Dirt off Your Shoulder

2004 single by Jay-Z

"Dirt off Your Shoulder"

Single by Jay-Z

from the album The Black Album

Released

March 2, 2004

Recorded

2003

Genre

East Coast hip hop

Length

3:59

Label

Roc-A-Fella
Def Jam

Songwriter(s)

Shawn Carter
Timothy Mosley

Producer(s)

Timbaland

Jay-Z singles chronology

"Change Clothes"
(2003)

"Dirt off Your Shoulder"
(2004)

"99 Problems"
(2004)

"Dirt off Your Shoulder" is the second single released from Jay-Z's 2003 album The Black Album.

In 2004, the song was combined with the Linkin Park single "Lying from You" and released as a single for the mash-up album Collision Course.

Political influence

On April 17, 2008, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama referenced the song in gesture, in response to sharp attacks from his then-rival Hillary Clinton and a debate which was widely criticized for focusing on campaign gaffes rather than on candidates' policy positions.^[1]^[2] Referencing his opponents' "textbook Washington" tactics, focusing on personal attacks and trivial issues, Obama used Jay-Z's hand signal to "brush the dirt" off his shoulders.^[3] When asked whether Obama was deliberately referencing the song, a campaign spokesman said, "He has some Jay-Z on his iPod."^[4]

Clinton later made the same gesture during her appearance before the House Select Committee on Benghazi.^[5]

Formats and track listings

A-Side

Dirt off Your Shoulder (Radio Edit)
Dirt off Your Shoulder (LP)
Dirt off Your Shoulder (Instrumental)

B-Side

Encore (Radio Edit)
Encore (LP)
Encore (Instrumental)

99 Problems/Dirt off Your Shoulder, Pt. 1

99 Problems (Explicit)
Dirt off Your Shoulder (Explicit)

99 Problems/Dirt off Your Shoulder, Pt. 2

99 Problems (Explicit)
Dirt off Your Shoulder (Explicit)
99 Problems (Video)
Dirt off Your Shoulder (Video)

99 Problems/Dirt off Your Shoulder, Vinyl

A-Side

99 Problems (Explicit)
99 Problems (Clean)

B-Side

Dirt off Your Shoulder (Explicit)
Dirt off Your Shoulder (Clean)

Charts

In the U.S. the song peaked at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 making it Jay-Z's third highest peak on the chart at the time (tied with "Swagga Like Us").

Weekly charts

Chart (2004)	Peak position
Scotland (OCC)^[6] With 99 Problems	14
UK Singles (OCC)^[7] With 99 Problems	12
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)^[8] With 99 Problems	2
US Billboard Hot 100^[9]	5
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[10]	3
US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)^[11]	2
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)^[12]	18
US Rhythmic (Billboard)^[13]	5

Year-end charts

Chart (2004)	Position
US Billboard Hot 100^[14]	21
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[15]	14

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)^[16]	2× Platinum	2,000,000^‡
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	January 19, 2004 (2004-01-19)	Rhythmic contemporary · urban contemporary radio	Roc-A-Fella, IDJMG	^[17]

References

^ Kurtz, Howard (April 18, 2008). "Performance By ABC's Moderators Is a Matter Of Debate". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 18, 2008.
^ Whitcomb, Dan (April 18, 2008). "ABC criticized for handling of Democratic debate". Reuters. Retrieved April 19, 2008.
^ Melber, Ari (April 17, 2008). "Obama Meets Jay-Z in YouTube Mashup Slamming Clinton & Debate". The Nation. Retrieved April 18, 2008.
^ Wiltz, Teresa (April 19, 2008). "Obama Has Jay-Z on His IPod and The Moves To Prove It". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 19, 2008.
^ Reilly, Mollie (October 22, 2015). "Hillary Clinton Gets That Dirt Off Her Shoulder". HuffPost. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
^ "Jay-Z Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
^ "Jay-Z Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
^ "Jay-Z Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard.
^ "Jay-Z Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
^ "Jay-Z Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
^ "Billboard Top 100 – 2004". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2004". Billboard. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
^ "American single certifications – Jay-Z – Dirt off Your Shoulder". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
^ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1538. January 16, 2004. p. 24. Retrieved July 9, 2022.