How Do U Want It

"How Do U Want It" is a song by American rapper 2Pac from his fourth studio album, All Eyez on Me (1996). It was released on May 28, 1996, by Death Row and Interscope Records, and was his final single to be released during his lifetime. "How Do U Want It" features R&B duo K-Ci & JoJo, who at the time were best known as the lead singers of the R&B quartet Jodeci. The song received a Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group Grammy nomination in 1997.

Produced by Johnny "J", "How Do U Want It" samples Quincy Jones' 1974 song "Body Heat", and includes a diss towards civil rights activist and fierce rap critic C. Delores Tucker. Tucker later sued 2Pac's estate, claiming that comments in this song, and on the track "Wonda Why They Call U Bitch" from the same album, inflicted emotional distress, were slanderous, and invaded her privacy. The case was later dismissed. A music video was created for "How Do U Want It" and its B-sides "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted" and "Hit 'Em Up".

Commercial performance

In the United States, the song was issued as a double A-sided single with "California Love", also from All Eyez on Me. The single reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Death Row Records' first and only chart-topping single, while "How Do U Want It" by itself reached number two on the New Zealand Singles Chart. On the US Hot 100, sales were the biggest driver of the single's chart run, spending four weeks on top of the component chart for sales while barely entering the top-75 airplay component chart at number 68.

Music videos

There were three videos filmed for this song:

A dirty version and a clean version were both directed by Ron Hightower and produced by Tracy D. Robinson. These two versions are distinguished by music ratings (one is certified adult material). The videos portray a wild sex party with Jacuzzi, mechanical bull riding, cage dancing and pole stripping. The dirty version also features numerous porn stars, including Nina Hartley, Heather Hunter, Nadia Cassini and Angel Kelly.

The third version, known as the concert version, is mostly live on stage (not from the House of Blues live performance). There are cameo appearances by K-Ci & JoJo, and fellow group member of Digital Underground Shock G both in the concert and studio segments.

Track listing

A1. "How Do U Want It" (LP version)

A2. "California Love" (long radio edit)

B1. "2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted" (LP version)

B2. "Hit 'Em Up"

Charts

Certifications

Release history

See also

• Hot 100 number-one hits of 1996 (USA)

External links

• May 15, 2011, at the Wayback Machine