Shifftee

In an interview with HipHopDX, Fredro Starr revealed a secret about the concept of the song: ^[4]

“... The Shifftee concept basically emphasized what Onyx is. Onyx is cunning, nasty, harsh and bad (“Shifty, low down, gritty and grimy”). And we made a song about it. We represent the struggle, we represent the natives of the crowd; guys who can't get into the club; the guys who are trying to squeeze into the club are breaking in at the door. These are the guys. ”

The single also featured a remix of a song called "Shytizon Remix." This remix was made by the familiar Jam Master Jay , Dex.

The video clip was shot by Parris Mayhew, known in the past as a guitarist and songwriter of the rock band Cro-Mags . He also shot for Onyx the two previous video clips for the songs “Slam” and “Slam” (Bionyx Remix). All three videos were produced by the same person, Drew Stone, owner of Stone Films NYC, his own production company. The video was shot on 42nd Street in Manhattan in New York on June 3, 1993; the video premiered on August 30, 1993 on the cable channel The Box. ^{[1] [5]} Two versions of the video clip were made: censored and obscene. The obscene version begins with the fall of the Onyx group logo with the inscription “Throw Ya Gunz”, and the clip itself begins with riots in the street: two groups of people run at each other from opposite sides, and eventually they collide, and at that moment Fredro starts to fulfill your verse. The censored version begins with neon signs that point to a pornographic cinema. Onyx performs on the street near the signs when around them people jump and dance. ^[6] In an interview with HipHopDX, Fredro Starr said that Lior Cohen came up with the idea of ​​using three-color jackets for 3 thousand dollars in a video: ^[4]

“... Lior Cohen, president of Def Jam, said:“ Yo, I am going to invite you all to this store, and I am going to give you clothes to dress up! ” We all agreed, and we went to the store and the jackets that were on us in the video “Shifftee” cost 3 thousand dollars. This was our first high-budget video. ”

The video director, Parris Mayhew, also added that Lior Cohen came up with the idea of ​​how to shoot one scene featuring Sticky Fingaz, and the video was originally supposed to appear in black and white:

“... I remember that Lior Cohen had a good idea, which we included in the video, and I shot it. He wanted Sticks to rap while lying on the ground. And the jackets were amazing, although after we shot the video, there was a lot of talk about the jackets being “without the Onyx logo,” and they asked me to make the video in black and white, I argued with them about this, and eventually the video remained in color. ”

Parris Mayhew said that Fredro Starr was the screenwriter of one scene that was later cut out by decision of Russell Simmons :

“... I painted my idea for the video (as well as for the song“ Slam “), and that is what we shot. I remember Sticky saying: “I like the script of the video clip, we were as if under the influence of LSD tablets during the riot.” The Onyx group contributed to one idea - the opening scene with a white family at dinner, who ate pork. The child refuses to eat pork, and it turns out that he has a tattoo “mad face”. We shot this Fredro concept that came at the beginning of the video, but Russell said, “Cut it out.” So I did. The rest of the video was my concept. ”

• Onyx performed the song live on the musical television show It's Showtime at the Apollo , aired on November 6, 1993.
• “Shifftee” was performed by Onyx live at The Academy Theater in New York at the Phat Jam show by Russell Simmons , broadcast via pay-per-view cable on June 18, 1993.
• The song was performed by the Onyx live band on the American music and dance television program Soul Train , aired on December 11, 1993.

• In 1993, the song was included as the soundtrack for the New World Order skateboarders documentary. ^{[7] [8]}
• In 2011, the song was included as the soundtrack for the Stene 6-1 documentary about skateboarders. ^{[9] [10]}

Party A

1. Shifftee (Radio Mix) - 3:27
2. Shifftee (Shytizon Remix) - 3:28
3. Shifftee (Spikinspan Remix) - 3:28
4. Shifftee (Acapella) - 2:32

Party B

1. Shifftee (Instrumental) - 3:26
2. Shifftee (Instrumental Remix) - 3:28
3. Bichasniguz (LP Mix) - 3:54
4. Bichasniguz (Instrumental) - 3:54

• Onyx - performer, vocals
• Fredro Starr - performer, vocals
• Sticky Fingaz - performer, vocals
• Suave - performer, vocals
• Big Dee ES - performer, vocals
• Shiskills - producer, performer (musician)
• Jam Master Jay - producer, performer (musician), remixer
• Dex - Remixer
• Tony Dawzy - Mastering
• Rich July - Engineer
• John Cogan - Engineer
• Gary Clugston - Engineer
• Kevin Crowse - Assistant Engineer
• Troy Hightower - Engineer
• Norman Bullard - Assistant Engineer

Weekly Charts

• Shifftee EPK YouTube Music Video
• Shifftee on RapGenius
• Shifftee on Discogs