"Exhibit C" is a song by American hip hop recording artist and record producer Jay Electronica. The song, produced by Just Blaze, was released to iTunes on December 22, 2009,[1] as an EP with explicit, clean and instrumental versions.
| "Exhibit C" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Jay Electronica | ||||
| Released | December 22, 2009 | |||
| Genre | Conscious hip hop | |||
| Length | 5:31 | |||
| Label | Decon, The Dogon Society | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Timothy Elpadaro Thedford, Justin Smith | |||
| Producer(s) | Just Blaze | |||
| Jay Electronica singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background
editThe song, produced by Just Blaze, samples Billy Stewart's "Cross My Heart".[2] Jay has stated that the song was produced in only 15 minutes for the purpose of premiering a new song on Angela Yee's show on Shade 45.[3] The lyrics reference a time when Jay was homeless in New York City. Despite not having an album or major label support, the song received airplay on stations like WQHT.[2][4] Beginning in 2021, the explicit version of the song has been replaced with the radio edit across most major streaming platforms, including Spotify, and Apple Music. The EP cover art is a tinted photograph of inventor Nikola Tesla sitting in the Colorado Springs experimental station with his "Magnifying Transmitter".
Remixes
editThe instrumental became very popular among hip-hop artists, with several rappers such as Fabolous,[5] Cassidy, Crooked I, Joell Ortiz, Bobby Creekwater, AZ, N.O.R.E., Saigon, Charles Hamilton, B.o.B, Childish Gambino, Twista, Papoose, Conway the Machine, Game, Lil B, Cashis[6] and Big K.R.I.T.[7] recording their own versions of the song.[3] Mos Def has performed the song live.[8]
Critical reception
editThe song has received rave reviews from critics. NME said, "'Exhibit C' is the most accomplished piece of 'conscious rap' this millennium — perhaps ever."[9] Shaheem Reid of MTV.com said it "is one of those special hip-hop records that you hear and instantly love."[3] Wes Flexner of The Other Paper says the song "has created a feeling that hasn't existed since Common Sense's 1994 single 'I Used to Love H.E.R.' Both songs make everyone, regardless of their current role in life, remember why they fell in love with hip-hop."[10] Henry Adaso of About.com called "Exhibit C" the best rap song of 2009, saying it "embodies everything people admire about Jay Electronica — a combo of compelling confessionals and convincing boasts, delivered in a charismatic manner."[11] On July 25, 2010 MTV2's Sucker Free Summit award show awarded "Exhibit C" with the Instant Classic Award.[12] On April 22, 2013 Complex also gave the track the top spot on their "30 Most Lyrical Rap Songs of the Past 5 Years," calling the cut "a magical moment—one he nor any other rapper in the past five years could top."[13]
Charts
edit| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs[14] | 86 |
Sources
edit- ^ "Exhibit C - Single by Jay Electronica". iTunes. 22 December 2009.
- ^ a b Serwer, Jesse (2010-01-29). "Jay Electronica, "Exhibit C"". Billboard. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
- ^ a b c Reid, Shaheem (2010-02-19). "Jay Electronica Says 'My Dreams Are Coming True'". MTV.com. Archived from the original on February 22, 2010. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
- ^ Jones, Biz (2009-12-30). "Jay Electronica Shocked At DJ Enuff's "Exhibit C" Radioplay". SOHH. Archived from the original on 2010-06-15. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
- ^ Harper, Rosario (2010-02-13). "Fabolous Promises His DJ Drama Mixtape Will Drop Next Week, "1 Song Left To Do"". SOHH. Archived from the original on 2010-05-26. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
- ^ Langhorne, Cyrus (2010-04-15). "UPDATE: Game Releases "400 Bars"". SOHH. Archived from the original on 2010-07-16. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
- ^ Caramanica, Jon (2010-07-02). "Hip-Hop Traditionalism in Two Variations". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
- ^ "Mos Def pulls Diddy up on stage at Highline Ballroom gig in New York". NY Daily News. 2010-01-19. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
- ^ "The Greatest Lyricists In The World Today – Jay Electronica". NME. 2010-05-31. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
- ^ Flexner, Wes (2010-03-04). "TRIFECTA: three shows with buzz". The Other Paper. Archived from the original on 2012-09-14. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
- ^ Adaso, Henry. "50 Best Rap Songs of 2009". About.com. Archived from the original on 2009-12-28. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
- ^ "Jay Electronica Becomes An 'Instant Classic'". MTV.com. 2010-07-25. Archived from the original on July 28, 2010. Retrieved 2010-08-06.
- ^ "The 30 Most Lyrical Rap Songs of the Last 5 Years". Complex Networks.
- ^ "Top Hip-Hop and R&B Songs & Singles Charts for the week of February 6, 2010". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2010-08-06.