O.P.P. (song)

"O.P.P." is a song by the American rap group Naughty by Nature. It was released in August 1991 as the lead single from their self-titled debut album Naughty by Nature. The song was one of the first rap songs to become a pop hit when it reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 35 on the UK Singles Chart. Its declaration, "Down wit' O.P.P", was a popular catchphrase in the U.S. in the early 1990s.

"O.P.P."
Single by Naughty by Nature
from the album Naughty by Nature
B-side"The Wickedest Man Alive"
ReleasedAugust 24, 1991
Recorded1991
StudioUnique Recording Studios
(New York, New York, U.S.)
GenreHip hop
Length4:31 (album version)
6:41 (Ultamix remix)
LabelTommy Boy
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Naughty by Nature
Naughty by Nature singles chronology
"Scuffin' Those Knees"
(1989)		 "O.P.P."
(1991)		 "Everything's Gonna Be Alright"
(1992)
Music video
"O.P.P." on YouTube

The song was a hugely successful single; Spin magazine named it one of the greatest singles of the 1990s, offering a brief verdict with the rhetorical question, "Ever wonder where Puffy came from?"[1] It also made some media outlets' lists of one of the best rap songs of all time: including The Source,[2] VH1 (No. 22),[3] and Rolling Stone (No. 80).[4] The song was also ranked No. 20 on VH1's 40 Greatest Hip Hop Songs of the '90s.[5]

Content

The song samples Melvin Bliss' "Synthetic Substitution" and The Jackson 5's "ABC". Its lyrics concern sexual infidelity, with "O.P.P." standing for "other people's pussy", "other people's penis", and (euphemistically) "other people's property".

Critical reception

Stanton Swihart from AllMusic said it's "a song that somehow managed the trick of being both audaciously catchy and subversively coy at the same time." He added, "Its irrepressible appeal was so widespread, in fact, that it played just as well to the hardcore heads in the hood as it did to the hip-hop dabblers in the suburbs."[6] Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "Act drops samples of the Jackson Five's "ABC" onto a rousing hip-hop beat-base. Anthemic rhymes are icing on the cake. Have a taste."[7] James Bernard from Entertainment Weekly described it as "a sly, body-rocking tune with a melodic pop hook and plenty of cute double entendres".[8] Music & Media commented, "It's further proof of the new direction in rap heading more towards a normal pop song. The combination of the piano hook and the female backup makes this funky rhyme memorable."[9]

Track listing
  1. O.P.P. (Vocal)
  2. Wickedest Man Alive (Vocal)
  3. O.P.P. (Sunny Days Remix)
  4. Wickedest Man Alive (Instrumental)
  5. O.P.P. (Instrumental)

Official versions
  • O.P.P. (Album Version)
  • O.P.P. (Vocal)
  • O.P.P. (Instrumental)
  • O.P.P. (Sunny Days Remix)

Charts

The song has been used as a soundtrack to various films as well as television series, including the TV sitcoms The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and The Office, and the films La Haine, Jarhead, and Up in the Air.

References
  1. Weingarten, Christopher R. (December 7, 2011). "Naughty By Nature Look Back on 20 Years of 'O.P.P.'". Spin. Archived from the original on June 12, 2017. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
  3. Singh, Amrit (September 29, 2008). "VH1's 100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs". Stereogum. Archived from the original on August 15, 2018. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
  4. "100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. June 2, 2017. Archived from the original on August 15, 2018. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
  5. Runtagh, Jordan (December 19, 2012). "40 Greatest Hip Hop Songs of the '90s (COMPLETE LIST)". VH1. Archived from the original on August 15, 2018. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
  6. Swihart, Stanton. "Naughty by Nature – Naughty by Nature". AllMusic. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
  7. Flick, Larry (July 13, 1991). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 77. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
  8. Bernard, James (October 4, 1991). "Naughty by Nature". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
  9. "New Releases Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. October 5, 1991. p. 10. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  10. "Australian-charts.com – Naughty By Nature – O.P.P.". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  11. "Canadian Dance peak". Archived from the original on 2015-02-12. Retrieved 2015-02-12.
  12. "Canadian Top Singles peak". Archived from the original on 2015-02-12. Retrieved 2015-02-12.
  13. "Offiziellecharts.de – Naughty By Nature – O.P.P.". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  14. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Naughty By Nature" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  15. "Dutchcharts.nl – Naughty By Nature – O.P.P." (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  16. "Charts.nz – Naughty By Nature – O.P.P.". Top 40 Singles.
  17. "Swisscharts.com – Naughty By Nature – O.P.P.". Swiss Singles Chart.
  18. "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. June 20, 1992. p. 20. Retrieved September 29, 2020.
  19. "Naughty by Nature Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  20. "Naughty by Nature Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard.
  21. "Naughty by Nature Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
  22. "Naughty by Nature Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard.
  23. "Naughty by Nature – O.P.P. Chart Search (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard.
  24. Nielsen Business Media, Inc (December 21, 1991). "1991 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. 103 (51): YE-14.
  25. "End of Year Charts 1992". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
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