"Cold Rock a Party" is the lead single released from American rapper

MC Lyte Lana Michele Moorer (born October 11, 1970), better known by her stage name MC Lyte, is an American rapper. Considered one of the pioneers of female rap, MC Lyte first gained fame in the late 1980s, becoming the first female rapper to release a ...

's fifth studio album, '' Bad As I Wanna B'' (1996). While the original version of the song that appears on the album was produced by Rashad Smith and samples Audio Two's " Top Billin", the single version features Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, was produced by

Sean Combs Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969), better known by his stage name Diddy, and formerly Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, record producer, and record executive. Born in Harlem and raised in Mount Vernon, New York, Mount Ve ...

, and samples

Diana Ross Diana Ross (born Diane Ernestine Earle Ross March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. Known as the "Queen of Motown Records", she was the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown#Major divisions, Motown's most suc ...

' 1980 hit " Upside Down". It was released in November 1996 by East West Records. The song became MC Lyte's second-highest-charting single in the United States (after her previous single " Keep On, Keepin' On"), peaking at 11 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, and it received a gold certification from the

Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

(RIAA), selling over 600,000 units by the end of 1997. It is MC Lyte's last single to appear on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. "Cold Rock a Party" also became a hit in several other countries, including New Zealand, where it reached No. 1 for two weeks.

Critical reception

Larry Flick from '' Billboard'' described "Cold Rock a Party" as "a classic party rocker", noting that it is combining "Lyte's melodic flow" with the high-powered instrumental to " Upside Down". Peter Miro from '' Cash Box'' named it a "gem" of the '' Bad As I Wanna B'' album. A reviewer from '' Music Week'' gave the song a top score of five out of five, writing that the veteran female rapper "returns with a hip hop biggie", that is "already receiving big club and media exposure. A good bet for the charts." Also DJ Freshy-D from '' Smash Hits'' gave "Cold Rock a Party" five out of five, naming it "one of the most kickin' hip hop tracks since ooh, The Fugees' last one." He added that Lyte "adds a sassy girls' kick-ass vibe that makes the choon so wicked. ''All the laydees, all the laydees, all the laydees in the house say, HO!''"

Track listings

* US CD single # "Cold Rock a Party" (Bad Boy remix—main version) – 4:37 # "Cold Rock a Party" (Bad Boy remix—MC Lyte main version) – 4:37 # "Cold Rock a Party" (original album version) – 4:17 # "Have U Ever" (album version) – 3:33 # "Cold Rock a Party" (Milk remix) – 3:19 # "Paper Thin" (album version) – 5:14 * US cassette single # "Cold Rock a Party" (Bad Boy remix—clean radio edit) – 4:05 # "Have U Ever" (LP version) – 3:33 * European cassette single # "Cold Rock a Party" (Bad Boy remix—clean radio edit) – 4:11 # "Cold Rock a Party" (original version—clean) – 4:17 * European and Australian maxi-CD single # "Cold Rock a Party" (Bad Boy remix—clean radio edit) – 4:05 # "Cold Rock a Party" (Bad Boy remix—main version) – 4:37 # "Cold Rock a Party" (original version—clean) – 4:17 # "Cold Rock a Party" (Milk remix) – 3:19 # "Cold Rock a Party" (Bad Boy remix—a cappella) – 4:17

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Release history

References

{{Authority control 1995 songs 1996 singles East West Records singles MC Lyte songs Missy Elliott songs Number-one singles in New Zealand Songs written by Bernard Edwards Songs written by Missy Elliott Songs written by Nile Rodgers Songs written by MC Lyte