Father (LL Cool J song)

"Father"
Single by LL Cool J
from the album Phenomenon
B-side"4, 3, 2, 1"
ReleasedJanuary 13, 1998
Recorded1997
Genre
Length4:44
LabelDef Jam
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Trackmasters
LL Cool J singles chronology
"4, 3, 2, 1"
(1997) 		"Father"
(1998) 		"Hot, Hot, Hot"
(1998)

"Father" is the third single from LL Cool J's seventh album, Phenomenon. It was released on January 13, 1998 for Def Jam Recordings and was produced by the Trackmasters.

"Father", which was an auto-biographical song that detailed LL's abuse from his mother's boyfriend, would prove to be the most successful single from the album, it made it to number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became his eighth single to reach number one on the Hot Rap Singles. It sold 500,000 copies.[1] The song's main sample is "Father Figure" by George Michael.[2]

The music video was directed by Samuel Bayer.

Track listing

A-side

  1. "Father" (radio edit) – 3:57
  2. "Father" (instrumental) – 4:42

B-side

  1. "4, 3, 2, 1" (remix instrumental) – 5:00
  2. "4, 3, 2, 1" (instrumental) – 4:15

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for "Father"
Chart (1998) Peak
position
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[3] 27
Scotland (OCC)[4] 31
UK Singles (OCC)[5] 10
UK Dance (OCC)[6] 4
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[7] 2
US Billboard Hot 100[8] 18
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[9] 12
US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[10] 1
US Rhythmic (Billboard)[11] 23

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for "Father"
Chart (1998) Position
US Billboard Hot 100[12] 97
US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks[13] 80
US Billboard Hot Rap Singles[14] 14

References

  1. ^ "Best-Selling Records of 1998". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 5. BPI Communications Inc. January 30, 1999. p. 75. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
  2. ^ Def Jam Recordings (1997). Phenomenon (album).
  3. ^ "LL Cool J – Father". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  4. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  5. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  6. ^ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  7. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  8. ^ "LL Cool J Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  9. ^ "LL Cool J Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  10. ^ "LL Cool J Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  11. ^ "LL Cool J Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  12. ^ "Billboard Top 100 - 1998". Archived from the original on 2009-03-09. Retrieved 2010-08-28.
  13. ^ Billboard Year-End Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks - 1998. 26 December 1998 – 2 January 1999. Retrieved 2011-09-11.
  14. ^ Billboard Year-End Hot Rap Singles - 1998. 26 December 1998 – 2 January 1999. Retrieved 2011-09-11.