I'll Be Missing You

"I'll Be Missing You"
Single by Puff Daddy and Faith Evans featuring 112
from the album No Way Out
B-side	"We'll Always Love Big Poppa" "Cry On"
Released	May 27, 1997
Format	CD single cassette single 7" single 12" single
Recorded	1996–97
Genre	Hip hop
Length	5:43 (album version) 5:01 (radio edit) 4:08 (video version)
Label	Bad Boy
Writer(s)	Faith Evans Todd Gaither Sting Albert E. Brumley (not credited on album)
Producer(s)	Puff Daddy Stevie J
Certification	3× Platinum (RIAA) Platinum (CRIA)
Puff Daddy singles chronology
"Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" (1997) "I'll Be Missing You" (1997) "It's All About the Benjamins" (1997)
Faith Evans singles chronology "You Could Be My Boo" (1996) "I'll Be Missing You" (1997) "How's It Goin' Down" (1998) 112 singles chronology "Cupid" (1997) "I'll Be Missing You" (1997) "All Cried Out" (1997)

"I'll Be Missing You" is a song recorded by American rapper Puff Daddy and American singer Faith Evans, featuring R&B group 112, in memory of fellow Bad Boy Records artist Christopher "The Notorious B.I.G." Wallace, who was murdered on March 9, 1997.

Released as the second single from Puff Daddy and the Family's No Way Out album, "I'll Be Missing You" samples The Police's 1983 hit song "Every Breath You Take", with an interpolated chorus sung by Evans. The track also features a spoken intro over a choral version of Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings". In 1998, the song won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group. The single spent 11 weeks on top of the Billboard Hot 100 during the summer of 1997. With worldwide sales likely over 8 million, including shipments of 3 million copies in the United States and over 1 million in both Germany and the United Kingdom, the song has become one of the best-selling singles of all time. As of February 2016, it is rated the 99th biggest song of all time in the US, according to Billboard.^[1]

Background

The song, a rap ballad, had already been completed before permission was granted to use the sample from The Police's "Every Breath You Take". Sting (vocalist from The Police) ultimately participated in a performance of "I'll Be Missing You" at the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards. Sting owns 100% of the publishing royalties.^[2] As well as using the melody and arrangement of "Every Breath You Take", the single also borrows the melody from the well-known American spiritual "I'll Fly Away".

There are several different versions of this song, one being an extended version (choir at the beginning), another without the choir and an instrumental version. In the extended version of the song the choir is heard singing in the beginning of "Adagio for Strings" by Samuel Barber..

Reception

Entertainment Weekly gave the song a grade of D, and described it as a "maudlin 'tribute' to the Notorious B.I.G., [in which] the late rapper's former mentor (Puff Daddy) and wife (Faith Evans) team up to say their farewells to the big man on a song that 'samples' the Police's 'Every Breath You Take.' With lyrics like "Know you're in heaven, smiling down/Watching us as we pray for you,' 'I'll Be Missing You' gives the lie to those who claim hip-hoppers are above self-serving sentimentality." ^[3]

Music video

The music video was shot on April 6, 1997 in Chicago, and was directed by Hype Williams. Numerous scenes of Puff Daddy and Faith Evans were filmed in the artistically illuminated passenger walkway tunnel between O'Hare International Airport Terminal 1 Concourses B and C.

Chart performance

"I'll Be Missing You" topped many charts across the world. It reached number one in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Norway, Denmark and Poland.

The song is one of the few to debut at No. 1 in the U.S. on the Billboard Hot 100, and the only rap song by a male to do so until Eminem's "Not Afraid" debuted at the top spot 13 years later in 2010. The song spent a record-breaking 11 weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100, making it the longest running No. 1 hip-hop song in history until Eminem's "Lose Yourself" spent 12 weeks at No. 1 in 2002.

The song re-entered the UK Singles Chart at #32 on July 8, 2007, ten years after it had its full physical release and 10 years after it was No. 1.

Formats and track listings

Single

1. Puff Daddy featuring Faith Evans and 112 – "I'll Be Missing You"

Maxi-single

1. Puff Daddy featuring Faith Evans and 112 – "I'll Be Missing You"
2. The Lox – "We'll Always Love Big Poppa"
3. 112 – "Cry On"
4. Puff Daddy and Faith Evans featuring 112 – "I'll Be Missing You" (Instrumental)
5. The Lox – "We'll Always Love Big Poppa" (Instrumental)

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (1997) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[4] 1 Austrian Singles Chart[4] 1 Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart[4] 1 Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart[4] 3 Canadian Singles Chart 4 Danish Singles Chart[5] 1 Dutch Top 40[6] 1 Eurochart Hot 100 1 Finnish Singles Chart[4] 3 France (SNEP)[4] 2 German Singles Chart[7] 1 Ireland (IRMA)[8] 1 Italian Singles Chart[9] 1 New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart[4] 1 Norwegian Singles Chart[4] 1 Spain (AFYVE)[10] 1 Swedish Singles Chart[4] 1 Swiss Singles Chart[4] 1 UK Singles Chart[11] 1 US Billboard Hot 100[12] 1 US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs[12] 1 US Billboard Rhythmic Top 40[12] 1 US Billboard Mainstream Top 40[12] 11 Chart (2009) Peak position UK R&B Chart 22

Year-end charts Chart (1997) Position Australian Singles Chart[13] 4 Austrian Singles Chart[14] 2 Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart[15] 4 Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart[16] 13 Canadian Singles Chart[17] 36 Dutch Top 40[6] 1 French Singles Chart[18] 8 Germany (Official German Charts)[19] 2 Swiss Singles Chart[20] 2 UK Singles Chart 3 U.S. Billboard Hot 100[21] 3 Decade-end charts Chart (1990–1999) Position U.S. Billboard Hot 100[22] 10 All-time chart Chart Position Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[23] 99 US Billboard Hot 100[24] 94 Certifications Region Certification Certified units/Sales Australia (ARIA)[25] 2× Platinum 140,000^^ Austria (IFPI Austria)[26] 2× Platinum 100,000^* Canada (Music Canada)[27] Platinum 100,000^^ France (SNEP)[28] Gold 492,000[29] Germany (BVMI)[30] 3× Platinum 1,500,000^^ Netherlands (NVPI)[31] 2× Platinum 150,000^^ Norway (IFPI Norway)[32] Platinum 10,000^* Sweden (GLF)[33] 2× Platinum 60,000^^ Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[34] Platinum 50,000^^ United Kingdom (BPI)[35] 2× Platinum 1,570,000[36] United States (RIAA)[37] 3× Platinum 3,100,000[38] ^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

Chart successions

See also

• List of best-selling singles
• List of best-selling singles in the United Kingdom
• List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1997 (U.S.)
• List of European number-one hits of 1997
• List of number-one R&B singles of 1997 (U.S.)
• List of number-one singles of 1997 (Australia)
• List of number-one hits of 1997 (Austria)
• List of number-one singles of 1997 (Belgium-Flanders)
• List of number-one singles of 1997 (Germany)
• List of number-one singles of 1997 (Ireland)
• List of number-one singles of 1997 (Netherlands)
• List of number-one singles of 1997 (New Zealand)
• List of number-one singles of 1997 (Norway)
• List of number-one singles (Sweden)
• List of number-one singles of 1997 (Switzerland)
• List of UK Singles Chart number ones of 1997

References

1. "Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Singles". Retrieved February 8, 2016.
2. Friedman, Roger (April 25, 2006). "Is Diddy's 'Vote or Die' Dead or Just Sleeping?". Fox News. Archived from the original on April 28, 2006.
3. http://www.ew.com/article/1997/05/30/ill-be-missing-you
4. "Australian-charts.com – Puff Daddy & Faith Evans – I'll Be Missing You". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved August 9, 2008.
5. "Hits of the World: Denmark (IFPI/Nielsen Marketing Research) 08/14/97". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. 109 (35): 59. August 30, 1997. ISSN 0006-2510.
6. "Single top 100 over 1997" (pdf) (in Dutch). Top40. Retrieved April 20, 2010.
7. German Singles Chart Charts-surfer.de (Retrieved April 20, 2008)
8. Irish Singles Chart Irishcharts.ie (Retrieved April 20, 2008)
9. Italian Single Chart Hit parade Italia (Retrieved May 30, 2008)
10. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
11. UK Singles Chart Chartstats.com (Retrieved April 20, 2008)
12. Billboard AllMusic (Retrieved August 9, 2008)
13. 1997 Australian Singles Chart aria.com (Retrieved April 20, 2008)
14. 1997 Austrian Singles Chart Austriancharts.at (Retrieved April 20, 2008)
15. 1997 Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart Ultratop.be (Retrieved April 20, 2008)
16. 1997 Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart Ultratop.be (Retrieved April 20, 2008)
17. 1997 Year-End Canadian Singles Chart RPM Canada
18. 1997 French Singles Chart Disqueenfrance.com (Retrieved April 20, 2008)
19. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
20. 1997 Swiss Singles Chart Hitparade.ch (Retrieved April 20, 2008)
21. "Billboard Top 100 - 1997". Retrieved August 28, 2010.
22. Geoff Mayfield (December 25, 1999). 1999 The Year in Music Totally '90s: Diary of a Decade - The listing of Top Pop Albums of the '90s & Hot 100 Singles of the '90s. Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
23. "Best of All Time – Singles". Charts.org.sw. Hung Medien. Retrieved 2015. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
24. Fred Bronson. "Hot 100 55th Anniversary: The All-Time Top 100 Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 2015. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
25. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1997 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved April 20, 2008.
26. "Austrian single certifications – Puff Daddy – I'll Be Missing You" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved April 20, 2008. Enter Puff Daddy in the field Interpret. Enter I'll Be Missing You in the field Titel. Select single in the field Format. Click Suchen
27. "Canadian single certifications – Puff Daddy – I'll Be Missing You". Music Canada. Retrieved April 20, 2008.
28. "French single certifications – Puff Daddy – I'll Be Missing You" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved April 20, 2008.
29. "Les Singles en Or :". Infodisc.fr (in French). Retrieved June 22, 2012.
30. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Puff Daddy; 'Tribute To The Notorious B.I.G.')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved March 11, 2010.
31. "Dutch single certifications – Puff Daddy – I'll Be Missing You" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved December 9, 2008.
32. "Norwegian single certifications – Puff Daddy – I'll Be Missing You" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved August 9, 2008.
33. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
34. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Puff Daddy; 'I'll Be Missing You')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved April 20, 2008.
35. "British single certifications – Puff Daddy – I'll Be Missing You". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved August 9, 2008. Enter I'll Be Missing You in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search
36. Lane, Dan (June 27, 2013). "Daft Punk's Get Lucky becomes one of the UK's biggest selling singles of all-time!". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
37. "American single certifications – Puff Daddy – I_ll Be Missing You". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 20, 2008. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
38. Jeffrey, Don (January 31, 1998). Best-selling Records of 1997. Billboard. Retrieved January 5, 2012.