"Crack a Bottle" is a hip hop song by Eminem, Dr. Dre and 50
Cent for Eminem's album
Relapse. On February 12, 2009, the song broke the first
week digital sales record with 418,000 downloads, topping the
previous record held by "Live Your Life" by T.I. featuring
Rihanna. This record was broken again the following week by
"Right Round" by Flo Rida.The song won the Grammy award for
Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the
52nd Grammy Awards.
"Crack a Bottle" initially gained attention in December
2008, when an unfinished version of the song was initially
leaked under the name "Number One" on the mixtape
4th Quarter Pressure Part 2, while a final working
version was leaked on January 6, 2009. Various media outlets
had reported that the recording was to be the first single from
Eminem's 2009 album
Relapse, however the Italian branch of Universal Music
Group, owner of Interscope Records, later denied this, stating
that "Crack a Bottle" was only a promotional recording. Despite
all this, the song was released on February 2, 2009, and made
available for paid digital download, with 50 Cent stating that
the song will be included on his upcoming album
Before I Self Destruct. According to Danielle Harling of
HipHopDX—a website dedicated to hip hop music
coverage—the song will ultimately be present on both
Relapseand
Before I Self Destruct, while in contrast, Daniel Kreps
of
Rolling Stonestated that it is still unsure which rapper
will feature this song on his upcoming album. Despite the
confusion, Universal eventually announced that "Crack a Bottle"
will be included in
Relapse, although it does not consider it the album's
first single.
The song samples "Mais dans la lumière" by Mike Brant,
written by Jean Lunard, who also received songwriting credits
for the song.
The song is in the key of C-sharp minor.
Billboardgave a positive review of the song: "Although
not quite as strong as the title track to Eminem's 2004 album
Encore, the return of Eminem, Dr. Dre and 50 Cent has
been anticipated for a long time, and it is sure to put Eminem
back atop the marquee. His skills remain some of the best in
hip-hop, and the accompanying contributions make the music that
little bit more stronger."
Rolling Stonecommented negatively on the song, saying
that it is one of the weakest tracks on the album, along the
other single "We Made You". . The song won at the 52nd Grammy
Awards in the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or
Group category.
During an interview for MTV, 50 Cent originally told that
there were plans to make an animated music video for "Crack a
Bottle", which was to be shot along with a music video for his
song "I Get It In". On February 25, Eminem's manager Paul
Rosenberg posted on his blog a still frame from the music video
illustrating a homeless person holding a bottle wrapped in a
brown bag. According to Rosenberg, it is directed by Syndrome
and was planned to be released within a couple of weeks. The
music video was playing on TV in Eminem's music video "3 a.m.",
which has been directed by Syndrome too.
On May 7, 2009, an unfinished version of the video was
released via TheRelapse.com, featuring Eminem's verse and
chorus. Later during the same day, 50 Cent's rapped verse of
the video was released via ThisIs50.com as well. This was added
to the unfinished video on therelapse.com.
A month later, on June 7, 2009, Cashis posted a link on
Twitter to the full video in which he makes a cameo appearance.
The music video portrays each rappers' style. Eminem's -
chaotic, Dr. Dre - west coast style, 50 Cent's - more club
oriented. None of the performers are featured in the video.
Since its release, "Crack a Bottle" has mainly charted in
the United States, entering in various charts including the Hot
100 and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The song peaked in top
ten on the Hot Rap Tracks, at the number four. After spending
three consecutive weeks at number seventy-eight on the Hot 100,
on
Billboard's edition of February 21, 2009, "Crack a
Bottle" reached the number one position on the Hot 100 through
sales of 418,000 downloads, thus causing the fourth-biggest
jump to the top of the Hot 100 in the chart's history. To date,
"Crack a Bottle" is Eminem's second number one song in the U.S.
and the first since 2002. With this song, Dr. Dre reached the
top of the Hot 100 for a third time, while this is 50 Cent's
fourth. The song has also entered in various European national
charts, including the Irish Singles Chart and UK Singles Chart,
and also debuted at number one on the Canadian Hot 100.