"In da Club" is a song by American rapper 50 Cent from his debut studio album Get Rich or Die Tryin (2003). Written by 50 Cent alongside producers Dr. Dre and Mike Elizondo, the song, which uses an unconventional off-beat rhythm, was released to digital download in the United States on January 7, 2003, as the album's lead single and peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming 50 Cent's first number-one single.

"In da Club" received praise from critics; at the 46th Grammy Awards, it was nominated for Best Male Rap Solo Performance and Best Rap Song. The accompanying music video for "In Da Club" won Best Rap Video and Best New Artist at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards. In 2009, the song was listed at number 24 in Billboards Hot 100 Songs of the Decade. It was performed by 50 Cent in the Super Bowl LVI halftime show on February 13, 2022.

Background

After 50 Cent was discovered by fellow rapper Eminem in 2002, he flew to Los Angeles where he was introduced to record producer Dr. Dre. "In da Club" was the first of seven tracks he recorded in five days with Dr. Dre. 50 Cent described the studio sessions, saying:

Dr. Dre and Mike Elizondo created the production that became "In da Club" around "six months before" its release, as one of five productions developed from the same drum programming. It was originally given to the hip-hop group D12 for a potential contribution to the 8 Mile soundtrack (2002), It was also offered to fellow Aftermath artist Rakim, but due to creative tensions with Dr. Dre his version was never released. Immediately taking a liking to the production upon hearing it, 50 Cent wrote all the song's lyrics in around an hour. According to Sha Money XL, 50 Cent developed the chorus from a lyric by his G-Unit colleague Lloyd Banks ("Find me in the club, bottle full of Bubb"), observing that "Fifty heard it and knew how to make it a hook and make it hot".

50 Cent first recorded the track with only the drum beat present, The Source called the song a "guaranteed party starter" with its "blaring horns, funky organs, guitar riffs and sparse hand claps". The BBC also wrote that the song is "a spectacular party anthem" that "highlights 50 Cent's ability to twist his words effortlessly". Entertainment Weekly noted that 50 Cent "boasts unashamedly of his career objectives and newly flush bank account" with lyrics such as "I'm feelin' focus, man, my money on my mind/Got a mil out the deal and I'm still on the grind."

Rolling Stone wrote that the song sports "a spare yet irresistible synth hook augmented by a tongue-twisting refrain".The Guardian called the track "irresistible" due to its "sparse orchestral samples and snaking chorus", and Pitchfork Media said, "the bounce on 'In da Club' is straight-up irresistible, Dre at both minimalist best and most deceptively infectious." Splendid magazine called the song an "insanely catchy" single with its "stanky, horn-addled thump". The track was listed at number ten on Blender magazine's "The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born". In 2008, it was ranked at number 18 on VH1's "100 Greatest Hip Hop Songs".

Chart performance

"In da Club" debuted on the US Billboard charts on issue date of January 11, 2003, and debuted at number 67. A couple of weeks later the song ascended to the top 10; after eight weeks, the song topped the charts, becoming his first number one, and stayed there for nine consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, blocking R. Kelly's "Ignition (Remix)" for five weeks. The song was later replaced by Sean Paul's "Get Busy" and remained in the top 10 for 17 weeks, and on the chart for 30 weeks. The track also reached number one on the Top 40 Tracks, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and Hot Rap Tracks charts. In March 2003, it broke a Billboard record as the "most listened-to" song in radio history within a week. Billboard also ranked it as the number one song for 2003. The Recording Industry Association of America certified the track Gold. In 2023, it was certified Diamond by the RIAA.

Across Europe, it reached number one in Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Finland, Greece, Norway, Sweden, and the Netherlands, and number three in the UK. and on the 2003 year-end chart, it was listed at number five.

Music video

Philip Atwell directed the music video on December 10–11, 2002. Almost all the film footage was used in the video except for a scene where 50 Cent raps in a glass box. Set in a fictional hip-hop boot camp known as the "Shady/Aftermath Artist Development Center", the video begins with a black Hummer driving to the facility at an unknown location, marked "Somewhere...", (actually the Volcano House in Newberry Springs). Video clips from Eminem's single "Without Me" are seen playing in the entrance on flat-screen TVs. Eminem and Dr. Dre are seen looking down at the lab from a lab balcony with windows. 50 Cent is introduced by hanging upside down from a gym roof. Atwell commented, "I think I could have done better with it, but I really liked the way that it turned out". It also reached number one on the MuchMusic video charts. At the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards, the video was awarded Best Rap Video and Best New Artist and was nominated for Video of the Year, Best Male Video, and Viewer's Choice. Cameos include: Dr. Dre, D12, Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, The Game (in his first cameo appearance), Bang Em Smurf, DJ Lady Tribe, Young Buck, Xzibit and DJ Whoo Kid.

The music video on YouTube has received over 2.5 billion views as of October 2025.

Lawsuit

In January 2006, 50 Cent was sued for copyright infringement by former 2 Live Crew manager Joseph Weinberger, who owns the rights to the rap group's catalog. He claimed that 50 Cent plagiarized the lines "it's your birthday" from the eponymous second track of former 2 Live Crew frontman Luther Campbell's 1994 album Freak for Life 6996 (also known simply as Freak for Life). The lawsuit was dismissed by U.S. District Judge Paul Huck, who ruled that the phrase was a "common, unoriginal and noncopyrightable element of the song". 50 Cent's attorneys in the litigation included noted entertainment litigator Jeffrey D. Goldman.

"Sexy Lil Thug"

In 2003, American recording artist Beyoncé recorded "Sexy Lil Thug", a remix version of "In da Club". Her version uses the original's instrumental and melody with the singer singing her own, newly added verses. In the song, she references Jimmy Choo shoes, Marilyn Monroe, Marc Jacobs, and Bailey Bank and Biddle. Makkada B. Selah of The Village Voice said, "Her version of 'In da Club' outed 50 Cent as a singing-ass rapper with lines like 'Don't wanna be your girl/I ain't lookin' for no love/So come give me a hug/You a sexy little thug. Joey Guerra of the Houston Chronicle coined Beyoncé's cover version as a "female spin" on the original. The song has been released on unofficial Beyoncé mixtapes. According to Guerra of the Houston Chronicle, the song was never an official single, likely because of permission issues. In 2013, Mike Wass of the website Idolator put "Sexy Lil Thug" at number six on his list of "Beyonce's 10 Best Unreleased and Rare Tracks". He described it as a "radio staple" in 2003, adding that it "remains something of a lost gem" and concluded, "Queen Bey spit iconic lyrics like 'I'm that classy mami with the Marilyn Monroe body.

Sampling

"In da Club" has been sampled or interpolated in at least 90 songs, including "Mi Gna" by Super Sako, "Good Life" by Kanye West, "Genesis" by Justice and "Iffy" by Chris Brown.

Appearances in other media

The song is featured in the films Soul Plane, Shark Tale, Beauty Shop, Dead Tone, and Detention, as well as the theatrical trailers for horror films Happy Death Day (2017) and Happy Death Day 2U (2019). It is also featured in the television shows The Wire, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Revenge, Lucifer, and The Fall. It was performed by 50 Cent in the Super Bowl LVI halftime show on February 13, 2022. It also was released on Fuser, being one of the first songs to be announced for the game.

Track listing

  • UK CD single
  1. "In da Club" (Single Version) (Clean) – 3:46
  2. "In da Club" (Single Version) (Explicit) – 3:45
  3. "Wanksta" – 3:41
  • German CD single
  1. "In da Club" (Single Version) (Explicit) – 3:48
  2. "Wanksta" – 3:41
  • German and Australian CD single
  • Vocals, lyrics: 50 Cent
  • Producer: Dr. Dre
  • Co-producer: Mike Elizondo
  • Audio mixing: Dr. Dre
  • Recording engineers: Mauricio "Veto" Iragorri, Sha Money XL
  • Assistant engineers: James "Flea" McCrone, Francis Forde, Ruben Rivera
  • Keyboards, guitars, bass: Mike Elizondo
  • Percussion: DJ Quik

Charts

Weekly charts

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+ 2003 weekly chart performance for "In da Club"

!scope="col"| Chart (2003)

!scope="col"| Peak<br />position

|-

!scope="row"

|-

|-

!scope="row"

|-

!scope="row"

|-

!scope="row"

|-

!scope="row"|Canada (Canadian Singles Chart)

| 1

|-

!scope="row"|Canada CHR (Nielsen BDS)

| style="text-align:center"|1

|-

! scope="row"| Columbia (Notimex)

| style="text-align:center;"|1

|-

!scope="row"|Croatia (HRT)

| 1

|-

!scope="row"

|-

!scope="row"|Eurochart Hot 100 (Music & Media)

| 1

|-

!scope="row"

|-

!scope="row"

|-

!scope="row"

|-

!scope="row"|Greece (IFPI Greece)

| 3

|-

!scope="row"

|-

!scope="row"

|-

!scope="row"

|-

! scope="row"| Latvia (Latvian Airplay Top 50)

| 7

|-

!scope="row"

|-

!scope="row"

|-

!scope="row"

|-

!scope="row"

|-

!scope="row"|Romania (Romanian Top 100)

| 4

|-

!scope="row"

|-

!scope="row"

|-

!scope="row"

|-

!scope="row"

|-

!scope="row"

|-

!scope="row"

|-

!scope="row"

|-

!scope="row"

|-

!scope="row"

|-

!scope="row"

|}

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+ 2022 and 2023 weekly chart performance for "In da Club"

!scope="col"| Chart (2022–2023)

!scope="col"| Peak<br />position

|-

|-

!scope="row"|Canada Digital Song Sales (Billboard)

| 10

|-

|-

! scope="row"| Latvia (LAIPA)

| 12

|-

! scope="row"| Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)

| 50

|}

Year-end charts

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+ 2003 year-end chart performance for "In da Club"

! scope="col" | Chart (2003)

! scope="col" | Position

|-

!scope="row"|Australia (ARIA)

| 5

|-

!scope="row"|Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 75)

| 37

|-

!scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)

| 9

|-

!scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop 40 Wallonia)

| 13

|-

!scope="row"|Eurochart Hot 100 (Billboard)

| 7

|-

!scope="row"|France (SNEP)

| 57

|-

!scope="row"|Germany (Media Control GfK)

| 10

|-

!scope="row"|Ireland (IRMA)

| 3

|-

!scope="row"|Italy (FIMI)

| 28

|-

!scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)

| 8

|-

!scope="row"|Netherlands (Single Top 100)

| 18

|-

!scope="row"|New Zealand (RIANZ)

| 4

|-

!scope="row"|Romania (Romanian Top 100)

| 1

|-

!scope="row"|Sweden (Hitlistan)

| 10

|-

!scope="row"|Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)

| 8

|-

!scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC)

| 13

|-

!scope="row"|UK Urban (Music Week)

|1

|-

!scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100

| 1

|-

!scope="row"|US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks (Billboard)

| 1

|-

!scope="row"|US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)

| 1

|}

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+ 2022 year-end chart performance for "In da Club"

! scope="col" | Chart (2022)

! scope="col" | Position

|-

! scope="row"| Global 200 (Billboard)

| 131

|}

Decade-end charts

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+ 2000s decade-end chart performance for "In da Club"

! scope="col" | Chart (2000–2009)

! scope="col" | Position

|-

!scope="row"|Australia (ARIA)

| 55

|-

!scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100

| 24

|-

!scope="row"|US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)

| 30

|-

!scope="row"|US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)

| 5

|}

All-time charts

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+ All-time chart performance for "In da Club"

! Chart

! Position

|-

!scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100

| 153

|}

Certifications

Release history

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:left"

|+ Release dates and formats for "In da Club"

! scope="col"| Region

! scope="col"| Date

! scope="col"| Format(s)

! scope="col"| Label(s)

! scope="col"|

|-

! scope="row" rowspan="4"| United States

| January 7, 2003

| Digital download

| rowspan="4"|

|

|-

| February 4, 2003

| 12-inch vinyl

|

|-

| February 18, 2003

| Contemporary hit radio

|

|-

! scope="row"| United Kingdom

| March 10, 2003

|

| Polydor

|

|-

! scope="row"| Australia

| rowspan="2"| March 17, 2003

| Maxi CD

| rowspan="2"| Universal Music

|

|-

! scope="row"| Germany

| CD

|

|}

See also

  • List of number-one singles of 2003 (Australia)
  • List of best-selling singles in Australia
  • List of number-one singles of 2003 (Canada)
  • List of number-one songs of the 2000s (Denmark)
  • List of European number-one hits of 2003
  • List of number-one hits of 2003 (Germany)
  • List of number-one singles of 2003 (Ireland)
  • List of number-one singles from the 2000s (New Zealand)
  • List of number-one hits of 2003 (Switzerland)
  • List of top 10 singles in 2003 (UK)
  • List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 2003
  • List of number-one R&B singles of 2003 (U.S.)

References