"Holla Holla" is the debut single by American

rapper Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...

Ja Rule Jeffrey Bruce Atkins (born February 29, 1976), better known by his stage name Ja Rule (), is an American rapper and actor. Born and raised in New York City, he debuted in 1999 with ''Venni Vetti Vecci'' and its lead single "Holla Holla". Durin ...

from his debut studio album ''

Venni Vetti Vecci ''Venni Vetti Vecci'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Ja Rule. It was released on June 1, 1999, by Def Jam Recordings and Irv Gotti's Murder Inc. Records. It was the first album to be released on Murder Inc. Production was mostly han ...

''. It was produced by Taiwan "Tai" Green and

Irv Gotti Irving Domingo Lorenzo Jr. (born June 26, 1970), professionally known as Irv Gotti, is an American DJ, music producer, record executive, and the CEO and co-founder of Murder Inc. Records. He is best known for producing multiple number-one rec ...

. The music video was directed by

Hype Williams Harold Williams (born August 1, 1970) is an American music video director, film director, film producer, and screenwriter. Early life Williams was born in Queens, New York. He is of mixed African-American and Honduran descent. He attended Adel ...

and Irv Gotti.Ja Rule - "Holla Holla" - Music Videos
''MTV''. Accessed October 15, 2008. A

remix A remix (or reorchestration) is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, video, poem, or photograph can all be remixes. The o ...

and the album's third single featured,

Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...

, Vita, Caddillac Tah, Black Child,

Memphis Bleek Malik Deshawn Cox (born June 23, 1978), known by his stage name Memphis Bleek, is an American rapper who was a protégé of fellow New York rapper Jay-Z. Cox started his own labels: Get Low Records in 1998, and #Warehouse Music Group, Warehouse M ...

and

Busta Rhymes Trevor George Smith Jr. (born May 20, 1972), known professionally as Busta Rhymes, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the moniker Busta Rhymes, after NFL and CFL wide receiver ...

, the latter of which would later feud with Ja Rule.

Background and composition

After Ja Rule finalized the recording of his debut studio album, ''

'' (1999),

Def Jam Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop. The ...

– Ja Rule's record label – did not consider any song on the album worthy of marketing as a single. Despite Ja Rule's surprise at this proclamation, admitting in an interview with ''Complex'' magazine that he "didn’t grasp the idea of making a radio record", he resumed recording sessions to compose what would become "Holla Holla": it would transpire to be the final song recorded for ''Venni Vetti Vecci''. Ja Rule's rapping on "Holla Holla" employs what he described as his "stutter flow", with the repetition of certain words to increase the volume of lyrics.

Reception

Writing for the ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...

'', Soren Baker felt that "Holla Holla" demonstrates Ja Rule's ability to use "his edgy voice and the spectacular instrumentation that backs him".

Track listing

# "Holla Holla" (Street Version) # "Holla Holla" (Instrumental) # "BJ Skit" # "It's Murda" (Street Version) # "It's Murda" (Instrumental) # "Kill 'Em All" (Street Version)

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Credits

* Taiwan Green– producer * Irv Gotti – producer, mixing * Ken Ifill – mixing * Ja Rule – vocals, rap * Patrick Viala – engineer

In popular culture

*The song is played in ''

The Sopranos ''The Sopranos'' is an American Crime film#Crime drama, crime drama television series created by David Chase. The story revolves around Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), a New Jersey-based American Mafia, Italian-American mobster, portraying h ...

'' episode

Toodle Fucking-Oo "Toodle-Fucking-Oo" is the sixteenth episode of the HBO original series ''The Sopranos'' and the third of the show's second season. It was written by Frank Renzulli, directed by Lee Tamahori, and originally aired on January 30, 2000. Starring ...

when Tony arrives at the scene of Livia's house where Meadow threw a party.

References

{{authority control 1999 debut singles Ja Rule songs Music videos directed by Hype Williams Songs written by Ja Rule 1998 songs Def Jam Recordings singles Songs written by Irv Gotti Gangsta rap songs