"Hit Me Off" is a song by American R&B group

New Edition New Edition is an American Contemporary R&B, R&B/Pop music, pop group from the Roxbury, Boston, Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1978 by singer/rapper Bobby Brown. Their name is taken to mean a new edition of the Jackson ...

, released in August 1996 as the first single from the group's sixth studio album, '' Home Again'' (1996), as well as their first single in seven years. Featuring lead vocals from all six New Edition members, it samples "Storm King" by Bob James, "I Got Cha Opin" by

Black Moon Black moon is a term first recorded in 2016. It is not a term used in astronomy. No single, universally accepted definition exists. Among the meanings ascribed to it are these: a second new moon that appears in the same month; the third new moon i ...

, and "

One Nation Under a Groove ''One Nation Under a Groove'' is the tenth studio album by American funk rock band Funkadelic, released on September 22, 1978, on Warner Bros. Records. Recording sessions took place at United Sound Studio in Detroit, with one song recorded live ...

" by

Funkadelic Funkadelic was an American funk rock band formed in Plainfield, New Jersey in 1968 and active until 1982. As one of the two flagship groups of George Clinton's P-Funk collective, they helped pioneer the funk music culture of the 1970s.John, ...

. "Hit Me Off" debuted and peaked at number three on the US ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100, also known as simply the Hot 100, is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), o ...

while topping the ''Billboard''

Hot R&B Singles The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by ''Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 po ...

chart for three weeks, their fifth number-one hit on the listing. It sold 600,000 copies domestically and was

certified Certification is part of testing, inspection and certification and the provision by an independent body of written assurance (a certificate) that the product, service or system in question meets specific requirements. It is the formal attestatio ...

gold by 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 ...

. It was also certified gold in New Zealand, where it reached number two.

Critical reception

Larry Flick Larry Flick is an American journalist, former dance music columnist, single reviewer, and Senior Talent Editor for ''Billboard'' magazine, where he worked for 14 years. Now he produces and hosts Sirius XM radio shows. Flick started in the musi ...

from ''

'' described the song as "a smoker". He added, "Vocally, time has treated the lads extremely well. The high-pitched squeak and

tenor A tenor is a type of male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. Composers typically write music for this voice in the range from the second B below m ...

harmonies have been replaced by swarthy machismo and mature

baritone A baritone is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the bass (voice type), bass and the tenor voice type, voice-types. It is the most common male voice. The term originates from the ...

. Despite the individual styles developed via solo careers, the act's chemistry is well intact, and the members appear to have fallen into group mode with ease. They make excellent use of Silky's chilled jeep/funk groove (which pops with a cool sample from Blackmoon's "I Gotcha Opin") and seductive chorus chant. Needless to say, this is a smash. Jam on it."

Track listing

# "Hit Me Off" (N.E. Spyder and Shaq D) – 6:00 # "Hit Me Off" (The Trackmasters E.C. Joint) – 4:27 # "Hit Me Off" ("G" Formulated mix)(version) – 5:01 # "Hit Me Off" (Franktified club version) – 7:34 # "Hit Me Off" (LP version) – 4:21

Personnel

Ronnie DeVoe Ronald Boyd DeVoe Jr. (born November 17, 1967), is an American singer and rapper known as one of the members of the R&B/ pop group New Edition, and the R&B/ hip hop group Bell Biv DeVoe. He was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Career DeVoe wa ...

– rap, background vocals *

Bobby Brown Robert Barisford Brown Sr. (born February 5, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and dancer. Alongside frequent collaborator Teddy Riley, he is recognized as a pioneer of new jack swing: a fusion of hip-hop and Contemporary R&B, R ...

– lead and background vocals * Ricky Bell – lead and background vocals *

Michael Bivins Michael Lamont Bivins (born August 10, 1968) is an American singer, rapper, manager, and producer, and a founding member of New Edition and Bell Biv DeVoe. Biography Bivins was born and still lives in Boston. He and his wife, Teasha, have four ...

– rap, background vocals *

Ralph Tresvant Ralph Edward Tresvant (born May 16, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer, best known as the lead singer of R&B group New Edition. As a solo artist, Tresvant released his double platinum-selling debut album '' Ralph Tres ...

– lead and background vocals *

Johnny Gill Johnny Gill Jr. (born May 22, 1966) is an American singer and songwriter. He is the sixth and final member of the R&B/ pop group New Edition and was also a member of the supergroup called LSG, with Gerald Levert and Keith Sweat. Gill has rel ...

– lead and background vocals

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Release history

References

{{Authority control 1996 singles 1996 songs MCA Records singles Music videos directed by Joseph Kahn New Edition songs Songs written by Michael Bivins Songs written by Ronnie DeVoe