A$AP Ferg’s tribute to Shabba goes double platinum
A$AP Ferg’s 2013 smash hit, ‘Shabba’ has achieved yet another milestone after crossing the double platinum threshold.
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) issued the certification on Thursday, October 21 for the record which initially reached platinum status on November 8, 2019.
The track, which features fellow A$AP Mob artiste, A$AP Rocky, is an ode to dancehall legend Shabba Ranks who along with voicing the song’s intro, made a cameo appearance in the official music video.
In previous interviews about the song’s inspiration, Ferg, who grew up in Harlem, described Shabba as a legend who deserves more credit for his musical contributions.
“I am very excited because Shabba is a legend and a lot of that dancehall stuff and Jamaican music came from him. I feel like he doesn’t get a lot of credit which is part of the reason why I decided to do this song,” he said in a video posted to his YouTube channel at the time. “It’s sorta like bringing a pop icon back and giving him the props that he deserves am gonna call him A$AP Shabba for now.”
In the song’s chorus, Ferg further demonstrates his ratings for the ‘Mr Loverman’ artiste as he is heard singing “Eight gold rings like I’m Sha-Shabba Ranks/ Four gold chains like I’m Sha-Shabba Ranks/ One gold tooth like I’m Sha-Shabba Ranks”.
At the time of its release, the single was named the third-best rap song released in 2013, by Complex Magazine.
Shabba Ranks is known worldwide as one of the first Jamaican dancehall artistes to breakthrough on the mainstream market. His albums ‘As Raw As Ever’ and ‘X-Tra Naked’ won him Grammy’s in the Best Dancehall Album category.
