Reign (song)

"Reign" (originally known as "Murder Reigns"[2] and also known as "The Reign"[3]) is a song by American rapper Ja Rule, released in June 2003[1] as the third and final single from his fourth studio album, The Last Temptation (2002). It was written by Ja Rule, 7 Aurelius and Irv Gotti and produced by the latter two. The song contains vocals from Celeste Scalone and samples "Africa" by Toto, thus crediting band members David Paich and Jeff Porcaro as co-writers.[2] In the UK, the song was titled "Reigns" (dropping the "Murder" in line with Murder Inc. Records' then-rebrand to The Inc. Records[4][5]) and released as a double A-side with "Clap Back",[6] the first single from Ja Rule's 2003 album Blood in My Eye.

"Reign"
Single by Ja Rule
from the album The Last Temptation
ReleasedJune 30, 2003 (2003-06-30)[1]
StudioRight Track, New York City, US
GenreHip hop
Length4:02
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Irv Gotti
  • 7 Aurelius
Ja Rule singles chronology
"Mesmerize"
(2002)		 "Reign"
(2003)		 "Clap Back"
(2003)

Music video

The song's music video dramatizes the January 2003 raid of Murder Inc. Records' offices in New York City by the FBI over the label's connections to drug lord Kenneth McGriff. It contains a cameo by Patrick Swayze as one of the FBI officers. The video also depicts a trial in which Irv Gotti and Murder Inc. are exonerated by a jury.[7]

Track listing

Australian and European CD single[8]

  1. "Reign" (radio) – 4:08
  2. "Reign" (album version) – 4:02
  3. "Reign" (instrumental) – 4:33

UK double A-side single[9]

  1. "Clap Back" – 4:57
  2. "Reigns" – 4:02
  3. "Clap Back" (instrumental) – 5:05
  4. "Clap Back"/"Reigns" (music video)

Charts
Chart performance for "Reign"
Chart (2003) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[10] 5
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[11] 10
Germany (Official German Charts)[12] 4
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[13] 35
Scotland (OCC)[14]
with "Clap Back"		 15
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[15] 8
UK Singles (OCC)[6]
with "Clap Back"		 9
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[16]
with "Clap Back"		 3
US Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles (Billboard)[17] 2

Certifications
Certifications for "Reign"
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[18] Platinum 70,000^
Germany (BVMI)[19] Gold 150,000‡

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 30th June 2003" (PDF). ARIA. June 30, 2003. p. 26. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 22, 2008. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  2. The Last Temptation (booklet). Murder Inc. and Def Jam. 2002.
  3. McLaughlin, Mike (May 17, 2023). "The 15 Best Ja Rule Songs Ever Released". One37PM. Retrieved July 12, 2023 – via Yahoo! Entertainment.
  4. Ogunnaike, Lola (December 4, 2003). "Record Label Drops Murder, Keeps Inc". The New York Times. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  5. Will, Ill (August 30, 2022). "Lloyd: 'You Can't Have a Murder Inc. Reunion Tour Without Ashanti'". HipHopDX. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  6. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  7. Philips, Chuck (April 2, 2003). "Murder Inc. Music Video Mocks Government Raid". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  8. Reign (liner notes). Murder Inc. 2003.
  9. Clap Back / Reigns (liner notes). Murder Inc. and Def Jam. 2003.
  10. "Ja Rule – Reign". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  11. "Ja Rule – Reign" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  12. "Ja Rule – Reign" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  13. "Ja Rule – Reign". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  14. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  15. "Ja Rule – Reign". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  16. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  17. "Ja Rule Chart History: Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 29, 2019. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  18. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2003 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  19. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Ja Rule; 'Reign')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
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