Encore (Jay-Z song)

2003 song by Jay-Z

"Encore"

Song by Jay-Z
from the album  The Black Album
Released| November 14, 2003 (2003-11-14)
Recorded| 2003
Genre|

* Hip hop
* R&B

Length| 4:11
Label|

* Roc-A-Fella
* Def Jam

Songwriter(s)|

* Shawn Carter
* Kanye West
* John Lennon
* Paul McCartney[a]

Producer(s)| Kanye West

"Encore" is a hip-hop song from Jay-Z's The Black Album. It features guest vocals by John Legend, Don Crawley, GLC and Kanye West. The song was released by Roc-A-Fella Records and produced by West for Konman Productions.

"Encore" received much popularity in 2004 when it was mixed with Linkin Park's hit single "Numb" on the mash-up album Collision Course as "Numb/Encore", which went on to win a Grammy Award.

## Background

[edit]

The Black Album was touted by Jay Z as his last album before he retired from rap music. He cited a perceived lack of competition as reason for his retirement, stating "The game ain't hot. I love when someone makes a hot album and then you've got to make a hot album. I love that. But it ain't hot."[1] Many critics doubted the longevity of Jay Z's retirement, and Ryan Schrieber of Pitchfork speculated that the retirement declarations could constitute "an elaborate publicity stunt."[2] Lyrically, "Encore" deals with these themes and addresses rumors of a post-retirement career. Critic Rob Mitchum wrote of the song that "it's a little hard to take Jay's claims of retirement at face value when... ("Encore") makes reference to 'when I come back like Jordan wearing the 45.'"[2]

The song was first released as the fourth track on Jay Z's The Black Album. It gained popularity when it was mixed with Linkin Park's song "Numb." The subsequent track won Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the Grammy Awards of 2006.[3]

"Encore" was also released as the B-side on a 12" vinyl with "Dirt off Your Shoulder." The 12" includes the LP version, radio edit, and instrumental version of both songs.[4]

## Song information

[edit]

"Encore" features vocals by John Legend, Don Crawley, GLC and Kanye West. The song was released by Roc-A-Fella Records and produced by West for Konman Productions.

The production samples the trumpet introduction to John Holt's cover of "I Will" by The Beatles, therefore there is a Lennon–McCartney songwriting credit on the song.[5]

## Reception

[edit]

Al Shipley of Complex wrote that "Encore" "is perhaps the ultimate Black Album cut,"[6] while critic Dimas Sanfiorenzo called the track "probably one of the happiest songs of Hov's career."[7]

## Credits and personnel

[edit]

* Produced by Kanye West.
* Recorded by Gimel "Young Guru" Keaton at Baseline Studios in New York City, and at Record Plant Studios in Daytona Beach Florida.
* Mixed by Corey Cuomo and Jimmy Douglass.
* Additional vocals by Kanye West, Don Crawley, John Legend and GLC.
* Written by Jay-Z.

## Charts

[edit]

Chart (2003)  | Peak
position

|

US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[8] | 6
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[9] | 30
US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[10] | 22

## Certifications

[edit]

Region  | Certification | Certified units/sales

|
|

United States (RIAA)[11] | Gold  | 500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

## See also

[edit]

* List of songs recorded by Jay-Z

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "MUSIC; Superstardom Is Boring: Jay-Z Quits (Again)". The New York Times. November 16, 2003. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
2. ^ a b "Jay-Z". Pitchfork.
3. ^ "Past Winners Search". The GRAMMYs.
4. ^ "Jay-Z – Dirt off Your Shoulder / Encore". Discogs. 2003.
5. ^ "The Black Album credits". Tidal. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
6. ^ Al Shipley. "Jay-Z "Encore" (2003) – The Evolution of Kanye West's Production Before "The College Dropout" – Complex". Complex.
7. ^ "A Track-By-Track Review Of Jay Z's "The Black Album" Ten Years Later – Global Grind". Global Grind. 14 November 2013.
8. ^ "Jay-Z Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
9. ^ "Jay-Z Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
10. ^ "Jay-Z Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
11. ^ "American single certifications – Jay-Z – Encore". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 4, 2023.

1. ^ Paul McCartney wrote the song himself, although credit is given to also John Lennon per the Lennon–McCartney partnership.

* v
* t
* e

Jay-Z songs

* Albums discography
* Singles discography
* Videography

Reasonable Doubt|

* "Can't Knock the Hustle"
* "Dead Presidents"
* "Feelin' It"
* "Ain't No Nigga"

In My Lifetime, Vol. 1|

* "The City Is Mine"
* "(Always Be My) Sunshine"
* "Wishing on a Star"

Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life|

* "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)"
* "Nigga What, Nigga Who (Originator 99)"
* "Money, Cash, Hoes"
* "Can I Get A..."

Vol. 3...
Life and Times of S. Carter|

* "Do It Again (Put Ya Hands Up)"
* "Things That U Do"
* "Big Pimpin'"
* "Jigga My Nigga"
* "Girl's Best Friend"

The Dynasty: Roc La Familia|

* "Change the Game"
* "I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)"
* "Guilty Until Proven Innocent"

The Blueprint|

* "Takeover"
* "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)"
* "Girls, Girls, Girls"
* "Jigga That Nigga"
* "Song Cry"
* "Renegade"

The Blueprint 2:
The Gift & The Curse|

* "Hovi Baby"
* "'03 Bonnie & Clyde"
* "Excuse Me Miss"

The Black Album|

* "What More Can I Say"
* "Encore"
* "Change Clothes"
* "Dirt off Your Shoulder"
* "99 Problems"
* "Public Service Announcement"
* "My 1st Song"

Unfinished Business
(with R. Kelly)|

* "Big Chips"
* "Don't Let Me Die"

Kingdom Come|

* "Show Me What You Got"
* "Lost One"
* "Hollywood"

American Gangster|

* "Roc Boys (And the Winner Is)..."
* "I Know"
* "Blue Magic"

The Blueprint 3|

* "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)"
* "Run This Town"
* "Empire State of Mind"
* "On to the Next One"
* "A Star Is Born"
* "Young Forever"

Watch the Throne
(with Kanye West)|

* "No Church in the Wild"
* "Lift Off"
* "Niggas in Paris"
* "Otis"
* "Gotta Have It"
* "Welcome to the Jungle"
* "Who Gon Stop Me"
* "Murder to Excellence"
* "Made in America"
* "Why I Love You"

| Deluxe|

* "Illest Motherfucker Alive"
* "H•A•M"

|

Magna Carta Holy Grail|

* "Holy Grail"
* "Picasso Baby"
* "Tom Ford"
* "FuckWithMeYouKnowIGotIt"
* "Oceans"
* "Heaven"
* "Part II (On the Run)"

4:44|

* "The Story of O.J."
* "4:44"
* "Family Feud"
* "Bam"

Other songs|

* "In My Lifetime"
* "Who You Wit"
* "It's Alright"
* "Anything"
* "Honey"
* "La-La-La"
* "Numb/Encore"
* "Swagga Like Us"
* "Jockin' Jay-Z (Dopeboy Fresh)"
* "Brooklyn Go Hard"
* "Lost!"
* "Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour)"
* "Glory"
* "Clique"
* "All the Way Up" (Remix)
* "Apeshit"
* "Boss"
* "What It Feels Like"

Featured songs|

* "Show & Prove"
* "I'll Be"
* "Be Alone No More" (Remix)
* "Money Ain't a Thang"
* "Ha" (Remix)
* "Heartbreaker"
* "Best of Me, Part 2"
* "4 da Fam"
* "My Mind Right" (Remix)
* "Is That Your Chick (The Lost Verses)"
* "Do My..."
* "Fiesta" (Remix)
* "Welcome to New York City"
* "Guess Who's Back"
* "What We Do"
* "Beware of the Boys (Mundian To Bach Ke)"
* "Back in the Day"
* "Crazy in Love"
* "Frontin'"
* "Get By" (Remix)
* "Never Let Me Down"
* "Dear Summer"
* "Diamonds from Sierra Leone" (Remix)
* "Shake It Off" (Remix)
* "Go Crazy"
* "Get Throwed"
* "Déjà Vu"
* "Upgrade U"
* "Umbrella"
* "I Get Money (Forbes 1-2-3 Billion Dollar Remix)"
* "Rehab" (Remix)
* "Bye Bye" (Remix)
* "Mr. Carter"
* "Put On" (Remix)
* "Go Hard" (Remix)
* "My President (DC Mix)"
* "I Wanna Rock (The Kings' G-Mix)"
* "Hot Tottie"
* "XXXO" (Remix)
* "Power" (Remix)
* "So Appalled"
* "Monster"
* "Shiny Suit Theory"
* "I Do"
* "Talk That Talk"
* "Suit & Tie"
* "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe" (Remix)
* "Pound Cake"
* "Know Bout Me"
* "Drunk in Love"
* "The Devil Is a Lie"
* "They Don't Love You No More"
* "Jungle" (Remix)
* "Seen It All"
* "Pop Style"
* "Drug Dealers Anonymous"
* "I Got the Keys"
* "Shining"
* "Biking"
* "Top Off"
* "Talk Up"
* "Sorry Not Sorry"
* "Jail"
* "Love All"
* "Neck & Wrist"
* "God Did"

* Category

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz work

|

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template