Flava in Ya Ear

"Flava in Ya Ear"
Single by Craig Mack
from the album Project: Funk da World
Released	July 2, 1994
Recorded	1994
Studio	The Hit Factory, New York City
Genre	Hardcore hip hop
Length	3:38
Label	Bad Boy Arista
Songwriter(s)	Craig Mack
Producer(s)	Easy Mo Bee
Craig Mack singles chronology
"You Don't Have to Worry " (1993) "Flava in Ya Ear" (1994) "Flava in Ya Ear (Remix)" (1994)
Music video
"Flava in Ya Ear" on YouTube

"Flava in Ya Ear" is a song by American rapper Craig Mack. It was released as the lead single from his debut studio album Project: Funk da World on July 2, 1994, by Bad Boy Records and Arista Records. It was remixed with the addition of rappers The Notorious B.I.G., Rampage, LL Cool J and Busta Rhymes.

The single peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100.[1] It was certified Platinum by the RIAA and has sold over 1,000,000 copies in the United States.[2][3] The song received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Solo Performance at the 37th Grammy Awards in 1995, losing to "U.N.I.T.Y." by Queen Latifah. It was ranked as the 422nd greatest song of all time by Rolling Stone Magazine in 2021.[4] The beat of the song was also ranked as the fourth greatest hip-hop beat of all time by Rock the Bells in 2024.[5]

Background

Easy Mo Bee has stated that the instrumental was originally intended for Apache, who was unable to record the song due to being on tour with the group Naughty by Nature at the time, and was not sure of future recordings at the time. As a result, Mo Bee gave the instrumental to Craig Mack after Bad Boy Records' founder Sean Combs gave him a substantial amount of money for the instrumental.[6]

Music video

The music video for the song was directed by Craig Henry. It was filmed in and outside of the New York Hall of Science in Queens, New York City, as well as in front of the nearby Unisphere.

Remix

"Flava in Ya Ear (Remix)"
Single by Craig Mack featuring the Notorious B.I.G., Rampage, LL Cool J and Busta Rhymes
Released	October 1994
Recorded	1994
Studio	The Hit Factory, New York City
Genre	Hardcore hip hop
Length	5:02
Label	Bad Boy Arista
Songwriter(s)	Craig Mack Christopher Wallace Roger McNair James Smith Trevor Smith
Producer(s)	Easy Mo Bee Chucky Thompson Sean "Puffy" Combs
Craig Mack singles chronology
"Flava in Ya Ear" (1994) "Flava in Ya Ear (Remix)" (1994) "Get Down" (1994)
The Notorious B.I.G. singles chronology
"Juicy" (1994) "Flava in Ya Ear (Remix)" (1994) "Big Poppa" (1994)
Rampage singles chronology
"Beware of the Rampsack" (1994) "Flava in Ya Ear (Remix)" (1994) "Wild for da Night" (1996)
LL Cool J singles chronology
"Stand by Your Man " (1993) "Flava in Ya Ear (Remix)" (1994) "Hey Lover" (1995)
Busta Rhymes singles chronology
"Oh My God" (1994) "Flava in Ya Ear (Remix)" (1994) "Come wit da Git Down (Buckwild Remix)" (1994)
Music video
"Flava in Ya Ear (Remix)" on YouTube

The remix of "Flava in Ya Ear" features American rappers the Notorious B.I.G., Rampage, LL Cool J and Busta Rhymes. It also contains a new verse by Craig Mack himself. It also contains ad libs by Puff Daddy, as well as brief singing by Keisha Spivey. The remix was included in Bad Boy's 10th Anniversary... The Hits album.

The music video for the remix was directed by Hype Williams, and was filmed on a soundstage in black-and-white by Isidro Urquia. It features all the artists from the song, as well as guest appearances by Das EFX, Mic Geronimo, Irv Gotti and Funkmaster Flex, although none perform on the song.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1994)	Peak position
UK Singles (OCC)[7]	57
UK Club Chart (Music Week)[8]	75
US Billboard Hot 100[9]	9
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[10]	4
US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[11]	1
US Rhythmic (Billboard)[12]	24

Year-end charts

Chart (1994)	Position
US Billboard Hot 100[13]	81
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[14]	33

Chart (1995)	Position
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[15]	92

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[2]	Platinum	1,000,000^^
^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1. "Billboard.com - Artist Chart History - Craig Mack". Billboard.com. Retrieved July 12, 2008.
2. "American single certifications – Craig Mack – Flava in Ya Ear". Recording Industry Association of America.
3. "Best-Selling Records of 1994". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 3. BPI Communications. January 21, 1995. p. 57. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
4. "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. 2021-09-15. Retrieved 2022-07-04.
5. "ROCK THE BELLS RADIO NAMES "SHOOK ONES PT. II" GREATEST HIP-HOP BEAT". Rock The Bells. January 2, 2024.
6. Scott, Dana. "Easy Mo Bee Traces Ice Cube & Big Daddy Kane's Influence On Biggie's "Ready To Die"". hiphopdx.com. Cheri Media. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
7. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
8. "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). October 29, 1994. p. 6. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
9. "Craig Mack Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
10. "Craig Mack Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
11. "Craig Mack Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
12. "Craig Mack Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
13. "Billboard Top 100 - 1994". Archived from the original on March 1, 2009. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
14. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 1994". Billboard. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
15. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 1995". Billboard. Retrieved October 22, 2021.