Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)

"Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)"
Single by Pras Michel featuring Ol' Dirty Bastard and Mýa
from the album Ghetto Supastar and Bulworth O.S.T.
Released June 9, 1998 (1998-06-09)
Format CD single, cassette single
Recorded 1997
Genre Hip hop, R&B
Length 4:26
Label Interscope
Writer(s) Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, Robin Gibb, Wyclef Jean, Russell Jones, Pras
Producer(s) Jerry 'Wonda' Duplessis, Wyclef Jean
Pras Michel singles chronology
"Avenues"
(1997)
"Ghetto Supastar"
(1998)
"Blue Angels"
(1998)
Mýa singles chronology
"It's All About Me"
(1998)
"Ghetto Supastar"
(1998)
"Movin' On"
(1998)
Ol' Dirty Bastard singles chronology
"Come Over To My Place"
(1998)
"Ghetto Supastar"
(1998)
"Got's Like Come On Thru"
(1999)

"Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)" is a song by American rapper Pras, featuring rapper Ol' Dirty Bastard and R&B singer Mýa. It was released on June 9, 1998. The track samples Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton's 1983 single "Islands in the Stream" and was produced by Wyclef Jean and Jerry 'Wonda" Duplessis for Pras' debut solo studio album, Ghetto Supastar. It was also featured on the soundtrack for the motion picture Bulworth. "Weird Al" Yankovic also included the song in his polka medley "Polka Power!" from his 1999 album Running with Scissors.

Background

The song was written by Prakazrel Michel, Wyclef Jean, Russell Jones, Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, and Maurice Gibb. The song was released on June 6, 1998 in the United States. The single was a commercial success; it peaked at number fifteen for 5 consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and number eight on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs. The single was certified platinum in the United States by Recording Industry Association of America. "Ghetto Supastar" was a critical and commercial success worldwide, peaking at number two in the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Australia, number four in Spain, number nine in Canada, as well as topping the charts in eight countries. In 1999, the song received a nomination for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 41st Grammy Awards. There was a non-album remix version of the song that was performed live many times with Canibus.

According to Pras, the song was originally to be a collaboration between himself and Mya. Ol' Dirty Bastard was in the same building, recording with Sunz of Man and mistakenly burst into the studio where Pras and Mya were setting up, leading Pras to invite him to be a part of the song.

Music video

Francis Lawrence directed the video, which features actress Halle Berry and actors Warren Beatty, Oliver Platt, and Joshua Malina. In a play on the theme of the film, which is a prominent white politician acting like a Black American, Bulworth in the music video actually begins to stretch his mouth, pulling his face off to show it's really a mask, and revealing himself to be Pras, who is really the first African-American U.S. president in disguise. Shortly after Pras gets pushed in an elevator, he takes off his suit and performs. Wyclef Jean also appears on the set playing the bass guitar riff at the end of the song. It was nominated for an MTV Video Music Award for Best Rap Video and Best Video from a Film. Another three nominations on the 1998 Billboard Video Music Awards for Best New Artist Clip (Pop), Best New Artist Clip (Rap), and Best New Artist Clip (R&B). It won an 8th Annual MVPA Award in 1999.

Bee Gees' recorded version

The Bee Gees recorded a new version of "Islands in the Stream" with the chorus of "Ghetto Supastar" replacing the final chorus for their retrospective 2001 compilation Their Greatest Hits: The Record, with solo vocal by Robin Gibb. It also appeared on their 2004 Number Ones and on the 2010 Mythology box set.[1] The Bee Gees "live" version of the song appears on their One Night Only album as well as the compilation Love Songs.

Track listing

  1. "Ghetto Supastar" (Main Version) - 4:26
  2. "Ghetto Supastar" (Instrumental) - 4:26
  3. "Ghetto Supastar" (Acapella) - 4:08
  4. "Don't Be Afraid" (performed by Mýa) - 4:48
  1. "Ghetto Supastar" (Main Version) - 4:26
  2. "Ghetto Supastar" (Instrumental) - 4:26
  3. "Don't Be Afraid" (performed by Mýa) - 4:48
  1. "Ghetto Supastar" (Main Version) - 4:26
  2. "Ghetto Supastar" (TV Mix) - 4:26
  3. "Ghetto Supastar" (Instrumental) - 4:26
  4. "Ghetto Supastar" (Acapella) - 4:08

Personnel

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Chart (1998) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[5] 2
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[6] 1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[7] 1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[8] 4
Canada (RPM)[9] 4
Denmark (IFPI) 1
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) 1
France (SNEP)[10] 15
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[11] 4
Germany (Official German Charts)[12] 1
Ireland (IRMA) 1
Italy (FIMI) 3
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[13] 1
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[14] 1
Norway (VG-lista)[15] 1
Spain (AFYVE)[16] 4
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[17] 2
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[18] 1
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[19] 2
UK R&B (Official Charts Company)[20] 1
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 15
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles 8
U.S. Billboard Rap Songs 19

Year-end charts

Chart (1998) Position
Australian Singles Chart[21] 13
Billboard Hot 100[22] 70

Certifications

Country (Provider) Certifications
Australia (ARIA) Platinum[23]
Austria (IFPI) Platinum[24]
Belgium (BEA) Platinum[25]
Germany (IFPI) Platinum[26]
Netherlands (NVPI) Gold[27]
New Zealand (RMNZ) Platinum[28]
Norway (IFPI) Platinum[29]
United Kingdom (BPI) Platinum[30]

References

  1. "Gibb Songs : 2001". columbia.edu.
  2. "Pras Michel Featuring ODB* & Introducing Mȳa* - Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)". Discogs.
  3. "Pras Michel Featuring ODB* & Introducing Mȳa* - Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)". Discogs.
  4. "Pras Michel Featuring Ol' Dirty Bastard & Introducing Mya - GhettoSupastar (That Is What You Are)". Discogs.
  5. "Australian-charts.com – Pras Michel feat. ODB & Intr Mya – Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  6. "Austriancharts.at – Pras Michel feat. ODB & Intr Mya – Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  7. "Ultratop.be – Pras Michel feat. ODB & Intr Mya – Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  8. "Ultratop.be – Pras Michel feat. ODB & Intr Mya – Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  9. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". collectionscanada.gc.ca.
  10. "Lescharts.com – Pras Michel feat. ODB & Intr Mya – Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)" (in French). Les classement single.
  11. "Pras Michel feat. ODB & Intr Mya: Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
  12. "Musicline.de – Pras Michel feat. ODB & Mya Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
  13. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Pras Michel feat. ODB & Intr Mya search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40.
  14. "Charts.org.nz – Pras Michel feat. ODB & Intr Mya – Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)". Top 40 Singles.
  15. "Norwegiancharts.com – Pras Michel feat. ODB & Intr Mya – Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)". VG-lista.
  16. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  17. "Swedishcharts.com – Pras Michel feat. ODB & Intr Mya – Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)". Singles Top 100.
  18. "Swisscharts.com – Pras Michel feat. ODB & Intr Mya – Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)". Swiss Singles Chart.
  19. "Archive Chart: 1998-07-12" UK Singles Chart.
  20. "Archive Chart: 1998-07-12" UK R&B Chart.
  21. "ARIA Charts - End Of Year Charts - Top 100 Singles 1998". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 2011-04-19.
  22. "Longbored Surfer". longboredsurfer.com.
  23. "ARIA 1998 singles accreditations". www.aria.com.au.
  24. "IFPI Austria - Verband der österreichischen Musikwirtschaft".
  25. "Award 1998". Belgian Entertainment Association. Retrieved November 8, 2014.
  26. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank ('Ghetto+Supastar')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  27. ""Ghetto Supastar" NVPI platinum certification". www.nvpi.nl.
  28. "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart - The Official New Zealand Music Chart". THE OFFICIAL NZ MUSIC CHART.
  29. IFPI Norway certification database
  30. http://www.bpi.co.uk/certifiedawards/search.aspx
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