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Remember the Name (Ed Sheeran song)

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"Remember the Name"
Black text "Ed Sheeran Remember the Name feat. Eminem & 50 Cent" afront a white background
Promotional single by Ed Sheeran featuring Eminem and 50 Cent
from the album No.6 Collaborations Project
RecordedDecember 2018
Studio
GenreHip hop
Length3:27
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)

"Remember the Name" is a song by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran featuring American rappers Eminem and 50 Cent from the former's compilation album No.6 Collaborations Project (2019). It was released as a promotional single through Asylum and Atlantic Records. The song was produced by Sheeran, alongside Max Martin, Shellback, and Fred. They also served as songwriters alongside the rappers and Patrick Brown, Raymon Murra, Rico Wade, André Benjamin and Antwan Patton, with the latter five receiving credit due to the usage of words and music from Outkast's single "So Fresh, So Clean" (2001).

"Remember the Name" received generally mixed to negative reviews from music critics, who often highlighted the "Dr. Dre-inspired production", with numerous reviewers criticising Eminem and 50 Cent's verses. In 2019, Spin listed the song as being among the worst of the year. It charted in various countries, including in the top ten of New Zealand and Slovakia, and peaked at number three on the UK R&B chart. It was also certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry and platinum by Music Canada.

Background

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A man in a black cap, t-shirt and jacket, and dog tag performing with a microphone in his hand
A man in a red t-shirt and coat looking to his left
"Remember the Name" features Eminem (left) and 50 Cent (right).

In March 2016, Paul Rosenberg, Eminem's manager, asked Ed Sheeran to send song ideas for inclusion on Eminem's ninth studio album Revival (2017). Sheeran recorded a demo of the chorus of "River", with drums, guitar and piano, at Russell Crowe's studio and sent it to Rosenberg, not hearing back until May 2017.[1] "River" was released as the second single from the album, featuring Sheeran's vocals. He told BBC News he wished to collaborate with the rapper on two tracks, an "introspective, storytelling" one and another "a nod towards the cheekier songs" on earlier Eminem albums.[2]

According to him, "River" accomplished the former goal, so he sought the involvement of American rapper 50 Cent to create the second track. Sheeran encountered 50 Cent during a visit to Eminem's dressing room: "I walked into Eminem's dressing room and 50 Cent was in there, and I was like: this has to be meant to be". Sheeran thought that being allowed on a track with the two rappers proved that his detractors' claims that he cannot rap did not matter.[2] "Remember the Name" was recorded in December 2018; 50 Cent recalled the following day, "I recorded a song last night with Eminem & Ed Sheeran, I had fun doing it we got some heat [sic]".[3]

Production

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"Remember the Name" was produced by Max Martin, Shellback, FRED and Sheeran himself. It was co-written by the latter four along with Eminem, 50 Cent and Patrick Brown, Raymon Murra, Rico Wade, André Benjamin and Antwan Patton, the latter five received credit due to the usage of words and music from Outkast's single "So Fresh, So Clean" (2001). Martin and Shellback were in charge of programming and keyboards, while Sheeran played the guitars. FRED played drums, keyboards, guitar, bass, and was also responsible for programming the track. The song was engineered by Ky Miller and Michael Ilbert. Eminem's vocals were recorded by Mike Strange, Tony Campana and Joe Strange. "Remember the Name" was recorded at MXM Studios in Stockholm, Promised Land Music Studios in London, and Effigy Studios in Detroit. The track was mixed by Mike Strange at Effigy Studios.[4]

Composition and lyrical interpretation

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"Remember the Name" is a hip hop song composed in the key of E minor with a tempo of 91 beats per minute.[5][6][7] Sheeran "does some light rapping" on the song, while the two rappers deliver lyrics about their rise to stardom.[3] The former raps a reference to the English town of Ipswich, by saying, "I was born a misfit / Grew up 10 miles from the town of Ipswich". He described the lyric as a "personal highlight", noting it was "funny [as] Eminem would never ever know where Ipswich is".[2] Sheeran begins it by sing-speaking about how he was repeatedly doubted during the beginning of his career, and discouraged from rapping, "Stick to singing, stop rappin' like it's Christmas".[8][9] He also talks about "drugs, fame and stature", and how he idolizes Eminem and 50 Cent.[8][9] The song's instrumentation makes use of staccato guitars, pounded pianos, plucked strings and piercing synths, played over a 2001-inspired stomp-clap beat. From the hook up to the chorus, Sheeran channels the delivery and vocal stylings of American singer Nate Dogg.[8] Eminem sings about his dislike of skinny jeans over intricate rhyme schemes and drops "finger-on-the-pulse references to his breakout single from 1999, 'My Name Is'".[6][9] 50 Cent chants about his designer clothes, luxurious lifestyle and stature in the rap industry.[6] Sheeran and 50 Cent "insist that 'it's 'bout time you remember the name.'"[9]

Release and reception

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"Remember the Name" was released as the eighth track on Sheeran's fourth studio album, No.6 Collaborations Project, on 12 July 2019.[4] The song was met with generally mixed to negative reviews from music critics. HipHop-N-More's Navjosh called it "catchy" and likened the instrumentals to the work of Dr. Dre, noting that unlike other superstar collaborations, it did not disappoint.[10] Mitch Findlay of HotNewHipHop noted its "vintage-sounding instrumental[s]" and "nostalgic arrangement", adding that Eminem held back during his verse but had a sharp flow, and that 50 Cent showcased his charisma.[11] Elite Daily's Jamie Leelo praised the song's lyrics and said they "might also withstand the test of time".[12]

In a mixed review, Andrew Unterberger of Billboard thought 50 Cent's verse sounds "a little phoned-in" and Eminem's verse opts for an unnecessary amount of puns, although he praised the Dr. Dre-inspired production and Sheeran's delivery during the hook.[8] He commended Sheeran for making his dream of collaborating with the two rappers come true, saying "It's a situation of such unreal wish-fulfilment you'd probably never even think to fantasize about it in the first place, and you can't help but smile a little bit for Sheeran that he gets to live it out".[8] Writing for Uproxx, Aaron Williams described "Remember the Name" as "an odd patchwork of styles and concepts" and did not foresee lasting success for it despite finding it "kind of cool" in the context of the album.[6] Bernadette Giacomazzo writing for HipHopDX felt that due to Eminem's and 50 Cent's verses, "Sheeran's presence is superfluous".[13]

Writing for NME, Nick Levine said "Sheeran and Eminem collaborated effectively enough on 'River' (2017), but this cheesy throwback jam (which features 50 Cent for added retro vibes) almost feels like a parody". He opined that the Ipswich reference "sound[s] as though he's recruited David Brent to ghost-write his rhymes".[14] Seth Wilson from Slant compared "Eminem's guest verse" to someone "doing a pretty good Eminem impression at a karaoke bar". He concluded, "the song is basically one big strawman boast track".[9] Variety's Chris Willman and Clash's Malvika Padin shared a similar opinion, as they both did not enjoy the song despite the artists involved in it.[5][15]

Alexis Petridis from The Guardian claimed the song did not work and that "there's something jarring about Eminem rapping about sticking nails in his eyeballs next to Sheeran repping Ipswich."[16] The Observer's Michael Graff dubbed the track "woeful".[17] Rawiya Kameir of Pitchfork affirmed that Sheeran was unable to rap, also claiming that both Eminem and 50 Cent were "way past their prime as rappers". Kameir concluded, "Sheeran is better off sticking within his skillset."[18] The song was listed as one of the year's worst by Spin, and the staff said that it "offers an unusually unfettered look at the piles of generically trendy leftovers that a pop singer can compile between album cycles with an unchecked budget and incoherent vision".[19]

Chart performance

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"Remember the Name" charted in various countries, including the United Kingdom, where it debuted at number one on the Official Trending Chart.[20] The song reached number three on the UK R&B Singles chart, and was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry.[21][22] It peaked at number 57 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and reached number 22 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[23][24] In Canada, "Remember the Name" charted at number 20 and earned a platinum certification given by Music Canada.[25][26] The song reached number 15 in Australia and number 10 in New Zealand.[27][28] It also peaked at number nine on Slovakia's Singles Digitál Top 100, number 11 on the same chart in the Czech Republic, and number 13 in Finland.[29][30][31] "Remember the Name" debuted at number 20 in Sweden and number 22 in Denmark, spending three weeks on each country's chart.[32][33] The song also peaked at number 24 in Norway and number 29 in Germany.[34][35]

Personnel

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Credits adapted from the liner notes of No.6 Collaborations Project.[4]

Charts and certifications

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Charts

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Chart (2019) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[27] 15
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[25] 20
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[30] 11
Denmark (Tracklisten)[33] 22
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[31] 13
France (SNEP)[36] 145
Germany (GfK)[35] 29
Italy (FIMI)[37] 84
Lithuania (AGATA)[38] 22
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[39] 45
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[28] 10
Norway (VG-lista)[34] 24
Romania (Airplay 100)[40] 68
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[29] 9
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[32] 20
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[21] 3
US Billboard Hot 100[23] 57
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[24] 22

Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[26] Platinum 80,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[22] Gold 400,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ Schiller, Rebecca (9 December 2017). "Ed Sheeran Says He Wrote Eminem Collaboration 'River' at Russell Crowe's House". Billboard. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  2. ^ a b c "Ed Sheeran's 'funny' Ipswich name-check on Eminem track". BBC News. 12 July 2019. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  3. ^ a b Centeno, Tony M. (11 July 2019). "Ed Sheeran 'Remember the Name' with Eminem and 50 Cent". XXL. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Asylum Records, Atlantic Records (2019). No.6 Collaborations Project (Media notes). Ed Sheeran.
  5. ^ a b Willman, Chris (12 July 2019). "Album Review: Ed Sheeran's 'No.6 Collaborations Project'". Variety. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  6. ^ a b c d Williams, Aaron (12 July 2019). "Ed Sheeran, Eminem, And 50 Cent Connect On The Nostalgic 'Remember the Name'". Uproxx. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  7. ^ "Ed Sheeran feat. Eminem & 50 Cent "Remember the Name" Sheet Music in E Minor". Musicnotes.com. 16 July 2019. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  8. ^ a b c d e Unterberger, Andrew (12 July 2019). "The Biggest Flex of Ed Sheeran's All-Star Collabs Album: He Made His Own Throwback Single With Eminem & 50 Cent". Billboard. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  9. ^ a b c d e Wilson, Seth (18 July 2019). "Music Review: Ed Sheeran's No.6 Collaborations Project Feels Like Playacting". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  10. ^ Navjosh (11 July 2019). "Ed Sheeran's Song 'Remember The Name' Feat. 50 Cent & Eminem is Here". HipHop-N-More. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  11. ^ Findlay, Mitch (11 July 2019). "Ed Sheeran Reunites Eminem & 50 Cent On 'Remember the Name'". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  12. ^ Leelo, Jamie (12 July 2019). "You Definitely Won't Forget Ed Sheeran, Eminem, & 50 Cent's 'Remember The Name' Lyrics". Elite Daily. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  13. ^ Giacomazzo, Bernadette (19 July 2019). "Rewview: Ed Sheeran's "NO. 6 Collaborations" is a sound Pop Album but a not-so-great Hip Hop Album". HipHopDX. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  14. ^ Levine, Nick (12 July 2019). "Ed Sheeran – 'No. 6 Collaborations Project': a track-by-track review". NME. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  15. ^ Padin, Malvika (15 July 2019). "Ed Sheeran – No. 6 Collaborations Project". Clash. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  16. ^ Petridis, Alexis (12 July 2019). "Ed Sheeran: No 6 Collaborations Project review – smarm, charm and a watertight winning formula". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  17. ^ Cragg, Michael (21 July 2019). "Ed Sheeran: No 6: Collaborations Project review – a credibility-by-osmosis playlist". The Observer. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  18. ^ Kameir, Rawiya (16 July 2019). "Ed Sheeran: No.6 Collaborations Project Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  19. ^ Spin Staff (19 December 2019). "The Worst Songs We Heard in 2019". Spin. Archived from the original on 19 December 2019. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  20. ^ Ainsley, Helen (16 July 2019). "Ed Sheeran, Eminem and 50 Cent's Remember The Name is Number 1 on the Official Trending Chart". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  21. ^ a b "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  22. ^ a b "British single certifications – Ed Sheeran – Remember the Name". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  23. ^ a b "Eminem Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  24. ^ a b "Eminem Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  25. ^ a b "Eminem Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  26. ^ a b "Canadian single certifications – Ed Sheeran – Remember the Name". Music Canada. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  27. ^ a b "Ed Sheeran feat. Eminem & 50 Cent – Remember The Name". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  28. ^ a b "Ed Sheeran feat. Eminem & 50 Cent – Remember The Name". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  29. ^ a b "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 29. týden 2019 in the date selector. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  30. ^ a b "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 29. týden 2019 in the date selector. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  31. ^ a b "Ed Sheeran feat. Eminem & 50 Cent: Remember The Name" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  32. ^ a b "Ed Sheeran feat. Eminem & 50 Cent – Remember The Name". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  33. ^ a b "Ed Sheeran feat. Eminem & 50 Cent – Remember The Name". Tracklisten. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  34. ^ a b "Ed Sheeran feat. Eminem & 50 Cent – Remember The Name". VG-lista. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  35. ^ a b "Ed Sheeran feat. Eminem & 50 Cent – Remember The Name" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  36. ^ "Ed Sheeran feat. Eminem & 50 Cent – Remember The Name" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  37. ^ "Ed Sheeran feat. Eminem & 50 Cent – Remember The Name". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  38. ^ "Savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. 22 July 2019. Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  39. ^ "Ed Sheeran feat. Eminem & 50 Cent – Remember The Name" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  40. ^ Arvunescu, Victor (12 December 2019). "Top Airplay 100 – Asculta hitul care o sa te prinda si pe tine!" [Top Airplay 100 – Listen to the hit that will catch you too!] (in Romanian). Un site de muzică. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
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