I Shot the Sheriff (Warren G song)

"I Shot the Sheriff"
Single by Warren G
from the album Take a Look Over Your Shoulder
ReleasedFebruary 3, 1997 (1997-02-03)
GenreHip hop
Length4:10
LabelDef Jam
Songwriters
ProducerWarren G
Warren G singles chronology
"What's Love Got to Do with It"
(1996) 		"I Shot the Sheriff"
(1997) 		"Smokin' Me Out"
(1997)
Music video
"I Shot the Sheriff" on YouTube

"I Shot the Sheriff" is the lead single from American rapper Warren G's second album, Take a Look Over Your Shoulder. The song takes its title and samples Bob Marley's 1973 song of the same name with R&B singer Nancy Fletcher singing a version of the original chorus, though Warren G, who produced the song himself, replaces Marley's lyrics with those of his own, though Marley is giving sole songwriting credit. The song was a hit in several countries; in Warren G's native US, it peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It was a bigger hit overseas, peaking at number two in the United Kingdom and at number one in New Zealand.

The official remix was produced by EPMD member Erick Sermon, it is based around EPMD's "Strictly Business", which also sampled Clapton's version of the song.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1997) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[1] 8
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[2] 18
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[3] 16
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[4] 31
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[5] 11
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[6] 6
France (SNEP)[7] 30
Germany (GfK)[8] 27
Ireland (IRMA)[9] 11
Italy (Musica e dischi)[10] 11
Italy Airplay (Music & Media)[11] 2
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[12] 5
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[13] 63
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[14] 1
Norway (VG-lista)[15] 19
Scotland Singles (OCC)[16] 9
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[17] 11
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[18] 12
UK Singles (OCC)[19] 2
UK Dance (OCC)[20] 8
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[21] 1
US Billboard Hot 100[22] 20
US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[23] 26
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[24] 16
US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[25] 5

Year-end charts

Chart (1997) Position
Australia (ARIA)[26] 58
New Zealand (RIANZ)[27] 19
Romania (Romanian Top 100)[28] 71
UK Singles (OCC)[29] 77
US Billboard Hot 100[30] 85

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[31] Gold 35,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[32] Gold 5,000*
United States (RIAA)[34] Gold 600,000[33]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Worldwide February 3, 1997 N/a Def Jam [35]
United Kingdom February 10, 1997
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 [36]
United States February 11, 1997 12-inch vinyl [35]
February 25, 1997 Rhythmic contemporary radio [37]
Japan February 26, 1997 CD [38]

References

  1. ^ "Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  2. ^ "Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  3. ^ "Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  4. ^ "Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  5. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 10. March 8, 1997. p. 20. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  6. ^ "Warren G: I Shot the Sheriff" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  7. ^ "Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  8. ^ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. To see the peak chart position, click 'TITEL VON', followed by the artist's name. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  9. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – I Shot the Sheriff". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  10. ^ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 14. April 5, 1997. p. 48. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  11. ^ "Major Market Airplay: Italy" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 11. March 15, 1997. p. 23.
  12. ^ "Tipparade-lijst van week 11, 1997" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  13. ^ "Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  14. ^ "Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  15. ^ "Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff". VG-lista. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  16. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart on 22/2/1997 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  17. ^ "Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  18. ^ "Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  19. ^ "Official Singles Chart on 22/2/1997 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  20. ^ "Official Dance Singles Chart on 22/2/1997 – Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  21. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart on 22/2/1997 – Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  22. ^ "Warren G Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  23. ^ "Warren G Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  24. ^ "Warren G Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  25. ^ "Warren G Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  26. ^ "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Top 100 Singles 1997". ARIA Charts. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  27. ^ "End of Year Charts 1997". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  28. ^ "Romanian Top 100 Singles Airplay – Top of the Year 1997" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on January 22, 2005. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  29. ^ "Top 100 Singles 1997". Music Week. January 17, 1998. p. 27.
  30. ^ "Top 100 Hits for 1997". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  31. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1997 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  32. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  33. ^ "Best-Selling Records of 1997". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 5. January 31, 1998. p. 76. ISSN 0006-2510.
  34. ^ "American single certifications – Warren G – I Shot the Sheriff". Recording Industry Association of America.
  35. ^ a b Smith, Shawnee (February 1, 1997). "Def Jam Shoots Straight for Int'l Market for Warren G Set" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 5. pp. 21, 28. ISSN 0006-2510.
  36. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. February 8, 1997. p. 26.
  37. ^ "New Releases". Radio & Records. No. 1185. February 21, 1997. p. 41.
  38. ^ "ウォーレンG | アイ・ショット・ザ・シェリフ" [Warren G | I Shot the Sheriff] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved January 21, 2026.
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