Throwback Thursday: Jermaine Dupri – “Money Ain’t a Thang” (featuring Jay-Z)
Another week, another Jermaine Dupri production. This time, however, JD plays artist as well as producer.
Last week, we were motivated to honor JD due to Diddy’s disrespect. This week, we are motivated by the fact that today is JD’s 49th birthday.
In May of ’98, JD linked up with Jay-Z to make “Money Ain’t a Thang,” a timeless chune that samples Steve Arrington’s “Weak at the Knees.” From the ’80s sample to the boastful lyrics about money and material things, “Money Ain’t a Thang” is peak late-’90s hip-hop. Even its music video — which features former Miss USA and current Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kenya Moore — is also very representative of that era.
“Money Ain’t a Thang” only managed to reach No. 52 on the Billboard Hot 100, but was nominated for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the Grammy Awards the following year. Unforunately, it lost to “Intergalactic” by Beastie Boys, which was literally the worst song nominated in that category that year. Take all of this as more evidence that chart performance and — to a greater extent — Grammys don’t always say much about the quality of a song or how long its legacy will be. Click play.
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