"Ain't It Different" is a song by British rappers Headie One, AJ Tracey and

Stormzy Michael Ebenezer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Jr. (born 26 July 1993), known professionally as Stormzy, is a British rapper, singer and songwriter. In 2014, he gained attention on the UK underground music scene through his ''Wicked Skengman'' series of f ...

. It was released on 20 August 2020 as the second single from Headie One's debut studio album '' Edna'' and peaked at number two on the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

, becoming the highest-charting single for both Headie One and AJ Tracey. The song was nominated for the Brit Award for Song of the Year at the 2021 ceremony.

Composition

The song sees the rappers "trade assertive, straight-talking bars that touch on how life is different now to what it was back in the day when they had a lot less". It samples

M-Dubs M-Dubs was a UK garage production duo formed by Ras Kwame. Their 2000 single, " Bump 'n' Grind (I Am Feeling Hot Tonight)" featuring Lady Saw, reached No. 59 on the UK Singles Chart. Discography Singles * "Over You" (1997) * "I Got the Music (T ...

' "Bump 'n' Grind (I Am Feeling Hot Tonight)" (1999) and Red Hot Chili Peppers' "

Pretty Little Ditty "Pretty Little Ditty" is an instrumental track by the American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, from their 1989 album '' Mother's Milk''. Recognized as one of the best examples of the eclecticism the band experimented with in this album, the track ...

" (1989), the latter of which was also famously sampled by Crazy Town for their 2001 single "

Butterfly Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the Order (biology), order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The ...

". The song also interpolates

Lady Saw Marion Hall (born 12 July 1969; formerly known by the stage name Lady Saw) is a Jamaican singer and songwriter whose career has spanned over two decades. Formerly known as the Queen of Dancehall, she is the first female deejay to be certified ...

's "No Long Talking" (1996). Sonically, the song was described as "a slow-burning drill banger".

Remix

On 25 September 2020, Australian rap collective

Onefour ONEFOUR (stylised in all caps) are an Australian drill and rap group originating from the Western Sydney suburb of Mount Druitt. They are regarded by many as the pioneers of drill-rap in Australia. Paving the way for the Australian Drill scene, ...

released a remix version of the song, which they had previously teased on social media. A remix with Luciano and Condcta was also released.

Music video

The accompanying music video was released on 20 August 2020 and was directed by Taz Tron Delix. It is set in three locations: a botanical garden, the back of a Benz truck, as well as the streets of London, with a Headie One statue towering over the rappers.

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

References

{{Authority control 2020 songs Headie One songs AJ Tracey songs Songs written by AJ Tracey Songs written by Headie One Songs written by Stormzy Stormzy songs Relentless Records singles Sony Music UK singles UK drill songs