The song has been sampled several times, including on The Notorious B.I.G.'s song "Machine Gun Funk" from his 1994 album Ready to Die,[2] and on Kanye West's "Guilt Trip" from his 2013 album Yeezus, which contains an interpolation of "Chief Rocka" chorus.[3]

"Chief Rocka"
Single by Lords of the Underground
from the album Here Come the Lords
ReleasedJune 3, 1993
Recorded1992
GenreBoom bap
Length4:07
Label
Songwriter(s)Al'Terik Wardrick, Dupré Kelly, Kevin Hansford, Marlon Williams
Producer(s)K-Def
Lords of the Underground singles chronology
"Funky Child"
(1993)
"Chief Rocka"
(1993)
"Here Come the Lords"
(1993)
Music video
"Chief Rocka" on YouTube

Single track listing edit

A-Side edit

  1. "Chief Rocka" (Rumblin' Mix) – 4:07
  2. "Chief Rocka" (Instrumental) – 4:07
  3. "Chief Rocka" (Beat-A-Pella) – 4:04

B-Side edit

  1. "Chief Rocka" (Jazzy Underground Mix) – 4:04
  2. "Chief Rocka" (Video Version) – 4:07
  3. "Chief Rocka" (Mixshow DJ Mix) – 4:04

Personnel edit

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.[4]

Charts edit

Chart (1993) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[5] 55
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs[6] 35
US Hot Rap Singles[7] 1
US Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales[8] 10

References edit

  1. ^ Elibert, Mark (15 June 2022). "Redman Congratulates DoItAll Of Lords Of The Underground On City Council Win". HipHopDX. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  2. ^ Partridge, Kenneth (12 September 2014). "The Notorious B.I.G.'s 'Ready to Die' at 20: Classic Track-by-Track Album Review". Billboard. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  3. ^ Kaufman, Gil. "Kanye West 'Yeezus' Track List Revealed?". MTV. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  4. ^ Lords of the Underground (1993). Chief Rocka (liner notes). Pendulum Records. 0-66302.
  5. ^ "Billboard Hot 100 – Week of September 4, 1993". Billboard. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  6. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Week of October 9, 1993". Billboard. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  7. ^ "Hot Rap Songs – Week of October 2, 1993". Billboard. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  8. ^ "Dance Singles Sales – Week of October 2, 1993". Billboard. Retrieved 14 July 2023.