Wanksta

Infobox Single
Name = Wanksta


Artist = 50 Cent
from Album = 8 Mile Soundtrack, Get Rich or Die Tryin', and No Mercy, No Fear
Released = 2002
Format = 12"
Recorded = 2001
Genre = East Coast hip hop, Gangsta rap
Length = 3:44
Label = Aftermath, Interscope, Shady, G-Unit Records
Writer = Curtis Jackson
Producer = John "J-Praize" Freeman (mixed by Dr. Dre)
Reviews =
Last single = "Thug Love" (1999)
This single = "Wanksta" (2002)
Next single = "In da Club" (2003)
Misc = Extra tracklisting
Album = Get Rich or Die Tryin'
Type = studio
prev_track = "Gotta Make It To Heaven"
prev_no = 16
this_track = "Wanksta"
track_no = 17
next_track = "U Not Like Me"
next_no = 18Extra tracklisting
Album = 8 Mile Soundtrack
Type = soundtrack
prev_track = "U Wanna Be Me"
prev_no = 10
this_track = "Wanksta"
track_no = 11
next_track = "Wasting My Time"
next_no = 12

"Wanksta" is the second single from the "8 Mile" soundtrack. Released in 2002, the single, performed by 50 Cent, reached No. 13, becoming 50 Cent's first Top 20 single and his commercial debut single.

Background

The song was his first single to chart after signing up with Eminem's & Dr. Dre's labels, Shady/Aftermath, as well as his first single since 1999's Thug Love. Originally appearing on his 2002 mixtape "No Mercy, No Fear", it received a lot of airplay, and was eventually added to the 8 Mile soundtrack. It was a bonus track (track 17) on his 2003 commercial debut album "Get Rich or Die Tryin'" Eminem also made a remix aimin at Ja Rule and tweeked the beat to sound high pitched.

The song's lyrics are believed to speak against long time nemesis Ja Rule, but 50 Cent disputed this himself in a MuchMusic interview, stating that the song was not directed against Ja Rule, "But Ja Rule is a wanksta". [Unknown author. (February 11 2003) [http://www.muchmusic.com/news/story.asp?id=12178 "Fifty Cent: Ja Rule is a Wanksta"] . MuchMusic. Accessed August 1 2007.]

The instrumental for the song was used for "Crackin", a song by The Psychopathic Rydas. It was also used for "The Real Wanksta" by Black Child, who is signed to Murder Inc and was beefing with 50 because he was affiliated wit Ja Rule.

Etymology

The title is generally accepted as a portmanteau word meaning "self-obsessed, show-off person". The precise, origin is debated, although most theories suggest a blend of "gangsta" and "wannabe". [Multiple Authors. [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=wanksta "Urban Dictionary: Wankster"] . Accessed July 11 2008]

50 Cent has explicitly stated that the word is not related to wanker [Jake Arnott. (October 19 2003) [http://observer.guardian.co.uk/omm/qanda/story/0,,1065561,00.html "Jake Arnott and 50 Cent"] . The Guardian Observer. Accessed July 11 2008] :

JA: And another claim to fame: you introduced the word 'wanksta' into the language with your track 'Wanksta'. That word sort of means something in England - does it mean the same in America?

50: Nah, nah! 'Wanksta's like... we use that terminology to mean a fake gangster. When people told me about the word 'wanker'...

Chart Positions

References

External links

*YouTube|n2BKRS7-0h8|Music video for "Wanksta"