U.N.I.T.Y.

Queen Latifah

About U.N.I.T.Y.

"U. N. I. T. Y" is the Grammy Award-winning song by rapper/actress Queen Latifah off her 1993 album, Black Reign. The single, released on November 9, 1993 in the United States and on January 6, 1994 in the United Kingdom, spoke out against the disrespect of women in society, addressing issues of street harassment, domestic violence, and slurs against women in hip-hop culture. Because of its message, many radio and TV stations would play the song without censoring the words "bitch" and "hoes", which appear often in the lyrics, particularly the chorus and the line "who you callin' a bitch?!" that ends each verse. The song samples "Message from the Inner City" by The Crusaders. The song was also featured on Living Single, Latifah's series which aired in the same year. There is another version which gained airplay called, "U. N. I. T. Y. (Queen Ruff Neck Boot)", which has a similar beat to the album version, reducing most of the jazz sample replacing it with a hip-hop beat. It can be found as a clean version on 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of Queen Latifah and Hip Hop: Gold. 


Year:
2014
4:10
125 
#3

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Uh, U.N.I.T.Y., U.N.I.T.Y. that's a unity
   U.N.I.T.Y., love a black man from infinity to infinity
			                   (Who you calling a bitch?)
   U.N.I.T.Y., U.N.I.T.Y. that's a unity   (You gotta let him know)
					   (You go, come on here we go)
   U.N.I.T.Y., Love a black woman from     (You got to let him know)
               infinity to infinity        (You ain't a bitch or a ho)
   U.N.I.T.Y., U.N.I.T.Y. that's a unity   (You gotta let him know)
					   (You go, come on here we go)
   U.N.I.T.Y., Love a black man from       (You got to let him know)
               infinity to infinity        (You ain't a bitch or a ho)

Instinct leads me to another flow
Everytime I hear a brother call a girl a bitch or a ho
Trying to make a sister feel low
You know all of that gots to go
Now everybody knows there's exceptions to this rule
Now don't be getting mad, when we playing, it's cool
But don't you be calling out my name
I bring wrath to those who disrespect me like a dame
That's why I'm talking, one day I was walking down the block
I had my cutoff shorts on right cause it was crazy hot
I walked past these dudes when they passed me
One of 'em felt my booty, he was nasty
I turned around red, somebody was catching the wrath
Then the little one said (Yeah me bitch) and laughed
Since he was with his boys he tried to break fly
Huh, I punched him dead in his eye and said "Who you calling a bitch?"

					   (Here we go)
   U.N.I.T.Y., U.N.I.T.Y. that's a unity   (You gotta let him know)
					   (You go, come on here we go)
   U.N.I.T.Y., Love a black woman from     (You got to let him know)
               infinity to infinity        (You ain't a bitch or a ho)
					   (Here we go)
   U.N.I.T.Y., U.N.I.T.Y. that's a unity   (You gotta let him know)
					   (You go, come on here we go)
   U.N.I.T.Y., Love a black man from       (You got to let him know)
               infinity to infinity        (You ain't a bitch or a ho)

I hit the bottom, there ain't nowhere else to go but up
Bad days at work, give you an attitude then you were rough
And take it out on me but that's about enough
You put your hands on me again I'll put your ass in handcuffs
I guess I fell so deep in love I grew dependency
I was too blind to see just how it was affecting me
All I knew was you, you was all the man I had
And I was scared to let you go, even though you treated me bad
But I don't want my kids to see me getting beat down
By daddy smacking mommy all around
You say I'm nothing without ya, but I'm nothing with ya
A man don't really love you if he hits ya
This is my notice to the door, I'm not taking it no more
I'm not your personal whore, that's not what I'm here for
And nothing good gonna come to ya til you do right by me
Brother you wait and see (Who you calling a bitch?)

					   (Here we go)
   U.N.I.T.Y., U.N.I.T.Y. that's a unity   (You gotta let him know)
					   (You go, come on here we go)
   U.N.I.T.Y., Love a black woman from     (You got to let him know)
               infinity to infinity        (You ain't a bitch or a ho)
					   (Here we go)
   U.N.I.T.Y., U.N.I.T.Y. that's a unity   (You gotta let him know)
					   (You go, come on here we go)
   U.N.I.T.Y., Love a black man from       (You got to let him know)
               infinity to infinity        (You ain't a bitch or a ho)

What's going on in your mind is what I ask ya
But like Yo-Yo, you don't hear me though
You wear a rag around your head and you call yourself
a "Gangsta Bitch" now that you saw Apache's video
I saw you wilding, acting like a fool
I peeped you out the window jumping girls after school
But where did all of this come from?
A minute ago, you was a nerd and nobody ever heard of ya
Now you a wannabe... hard
You barely know your ABC's, please
There's plenty of people out there with triggers ready to pull it
Why you trying to jump in front of the bullet (Young lady)
Uh, and real bad girls are the silent type
Ain't none of this work getting your face sliced
Cause that's what happened to your homegirl, right? Bucking with nobody
She got to wear that for life (Who you calling a bitch?)

					   (Here we go)
   U.N.I.T.Y., U.N.I.T.Y. that's a unity   (You gotta let him know)
					   (You go, come on here we go)
   U.N.I.T.Y., Love a black woman from     (You got to let him know)
               infinity to infinity        (You ain't a bitch or a ho)
					   (Here we go)
   U.N.I.T.Y., U.N.I.T.Y. that's a unity   (You gotta let him know)
					   (You go, come on here we go)
   U.N.I.T.Y., Love a black man from       (You must let him know)
               infinity to infinity        (You ain't a bitch or a ho)

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Queen Latifah

Dana Elaine Owens (born March 18, 1970), better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American singer, rapper, model, and actress. Her work in music, film and television has earned her a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, a Grammy Award, six additional Grammy nominations, an Emmy Award nomination and an Academy Award nomination. more »

2 fans

Written by: D. OWENS, J. SAMPLE

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


20 facts about this song

Release Date
"U.N.I.T.Y." is a hit song by rapper Queen Latifah from her 1993 album "Black Reign."
Award Recognition
The song won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance in 1995.
Song Theme
"U.N.I.T.Y." is known for its message of empowerment for women, and it encourages respect for women in the highly sexualized, male-dominated world of hip-hop.
Chart Performance
The single reached number twenty-three on the Billboard Hot 100 and charted at number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in 1994.
Music Video
In the music video for "U.N.I.T.Y.", Queen Latifah is known for donning African garb and braided hair, sending a strong message of black pride and female empowerment.
Lyrics Content
The lyrics strongly denounce street harassment, domestic violence, and disrespect of women in society. Queen Latifah raps, "Every time I hear a brother call a girl a b**** or a ho, trying to make a sister feel low, You know all of that gots to go."
Cultural Influence
"U.N.I.T.Y." is often cited as a feminist anthem, particularly within the Hip-Hop community.
Companion Songs
The song is one of Queen Latifah's best-known releases, along with "Ladies First," which is also considered a female empowerment anthem in rap.
Sample Used
"U.N.I.T.Y." contains a sample of "Message From the Inner City" by The Crusaders.
Legacy
Even as of today, "U.N.I.T.Y." remains a popular and influential song due to its powerful message against misogyny and its fight for women's rights.
Genre Classification
"U.N.I.T.Y." is a song by Queen Latifah, released in 1993. It is classified under the Hip Hop genre and is also known for its feminist themes.
Album Information
The song is included in Queen Latifah's third studio album "Black Reign" which was her biggest-selling album.
Chart Rankings
"U.N.I.T.Y." won major commercial success. It reached the number 23 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Hot Rap Singles chart. It was also number 2 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart.
Grammy Award
In 1995, "U.N.I.T.Y." won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance, which was a great achievement for a female artist in the heavily male-dominated rap industry.
Video Facts
The music video for "U.N.I.T.Y." features Queen Latifah walking down the streets and rapping. It includes a scene of her standing up to a man harassing a woman, in line with the song's feminist message.
Lyrics and Message
The lyrics of "U.N.I.T.Y." addresses issues of street harassment, domestic violence and slurs against women in hip-hop culture. It is hailed for its powerful feminist message.
Critical Acclaim
The song has been widely acclaimed by critics. Rolling Stone magazine named it one of the 'Top 50 Recordings of the 1990s'.
Cultural Impact
Queen Latifah's "U.N.I.T.Y." has been credited for empowering women, especially within the black community and hip-hop culture. The song's refrain "Who you calling a bitch?" became an iconic rallying cry against misogyny.
Cover Versions
The song has been covered by several artists, further proving its lasting impact in hip-hop culture.
Inclusion in Popular Culture
"U.N.I.T.Y." has been featured in several TV series, movies, and video game soundtracks, including the movie "Set it Off" and the video game "True Crime: Streets of LA".

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    "U.N.I.T.Y. Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Apr. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/31061927/Queen+Latifah/U.N.I.T.Y.>.

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    U.N.I.T.Y.

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    Top Hot 100 Songs 1994

    Billboard #23


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