(Rap) superstar

(Rap) superstar
publication	March 28, 2000
length	4:53
Genre (s)	Hip hop
Author (s)	Louis Freese , Lawrence Muggerud
Producer (s)	DJ Muggs
album	Skull and Bones

(Rap) Superstar is a song by the US rap group Cypress Hill . The song is the first single from their fifth studio album Skull & Bones and was released on March 28, 2000. In the UK, the release appeared as a double A-side , along with its counterpart (rock) superstar .

content

Song part	Artist
Intro	Eminem
refrain	B-Real
1st verse	B-Real
Interlude	Noreaga and Eminem
2nd stanza	B-Real

On (Rap) Superstar, B-Real raps about the downside of life as a famous musician. He speaks to the listener who only sees the wealth and success, but not the effort that lies behind it all. He feels a lot of pressure from the label, the press and the fans and is always in the spotlight. At the beginning and in between, statements by the rappers Eminem and Noreaga are recorded, which tell of the hard work it takes to be successful and relevant for a long time, as well as that you often have to pretend and hide true feelings in order to satisfy all fans deliver. Sen Dog , the second rapper from Cypress Hill, is not involved in the song himself.

“So you wanna be a rap superstar?
And live large, a big house, five cars, you're in charge
Comin 'up in the world don't trust nobody
Gotta look over your shoulder constantly ”

- Refrain from (Rap) Superstar

production

The song was produced by the band member and music producer DJ Muggs , who wrote the lyrics together with B-Real .

Music video

American director Dean Karr directed the music video that was turned into (rap) superstar . The video has over seven million views on YouTube (as of May 2020).

At the beginning, a young person walks down the street and finds a ticket that says Rap Superstar . A building then appears, into which the young person drives like a ghost train . In the building he first sees Cypress Hill rapping before a group of women redesign and dress him in a suit. In the next room, B-Real , dressed as Fidel Castro , gives a speech. He then sees numerous television screens on which Noreaga and Eminem talk about their lives as rap stars. In the last room, the youngster attends a Cypress Hill concert, at the end of which he himself escapes from the crowd, who thinks he is a celebrity.

single

Cover design

The single cover is kept in brown tones. It shows a skull wearing a crown. There are more skulls in the background. The brown lettering Cypress Hill is in the upper part of the picture, while the title (Rap) Superstar , also in brown, is at the bottom of the picture.

Track list

1. (Rap) Superstar (LP Version) - 4:53
2. (Rock) Superstar (Edit) - 3:02
3. Checkmate (Hang 'Em High Remix) - 4:01
4. Cuban Necktie (LP Version) - 4:13

Chart successes

(Rap) Superstar entered the German charts at number 32 on April 17, 2000 and reached the highest position two weeks later at number 22. Overall, the song stayed in the top 100 for twelve weeks. The song was most successful in the UK, where it was ranked 13th. The single also hit the charts in Switzerland (21st), the Netherlands (26th) and New Zealand (34th).

Chart placements

Charts	Top ranking	Weeks
Chart placements
Germany (GfK)	22nd (12 weeks)	12
Switzerland (IFPI)	21st (12 weeks)	12
United Kingdom (OCC)	13 (6 weeks)	6th

Web links

• Lyrics with interpretations on genius.com
• Music video on YouTube

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Cypress Hill - (Rap) Superstar - Lyrics. genius.com, accessed May 31, 2020 . 
2. ↑ Cypress Hill - (Rap) Superstar (Official Video). youtube.com, accessed May 31, 2020 . 
3. ↑ Cypress Hill - (Rap) Superstar - single cover. amazon.com, accessed May 31, 2020 . 
4. ↑ Cypress Hill - (rap) superstar. officialcharts.de, accessed on May 31, 2020 . 
5. ↑ Cypress Hill - (rap) superstar. hitparade.ch, accessed on May 31, 2020 . 
6. ↑ ^{a b c} Chart sources: DE AT CH UK US