Let the Beat Hit 'Em

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"Let the Beat Hit 'Em"
Single by Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
from the album Straight Outta Hell's Kitchen
Released1991
Recorded1991
GenreHip house[1]
Length4:38
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Robert Clivillés, David Cole, Alan Friedman, Duran Ramos
Producer(s)David Cole & Robert Clivillés
Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam singles chronology
"Kiss the Tears Away"
(1989) 		"Let the Beat Hit 'Em"
(1991) 		"Where Were You When I Needed You"
(1991)
Music video
"Let the Beat Hit 'Em" on YouTube

"Let the Beat Hit 'Em" is a song by American urban contemporary band Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam, released as the first single from their fourth and final studio album, Straight Outta Hell's Kitchen (1991). The song spent one week at number-one on the US R&B chart in the week of September 14, 1991, and also reached No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100.[2] On the US dance charts, it was the third and final number-one for the group.[3] It also peaked at number-one on the Canadian RPM dance chart.

Samples[edit]

On "Let the Beat Hit 'Em", Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam sampled "Ghetto Heaven" by The Family Stand, The Emotions' 1977 single "Best of My Love" and "Set It Off" by Strafe.[4] and Donald Byrd Think Twice.

"Let the Beat Hit 'Em" was also sampled by Kylie Minogue on the track "Too Much of a Good Thing" off her 1991 album Let's Get To It.[4]

Critical reception[edit]

Jose F. Promis from AllMusic viewed "Let the Beat Hit 'Em" as a "surprise 1991 house-dance smash".[5] J.D. Considine from The Baltimore Sun felt the music is "relentlessly danceable", describing the song as "insistent".[6] Larry Flick from Billboard wrote that here, the trio "ends a two-year recording silence with an insinuating pop/hip-hopper. Trademark production style of David Cole and Robert Clivillés is a fine complement to Lisa's appealing vocals. Pumped house version has already begun to jam in the clubs, while top 40 and urban radio should be joining the party any second now."[7] He added that the track "sported a deliciously contagious groove and Lisa's most spirited vocal in eons."[8]

Pan-European magazine Music & Media stated that it's produced by the "hottest team around lately", "for whom nothing can stop these beats anymore." They also noted that "just like on C&C's records, the main line of the chorus will remain in the listener's head for weeks."[9] A reviewer from People Magazine felt the song "reflect the producers' trademark '90s disco sound, minus the rock muscle that makes the Music Factory hum".[10] Al Walentis from Reading Eagle said the song "serves up the trio's most irresistible hook" since their 1987 hit "Head to Toe".[11] Stewart Walker from Toledo Blade remarked that "Let The Beat Hit 'Em" exemplified the "high-energy club feel" of the first half of the Straight Outta Hell's Kitchen album".[12]

Music video[edit]

A black-and-white music video was made to accompany the song, directed by German director Marcus Nispel.

Impact and legacy[edit]

In 1995, British DJ Pete Tong picked "Let the Beat Hit 'Em" as one of his "classic cuts", adding, "One of Clivilles & Cole's best remixes. You often find if you go into the studio where people are remixing there are loads of 12 inches lying on the floor because people are constantly inspired by what others are doing. In '91/'92 it was the perfect execution of what was going on in New York City."[13]

In 1996, British DJ and presenter Trevor Nelson chose the song as one of his favourites, "I chose this because C&C Music Factory wanted to make the perfect commercial dance record and, out of all the competition, this is the one, C&C is the best producer of dance records. Even though it's faster than most stuff I play now, it's always worked on the dance floor. It's not the coolest record I've ever bought but it's the most fun."[14]

In 1997 dance vocalist Shèna[15][16] did a cover of "Let The Beat Hit Em" based on Clivilles' "Part Two" remix from 1991[17] and charted at number 28 in the UK Chart. This version was then used by Dutch DJ duo Sound De-Zign for their "Happiness" track in 2001, which reached number 19 in the UK chart in 2001, a song which chart analyst James Masterton thinks may have been the direct inspiration for a number one hit of 2022.[17][18]

In 2012, Polish Porcys ranked "Let the Beat Hit 'Em" number 68 in their list of "100 Singles 1990–1999".[19]

In 2022, "B.O.T.A (Badddest Of Them All)" by Eliza Rose[20] and Interplanetary Criminal sampled the LL w/Love RC Mix[21] of the record, which charted at number 49[22] in the United Kingdom as "Let the Beat Hit 'Em, Part 2"[23] in 1991,[24] with "B.O.T.A" becoming a number 1 hit in that country[25] and a number one in Ireland.[26]

Track listings[edit]

Charts[edit]

Chart (1991) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[27] 72
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[28] 42
Canada Dance (RPM)[29] 1
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[30] 33
Europe (European Dance Radio)[31] 24
France (SNEP)[32] 36
Ireland (IRMA)[33] 27
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[34] 35
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[35] 30
UK Singles (OCC) 17
UK Dance (Music Week)[36] 2
US Billboard Hot 100 37
US Hot R&B Singles (Billboard) 1
US Hot Dance Club Play (Billboard) 1
US Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales (Billboard) 1

Popular culture[edit]

There is also an unrelated song with the same title which has appeared in Konami's various Bemani music games.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Molanphy, Chris (July 16, 2022). "Point of No Return Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  2. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. p. 354.
  3. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974–2003. Record Research. p. 157.
  4. ^ a b "Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam: Let the Beat Hit 'Em". genius.com.
  5. ^ Promis, Jose F. "Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam – Past, Present & Future". AllMusic. Retrieved November 8, 2020.
  6. ^ Considine, J.D. (1991). "Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam – Straight Outta Hell's Kitchen. The Baltimore Sun – via Milwaukee Journal. (22 Sep 1991).
  7. ^ Flick, Larry (June 15, 1991). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 65. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  8. ^ Flick, Larry (December 21, 1991). "Dance Trax: 1991: A Last Dance For Many In Biz" (PDF). Billboard. p. 35. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  9. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. August 24, 1991. Retrieved November 23, 2017.
  10. ^ "Picks and Pans Review: Straight Outta Hell's Kitchen". People. September 23, 1991. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  11. ^ Walentis, Al (September 6, 1991). "Recordings". Reading Eagle. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  12. ^ Walker, Stewart (December 1, 1991). "Classics of British rock". Toledo Blade. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  13. ^ "Jock On His Box" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). May 27, 1995. p. 5. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
  14. ^ "Jock On His Box" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). April 13, 1996. p. 5. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  15. ^ "SHENA | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts.
  16. ^ "let the beat hit 'em | full Official Chart History". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  17. ^ a b "Week Ending September 15th 2022". Chart-watch.uk.
  18. ^ "SOUND DE-ZIGN | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts.
  19. ^ "100 Singli 1990–1999". Porcys (in Polish). August 20, 2012. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
  20. ^ "Eliza Rose | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts.
  21. ^ "Week Ending August 25th 2022". Chart-watch.uk.
  22. ^ "let the beat hit 'em, part two | full Official Chart History". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  23. ^ 1991 Columbia Records/Sony Music 6573746
  24. ^ "LISA LISA & CULT JAM | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts.
  25. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". Official Charts.
  26. ^ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50 | Official Charts Company". Official Charts.
  27. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 167.
  28. ^ "Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam – Let the Beat Hit 'Em" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  29. ^ "Canadian dance peak". Collectionscanafa.gc.ca. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  30. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. August 3, 1991. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  31. ^ "European Dance Radio" (PDF). Music & Media. September 28, 1991. p. 13. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  32. ^ "Let The Beat Hit 'Em", Dutch and French Singles Charts Lescharts.com (Retrieved February 8, 2008)
  33. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Let the Beat Hit". Irish Singles Chart.
  34. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  35. ^ "Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam – Let the Beat Hit 'Em" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  36. ^ "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. July 13, 1991. p. 20. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
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