"How High" is a song by American hip hop duo Method Man & Redman, released on August 15, 1995, as the duo's first single. It was originally featured on the soundtrack to the 1995 hip hop documentary film, The Show, and has since appeared on several compilation albums such as The Hip Hop Box and Def Jam's Greatest Hits, among several others. The song, produced by Erick Sermon, is the first official collaboration from longtime friends and East Coast rappers Method Man of Wu-Tang Clan and Redman of Def Squad, marking their debut as a duo. The song performed exceptionally well commercially, reaching number 13 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The single has since been certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[1]
| "How High" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Method Man & Redman | ||||
| from the album The Show: The Soundtrack | ||||
| Released | August 15, 1995 | |||
| Recorded | 1994 | |||
| Genre | East Coast hip hop, alternative hip hop | |||
| Length | 4:41 | |||
| Label | Def Jam | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Reggie Noble, Erick Sermon, Clifford Smith | |||
| Producer(s) | Erick Sermon | |||
| Method Man & Redman singles chronology | ||||
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| Redman singles chronology | ||||
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| Method Man singles chronology | ||||
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Track listing edit
- A-side
- How High (LP Version) (4:41)
- How High (Remix Radio Edit) (3:59)
- B-side
- How High (Remix) (3:59)
- How High (Instrumental) (3:49)
- How High (Acapella) (3:59)
Legacy edit
Redman's vocals on the third verse was sampled on American electro house DJ Armand Van Helden's 1996 single, "The Funk Phenomena". The song was later sampled on Guilty Simpson's "Yikes!".
Charts edit
| Chart (1995) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100[2] | 13 |
| US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs[3] | 10 |
| US Billboard Rap Songs | 2 |
Certifications edit
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[4] | Gold | 500,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
Remix and sequel edit
The duo later remixed the song and included it on their collaborative debut album Blackout! (1999), as well as the soundtrack to their 2001 film, How High. The "How High (Remix)", has a stripped-down sound and contains samples from "Fly Robin Fly", as performed by Silver Convention and "I Am Woman", as performed by The Cover Girls. This remix was also used in the official music video for the song that was released in the summer of 1996.
Also featured on the soundtrack was the song's sequel, simply titled "Part II". It was released as a single in 2001, in promotion for the film. The song samples American R&B singer-songwriter Toni Braxton's "You're Makin' Me High" and peaked at number 72 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Chart placements for "Part II" edit
| Chart (2001–2002) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[5] | 93 |
| Germany (Official German Charts)[6] | 23 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[7] | 54 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[8] | 98 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[9] | 72 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[10] | 28 |
| US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[11] | 5 |
References edit
- ^ RIAA Gold & Platinum Searchable Database – Method Man and Redman. Retrieved September 3, 2009.
- ^ "The Hot 100 Chart".
- ^ "The Hot 100 Chart".
- ^ "American single certifications – Method Man and Redman – How High". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 186.
- ^ "Method Man & Redman – Part II" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
- ^ "Method Man & Redman – Part II". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
- ^ "Method Man & Redman Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
- ^ "Method Man & Redman Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
- ^ "Method Man & Redman Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2012.