Street Dreams (song)

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"Street Dreams"
Sdeams.jpg
Single by Nas
from the album It Was Written
ReleasedOctober 22, 1996
Recorded1996
GenreMafioso rap[1]
Length4:39(Original)
4:27(Remix)
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Nasir Jones, Samuel Barnes, David Stewart, Annie Lennox
Producer(s)Trackmasters
Nas singles chronology
"If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)"
(1996) 		"Street Dreams"
(1996) 		"The Message"
(1997)

"Street Dreams" is a 1996 single by American rapper Nas. The song was It Was Written's second hit, following the success of "If I Ruled the World (Imagine That)". "Street Dreams" contains an interpolation from the Eurythmics song "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" and a sample from Linda Clifford's "Never Gonna Stop". A remix, including an appearance by R. Kelly, was released shortly after the original. It featured samples from the Isley Brothers' "Choosey Lover" along with some elements from Marvin Gaye's "Mercy Mercy Me." The remix version was performed live on an episode of the Nickelodeon series All That in February 1997.

The song's big-budget video, directed by Hype Williams, was an allusion to the Martin Scorsese film Casino. It was filmed in Las Vegas around the time Tupac Shakur was murdered and featured a cameo appearance by Frank Vincent. Perhaps as a show of appreciation, Scorsese later used Nas's "Thief's Theme" in a scene from his 2006 gangster/cop drama The Departed. Kenya Moore of The Real Housewives of Atlanta is also featured in the video.

The song was Nas's first to enter the top 50 on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching number 22. It was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America in 1997.[2]

Music video[]

There is a music video for both the original and the remix featuring R. Kelly. The original music video was directed by famous director Hype Williams and was released in 1996.[3]

Single track listing[]

A-Side[]

  1. "Street Dreams" (Album Version) (4:08)
  2. "Street Dreams" (Bonus Verse) (4:08)
  3. "Street Dreams" (Instrumental) (4:08)

B-Side[]

  1. "Affirmative Action" (Remix) (4:09)
  2. "Affirmative Action" (Album Version) (4:19)
    • Produced by Dave Atkinson
  3. "Affirmative Action" (Instrumental) (3:44)

Charts[]

Chart (1996–97) Peak
position
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[4] 39
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[5] 50
UK Singles (OCC)[6] 12
US Billboard Hot 100[7] 22
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[8] 18
US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[9] 1

Certifications[]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[2] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References[]

  1. ^ David Drake (2015-06-15). "The Homage: Mafia Culture's Influence on Rap Music". Complex Magazine. Retrieved 2019-07-26.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b "American single certifications – Nas – Street Dreams". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  3. ^ NasVEVO (2011-03-27), Nas - Street Dreams, retrieved 2016-12-07
  4. ^ "Charts.nz – Nas – Street Dreams". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  5. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Nas – Street Dreams". Singles Top 100. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  6. ^ "Nas: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  7. ^ "Nas Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  8. ^ "Nas Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  9. ^ "Nas Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
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