If I Had No Loot

"If I Had No Loot" is a song by American R&B group Tony! Toni! Toné! It was released on June 1, 1993, as the lead single from their 1993 album, Sons of Soul. The song was produced by Tony! Toni! Toné! and co-written by group member Raphael Wiggins, who said that it is about fair-weather friends. It has a new jack swing beat, pronounced guitar licks, and vocal samples from Boogie Down Productions' 1987 song "Remix for P Is Free" and Ice Cube's 1991 song "The Wrong Nigga to Fuck Wit".

"If I Had No Loot"
US retail cassette single
Single by Tony! Toni! Toné!
from the album Sons of Soul
ReleasedJune 1, 1993 (1993-06-01)
Recorded1993
GenreNew jack swing[1]
Length4:01
LabelPolyGram, Wing
Songwriter(s)Juan Bautista, Will Harris, Raphael Wiggins, Steve Cropper, Eddie Floyd, Ice Cube, Anthony Wheaton
Producer(s)Tony! Toni! Toné!
Tony! Toni! Toné! singles chronology
"Me and You"
(1991)		 "If I Had No Loot"
(1993)		 "Anniversary"
(1993)

The song became a hit for the group,[2] peaking at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and sold 500,000 copies in the United States. "If I Had No Loot" was named the tenth best single of 1993 by The Village Voice's annual Pazz & Jop critics' poll.

Background
The song was co-written by Raphael Wiggins (pictured in 2011).

"If I Had No Loot" was recorded for the group's third album Sons of Soul, which was recorded and released in 1993.[3] The song was produced by Tony! Toni! Toné! and written by group member Raphael Wiggins, Juan Bautista, and Will Harris.[4] Session musician John "Jubu" Smith played a Fender Telecaster on the song.[5]

Music and lyrics

"If I Had No Loot" incorporates a new jack swing beat,[6] pronounced guitar licks,[7] and a tempo of 108 beats per minute.[8] It has 1960s Stax southern soul influences.[9] The song also contains vocal samples from hip hop songs, including the "da-da-da-day" chant from Boogie Down Productions' 1987 song "Remix for P Is Free" and the line "and you can new jack swing on my nuts!" from Ice Cube's 1991 song "The Wrong Nigga to Fuck Wit".[10] According to Raphael Wiggins, the song is about "fair-weather friends" and "people who come around you for fraudulent reasons".[6] Newsday found its theme similar to the O'Jays' 1972 song "Back Stabbers".[11]

Commercial performance

"If I Had No Loot" was released by Polygram and Wing Records on June 1, 1993,[12] as the lead single from Sons of Soul (1993) and received frequent radio airplay.[13] Its music video received heavy rotation on MTV and BET.[14][15] The single reached number seven on the US Billboard Hot 100, on which it charted for 21 weeks.[16] It reached its peak position on August 7, 1993.[16] On August 11, the single was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA);[17] it sold 500,000 copies domestically.[18]

In Canada, "If I Had No Loot" reached number 17 on the RPM Top 100 Singles,[19] on which it charted for 16 weeks.[20] It charted for 16 weeks and peaked at number eight in New Zealand.[21] In Australia, the single reached number 12, spent 22 weeks in the top 100, and was certified gold.[22]

Critical reception

Charles Aaron of Spin viewed the song as one of the group's best and called it "a splashy tour of 20th century American dance music—from jumpin' jazz to urban blues to '70s funk to hip hop." Aaron found the Ice Cube sample "irrepressible", but felt that the hook is instead "how Dwayne Wiggins's swingin', bluesy guitar becomes its own break-beat. Meet the Meters of the '90s, straight up. The Brand New Heavies aren't even close."[10] Robert Christgau of The Village Voice cited "If I Had No Loot" as a highlight on Sons of Soul.[23] The song was voted number 10 on The Village Voice's annual Pazz & Jop critics' poll for 1993.[24] Music journalist Michaelangelo Matos ranked "If I Had No Loot" number 68 on his list of Top 100 Singles of the 1990s.[25]

Personnel

Credits adapted from 12-inch single release.[26]

  • Tony! Toni! Toné! – producer
  • Gerry Brown – mixing
  • Ed Eckstine – executive producer
  • Raphael Wiggins – co-executive producer

Charts

Release history
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States June 1, 1993
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • cassette
Japan July 7, 1993 Mini-CD Polydor [36]
United Kingdom August 23, 1993
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
 [37]

References
  1. Johnson, Connie (July 9, 1993). "Hot new directions for BBD". The Gainesville Sun. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  2. Lazerine, Cameron; Lazerine, Devin (2008). Rap-Up: The Ultimate Guide to Hip-Hop and R&B. Hachette Digital. p. 217. ISBN 978-0-446-17820-4.
  3. Punter, Jennie (November 25, 1993). "Tony Toni Tone runs on vintage '70s rhythm R & B inspired trio opens for Janet Jackson under the 'Dome". Toronto Star. Toronto. Entertainment section, p. WO.4. Retrieved April 28, 2012.
  4. Sons of Soul (CD liner). Tony! Toni! Toné!. Wing Records, Polygram. 1993. 314 514 933-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. "Soul Cooking". Musician (181): 76–78. November 1993.
  6. Zucker, Laura (November 5, 1993). "From Tonies to Townies – Hot Soul Stars Tony! Toni! Tone! Warm Up for a National Tour in Their Hometown". The Sacramento Bee. p. TK14. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  7. Sculley, Alan (January 14, 1994). "Tony! Toni! Tone! Revives Sounds of Soul". Daily Press. Virginia. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved April 10, 2012.
  8. Brusca, Donny (2006). BPM List 2006: Main Edition. Lulu.com. p. 511. ISBN 1-84728-860-X.
  9. "The Fat Lip Horns Discography and Music". CD Universe. Muze. Archived from the original on May 19, 2015. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  10. Aaron, Charles (October 1993). "Singles". Spin. New York. 9 (7): 108. Retrieved April 10, 2012.
  11. Bailey, Tamisha; Sommerlatte, William; Adams, Lischele (November 21, 1993). "Kidsday Talking with Tony Toni Tone". Newsday. Melville. Part II section, p. 1. Retrieved May 4, 2012.
  12. "If I Had No Loot - Tony! Toni! Toné! : Releases". Allmusic. Archived from the original on June 6, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2013.
  13. "Tony Toni Tone On 'Sons of Soul' the three T's please with ease". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. July 6, 1993. Retrieved May 3, 2012.
  14. "Tony! Toni! Tone!". Keyboard. 19 (7): 16. 1993.
  15. "Video Monitor". Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 28. New York. July 10, 1993. p. 32. Retrieved June 24, 2011.
  16. "If I Had No Loot – Tony! Toni! Toné!". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved April 27, 2012.
  17. "Searchable Database". Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. Retrieved April 11, 2012.
  18. "Best-Selling Records of 1993". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 3. BPI Communications. January 15, 1994. p. 73. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  19. "Top Singles". RPM. Toronto. 58 (9). September 11, 1993. Archived from the original on March 2, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2012.
  20. "Top Singles". RPM. Toronto. 58 (17). November 6, 1993. Archived from the original on March 2, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2012.
  21. "Discography Tony! Toni! Toné!". charts.nz. Hung Medien. Retrieved April 24, 2012.
  22. "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart - Week Ending 30 Jan 1994". ARIA. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
  23. Christgau, Robert (October 19, 1993). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. New York. Archived from the original on October 26, 2012. Retrieved April 11, 2012.
  24. "The 1993 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll". The Village Voice. New York. March 1, 1994. p. 5. Archived from the original on September 4, 2012. Retrieved April 11, 2012.
  25. Matos, Michaelangelo (July 16, 2001). "Top 100 Singles of the 1990s". Pitas.com. Archived from the original on April 13, 2012. Retrieved April 22, 2012.
  26. If I Had No Loot (12" vinyl). Tony! Toni! Toné!. Wing Records. 1993. 859 057-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  27. "European Dance Radio" (PDF). Music & Media. September 18, 1993. p. 20. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
  28. "Discography Tony! Toni! Toné!". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
  29. "Tony Toni Tone – Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH. Archived from the original on November 1, 2014. Retrieved April 27, 2012.
  30. "Tony! Toni! Tone!". Official Charts Company. View Singles. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
  31. "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). August 21, 1993. p. 4. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
  32. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988-2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  33. "End of Year Charts 1993". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
  34. "Billboard Top 100 - 1993". Archived from the original on November 10, 2006. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
  35. Lwin, Nanda. "Top 100 singles of the 1990s". Jam!. Archived from the original on August 29, 2000. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  36. "イフ・アイ・ハド・ノー・ルート | トニー・トニー・トニー" [If I Had No Loot | Tony Toni Toné] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  37. "Single Releases". Music Week. August 21, 1993. p. 23.
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