"Watch Out Now"
Single by The Beatnuts
from the album A Musical Massacre
B-side"Turn It Out"
ReleasedMay 4, 1999
Recorded1998
GenreEast Coast hip hop
Length2:54
LabelRelativity Records
Songwriter(s)Lester Fernandez, Jerry Tineo, Fernando Arbex
Producer(s)The Beatnuts
The Beatnuts singles chronology
"Here's a Drink"
(1997)		 "Watch Out Now"
(1999)		 "Se Acabo"
(1999)

"Watch Out Now" is the first single from A Musical Massacre, a 1999 album by East Coast hip hop group The Beatnuts. It was released by Relativity Records in 1999 in both 12 inch and CD format. The song is produced by The Beatnuts and features materialistic raps by JuJu and Psycho Les, as well as a chorus performed by Yellaklaw. The track's fast-paced Latin beat samples "Hi-Jack" by Enoch Light.

"Watch Out Now" is the most commercially successful Beatnuts single; it reached #84 on the Billboard Hot 100 making it the second Beatnuts single to appear on the pop chart. It additionally appeared on the Rhythmic Top 40 chart and Canadian Singles Chart. Its popularity landed it on two Beatnuts hits compilations: Beatnuts Forever and Classic Nuts, Vol. 1. It can additionally be found on hip hop compilations including 1999's The Source Presents: Hip Hop Hits, Vol. 3, 2000's Louder Than Ever, Vol. 1 and 2004's Hip Hop Forever, Vol. 2. A "Watch Out Now" remix produced by Trouble Men was released as a single in France, but did not receive music video treatment as the original version did. Diane Martel directed the "Watch Out Now" music video. The song lyrics deal with the ability to "watch out" in the present time "now" and were considered lyrically very advanced for their time.

Beat controversy

In 2002, Jennifer Lopez released "Jenny from the Block", a single that allegedly stole the Beatnuts' sample of "Hi-Jack" by Enoch Light (a song originally written by Spanish musician Fernando Arbex and was recorded by the group Barrabás for their 1974 album ¡Soltad a Barrabás!). The Beatnuts were angry that Lopez and her song's producers, The Trackmasters and Cory Rooney, were able to top The Beatnuts' commercial success with a purportedly unoriginal song. The Beatnuts expressed their displeasure with Lopez and her producers on the 2004 song "Confused Rappers" as well as through various interviews.[1]

Single track list

CD single

  1. "Watch Out Now (Clean)" (2:54)
  2. "Watch Out Now (Real)" (2:54)
  3. "Watch Out Now (Instrumental)" (2:54)
  4. "Turn It Out (Clean)" (4:34)
  5. "Turn It Out (Real)" (4:36)
  6. "Turn It Out (Instrumental)" (4:32)

US 12" vinyl

A-Side

  1. "Watch Out Now (Clean)" (2:54)
  2. "Watch Out Now (Real)" (2:54)
  3. "Watch Out Now (Instrumental)" (2:54)

B-Side

  1. "Turn It Out (Clean)" (4:31)
  2. "Turn It Out (Real)" (4:31)
  3. "Turn It Out (Instrumental)" (4:31)

Netherlands 12" vinyl

A-Side

  1. "Watch Out Now (Real)" (2:54)

B-Side

  1. "Watch Out Now (Instrumental)" (2:54)

France 12" vinyl

A-Side

  1. "Watch Out Now (Trouble Men Rip-Off Remix)" (5:45)

B-Side

  1. "Watch Out Now" (2:53)
  2. "Watch Out Now (Trouble Men Rip-Off Edit)" (3:40)

Charts

Chart (1999) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[2] 84
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[3] 29
US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[4] 3
Chart (2004) Peak
position
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[5] 20
UK Singles (OCC)[6] 84

References

  1. ↑ "Milk Me Review". AllHipHop.com. 2004-09-01. Retrieved 2008-06-29.
  2. ↑ "The Beatnuts Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  3. ↑ "The Beatnuts Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  4. ↑ "The Beatnuts Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
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