"Cherry Wine" is a song by American rapper Nas, released in 2012 by Def Jam Recordings as the fourth single from his tenth studio album Life Is Good (2012).[1][2][3] The single features vocals by singer Amy Winehouse and was nominated for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 2013 Grammy Awards. It is the final single to feature vocals from Winehouse.[4]

"Cherry Wine"
Single by Nas featuring Amy Winehouse
from the album Life Is Good
ReleasedSeptember 19, 2012
Recorded
Genre
Length5:56
LabelDef Jam
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Salaam Remi
Nas singles chronology
"Daughters"
(2012)
"Cherry Wine"
(2012)
"Free"
(2013)
Amy Winehouse singles chronology
"Our Day Will Come"
(2011)
"Cherry Wine"
(2012)

Writing and recording

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Speaking to NME, Nas expressed that "Cherry Wine" came from "God, and Amy". Asked if record producer Salaam Remi had "Cherry Wine" from their recording sessions together, he said: "Yeah, Salaam worked on her last album, and they were working. We don’t even have an explanation for how it happened. It was just magic. It just happened. It was supposed to happen. She made it happen."[5] Lyrically, "Cherry Wine" finds Nas expressing his ongoing search for his perfect mate.[6]

Music video

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The music video for "Cherry Wine" premiered on October 2, 2012, and portrays Nas as a bartender, while images of Amy Winehouse are projected onto the brick walls of the bar.[7] The video ends with a picture of Winehouse beside the dedication "In Memory of Amy Winehouse (1983–2011)".[8]

Accolades

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"Cherry Wine" was nominated for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 55th Grammy Awards in 2013.[9]

Track listing

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Digital download[10]
  1. "Cherry Wine" (Album Version) — 5:56

Personnel

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Credits adapted from liner notes.[11][12]

  • John Adams – Rhodes piano
  • Vincent Henry – tenor, alto sax, flute, clarinet
  • Gleyder "GEE" Dida – recording
  • Gary Noble – recording, mixing
  • Salaam Remi – producer, arranger, bass, drums
  • Brian Sumner – recording
  • Amy Winehouse – guitar

Charts

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Chart (2012) Peak
position
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[13] 144
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[14] 27
US R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[15] 44
US Rap Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[16] 47

Release history

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Country Date Format Label
United Kingdom September 19, 2012 Contemporary hit radio Def Jam[17][18]

References

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  1. ^ "BBC - Newsbeat - Rapper Nas to 'donate' to Amy Winehouse Foundation". BBC.co.uk. 17 October 2012.
  2. ^ "Amy Winehouse 1 Year on - Outside Org". Outside.org. 24 July 2012. Archived from the original on 21 April 2013.
  3. ^ "Nas Announces O2 Gig with Ticket Proceeds Going Towards the Amy Winehouse Foundation". Flavour Magazine. 22 October 2012.
  4. ^ "Grammys 2013: Mumford, Kanye, Fun lead nominations". Music Week. 6 December 2012.
  5. ^ "Nas releases 'Cherry Wine' video featuring Amy Winehouse – watch". NME. 2 October 2012.
  6. ^ "Behind The Scenes Of Nas' "Cherry Wine" ft. Amy Winehouse Video (Photos)". Hip Hop Wired. 15 September 2012.
  7. ^ "Amy Winehouse featured in new 'Cherry Wine' video with Nas". Digital Spy. 2 October 2012.
  8. ^ "The Bittersweet Taste Of Nas' "Cherry Wine" Featuring Amy Winehouse". VH1. 2 October 2012. Archived from the original on June 17, 2013.
  9. ^ "Grammys 2013: Complete list of nominees - latimes.com". Los Angeles Times. 6 December 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
  10. ^ "Cherry Wine (Explicit): Nas: Amazon.co.uk: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.co.uk. 16 July 2012.
  11. ^ Life Is Good (CD liner). Nas. Def Jam Recordings. 2012. B001705602.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. ^ "Nas - Life Is Good CD Boolet (Photos)". Hip-Hop Wired. 13 July 2012.
  13. ^ "Chart Log UK - 2012 + Weekly Updates + Sales 2012". Zobbel.de.
  14. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
  15. ^ "Nas Chart History (R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
  16. ^ "Nas Chart History (Rap Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
  17. ^ "Radio playlist update: Radio 1". Music Week. 26 September 2012.
  18. ^ "BBC - Radio 1 - Playlist". BBC Radio 1. 26 September 2012. Archived from the original on 11 September 2012.