Climax (Slum Village song)
| "Climax (Girl Shit)" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Slum Village | ||||
| from the album Fantastic, Vol. 2 | ||||
| B-side | "CB4" (U.S.) | |||
| Released | August 22, 2000 | |||
| Format |
digital download 12" maxi single | |||
| Recorded | 1999 | |||
| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 3:32 | |||
| Label | GoodVibe Recordings | |||
| Songwriter(s) | James Yancey, Titus Glover and R. L. Altman | |||
| Producer(s) | Jay Dee | |||
| Slum Village singles chronology | ||||
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"Climax (Girl Shit)" (also known as "Climax") was the second single to be released by Slum Village from their album Fantastic, Vol. 2. The song features sexually-themed verses from the three members of the group and a chorus sung by Slum Village member Baatin's older sister, who also has a brief cameo in the music video for the song. Despite the song's title, the songs lyrics, concerning a ménage à trois, are playfully delivered and steer clear of any overly crude language. The song was relatively popular but was severely delayed as a single, and thus failed to fully capitalize on the album's initial buzz.
Overview
Concept
During a 2000 Radio 1 performance of the song in Ayia Napa, Baatin further explained the concept behind the song:
The concept is [a] menage a trois really, a guy's fantasy. We're trying to break the monotony and relax the stiffness of sexuality because it's so suppressed. We're trying to tell everybody it's okay if you wanna have a menage a trois. Do your thing, it's alright. Sexuality is freedom and we support that. I don't suppress my sexuality and we don't do it in our music, so we're sharing it with the world - something that another group probably wouldn't do.[1]
Video
The single was released along with a music video which featured cameos from The Roots frontman Questlove, Amp Fiddler, and actor Gary Coleman. In the beginning of the video, the three members of the group meet store clerk Coleman, who proceeds to boast that although "I may be half the man, but I'm gonna need twice the ladies". The fellas chuckle at Coleman and halfheartedly dismiss his comments before leaving the store and taking separate routes. Each member then performs their part of the song over cellphones to their as yet unseen partners while making their way across town, during which several musicians (such as Amp Fiddler) make their cameos.
The vocalist singing the chorus, Airasoul (formerly known as Tina Marie of "Timeless", a song from Dwele's independent promo CD, Rize), also makes her appearance in the video, carrying 3 roses out of a store, right before the verse of her real-life brother and Slum Village group member, Baatin. Finally the trio arrive at adjacent bungalows to meet their partners only to discover, one-by-one, that they have extra company, in the form of football player Simeon Rice; rapper Saafir, and "Convenience Store Superpimp" Coleman himself.
Track listing
US release:
- Climax (Clean)
- Climax (Girl Shit) (Instrumental)
- Climax (Girl Shit) (Explicit)
- CB4
UK release:
- Climax
- Raise It Up
- Climax (Sti. Cky Remix)