Streiht Up Menace Explained

Streiht Up Menace
Cover:menace2societycdcover.jpg
Type:single
Artist:MC Eiht
Album:Menace II Society (The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Studio:Trax Recording Studio (Hollywood, CA)
Label:Jive
Chronology:MC Eiht
Next Title:The Murda Show
Next Year:1993

"Streiht Up Menace" is a song and the debut solo single by American rapper MC Eiht. It was released on May 31, 1993 through Jive Records as the second single off the soundtrack of 1993 film Menace II Society. Written and produced by Eiht himself together with fellow Compton's Most Wanted groupmate DJ Slip, it peaked at number 72 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 46 on the Hot R&B Singles. A remix to the song was also heard in the film, but was not included in the soundtrack album.

The track was later released on the 2001 Compton's Most Wanted compilation album and on the 2010 MC Eiht compilation album The Best Of MC Eiht. The song is featured in the in-game radio station West Coast Classics in the 2013 video game Grand Theft Auto V.

Concept

The lyrics of the song focus on the life of the main character in the film, Kaydee "Caine" Lawson (played by Tyrin Turner), acting as a sort of plot summary for the film. Compton's Most Wanted previously used the same concept for the song "Growin' Up In The Hood" from the Boyz n the Hood soundtrack.[1]

The music video depicts MC Eiht alone in a slightly foggy bedroom and also features clips from the movie.

Legacy

Montell Jordan's "Falling" from his 1996 album More... sampled "Streiht up Menace" as did Kool Savas in his 2009 song "Rapfilm". In 2010, Bruno Mars did a wedding remix of MC Eiht's "Straight Up Menace" on his debut album Doo-Wops & Hooligans.

Personnel

Charts

Chart (1993)Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[2] 72
US Hot R&B Singles (Billboard)[3] 46

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ma . David . April 18, 2021 . The Making of MC Eiht’s “Streiht Up Menace” . March 24, 2024 . Passion of the Weiss . en-US.
  2. September 4, 1993 . Billboard Hot 100 Singles . March 24, 2024 . . . 84 . en-US . 105 . 36 . 0006-2510.
  3. August 21, 1993 . Hot R&B Singles . March 24, 2024 . . . en-US . 105 . 34 . 0006-2510.