C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me)

"C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me)"
Single by Wu-Tang Clan from the album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
Released	January 31, 1994
Format	12" single, CD5"
Recorded	Firehouse Studio in New York City
Genre	Hip hop
Length	4:12
Label	Loud Records
Writer	Robert Diggs Jason Hunter Lamont Hawkins Clifford Smith Corey Woods Dennis Coles Russell Jones Gary Grice David Porter[1] Isaac Hayes[1]
Producer	RZA
Wu-Tang Clan singles chronology
"Protect Ya Neck" (1993) "C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me)" (1994) "Can It Be All So Simple" (1994)
Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) track listing
"Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing ta F' Wit" (7) "C.R.E.A.M." (8) "Method Man" (9)

"C.R.E.A.M.", an acronym for Cash Rules Everything Around Me, is the second single from Wu-Tang Clan's highly praised debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). It boasts classic production from RZA propelling the song to street-anthem status with a sample from "As Long As I've Got You" by The Charmels. It features verses from rappers Inspectah Deck and Raekwon and a chorus by Method Man. The verse by Inspectah Deck is often considered one of his finest verses, as he manages to encapsulate his entire life growing up in the ghetto so far. Topics covered include growing up without a father, resorting to drug dealing and being arrested. After being arrested, Deck has a new and profound view on society, as he believes society is "no different from a cell", and he realizes all of the problems in society (police brutality, racial profiling, drug dealing, prostitution, stray bullets, and crack cocaine). Towards the end of the verse, Deck talks about how going to prison has matured him, and now he tries to encourage the young black youth to stop affiliating themselves with the street life and to instead try to use their talents to better themselves and society. The hook performed by Method Man has been sampled by many rappers. The phrase "Cream" has become a slang term for money. C.R.E.A.M is the one of the highest charting Wu-Tang Clan singles, reaching #60 on The Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The music video for "C.R.E.A.M." features the members of the Clan starting off at the projects in Staten Island and moving on to a more lavish lifestyle of champagne and Mercedes. The video for this single also features classic early '90s urban New York styles of dress, as the majority of the people in the video are wearing goose-downs, Champion Hoodies, black skullies, and either beige or black Timberlands. The "C.R.E.A.M." single made The Source's 100 Best Singles list.[1] Several artists including The Notorious B.I.G., Wyclef, 2Pac, Akon, Fabolous, Fat Joe, Swizz Beatz, Rakim, and Young Jeezy among others have mentioned it in their songs. It is featured on The RZA Hits compilation.

Contents 1 Song Order 2 Single track listing 2.1 A-Side 2.2 B-Side 3 Influence 4 References

Song Order

• Intro: Raekwon & Method Man
• First Verse: Raekwon
  • Chorus: Method Man
• Second Verse: Inspectah Deck
  • Chorus: Method Man
• Backing Vocals: 60 Second Assassin

Single track listing

A-Side

1. "C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me)" (Radio Edit) (4:04)
2. "C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me)" (Album Version) (4:03)
3. "C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me)" (A Cappella) (2:37)
4. "C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me)" (Instrumental) (3:38)

B-Side

1. "Da Mystery Of Chessboxin'" (Radio Edit) (4:40)

Influence

Lyrics of "C.R.E.A.M." have been reused in various hip-hop songs:

• "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)" - Wyclef Jean (Akon's chorus)
• "It's Me Bitches" - Swizz Beatz
• "We Takin Over" - DJ Khaled (Fat Joe's verse)
• "Who Shot Ya?" - The Notorious B.I.G.
• "Cash Rules" - Cassidy feat. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony & Eve
• "Notorious Thugs" - The Notorious B.I.G. & Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
• "Go Crazy (Remix)" - Young Jeezy & Jay-Z
• "Respect Mine" - Fat Joe & Raekwon
• "Affirmative Action" - Nas (Cormega & Foxy Brown's verses)
• "Return of The Hustle" - Fabolous & Swizz Beatz
• "Monay, Monay" - Poetic Ammo (Yogi's verse)
• "Corrupt Cops" - Evol Intent
• "Dammit Man" - Pitbull
• "D.R.E.A.M. (Drugs Rule Everything Around Me)" - Transplants (Cover)
• "New World Water" - Mos Def
• "Petit Frère" - IAM
• "K.R.E.A.M." - UNI
• "The Ass" - Pharoahe Monch

It has also been sampled in various songs:

• "The Rep Grows Bigga" - Gang Starr (Raekwon's verse)
• "Livin' Proof" - Group Home (Inspectah Deck's verse)
• "Brain Cell" - Cunninlynguists (Inspectah Deck's verse)
• "Cash Rules" - Ray Cash (Method Man's hook)
• "Respect Mine" - Pete Rock & O.C. (Raekwon's verse)
• "It's Me Bitches (Remix) - Swizz Beatz (Jadakiss' verse over beat)
• "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill) {Remix} - Wyclef Jean (beat sampled featuring Raekwon)

References

•  • e Wu-Tang Clan
Ghostface Killah · GZA · Inspectah Deck · Masta Killa · Method Man · Ol' Dirty Bastard · Raekwon · RZA · U-God
Studio albums	Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) · Wu-Tang Forever · The W · Iron Flag · 8 Diagrams
Singles	"Protect Ya Neck" · "Method Man" · "C.R.E.A.M." · "Can It Be All So Simple" · "Triumph" · "Gravel Pit" · "The Heart Gently Weeps"
Compilations	The Swarm · Wu-Chronicles · Wu-Chronicles, Chapter 2 · The Sting · Disciples of the 36 Chambers: Chapter 1 · Legend of the Wu-Tang Clan · Wu-Tang Meets the Indie Culture · Mathematics Presents Wu-Tang Clan & Friends Unreleased
Related articles	Discography · The Wu-Tang Manual · Wu-Gambinos · Affiliates · Affiliates discography

the riza, the jiza, raekwon inspecta death