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Banned in the U.S.A. (song)

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"Banned in the U.S.A."
Single by 2 Live Crew
from the album Banned in the U.S.A. and The Luke LP
ReleasedMay 3, 1990 (1990-05-03)
Recorded1989
GenrePolitical hip hop
Length4:24
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Mr. Mixx
  • Luke Records
  • 2 Live Crew
2 Live Crew singles chronology
"The Fuck Shop"
(1989)
"Banned in the U.S.A."
(1990)
"Mama Juanita"
(1990)

"Banned in the U.S.A." is a song recorded by the American hip hop group 2 Live Crew. It was released in May 1990 as the lead single from their fourth album of the same name. "Banned in the U.S.A." was also released on the alternate version of the album, credited as Luke's debut solo album, titled The Luke LP. The song peaked at number 20 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and is the group's highest-charting song on that chart. It also reached number-one on the U.S. Billboard Hot Rap Tracks chart.[1]

Content

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The song is a reference to the decision in a court case that the 2 Live Crew's album As Nasty as They Wanna Be was obscene. (The decision would later be overturned on appeal.) It contains a sample of a Ronald Reagan impressionist proclaiming the United States' government to be a government "Of the people, for the people, by the people."[2]

Charts

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Weekly chart performance for "Banned in the U.S.A."
Chart (1990) Peak
Position
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[3] 32
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[4] 28
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[5] 13
US Billboard Hot 100[6] 20

References

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  1. ^ "The 2 Live Crew chart positions". allmusic. Retrieved January 4, 2010.
  2. ^ "Banned in the USA: 2 Live Crew CD Spotlight". Mike's Daily Jukebox. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  3. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – 2 Live Crew The" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  4. ^ "Luke feat. The 2 Live Crew – Banned In The U.S.A." (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  5. ^ "2 Live Crew Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  6. ^ "2 Live Crew Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 12, 2022.