Celebration (Game song)

"Celebration"
Single by Game featuring Chris Brown, Tyga, Wiz Khalifa and Lil Wayne
from the album Jesus Piece
Released September 2, 2012
Format Digital download
Recorded 2011-2012
Genre Hip hop, West Coast hip hop
Length 4:49
Label DGC, Interscope
Writer(s) Jayceon Taylor, Chris Brown, Michael Stevenson, Dwayne Carter, Cameron Thomaz, J. King
Producer(s) SAP, Cool and Dre
Game singles chronology
"Martians vs. Goblins"
(2011)		 "Celebration"
(2012)		 "All That (Lady)"
(2013)
Chris Brown singles chronology
"Algo Me Gusta de Ti"
(2012)		 "Celebration"
(2012)		 "Ready"
(2013)
Tyga singles chronology
"Gold"
(2012)		 "Celebration"
(2012)		 "Live It Up"
(2012)
Lil Wayne singles chronology
"Ice"
(2012)		 "Celebration"
(2012)		 "Bandz a Make Her Dance"
(2012)
Wiz Khalifa singles chronology
"Work Hard, Play Hard"
(2012)		 "Celebration"
(2012)		 "Remember You"
(2012)
Music video
"Celebration" on YouTube

"Celebration" is a song by American rapper Game, released as the first single from his fifth studio album Jesus Piece. The song features additional vocals from fellow rappers Lil Wayne, Tyga, Wiz Khalifa and American singer/rapper Chris Brown. "Celebration" premiered on Los Angeles' Power 106 on August 22, 2012. The song samples Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's hit single "1st of tha Month".

Production and recording

Celebration was written by Game (credited as Jayceon Terrell Taylor), Lil Wayne, Tyga, Chris Brown and Wiz Khalifa. Production of the song was handled by Cool and Dre and their protégé SAP. Celebration samples Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's hit 1st of tha Month produced by DJ U-Neek. Game said in an interview that in his entire career he tried to flip 1st of tha Month without taking too much of the original.

"I grew up in Compton, California, and I'm a huge fan of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. This is my fifth album, and my whole career I've been trying to figure out how to flip '1st of Tha Month' and I finally did it," Game told us on Friday while taking a break from filming the song's video. "I wanted to keep the feel of the song without taking too much of the original." [1]

Initially Wiz Khalifa was not featured in the song; therefore, he has a short verse. In the clean version of the song, available on iTunes, the hook sings "We havin' a celebration / Let us stay fly" instead of "We havin' a celebration / Let us stay high" on the first time only.

Critical reception

David Jeffries wrote: "The breezy and nostalgic closer "Celebration" feels more like a Sunday picnic than a Sunday sermon."[2] Pitchfork called this song "catchy Bone Thugs redux."[3] Jon Dolan called this song "redemptive."[4] USA Today listed this song in Download This list.[5] XXL was positive: "Most instrumentals on the record are, appropriately, soulful but not identical, as highlights more thump, such as the album’s first single “Celebration."[6]

Music video

Game and Lil Wayne in the music video for "Celebration."

The music video was directed by Matt Alonzo and produced by Tara Razavi, Michael Busalacchi and KeElviyn Craver. Game told MTV news that fans could expect a similar feel and visual from his mentor Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg hit single Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang.

"The concept of the video is Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang my videos, I don't like them to be fake or feel like anybody gotta act, so we're really having a barbecue out here," Game said. "It's real food, it ain't no prop food, it's real water guns — everything real."[1]

Game, Chris Brown, Tyga, Lil Wayne & Wiz Khalifa all appear in the video performing their part of the song. Game's son Harlem Caron Taylor makes an cameo appearance in the video. The music video was released on September 18, 2012.

Chart performance

"Celebration" managed to attain chart success, debuting at number 82 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 19 on US Rap chart and number 29 on Hip-Hop and R&B tracks. Lil Wayne's contribution earned him his 109th chart entry, surpassing Elvis Presley’s record for the most chart entries. It re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 on the week of November 22, 2012 at number 100. The song has spent a total of 12 weeks on the Billboard 100.

Remix

Shortly before their set at Rock the Bells’ San Francisco Bay area on Sunday night, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony said they were appreciative of Game’s new single which samples both their music and stylings.

“I feel like any song that we do that someone remixes we may have looked at as being disrespectful back when we were young and getting in the game,” Wish Bone said from the tour stop in Mountain View, California. “But us being in the game for 20 years and younger cats coming up behind us doing our style, a style that we invented, that’s kind of a compliment.”

Game posted a picture on his Twitter showing the word "bone" structured with cannabis.[7] Game later confirmed that he is working in the studio with Bone Thugs-n-Harmony on a remix for "Celebration". On 28 October, an official remix, featuring all five members of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony was released by Game. It was positively received by the critics. The Game and Bone Thugs filmed a music video for the track on November 14, 2012 in Los Angeles.[8]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2012–13) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[9] 81
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[10] 24
US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[11] 19

Year-end charts

Chart (2013) Position
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[12] 100

Credits and personnel

Sample

Radio and release history

Country Date Format Label
Canada September 2, 2012[13] Digital download DGC/Interscope
United States
United States September 2, 2012[14][15] Rhythmic contemporary radio
Urban contemporary radio
September 2, 2012[16] Contemporary hit radio

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Game's 'Celebration' Video Adds A 'Bit More Swag' To Dr. Dre Classic - Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV.com. 2012-08-28. Retrieved 2013-12-14.
  2. ↑ David Jeffries (2012-12-11). "Jesus Piece - Game | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-12-14.
  3. ↑ "The Game: Jesus Piece | Album Reviews". Pitchfork. 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2013-12-14.
  4. ↑ Jon Dolan (2013-01-02). "Jesus Piece | Album Reviews". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2013-12-14.
  5. ↑ Steve Jones, USA TODAY 9:48 p.m. EST December 10, 2012 (2012-12-10). "Game takes the wraps off 'Jesus'". Usatoday.com. Retrieved 2013-12-14.
  6. ↑ "Game, Jesus Piece Review - XXL". Xxlmag.com. 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2013-12-14.
  7. ↑ "Instagram". Instagram. Retrieved 2013-12-14.
  8. ↑ "On Set of Game and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony’s ‘Celebration’ Remix Video". Retrieved 16 November 2012.
  9. ↑ "Game Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Hot 100 for Game. Retrieved 2012-09-27.
  10. ↑ "Game Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for Game. Retrieved 2012-09-27.
  11. ↑ "Game Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Hot Rap Songs for Game. Retrieved 2012-09-27.
  12. ↑ "2013 Year End Charts — R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
  13. ↑ "Celebration (feat. Chris Brown, Tyga, Wiz Khalifa & Lil Wayne) - Single by Game". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
  14. ↑ "Top 40 Rhythmic Future Releases". AllAccess. AllAccess Music Group. Archived from the original on August 3, 2012. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
  15. ↑ "Urban/UAC Future Releases". AllAccess. AllAccess Music Group. Archived from the original on August 3, 2012. Retrieved August 3, 2012.
  16. ↑ "Top 40/M Future Releases". AllAccess. AllAccess Music Group. Archived from the original on September 2, 2012. Retrieved September 2, 2012.

External links